Tech heads to Ames to take on Cyclones

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Red Raiders will take on Iowa State this weekend in their third Big 12 series of the year. Tech (21-8, 2-4) heads to Ames, Iowa with the series beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday followed by a 1 p.m. start on Saturday and a noon start on Sunday.

The Cyclones (11-16, 2-4) started off Big 12 play getting swept by No. 1 Oklahoma before turning it around last weekend to take their first series of the season, defeating Houston 2-1.

Tech is coming off a tough weekend against the Sooners but are looking to bounce back against a squad that they hold a 43-25 record against all-time.

STORYLINES:

• NO INTRODUCTION NEEDED - Sophomore Kailey Wyckoff is back to form after a "slow" start to the season. While it wasn't slow in the traditional sense, the former Big 12 Freshman of the Year did take some time to get back to that level. She enters the weekend having recorded a hit in 9 of her last 11 games including a 9-for-11 performance at the dish against BYU. Wyckoff also hit her first homer of the season and followed that up with a three-run blast in game two against New Mexico which helped her set a new career-high for RBIs in a game with four. Over these last 11 games, she is slashing .533/.900/.583 with 16 hits, two doubles, three homers and 10 RBIs.

• MADDY & MADDIE - The bullpen was of some interest heading into the 2024 season. The Red Raiders have a good amount of arms, but not much experience behind those arms. Transfer Maddy Wright helped alleviate some of that when she committed to play for coach Snider following four years at Charlotte. Wright has been as advertised early on, with a 3.29 ERA and has a solid 6-4 record. A pleasant surprise early, however, has been the emergence of junior pitcher Maddie Kuehl. In her appearances she has already set new career-highs in wins, innings pitched, batters faced, saves, complete games and strikeouts. This was all highlighted by her brilliant complete game performance against Texas State where she struck out a career-high seven batters in route to her second win of the season. Kuehl then set another career high for strikeouts, sitting down nine against New Mexico State as she improved to 5-3 on the season.

• FEW BETTER THAN NO. 5 - Senior Riley Love has seemed to save the best for last as she has been on an absolute tear this season. She enters the weekend riding an 18-game on-base streak and has recorded 27 hits, nine doubles, 10 home runs, 36 RBIs and 70 total bases - all of which mark career highs. Her glove has been just as solid, having several stellar plays at the hot corner to save runs and base hits. For her impressive start she was recognized as the No. 6 ranked third baseman in the country by Softball America for the month of March. Her doubles and home runs are tied for most in the Big 12.

• IN THE RANKINGS - The Red Raiders currently sit at No. 32 in RPI and No. 30 in KPI. On offense, Tech ranks 5th in the country for doubles (53), 15th in homers (37), 16th in slugging (.547), 19th in runs per game (6.67), and 45th for batting average (.312). On defense, the Red Raiders rank 2nd in double plays (19), 3rd in double plays per game (.66) and 39th in fielding percentage (.973).

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Tech heads to Ames to take on Cyclones

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Players Mentioned

Maddie Kuehl

Riley Love

Maddy Wright

Kailey Wyckoff

Texas Tech University Athletics