No. 19 Tech returns home to face Texas Southern

Friday, February 23

Lubbock, TX

2 p.m. CT

Texas Tech Athletics

Texas Southern

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No. 19 Tech returns home to face Texas Southern

February 22, 2024 | Baseball

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The Red Raiders and Tigers will play three games this weekend at Rip Griffin Park

By: Andrew Stern

LUBBOCK, Texas – After spending the opening weekend on the road, the 19th-ranked Texas Tech Baseball program opens a six-game homestand this weekend, when it welcomes Texas Southern for a three-game series.

Friday's home opener is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first pitch with Saturday's middle game also set for a 2 p.m. first pitch. Sunday's finale is set for 1 p.m.

Tech enters the weekend riding a 27-game home winning streak in the month of February with the last loss coming to Oregon back in 2019. The Red Raiders are 62-4 all-time at home in February under HC Tim Tadlock and have won 36 straight home series overall.

INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:

GAME ONE:
MATCHUP: No. 19 Texas Tech (3-2) vs. Texas Southern (2-3)
DATE: Friday, Feb. 22, 2024
TIME: 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Rip Griffin Park (Lubbock, Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Kyle Robinson (0-1, 4.91 ERA) vs. RHP Carlos Marquez (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

GAME TWO:
MATCHUP: No. 19 Texas Tech (3-2) vs. Texas Southern (2-3)
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2024
TIME: 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Rip Griffin Park (Lubbock, Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Zane Petty (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. RHP Domenic Martinez (0-0, 3.60 ERA)

GAME THREE:
MATCHUP: No. 19 Texas Tech (3-2) vs. Texas Southern (2-3)
DATE: Sunday, Feb. 24, 2024
TIME: 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Rip Griffin Park (Lubbock, Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Jack Washburn (0-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. RHP Josiah Castro (0-0, 5.79 ERA)

1-2-3 HEADLINES:
* The Texas Tech Red Raiders return home to begin a six-game homestand this weekend against Texas Southern. The six game stand is the longest of the season. The game also begins a stretch of 11 of the next 12 games at the Rip. The only road game for Tech in that span ins the annual midweek game at New Mexico on Mar. 5. That stretch includes weekend series with TSU (Feb. 23-25), Gardner-Webb (Mar. 1-3) and Texas (Mar. 8-10).

* The Red Raiders return home at 3-2 overall after seeing a three-game winning streak snapped Wednesday afternoon by No. 7 Oregon State. The trip also included a 6-2 opening night loss to No. 9 Tennessee as well as wins over Nebraska (6-3), Oregon (11-7) and UTA (13-1). Tech closed the opening week of the season at No. 21 in the RPI according to Warren Nolan, the third-best mark in the B12 behind No. 1 TCU and No. 16 UT.

* The opening week of the season saw many positives for Tim Tadlock's crew closed the opening weekend hitting .294 as a team. On the pitching end of things, the Red Raiders held their opponents to just a .280 average, allowing just 12 extra-base hits and 24 runs (4.8/Game). At the plate, three different Red Raiders recorded at least eight hits over the first five games of the season (Bravo, Green and O. Washburn) while 12 pitches allowed one run or fewer in Arlington on opening week. That group includes freshman Brady Trombello who earned his first career win on Tuesday vs. UTA after firing four shutout innings. As a staff Tech struck out 50 batters over the first five games. The Tech offense struck out 49 times total but just 32 times after opening night (four games).

ALL TIME SERIES: Texas Tech leads 4-0

WEEKEND NOTES:

BRAVO. DAMIAN BRAVO.

Damian Bravo closed an extremely strong opening opening week of the season, as the sophomore outfielder hit .474 over the seasons first five games (9-for-16). Bravo scored six runs and drove in five in the opening week as he hit five doubles and had an on-base percentage of .545. Bravo had at least one hit in all five games including a 3-for-4 performance in the 11-7 win over Oregon. Bravo drove in four and scored twice. On Wednesday against Oregon State, Bravo went 3-for-5 with a run scored and a double. Bravo leads the Red Raiders in average (.474), OPS (1.282), doubles (5), hits (9) and run scored (6).

