Texas at Texas Tech March 25-27, 2022

The Horns open conference play with a trip to Lubbock to face the 16th ranked Red Raiders. The games are at 6:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. with all three on ESPN +. Expect the new normal weekend rotation of Hansen, Stevens and Gordon. This is a huge series to start conference play and hopefully the already road tested Horns can get at least two on the Plains.

I will leave it to Chop for the detailed look at Tech's pitchers but will say that while Tech is 18-4 that record is a little deceiving as they have feasted on some bad opponents. They also swept Rice down in Houston which is only common opponent so far.

Preview and game notes from Texassports:

No. 2 Baseball preview: at #16 Texas Tech - University of Texas Athletics

2022 3 25 TTU (PDF) - University of Texas Athletics

 

A great early season test. Horns leave Law Field with 2 more W’s.

 

Key points in this series for me:
1. I’m looking for the offensive improvements that have been made by tweaks to the lineup to assist in us scoring more than one run and taking some pressure off the starting pitchers.
2. Lucas Gordon, I want to see how he’s possibly improved against better competition.
This is a good series to see where those two items are at and what next areas need to be addressed. My opinion is that the offense is close. My thoughts on Gordon are still on hold until I see him perform a couple of times against stiffer competition.

Looks like coach has moved on from duplantier until he sees something more from him and is giving other pitchers a shot?? Who knows but I think it’s a good move. Sometimes pitchers don’t show up in practice but when the lights come on, the competitiveness from them shows another level, hopefully another pitcher steps forward soon. So far I haven’t seen one yet coming from the tuesday games and until Gordon produces a few more data points the search continues for pitching depth.

 

I think Gordon is good. He doesn't typically mow down the opposing lineup, or light up the radar gun, but he pitches smart and relies a lot on his fielders. And with this infield, that's a plausible strategy. Sunday's game against Tech will tell us a lot.

We've got to solidify a #4 (and #5) starter. Looks like Coach is building up Eckhardt for the #4 starter spot, and keeping Sthehle as the #1 middle reliever--first into the game (with Harrison serving a similar role). I get that. There's still some good and pretty-good arms between those guys and Nixon to close (Southard with his 98mph fastball comes to mind, ditto sidearmer Cobb, Olivares, Johnson, etc.). But we shall see.

The at-times unhittable freakish-breaking slider, and high 90s fastball with movement, Freshman Stewart seems to be a development "project" for now, but look for him to have some knock-out innings in relief here-and-there where no batter can touch him. Just gotta get that control thing figured out... Young mega-talents often have to learn to be good "pitchers" instead of mere good "throwers" or "hurlers". The tutelage of Coach Allen, and having Silas Ardoin behind the plate should help him with that.

 

ANDREW MORRIS

6'0" 195 lbs
4.84 ERA
32 Strikeouts
9 Walks

Transferred from Colorado Mesa University, where he may have been the best DII pitcher in the land.

Power strikeout pitcher. Fastball in the mid-and-upper 90s. Good slider, and breaking ball. Likes to throw his breaking ball, or fastball up high for strikeouts--and he gets lots of them. Good control, doesn't give up many walks.

"Morris has a fastball that is seemingly increasing in velocity every year and a hard slider that makes him tough to hit. How tough? He has 13, 14, 10 and 15 strikeouts in his last four starts. The velocity is building, and he is improving with every start the more comfortable he gets. Still not even 20, he can possibly even add more bulk to his frame and become even more of a power pitcher over time. Lately, he has been his toughest opponent, as he has walked eight batters in his last two starts, but that is not typical, so worth keeping an eye on as a possible blip. Morris is also posting a 1.93 ERA, so not only is it hard to hit him, it's hard to score on him if you do. "

“As a freshman in 2019, (Morris) was between 86 and 90 (mph), and had increased to about 88 to 91 by the super regional,” Hanks said. “Now, two years later, he sits 92 to 94 and flashing 95, 96, and the scouts are just driving me crazy. I got a call (Monday) that there’s some national cross-checkers coming this weekend.”




Andrew Morris - Baseball - Texas Tech Red Raiders
CMU pitcher started college at 16, now he's the Mavs' ace at 19
Andrew Morris Class of 2018 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA

 

BREAK OUT THE RADAR GUNS ON SATURDAY...

BRANDON BIRDSELL
6'2" 240 lbs
RHP
1.80 ERA
43 Strikeouts
9 Walks
a 100 mph heat hurler

While he can be hit, Birdsell will really bring on the heat.


Another power strikeout thrower who really brings the heat. Fastball in the high 90s, has hit 100 mph and has a bit of drop to it... Likes to put a fast dropping fastball at the knees and lives low in the zone.


Selected by the Houston Astros in the 39th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-2, 210 pound righty is a combination of power arm with developing pitchability. Birdsell shows a three pitch mix from a high slot. He’s able to consistently work his 91-95 mph fastball downhill to the bottom of the zone. Birdsell can sit 96-97 at times; he was clocked up to 99 mph this past weekend. With more down plane than lateral life to his heater, Birdsell could benefit by working his four-seamer to the letters instead of exclusively pounding away at the knees. His 86-88 mph slider/cutter is tight and above average at times. He will also show a slower version of his breaking pitch in the low-80s range with similar shape and action and flashes an average changeup a 83-85 mph with fastball arm speed.

