Tech/UCI set for weekend battle

LUBBOCK, Texas – Looking to rebound after a tough weekend at No. 6 North Carolina, Texas Tech Baseball returns to the friendly confines of Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field this weekend when they play host to nationally-ranked UC Irvine.

The weekend begins on Friday afternoon with the home opener scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday's middle game of the series is also set for a 2 p.m. first pitch with Sunday's series final scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

This weekend's set with UCI will also be the annual Brooks Wallace Classic, as the Red Raiders will honor former shortstop Brooks Wallace who died at age 27 from cancer.

The series will feature a former Brooks Wallace Award winner, as UCI Head Coach Ben Orloff was named the awards recipient in 2009 while playing at Irvine.

Other weekend festivities include Friday's poster and schedule card giveaways and Sunday's schedule magnet give away.

INSIDE THE SERIES:

GAME ONE:
MATCHUP: Texas Tech (0-3) vs. UC Irvine (2-1)
DATE: Friday, Feb. 21, 2025
TIME: 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Lubbock, Texas (Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field)
PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Mac Heuer (0-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. RHP Danny Suarez (0-0, 5.40 ERA)

GAME TWO:
MATCHUP: Texas Tech (0-3) vs. UC Irvine (2-1)
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025
TIME: 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Lubbock, Texas (Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field)
PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Lukas Pirko (0-0, 1.69 ERA) vs. RHP Jack Ross (1-0, 3.38 ERA)

GAME THREE:
MATCHUP: Texas Tech (0-3) vs. UC Irvine (2-1)
DATE: Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025
TIME: 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Lubbock, Texas (Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field)
PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Jack Cebert (0-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Trevor Hansen (0-0, 2.70 ERA)

HEADLINES IN 1-2-3:
* Texas Tech returns home this weekend looking to rebound after an 0-3 weekend at No. 6 UNC. In the weekend set against the Tar Heels, the Red Raiders fell 5-1, 8-3 and 4-2 despite out homering UNC 3-0 on the weekend. In the weekend series against UNC, Texas Tech got strong work from its bullpen, as seven relievers combined to pitch to a 2.80 ERA over the weekend. The Red Raider 'pen struck out 22 of the 30 Tar Heel batters the pitching staff recorded and walked just seven batters in 16.1 innings pitched.

* The Red Raiders enter this weekend having won 30 consecutive home games at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park in the month of February. The Red Raiders are 65-4 all-time at home under Tim Tadlock and are 42-1 since the start of the 2017 season at home in February. The Red Raiders.

* Since the 2017 season, Texas Tech is 118-10 (.922) against non-conference home opponents, as the Red Raiders have won 26 straight non-conference series (two, three and four games) dating back to a midweek split of a two-game series against UTRGV. When you include split series, the Red Raiders have now won 40 straight series (minus splits) without a true loss. This streak dates back to the 2016 season.

WEEKEND NOTES:

FIRST TIME IN TWENTY YEARS

The Red Raiders and Anteaters will meet this weekend for the first time since the 2005 season in Los Angeles when Tech and UCI met at the 2005 Public Storage Classic hosted by USC. In the win, the Red Raiders recorded 22 hits behind a five-hit day form Joey Callender and a four-for-six day from SS Cameron Blair. The matchup is the only clash between the two schools in program history.

30 STRAIGHT

The Red Raiders enter this weekend having won 30 consecutive home games at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park in the month of February. This streak dates back to a 2019 opening day loss to Oregon. Tech went a perfect 3-0 last season at home in February following a 9-0 stretch in 2023. The Red Raiders went 4-0, 3-0 and 6-0 in 2022, 2021 and 2020. The Red Raiders won six straight games to close Feb following the opening day loss to the Ducks. The Red Raiders are 65-4 all-time at home under Tim Tadlock and are 42-1 since the start of the 2017 season at home in February.

HELLO FROM THE OTHER SIDE

After spending the first 12 years of the Tim Tadlock Era in the first base dugout, the Red Raiders have decided to switch dugouts, as Tech will now occupy the third base dugout to better utilize the indoor clubhouse space that opened prior to the 2024 season. The indoor clubhouse includes five full sized cages, a training room, a kitchen area as well as the Red Raiders locker room space.