NO PROBLEMS AFTER NIGHT ONE

After striking out 17 times in opening night against No. 9 Tennessee and scoring just two runs, the Red Raiders struck out just 32 combined times in the four games following. Tech scored 34 runs in those four contests including 11 in Sunday's win over the Ducks and 13 in the victory over UTA.

BRAD SHOVED

Freshman Brady "Brad" Trombello had quite the Tech debut on Tuesday night as the freshman threw four shutout innings in the win over UTA. Trombello threw just 50 pitches in the outing and had four strikeouts. Trombello was the first Tech starter this season to record a win, as the Re Raiders other two wins have gone to relievers.

GREENS HEATIN' UP

After taking a tough 0-for-4 on Friday night against the Vols, Austin Green caught fire in the final four games of the five-game stay in Arlington. Green enters the weekend riding a four-game hit streak and went 8 for his last 15 in Arlington with eight RBIs. Green drove in at least one run in the final four games including a clutch two-run pinch-hit single with the bases loaded and nobody out.

GIMMIE GIMMIE A ZERO

Senior lefty Ryan Free looked to be in midseason form in last Saturday's win over Nebraska. Free threw 2.2 shutout innings allowing just two hits. Free struck out three batters and earned the win in Saturday's victory over the Huskers. Free changed his warmup song from ABBAs Dancing Queen to Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie ahead of the 2024 season.

A HUFF AND PUFF DOES IN THE DUCKS

Abilene Christian transfer Max Huffling shined on Sunday afternoon, as the lefty helped close out an 11-7 victory for his first save as a Red Raider. Huffling struck out seven batters and recorded zero walks in the three innings he threw. Huffling's seven total Ks tie his career-high ironically enough set against the Red Raiders last season.

NEW KIDS IN THE 'PEN

Nine newcomers have seen action for Tech on the mound this season: Chandler Coe (1.0 IP), Mac Heuer (3.1 IP/1ER), Max Huffling (3.0 IP/1ER), Parker Hutyra (2.1 IP, 1ER), Cole Kaase (1.0 IP), Hudson Luce (1.0 IP), Isaiah Rhodes (1.1 IP, 1 ER), Hudson Parker (2.1 IP) and Brady Trombello (4.0 IP) have all pitched thus far. The nine newcomers have pitched 19 total innings, allowing just four runs. Tech has 12 new pitchers in 2024 (Jack Washburn started last Sunday), and 10 of those 12 pitchers saw action in the opening weekend. The lone two who did not see action were Joe Sockwell and Carson Baugh.

BACK WITH THE WASH

Former Team USA standout and 2022 national champion Jack Washburn is back and healthy for the 2024 season, as the right-hander made his much anticipated Red Raider debut. Pitching for the first time since June of 2022 for Ole Miss, Washburn went over 600 days without an appearance. Washburn got off to a roaring start in the start against the Ducks, striking out four batters in the first two innings he pitched. Washburn retired the first seven batters before running out of gas in the fifth. In the end, Washburn went four innings plus allowing six hits, three runs (all earned). Washburn struck out six, one shy of his career high of seven.

ROLLIN' IN THE DEEP

Another pitcher who changed his warmup song in 2024 was senior Josh Sanders, who will now warmup to Adelle's Rolling in the Deep. So far it seems the warmup song is working for Sanders, as the righty has pitched a team-best 4.2 innings in the opening week, allowing just two hits and two runs (one earned). Sanders was extremely strong in Wednesday's contest against No. 7 OSU, as the Yukon, Okla. native threw 1.1 perfect innings. Sanders has now struck out six batters in his 4.2 innings of work allowing just two hits and one walk.

THE OTHER WASHBURN IS ALSO BACK

After being limited to just 18 games (52 at-bats) due to various injuries in 2023, Tech outfielder Owen Washburn is back and healthy in 2024. Owen has started all five games so far this season and is currently hitting .381 on the young season. All eight of Washburns' hits have been singles.

NOT HARD TO GAGE

After a freshman All-American season in 2023, CF Gage Harrelson is back in 2024. After a slow start, that saw the Warner Robinson native start 0-for-7 at the plate, Harrelson went 3-for-5 in his final two games of the weekend, including a 2-for-2 performance against No. 7 OSU on Wednesday. Harrleson also walked for times in that span. The CF stole his first base of the season against UTA on Tuesday night.

