Red Raiders Open Big 12 Softball Championship Friday

LUBBOCK, Texas – Postseason play has arrived for Texas Tech softball as the Red Raiders (28-24, 5-13) travel to Oklahoma City, Okla., to participate in the 2018 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship at the prestigious USA Hall of Fame Stadium Complex on Friday and Saturday.

Winners of their last seven regular-season games, the Red Raiders secured the No. 5 seed at the event and will take on No. 3 Baylor (35-14, 12-6) and No. 2 Oklahoma State (36-19, 12-6) in the opening pool play round on Friday. First pitch against the Lady Bears is slated for 2 p.m. at Integris Field, and then Tech will take on the Cowgirls at 5 p.m. inside OGE Energy Field, the site of the Women's College World Series.

Tech's battle against Baylor will be streamed live via FloSoftball, while its tilt against OSU will air on FOX College Sports and the FOX Sports GO app with Chad McKee, Brenda VanLengen and Erin Miller on the call. Live stats will be provided through the Big 12.

The winner from each pool will square off for the Big 12 title on Saturday at 4 p.m. on FOX Sports 2. A third-place game will take place at 1:30 p.m., and a fifth-place game will take place at 11 a.m. with both airing on FOX College Sports.

This marks the second year of the Big 12 Softball Championships since its six-year hiatus from 2011-16. The league's top six teams from the conference standings qualify and are split into two pools. Tech defeated Iowa State 1-0 to claim fifth place at the event last season.

MATCHUP NOTES
Baylor swept the three-game series in Lubbock and has won 15 in a row over the Red Raiders overall. Junior Jessica Hartwell roughed up the Baylor pitching staff in game one with a school-record three home runs in a 12-8 loss. In the next two bouts, Lady Bear Gia Rodoni tossed a pair of gems for wins of 2-0 and 5-1.

OSU took 2-of-3 against the Red Raiders in Lubbock this year, but Tech has won eight of the last 13 overall. Tech outhit OSU 10-6, but fell 4-1 in game one. Tech won game two in extra innings with a 4-3 walk-off victory. In game three, OSU led just 4-3 after three, but closed strong for a 10-4 win to clinch the series.

NOTABLES

A school-record six Red Raiders were recognized on the 2018 All-Big 12 teams. Junior Jessica Hartwell earned first team honors, while redshirt sophomore Karli Hamilton was named to the second team. Outfielders Heaven Burton and Michaela Cochran along with pitcher Erin Edmoundson and catcher Kelcy Leach were placed on the freshman team.
Hartwell is the reigning Big 12 Co-Player of the Week. She has earned the award twice this season, along with a pair of national player of the week honors, and three times for her career. She is tied for fifth nationally in home runs with a program-record 19 this season. She is four runs scored away from breaking the single-season school mark of 60.
At 28-24, head coach Adrian Gregory has locked down her first winning regular season. Tech has received votes for the first time since 2013 and will lose only three players to graduation heading into 2019.
This will be the first Big 12 Championship for the 11-of-19 Red Raiders. Tech boasts one of the nation's youngest teams with five freshmen routinely in the lineup.
Pitchers Erin Edmoundson and Kassidy Scott have been a reliable tandem in the circle. Edmoundson is the league's top freshman pitcher while Scott has won each of her last five decisions.
Texas Tech has won a game in four of the last five Big 12 Championships. Tech is 2-1 against Baylor, 2-4 against OSU and 13-22 overall.
Tech uses superior team speed to its advantage, leading the Big 12 in triples and stolen bases for the season. Hartwell (14-17), Hamilton (14-18), Workman (9-12) and Burton (8-10) carry the flag in stolen bases.

Be sure to keep up with the Red Raiders on Twitter and Instagram at @TexasTechSB and online at www.TexasTech.com.

Red Raiders Open Big 12 Softball Championship Friday

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Players Mentioned

Heaven Burton

Michaela Cochran

Erin Edmoundson

Karli Hamilton

Jessica Hartwell

Kelcy Leach

Kassidy Scott