TAD+RIP = WINS

As head coach of the Red Raiders, Tim Tadlock is now 177-24 (.881) in non-conference home games (midweeks, home weekend series in the regular season; postseason regionals and supers are excluded). Since the 2017 season, that mark stands at 118-10 (.922) as Tech has now won 26 straight non-conference series (two, three and four games) dating back to a midweek split of a two-game series against UTRGV. The Red Raiders have now won 40 straight series (minus splits) without a true loss. This streak dates back to the 2016 series.

SAW THEM IN OMAHA... SORT OF
Despite not facing off in the 2014 CWS, the Red Raiders and UCI did technically cross paths at the event, as both UCI and Tech made the 2014 College World Series. That appearance for the Red Raiders was the first in program history. UC Irvine defeated Texas before falling to Vandy and the Longhorns in their next two matchups, while Tech fell to TCU (3-2) and Ole Miss (2-1)

RETURN OF THE BROOKS

After not hosting a memorial series for Brooks Wallace during the 2024 season, the Brooks Wallace Classic has return in 2025 for this weekends set against UC Irvine. The weekend will be fitting as UC Irvine head coach Ben Orloff was the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award winner when he played at UC Irvine. The all-time leader in hits at UCI, Orloff hit .320 in his UCI career and was drafted in the ninth round by the Houston Astros. Named in honor of the late Brooks Wallace, who died from Cancer in 1985 at the age of 27. Wallace is the namesake of the Brooks Wallace Award that is awarded annually to the nation's top-shortstop.

HOME THEN BACK TO THE ROAD

After spending opening weekend on the road at No. 6 UNC, the Red Raiders return home for their lone weekend home series until Mar. 21 this weekend when they play host to the Anteaters of UC Irvine. Following this weekends series with UCI, the Red Raiders will head to Vegas next weekend (Feb. 28- Mar. 2) before a pair of true road weekends at Grand Canyon (Mar. 7-9) and the Big 12 opening series of the year at Houston (Mar. 14-16).

CONTINUING A NCAA STRETCH

This weekends series against UCI continues a stretch of eight straight games against NCAA Tournament foes from a season ago and a span of 11 games against NCAA Tournament team from 2024 in the season's first 14 games. The Red Raiders of course opened the weekend series with No. 6 UNC, the Red Raiders will return home to Rip Griffin Park for a weekend series with UC Irvine before heading to Vegas to face Illinois (Feb. 28), No. 19 Texas (Mar. 1) and Washington. UNC, UCI, Illinois and Texas all made the field of 64 a year ago. The Red Raiders stretch of 11/14 games against NCAA foes concludes with a weekend series at GCU. In the end, Tech will play 24 games against NCAA teams from a season ago beginning once again with the sixth-ranked Tar Heels.

ROAD RED RAIDERS
The Red Raiders will become accustom to the road in 2025 as Tech will play just 26 of 53 games at home this season. Starting with the weekend set at No. 6 UNC, the Red Raiders will play 12 of their first 17 games away from the friendly confines of Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field and will play just 10 of their first 26 games at home. In the end, Texas Tech's 27 road games will bring the squad to seven different states: (Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and West Virginia). The Red Raiders in 2025 will play just 31 of 53 games inside the State of Texas. The Red Raiders 26 home games are the fewest in a season since 2022 when Tech also played just 26 games at Rip Griffin Park. The fewest home games the Red Raiders have played in a season was 2009 when Tech played just 22 total home games.

PIRKILATOR, PERCOLATED

Former Freshman All-American and California Baptist transfer Lukas Pirko lived up to the hype last Saturday afternoon, as the sophomore righty struck out seven Tar Heels over his 5.1 innings of work. Lauded for having one of if not the best change up on the 2025 Red Raider staff, Pirko flashed that pitch in spades during his outing against the Tar Heels as after coming into the game in relief of freshman Jackson Burns, Pirko retired Jackson Van De Brake to strand the bases loaded in the first inning. After a one-out single and a walk put a pair on with one out, Pirko whiffed back-to-back UNC batters jump-starting a stretch of five straight batters retired via the strikeout. After allowing a lead-off double in the fourth to Van De Brake, Pirko settled back in, retiring nine of the final 11 batters he faced. In the end, the Californian allowed just three hits and one run in his 5.1 innings of work.