K-ROB GETS BOTH OPENERS AGAIN

After starting both the season/home opener (Tech opened the 2023 season at home) in 2023, junior Kyle Robinson will once again start the home opener after starting opening day last Friday against Tennessee. Robinson pitched 3.2 innings on opening night against the Vols, allowing four hits and three runs (two earned) in the start.

SAME FIVE ALL FIVE

The Red Raiders have started the same five infielders all five games so far this season. Bazzell has caught all five games with Gavin Kash handling first base duties. Tracer Lopez has started at 2B every game with TJ Pompey and Cade McGee starting on the left side of the infield.

WEEKEND SERIES WITH THE TIGERS

The Red Raiders and Texas Southern will meet for a three-game series this weekend at Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field. The three games will mark just fifth, sixth and seventh all-time meetings between the two schools. This weekend set will be the first all-time weekend series between the two schools, as the previous four all-time matchups between TSU and Tech occurred during the midweek.

LOOKING "TWO" WIN THE SERIES.... AGAIN

As head coach of the Red Raiders, HC Tim Tadlock is a perfect 11-0 in series wins on opening weekend at home. The Red Raiders have won 18 straight games on opening weekend dating back to the 2019 season/home opener against Oregon. As HC of the Red Raiders, Tadlock is an impressive 40-3 on opening week/weekend at Rip Griffin Park. Other than the opening day loss in 2019 to Oregon, Tech's opening weekend losses all-time were to Milwaukee in 2016 and to No. 3 Indiana on opening day in 2014.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE SWAC

The Red Raiders enter the weekend series a perfect 19-0 all-time against the SWAC. That mark obviously includes a perfect 4-0 mark against this weekends opponent Texas Southern. Other SWAC records include a 2-0 mark against Bethune-Cookman, a 4-0 mark against Alabama A&M, a 2-0 mark against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and a 3-0 record against Prairie View A&M.

FEB AND THE RIP HAVE BEEN A GOOD COMBO

The Red Raiders enter the weekend series having won 27 straight games in the month of February at Rip Griffin Park dating back to the 2019 opening day loss to Oregon. Tech went a perfect 9-0 at home in the opening month of the season at home in 2023, and went 4-0, 3-0, and 6-0 in 2020-22. The Red Raiders won six straight following the loss in 2019 bringing the winning streak to 27 games entering the weekend. This weekends series will be the lone three home games Tech will play in Feb at home this season. The Red Raiders are 62-4 all-time on Tim Tadlock at home in February overall and have won 39-of-40 dating back to the start of the 2017 season.

NON-CON + HOME + TAD

As head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, HC Tim Tadlock is 164-23 (.877) all-time against non-conference foes at home (midweeks & weekends in the regular season. Postseason regionals are excluded). Since the 2017 season, that mark stands at 105-9 (.921), as Tadlock has lost three games or fewer at home in non-conference play in all seven of those seasons. The Red Raiders have won 22 straight home non-conference series dating back to the 2019 season when the Red Raiders split with UTRGV in the midweek. The Red Raiders have gone 36 straight series (minus splits) without a true loss, dating back to the 2016 season.

KNOW YOUR FOE - TEXAS SOUTHERN

• The Tigers of Texas Southern enter the weekend series with an even 2-2 record in 2024, after falling Wednesday to Texas A&M Corpus Christi 8-4 in a mid week contest. In that game TSU got a two run home run from Edmundo Alanis to pull to within 8-4 in the seventh, but A&M-CC was able to close the door on the Tigers to hold on for the 8-4 win. Down 5-0 early and 8-1 in the sixth, TSU had runners on in the eighth and ninth but could not scratch across any more runs. Friday's starting pitcher Carlos Marquez pitched in that game as the righty pitched a perfect 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout in the seventh inning.

• Dalton Alford got the start for TXSO pitching four innings of four-hit ball. Alford allowed just one earned run of the four total runs he allowed as he allowed three walks. Following Alford, the Tigers turned to Kameron Walton who allowed four runs on four hits over the next 1.1 innings pitched. In the loss, SS CJ Castillo went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and also made a pair of key errors in the field that led to the three unearned runs for the Islanders.

