Newcomers power Tech to 15-12 win over UC Irvine

Saturday, February 22

Lubbock, Texas

2 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

1-4

UC Irvine

3-3

UC Irvine

Texas Tech

Newcomers power Tech to 15-12 win over UC Irvine

February 22, 2025 | Baseball

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By: Andrew Stern

LUBBOCK, Texas – Behind big days from Tennessee transfer Robin Villeneuve and Stetson transfer Logan Hughes, Texas Tech Baseball outslugged UC Irvine 15-12, Saturday afternoon at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park to record its first win of 2025.

A day after stranding nine and going 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position, the Texas Tech (1-4) bats came alive on Saturday, as eight of the nine Red Raiders recorded at least one hit, eight different players drove in a run and six players scored multiple runs.

Hughes led the charge for the Red Raiders in the victory, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, four RBIs, a pair of walks and his first home run as a Red Raider, while first baseman Robin Villeneuve went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, three runs scored and three RBIs.

A pair of freshmen also shined on Saturday afternoon as infielder Coleman Ryan and Kendyl Johnson each recorded their first career hits as Red Raiders. Johnson, who homered off the batter's eye in left-center in the fourth, scored twice, while Ryan also recorded his first career hit and drove in his first two runs.

After a scoreless top of the first by starter Lukas Pirko, the Red Raiders struck first on a leadoff double off the bat of Kyeler Thompson. Thompson would later steal third with one out and score on an RBI groundout off the bat of Hughes.

Armed with a 1-0 lead, Pirko worked around a two-out walk to fire a zero in the top of the second.

In the home half of the second, the Red Raiders hung their first crooked number (three-plus runs) of the season, striking for six runs on an RBI groundout, a two-RBI double from Villeneuve, an RBI double from catcher Dylan Maxcey and an RBI single from Hughes.

Using a lead-off double to regain some momentum, UC Irvine (3-3) answered with a four-spot of their own in their half of the third to cut the Red Raider lead to 7-4.

In the home half of the third, Tech answered with a singular run when Thompson reached first on a hit-by-pitch, stole second and scored on an RBI base knock by Villeneuve. The two-out run gave Tech an 8-4 lead.

The Red Raiders weathered another three-spot from UCI in the top of the fourth as Pirko struck out Irvine's Alonso Reyes to keep his side in front. The pitch was the final that the sophomore righty would throw on the afternoon, as the Cal Baptist transfer went four innings his first start as a Red Raider, allowing seven runs (four earned) and eight hits. Pirko walked three and struck out three.

Clinging to an 8-7 lead, the Red Raiders doubled their lead on the 412-foot blast off the bat of the freshman Johnson.

Back on top by a pair, Tech turned to Auburn transfer Zach Crotchfelt, who fired a scoreless fifth inning in his first inning of work.

With the momentum back, the combo of Villeneuve and Hughes sparked the offense again, as Hughes plated Villeneuve on a two-run, 109 MPH, 398-foot blast over the visitor's bullpen in right. The longball capped the Red Raiders two-run fifth.

Back on the bump with a four-run lead, Crotchfelt again stranded a baserunner in the sixth, to keep Tech on top 11-7.

Following a scoreless sixth, in the top of the seventh, UCI struck for its lone run off Crotchfelt, using three-straight one-out singles to pull to within, 11-8.

Crotchfelt ultimately went 2.2 innings in his second appearance as a Red Raider allowing just the one run and four hits to earn the victory on Saturday

After a sac-bunt placed a pair of Anteaters in scoring position and brought the tying run to the plate, Tech turned to its most veteran arm in senior Trendan Parish. Looking to keep the Red Raiders in front by three runs, Parish blew a pair of 96 MPH fastballs by UC Irvine's shortstop Colin Yeaman to strand both runners.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Red Raiders doubled their lead once again on a pair of RBI singles Tracer Lopez and TJ Pompey and the two-run single by Ryan.
Back for the eighth with a seven-run cushion, Parish stranded two more runners on base to keep the game at 15-8.

Needing just three outs to secure the win and his 10th-career save, Parish worked his way into and out of trouble in the ninth, as three straight one-out singles loaded the bases with one out.
The next UCI batter, Chase Call, grounded a ball deep into the hole at short. Looking to get just one out, Ryan wheeled toward second and uncorked a throw that sailed into shallow right field for an inning-prolonging error.

After a two-RBI single from UCIs cleanup guy Jacob McCombs scored a pair of unearned runs, Parish used a two groundballs to second to retire the final two batters in order and even the weekend series at one-game-all.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders and Anteaters will meet one more time this weekend on Suanday afternoon for an early and pivotal rubber-game. First pitch from Rip Griffin Park at Dan Law Field has been pushed up to 12:30 p.m. to accommodate UCIs travel plans.