No. 22 Tech celebrates pair of redeeming wins

Saturday, April 8

Lubbock, TX

2 p.m. CT

Texas Tech Athletics

21-10

North Dakota State

8-21

North Dakota State

Texas Tech

No. 22 Tech celebrates pair of redeeming wins

April 08, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Gm. 1 Box Score (PDF)Gm. 2 Box Score (PDF)Postgame Press Conference

By: Matt Burkholder

LUBBOCK, Texas – No. 22 Texas Tech rebounded on Saturday, sweeping its doubleheader versus North Dakota State at Rip Griffin Park. The Red Raiders won 8-5 in game one and 8-3 in game two to clinch the series following a disappointing 8-1 loss to the Bison on Friday night.

Texas Tech used strong starts from both its Saturday starters, Mason Molina (game one) and Trendan Parish (game two), while the bullpen carried the weight the rest of the way. Both starters earned wins in their starts as Molina gave the Red Raiders 5 1/3 innings, while Parish went six complete innings – the longest outing of his career.

"I thought [Parish and Kyle Robinson] threw the ball well in game two today," said head coach Tim Tadlock. "I thought Mason Molina threw the ball well, and Beckel threw the ball well [in game one]. Jase Lopez came in and got us out of a little bit of a jam there in the eighth that was a big moment in [game one] and then Ryan Free threw a clean ninth. It always makes it easier when you pitch and play defense. It's a lot more fun game to watch when you do that."

The Red Raiders also bounced back at the plate, recording 18 hits on the day, after being held to a season-low four hits in Friday's game. Zac Vooletich and Kevin Bazzell each logged four hits apiece to lead Tech. Vooletich finished 4-of-6 (.667) with one home run, one double and three RBI. He walked twice aiding a .750 on-base percentage. Meanwhile, Bazzell hit 4-of-7 (.571) with one home run, one double and four RBI. He was hit by two pitches and drew one walk to push his on-base percentage to .700.

Vooletich learned he was starting during pregame in place of Austin Green at second base. "It's always cool when guys aren't in the lineup and they get the opportunity, they jump in there and make something happen, extend at-bats and hit the ball hard, and run the bases well," said Tadlock. "I'm really proud of the way he handled that."

In the first game, neither squad could plate a run until Texas Tech broke through in the bottom of the fourth for four runs. The Red Raiders opened up an 8-1 lead after six full innings played. The Bison scratched across one in the seventh and then pounced on freshman Zach Erdman in his appearance to lead off the eighth for three runs. Lopez inherited runners on second and third with one out and struck out both batters he faced to strand the two baserunners and end the comeback threat. Free finished the job in the ninth for his first career save.

In game two, North Dakota State scored first as they pushed across two in the top of the second. Parish settled in and Tech's offense went to work scoring one run in the fourth and then they manufactured its second four-run inning on Saturday in the fifth to build a 5-2 lead. Parish saw an unearned run cross home plate in the sixth under his watch, which was the last run scored by the Bison. The Red Raiders continued to produce offense the rest of the way scoring one run in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.

"There's always room for improvement going forward," said Parish. "I'm just happy that I could give us a chance to win today and have a chance to go out there and get a good start for our team, not for me, but for our team to try and win a ballgame today."

Texas Tech's game one win represented Tadlock's 400th career win as the head coach of the Red Raiders. He is already the second-winningest coach in program history behind Larry Hays and now joins Hays as one of two to ever reach the 400 milestone.

Up Next
The Red Raiders continue nonconference action as they head to the West Coast on Sunday to prepare for a Monday-Tuesday pairing with the Stanford Cardinal.