• Texas Southern, like the Red Raiders, opened the season in an MLB ballpark, as the Tigers played in the Cactus Jack HBCU Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Tigers opened the event on Friday afternoon with a 9-5 win over Jackson State before falling to Prairie View A&M on Saturday night. The Tigers rebounded on Sunday night, defeating Southern 5-3. In the victory over Jackson St, TSU used runs in the second through seventh inning to hold on for 9-5 victory. Tigers first baseman Jose Villalobos had a night to remember, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and four runs driven in. Villalobos also walked and scored three runs. Right fielder Rafael Gross was the TSU batter to drive in multiple runs as he had an RBI triple and an RBI single in the victory. On the mound, Justyn Valdez pitched two-third of an inning, while Adolf Castillo pitched four shutout innings allowing just a walk and two hit batters to earn the save. The performance was special for Castillo who is a Houston native and attended Waltrip HS.

• On Saturday night against PVAMU, TSU used a three run blast from catcher Michael Goudeau to take a 3-0 lead in the second inning. TSU starter Domenic Martinez started for the Tigers and he pitched well into the fifth inning where he ran into trouble. Martinez allowed no runs and three hits over the games first four innings, but Prairie View used a pair of lead off singles and a walk to load the bases with one out. A wild pitch plated the first run of the game for PVAMU before the Panthers added a second run on an error by the third baseman. Dalton Alford suffered the loss in the game for TX Southern as he allowed a lead off walk to come around to score on a two-out wild pitch.

• In Sunday's victory over Southern, Texas Southern used a two run single by their SS Castillo to break a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the sixth. The other key blow in the victory was a two-run first inning double off the bat of Rafael Gross. On the mound, Sunday's projected starter Josiah Castro went 4.2 innings allowing three runs (all earned) and five hits. Castro had two strikeouts. Reliever Dade Hensley earned the victory, pitching two-and-a-third scoreless innings. Hensley struck out four. The Tigers bullpen ultimately threw 4.1 shutout innings as Justin Barnes and Isaac Garcia also tossed a pair of shutout innings. Garcia got the save in the victory.

• As a team so far this season, Texas Southern's hitting .180, as the Tigers have driven in just 20 runs in four games. Since opening up 3-for-4 on Friday night, Villalobos is now 0 for his last 7 at the plate. He still has the second-highest average on team at .273 and co-leads the Tigers with Gross for the lead in RBIs. Gross is the Tigers leading hitter after starting the season 4-for-14 with a double, a triple and four RBIs.

• On the mound, five different TX Southern pitchers have thrown at least four innings, as both Dalton Alford and Domenic Martinez co-lead the Tigers with five total innings pitched. Martinez and Alford have both pitched 5.0 total innings allowing two runs pitched. Martinez leads the Tigers in strikeouts with five.

• The Tigers were picked to finish fourth in the SWAC Western division as SS CJ Castillo was picked to the SWACs First Team on Thursday. The Tigers finished with 55 total points and earned a first place vote for the SWAC Western Division. Grambling State earned seven of the 16 total votes and was the preseason favorite to win the SWAC West followed by Prairie View A&M and Southern University who finished with 67 and 56 points respectively. Castillo is coming off a strong 2023 season that saw the middle infielder hit .355 with six home runs and 42 RBIs. The Tigers lost their overall leader in batting average in 2023, as Daalen Adderley transferred from TSU to LMU in the offseason. Adderley hit .421 a season ago with 16 doubles and six home runs. Adderley also stole 17-of-21 bases. Castillo and Northern Colorado transfer Chase Cromer were the Tigers top returning players in 2024 as Cromer is coming off a 2023 campaign that saw the Rowlett native hit .344 in 43 games played. So far this season Cromer is just 2-for-14.

• Two of TX Southern starting pitchers for the weekend are returners. Friday's scheduled starter Carlos Marquez pitched 20.2 innings a season ago pitching to an 0-3 record and an 8.71 ERA, while Sunday's starter Josiah Castro was 1-2 last year in 37.1 innings pitched. Castro pitched to a 5.30 ERA.

UP NEXT:
Texas Tech returns to action next weekend when they welcome Gardner-Webb for a three-game set next Friday-Sunday. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday night.