Texas Tech Athletics
Dallas Baptist
Preview: Red Raiders return for home opener
February 21, 2022 | Baseball
LUBBOCK, Texas -Â Texas Tech opens its 2022 home slate on Tuesday at Rip Griffin Park after beginning the season on the road at the State Farm College Showdown for the second-straight season.
Owning one of the top home-field advantages in the nation, Texas Tech looks to continue its home-field dominance when it hosts Dallas Baptist where it has won over 75 percent of its home games since Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park opened in 2012. The Red Raiders own a 236-71 mark since 2012, and eight of those nine seasons have been under coach Tim Tadlock who arrived in 2013. The last home opening loss came in 2019 against Oregon, and then-ranked No. 3 Indiana in 2014 - the two are the only such home opening losses under Tadlock. Last year Texas Tech won its first 11 games at home, which was a part of a 14-game winning streak after losing it first three in Arlington in 2021.Â
John Harris and Mike Gustafson will call the game from inside Rip Griffin Park as coverage will be provided via Big 12 Now on ESPN+. The broadcast can be accessed from any desktop or laptop computer, any personal cellular device and television streaming services using the ESPN app. Registration for the subscription service can be found at ESPNPlus.com.
Texas Tech Sports Network will also broadcast the game over 46 affiliates throughout the state of Texas and New Mexico as Jamie Lent will have the call alongside analyst, Texas Tech baseball alum, Cameron Warren.
2:00 p.m.—Dallas Baptist at Texas Tech Watch | Listen | Follow | Stats
Texas Tech Game Notes | Dallas Baptist Game Notes
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A GLANCE AT DALLAS BAPTIST
- Dallas Baptist dropped its first two games of the season last weekend to Southeast Missouri before winning the Sunday finale to avoid their first sweep on opening weekend since 2013
- The Patriots are coming off their most successful season in their Division I era, finishing 41-18 and reaching the Super Regionals for the second time in school history. The Patriots concluded the 2021 season just one win away from reaching the College World Series.
- DBU entered the 2022 season ranked 22nd nationally in the D1 Baseball rankings, but fell out of the polls on Feb. 21 after going 1-2 over the weekend.Â
- DBU returns 17 lettermen from last year's club and welcomes a recruiting class that was ranked No. 18 in the nation by Baseball America.
- The Patriots return six position players in Andrew Benefield, Jace Grady, Blayne Jones, Cole Moore, George Specht, and Ryan Wrobleski that accounted for 200 RBI last year.
- The Patriot pitching staff brings back 11 pitchers from last year that combined to go 14-4 and accumulate 207 strikeouts.
A NEW YEAR
The 2022 Red Raiders feature 21 new faces and 19 veterans. Tech returns six position players that started at least 30 games and 11 pitchers including Brandon Birdsell who was selected in the 11th round of last year's MLB draft. Meanwhile, Jace Jung is who's grabbed the headlines, as the 2021 Big 12 Player of the Year, enters 2022 as the conference's preseason player of the year, a Golden Spikes Watch Lister, and a five-time first team preseason All-American.
EARN IT IN LEAGUE PLAY
Texas Tech was voted third in the 2022 Big 12 Baseball Preseason Poll, the conference revealed on Jan. 27. The league's nine head coaches voted the order and were not permitted to vote for their own team.
Positioned No. 3, the Red Raiders face their first uphill fight after four-straight seasons being pegged the preseason favorite (2018-2021). The last time Tech was not picked preseason No. 1, they were slotted third in 2017, which marked, at the time, the Red Raiders' highest preseason ranking since being picked third in 2000. In 2017, the Red Raiders won the Big 12 regular season title and hosted a regional as the No. 5 national seed.
Texas received eight first place votes for a total of 64 points to nab the top spot and its first time being atop the preseason league poll since 2010. Oklahoma State followed in second with 52 points and one first place vote while Texas Tech was third with 49 points. TCU and Baylor round out the top five with 48 and 33 points, respectively. Oklahoma (25), Kansas State (23), West Virginia (20) and Kansas (10) wrap up the ledger.
Time Change
This Friday's contest against Kent State was announced on Monday for time change - moving to a 2 p.m. start. Officials elected to move the time from 6:30 p.m. due to the weather forecast.
--TECH--