'PEN SHOVED

Texas Tech got strong work from its bullpen, as seven relievers combined to pitch to a 2.80 ERA over the weekend. The Red Raider 'pen struck out 22 of the 30 Tar Heel batters the pitching staff recorded and walked just seven batters in 16.1 innings pitched. The Red Raiders in the weekend set against UNC did not allow a run in 11 of the 17 innings the bullpen threw in and allowed just one crooked number the whole weekend (three runs or more).

BACK WHERE HE LEFT OFF

After a breakout 2024 season where he led the Big 12 in batting average, junior Damian Bravo picked right up where he left off in 2024, as the outfielder went 4-for-11 with a home run and a pair of RBI singles during the Red Raiders opening weekend series at UNC. Bravo drove in three of the Red Raiders six runs they scored in the weekend series as the Texan has a pair of two-out RBI singles and a lead-off home run. Bravo leads the Redd Raiders in RBIs (3) and hits (4) through the first weekend.

NEWBIES SHINE OUTTA THE PEN

Five Red Raider newcomers out of the bullpen shined during the weekend series at No. 6 UNC, as Lukas Pirko, Tyler Boudreau, JT Drake, Will Jordan and Zach Crotchfelt combined to pitch 12.1 innings. The five newcomers allowed just two total runs over the 12.1 innings (1.49 ERA) and struck out 16 batters in those 12.1 innings. As previously mentioned that group was led by Pirko's 5.1 innings of one run ball where he struck out seven, but other key performances included two scoreless innings from Midland College transfer Tyler Boudreau (3 K's) and a perfect two innings from Pima CC transfer JT Drake. Freshman Will Jordan worked around an error to allow just one unearned run. Jordan struck out the side in his one inning of work, while Auburn transfer Zach Crotchfelt allowed just two hits and a run and had three punchouts in his two innings of work.

ZP IS BACK

After battling through multiple injuries in 2024, Texas Tech junior Zane Petty made his much anticipated return to action in Friday's season-opener at No. 6 UNC. Petty, who saw action for the first time since last Mar. 19 against Abilene Christian, threw three strong innings, allowing just three hits and one run. Petty struck three batters and walked just one all while flashing his patented mid 90s fastball and strong slider.

KYE WAS A THREAT ON THE BASES

After recoding 43 stolen bases in his lone season at Gavleston College a season ago, Texas Tech sophomore Kyeler Thompson flashed some of that patented speed in the weekend series against the Tar Heels as Thompson stole two bases and took an extra 90 feet on a dirtball read. Thompson also had a pair of infield singles and walked once, reaching base in four of his 13 at-bats on the weekend.

TJ GOES BACK-TO-BACK

Following a strong freshman campaign that featured 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases, sophomore TJ Pompey looked the part at the plate during opening weekend, as Pompey homered in both ends of Friday's double header. In the eighth inning of the first game. Pompey ripped a 420-foot blast off the light pole in left field, before homering off the other light pole in right in the night cap. Pompey also walked twice in the three-game set and leads the Red Raiders in OPS (1.455), home runs (2), total bases (9) and on-base percentage (.455).

HUGHES WAS ROBBED...

Despite ending the weekend with just one hit in 12 at-bats, Texas Tech Sophomore Logan Hughes was one of the Red Raiders most impressive hitters, as the Stetson transfer was robbed of at least three extra-base hits during the weekend, including what would his first home run as a Red Raider when Kane Kepley went over the wall to bring back a 410-foot drive that would have been a solo home run. Hughes also showed his positional versatility on the weekend, as the Deland native played first base in Friday's night cap and made a pair of nice defensive plays including a diving catch down the first baseline that robbed a Tar Heel batter of extra bases.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders return to action next weekend (Feb. 28-Mar. 2) when they head to Sin City to participate in the Las Vegas College Baseball Classic where matchups against Illinois (Feb. 28), Texas (Mar. 1) and Washington (Mar. 2) await.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tyler Boudreau

Damian Bravo

Jackson Burns

Jack Cebert

Zach Crotchfelt

JT Drake

Mac Heuer

Logan Hughes

Will Jordan

Zane Petty

Lukas Pirko

TJ Pompey

Kyeler Thompson