Texas Tech University Athletics
Softball position preview: Infielders
February 01, 2022 | Softball
The Red Raiders return most of their infield from a season ago including all middle infielders
LUBBOCK, Texas – The 2022 Texas Tech softball season is just around the corner with opening day set for Friday, February 11 in Houston, Texas at the University of Houston Invitational. As the Red Raiders enter year two under head coach Sami Ward, texastech.com will break down the roster which includes 13 new faces and 11 returners.
INFIELDERS: Ellie Bailey, Alanna Barraza, Riley Ehlen, Riley Love, Abbie Orrick, Arriana Villa
The Red Raiders return the most experience in the infield with five players who played in at least 25 games a season ago. The infield is anchored by sophomore middle infielders Riley Love and Arriana Villa who each played a major role for the Red Raiders in 2021, earning All-Big 12 Freshman Team honors during their rookie seasons. The duo was instrumental to the Red Raiders 21st ranked defense which set a program record for fielding percentage (.975) and fewest errors (31).
Love was a unanimous All-Freshman selection, starting 42 of Tech's 47 games at shortstop with just two errors all season, going on a 25-game errorless streak to open the season. Though she experienced ups and downs at the plate throughout the season, Love finished the year strong, hitting her first career home run against Iowa State on May 2, the solo shot tied the game in the fifth inning as the Red Raiders would go on to walk off the Cyclones in the regular season finale.
Villa played primarily at second base and ranked second on the team in RBI (16). Her .235 average and 24 hits ranked fourth on the team. Villa blasted three home runs on the season, all in the span of two days with two in one game. In the field, Villa was involved in seven of Tech's 16 double plays.
Ellie Bailey, Abbie Orrick and Alanna Barraza each saw considerable playing time in the infield a season ago, splitting time with veteran players.
Bailey emerged as one of the Red Raiders' most clutch hitters, with a .421 average with runners in scoring position, .500 as a pinch hitter and .667 with bases loaded. She tallied 15 RBI, tied for third most on the team, in just 55 at bats. Six of her 15 RBI came with two outs. She went unblemished in the field, recording 59 putouts at first base with no errors.
Barraza played several games at second base with 35 putouts and 37 assists and just two errors. At the plate she tallied 15 hits including three doubles and two home runs, the first two long balls of the season for the Red Raiders.
Abbie Orrick made 11 starts at third base a season ago, starting the last four games of the season on the hot corner. She enjoyed a breakout performance at the Big 12 Championships batting .455 and slugging .818 with five hits, three of which were extra base hits and four runs to help the Red Raiders to a third-place finish in the tournament, the best result by the program since 2007.
Tech adds a new face to the infield in Loyola Marymount transfer, Riley Ehlen. Ehlen started 86 games across two seasons at LMU with 63 hits, 10 home runs and 48 RBI. As a freshman in 2019 she finished fifth in the West Coast Conference with eight home runs. In the shortened 2020 season she hit .338 with 22 hits, four doubles, two home runs and 17 RBI.
SAMI SAYS: "We have three players that will consistently play in the middle for us [Barraza, Love, Villa], maybe even a fourth, Abbie has been working a little at short as well. I think we did a pretty good job in the past defensively with the returning lineup that we have. Abbie had a nice conference tournament both offensively and defensively. Riley Love has been doing a really great job offensively, which is huge for her and us and is exciting for her growth because we know how good she is defensively. Ellie did a nice job offensively last year and she is even more athletic and agile defensively this year, which is exciting because she didn't let anything past her last season. Riley Ehlen can play the corners also. I think the infielders can really anchor down our defense and that is always nice as a pitcher to know that you can get outs in a lot of different ways."
"Last year gave them a lot of experience and that is what this game is about, getting as much experience as possible. It gives you more opportunity to read different situations and ball contact and be ready for everything."
For the latest information on the Texas Tech softball team, visit TexasTech.com or follow @TexasTechSB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
INFIELDERS: Ellie Bailey, Alanna Barraza, Riley Ehlen, Riley Love, Abbie Orrick, Arriana Villa
The Red Raiders return the most experience in the infield with five players who played in at least 25 games a season ago. The infield is anchored by sophomore middle infielders Riley Love and Arriana Villa who each played a major role for the Red Raiders in 2021, earning All-Big 12 Freshman Team honors during their rookie seasons. The duo was instrumental to the Red Raiders 21st ranked defense which set a program record for fielding percentage (.975) and fewest errors (31).
Love was a unanimous All-Freshman selection, starting 42 of Tech's 47 games at shortstop with just two errors all season, going on a 25-game errorless streak to open the season. Though she experienced ups and downs at the plate throughout the season, Love finished the year strong, hitting her first career home run against Iowa State on May 2, the solo shot tied the game in the fifth inning as the Red Raiders would go on to walk off the Cyclones in the regular season finale.
Villa played primarily at second base and ranked second on the team in RBI (16). Her .235 average and 24 hits ranked fourth on the team. Villa blasted three home runs on the season, all in the span of two days with two in one game. In the field, Villa was involved in seven of Tech's 16 double plays.
Ellie Bailey, Abbie Orrick and Alanna Barraza each saw considerable playing time in the infield a season ago, splitting time with veteran players.
Bailey emerged as one of the Red Raiders' most clutch hitters, with a .421 average with runners in scoring position, .500 as a pinch hitter and .667 with bases loaded. She tallied 15 RBI, tied for third most on the team, in just 55 at bats. Six of her 15 RBI came with two outs. She went unblemished in the field, recording 59 putouts at first base with no errors.
Barraza played several games at second base with 35 putouts and 37 assists and just two errors. At the plate she tallied 15 hits including three doubles and two home runs, the first two long balls of the season for the Red Raiders.
Abbie Orrick made 11 starts at third base a season ago, starting the last four games of the season on the hot corner. She enjoyed a breakout performance at the Big 12 Championships batting .455 and slugging .818 with five hits, three of which were extra base hits and four runs to help the Red Raiders to a third-place finish in the tournament, the best result by the program since 2007.
Tech adds a new face to the infield in Loyola Marymount transfer, Riley Ehlen. Ehlen started 86 games across two seasons at LMU with 63 hits, 10 home runs and 48 RBI. As a freshman in 2019 she finished fifth in the West Coast Conference with eight home runs. In the shortened 2020 season she hit .338 with 22 hits, four doubles, two home runs and 17 RBI.
SAMI SAYS: "We have three players that will consistently play in the middle for us [Barraza, Love, Villa], maybe even a fourth, Abbie has been working a little at short as well. I think we did a pretty good job in the past defensively with the returning lineup that we have. Abbie had a nice conference tournament both offensively and defensively. Riley Love has been doing a really great job offensively, which is huge for her and us and is exciting for her growth because we know how good she is defensively. Ellie did a nice job offensively last year and she is even more athletic and agile defensively this year, which is exciting because she didn't let anything past her last season. Riley Ehlen can play the corners also. I think the infielders can really anchor down our defense and that is always nice as a pitcher to know that you can get outs in a lot of different ways."
"Last year gave them a lot of experience and that is what this game is about, getting as much experience as possible. It gives you more opportunity to read different situations and ball contact and be ready for everything."
For the latest information on the Texas Tech softball team, visit TexasTech.com or follow @TexasTechSB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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