One of the best players in the entire country as a HS sophomore... has slowly pumped his stuff back up since 2016. Transfer from San Jac, Birdsell now sits 93-98/99 with serious ride on the heater. Threw 21 innings punching out 45 guys in 2020. Can get hit around a little bit, but the stuff is really good. Cutter/Slider at 88, mixes in a curveball that's fringy in the low 80s. Needs to work on developing a distinct shape for the pitch. Changeup is a work in progress and not part of the arsenal currently.

BRANDON BIRDSELL, RHP, TEXAS TECH

Another pitcher benefiting from scouts coming to see a top draft prospect on his team, Brandon Birdsell definitely puts the gas in “Gassed Up.” Armed with a mid to high 90s fastball that touches triple digits, the Red Raiders’ righty mowed down 15 Rice hitters in just six innings of perfect work on Saturday. Birdsell has put in work on his body this offseason--we have him down from 245 to 210 lbs.--and as the season has gone on his endurance continues to show out. The main accoutrement to his fastball is a high 80s slider that darts downward with heavy gyro spin, allowing him to work up with his high carry fastball and finish batters down with said slide piece. Development of a third pitch will be a process with Birdsell, but a once surefire reliever is beginning to show starter traits and could become firmly entrenched in the 3th-5th round discussion with continued performance in the Big 12.



Prep Baseball Report > PBR PLUS
Mack's Mets: Scouting Report - RHP - Brandon Birdsell
Brandon Birdsell - Baseball - Texas Tech Red Raiders

 

MASON MOLINA
LHP
6'0" 230 lbs
2.70 ERA
27 Strikeouts
14 Walks

A lefty with three well developed pitches: Fastball, curveball, change up. Fastball in the high 80s. Good 11/5 curveball. Only Tech starter who is not a heat-throwing power pitcher.

Mason Molina (Trabuco Hills, Mission Viejo) Sr.
One of the main reasons that Trabuco Hills rode deep into the CIFSS playoffs was the arm of Molina. The left-handed Texas Tech signee went 10-2 with 153 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings in leading his team to the Division 2 championship game. Described as a three-pitch starter whose big arm allows him to play outfield as well, Molina threw a complete game with 15 strikeouts and allowed just one hit against Aliso Niguel in a 9-0 win that won the Sea View League championship. He also threw a no-hitter against Newport Harbor with 16 strikeouts and was named a Los Angeles Times 2021 All-State

Mason Molina – Trabuco Hills HS (CA)

FV Role FB CH CB CTRL
40 #5 Starter 40 / 50 30 / 50 35 / 55 40 / 50
6’2 200 lb. southpaw works 86-89 with a big 11/5 curveball (72-75) that will flash solid to above-average to plus and show feel for a 76-79 mph changeup.




Mason Molina - Baseball - Texas Tech Red Raiders
Prep Baseball Report - Player: Mason Molina
All-State Baseball: First Team

 

BON’s preview for series:

No. 2 Texas opens Big 12 play with high-profile series at No. 16 Texas Tech - Burnt Orange Nation

 

Birdsell = BAMF

Saturday’s game may be a great pitchers’ duel between Stevens and Birdsell. Two of the best pitchers in the nation.

 

It is 6:36. How many runs have we scored already?

 

One


2-1 Tech. Bottom of the 2nd.

 

Make it 3-1 Tech. Going to the 3rd. 3 homers for Tech—all of them solo. Tech strikes out and hits home runs. Kennedy has a solo home run for us.

 

Through 5, Pete has only given up 3 hits, but they were all 3 homers…. He’s retired either 11 or 12 in a row since then. We’re putting some people on, but not driving them in. Still 3-1 Tech.

 

Skye Messinger w a two out double. Man in scoring position. Skye’s living dangerously on the base pads. Almost got picked off on 2nd base. Real close.

 

100 pitches for Techs Morris.

 

Almost picked off Skye again! Dude play it smart out there…

 

Ha! Morris walks O’Dowd. 2 on. Let’s drive em in.

 

Drat! Left men stranded again.




The good new is that Morris is done for the night with over 100 pitches.

 

Looks like Ivan’s taken up juggling as a habit…

 

Pete has given up just 3 hits and no walks through 7. But all 3 hits were home runs.

 

Exit Morris.
Enter Clark
3.86 ERA

 

Home run Titanic!!!




3-2 Tech

 

Nice diving catch by TT CF to end our half of the 7th. Tight game. And Clark ain’t as good as Morris was….

 

3 up 3 down for Hansen in the 7th. That might be it for Pete, or maybe 1 more inning.

 

Exit Clark
Enter Parrish
4.05 ERA

 

Parrish almost beans Faltine.

 

I was listening to the first couple of innings on the radio. Keith Moreland said after the second home run that it was the most "raucous" celebration by the hitter he'd seen in all his years of calling games. I don't think that's the right word, I think he meant showboat-y. Anyway, he said that the bat flip went above their vantage point, and the hitter said something to every Texas infielder when running the bases. He thought the umpire might have given a warning. I went to high school in the Lubbock area and graduated from Texas Tech in December 1978--came to UT for my graduate degree and have lived in Austin ever since. It saddens me that I'm growing to strongly dislike them.

 

Home run!!!!!!!!!!!
FALTINE!!!!!!!!!!





3-3 tie game

 

Home run!!!!!!
Skye Messinger!!!!!





We take the lead!!!!
4-3 Horns!!!

 

Exit Clark
Enter Bridges
A bearded portly fellow with a 0.00 GPA (errrrrrr, I mean ERA…)