The Texas Tech baseball team woke up on Friday, May 15, with its magic number at two to make the Big 12 tournament. Any combination of Texas Tech victories or Arizona losses adding up to two would clinch a spot for the Red Raiders in next week’s Big 12 tournament.
One of each did the trick.
Tech split a doubleheader at Cincinnati, winning 6-5 and losing 8-7. Ten minutes before the Red Raiders lost the series finale at UC Baseball Stadium, though, Oklahoma State run-ruled Arizona 13-1 in seven innings, and that clinched Tech’s trip to the conference tournament this coming week in Surprise, Arizona.
Tech (27-27, 10-20 in the Big 12) will be the No. 12 seed and will play a first-round game Tuesday, May 19, against the No. 9 seed. There are three possible opponents, each with a regular-season finale left on Saturday, May 16: Baylor (27-26, 13-16) and Brigham Young (26-27, 13-16), who are tied for eighth place, and Utah (26-23, 12-17), sitting 10th.
Cincinnati won its sixth consecutive Big 12 series, starting with a 13-1, run-rule victory in Thursday’s series opener. Bearcats first baseman Quinton Coats hit three home runs and 11 RBIs in the series, giving him 28 and 78 for the season, respectively. Coats and catcher Jack Natili homered twice each in the series opener.
Cincinnati rescheduled the series’ second and third games as a Friday doubleheader with rain in the forecast for Saturday.
Here are key developments coming out of the series.
In a down year, Tim Tadlock reaches a milestone
Want a positive after Texas Tech lost its seventh of conference series out of 10 this season? Tech’s triumph in Friday’s first game was Tadlock’s 500th victory as the Red Raiders’ head coach. His 14-year tenure started in June 2012. Overall as a college head coach, he’s 935-429, counting his nine seasons (1997 through 2005) at Grayson College.
Texas Tech baseball pitching staff even more depleted for Big 12 tournament
In Thursday’s series opener, Tech starter Kaysen Raineri was ejected after throwing a pitch that hit a batter, and Tadlock was ejected for arguing on Raineri’s behalf. Raineri’s ejection triggers a four-game suspension by NCAA rule, so he would miss Tech’s first two games of the conference tournament if the Red Raiders get that far in the single-elimination bracket.
Raineri (4-2, 8.68 ERA) was shelled at Cincinnati, giving up five homers and 12 runs, but he’s made six starts since April 7, including the first game of Tech’s past three Big 12 series. He’s tied with Jonny Lowe for the staff lead in wins.
Tech’s already been without most of its top pitchers because of injuries. Parker Hutyra pitched only in the season opener. Ryan Free last pitched on March 14, Will Jordan on April 3, Lukas Pirko on April 10, Jesse Rusinek on April 19 and Jackson Burns on April 25.
Tadlock said recently that Burns was the closest to a return.
Texas Tech baseball bats heat up on Friday
After being held to five hits in the series opener, the Red Raiders had 32 in the doubleheader. Caden Ferraro led the way going 3 for 5 in both games and hitting his seventh and eighth home runs of the season. Logan Hughes went 4 for 5 with a double and his 17th homer in the finale. Kyeler Thompson had a two-hit game and a three-hit game.
In Friday’s opener, Robin Villeneuve went 3 for 5 with his 10th home run. Connor Shouse was 3 for 4 with two doubles, plus pitching two scoreless innings for his third save in 11 days.
In the finale, freshman shortstop Tommy Hanger had his first career hit and first two RBIs.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball extends season after UC series | 3 takeaways
Reporting by Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
