Texas vs. Texas Tech

This is the most important series of the season because of the circumstances. Tech has lead the Big 12 conference since the first series. They had their ten game winning streak broken by a good New Mexico team on the road Wednesday, in extra innings, after winning the day before there. Tech has an overall record of 30-10 and 11-1 in the Big 12.

Texas is at 17-20 on the season and 7-5 in the Big 12. So Texas has to win this series or fall ball back in both categories with the regular season games starting to dwindle down.

Here is a link to all the television coverage of the game and the audio is on texassports.com.


TEXASTECH.COM Texas Tech Television Options For Friday's Series Opener - Texas Tech University Official Athletic Site


Going to look for the line-ups.

 

Tech starters:

 

Texas line_up:

 

Texas Tech will start a freshman right hander is Davis Martin. He has a record of 5-0 and an era of 1.67.

Leading off for the Longhorns is Travis Jones, he plays left field and bats from the right side.
There is isn't much wind at present, but that can always change in Lubbock.

Jones steps in and we get underway.
A grounder up the middle, but the second baseman playing in that direction has it and the 4-3 is one away.

Kody Clemens bats lefty, with an out, playing third base.
He lines a single to center, the first hit of the game.

Texas catcher is Tres Barrera, batting righty, one on and one down.
Count goes full and a grounder to third goes 5-4-3, the double plays retires the side.

Nothing for Texas and Tech comes to bat.

 

Morgan Cooper, the righthander, is again the Friday starter for Texas, with a 2-2 record.

Tech leads off with Stephen Smith, their right fielder, batting from the right side.
A high pop on the right side in foul ground and Clemens just doesn't catch it. It's an E-3.
He K's swinging on a heater, one away.

Trey Ochoa, the shortstop, bats lefty, with an out.
Dribbler back to Cooper goes 1-3, for the second out.

Centerfielder is Tanner Gardner, also batting lefty, with two gone.
A deep drive to right goes off the wall, it's a two out triple.

Corry Raley is the DH, two down and a man on third.
He swings through a big overhand curve ball, the K will end the inning.

Tech with a runner, but no damage done, after one, no runs to talk about.

 

Martin is back out to pitch the Texas second.

Leading off is the Horn first baseman Kacy Clemens, batting left handed.
A high pop to second and it's one away.

The shortstop is Joe Baker, batting righty, with one out.
He lines a single to left, for a runner.

Patrick Mathis bats lefty, with one on and one down.
He slices a drive to left center over the centerfielder, it's a double, a run scores.

Texas leads 1-0.

Zane Gurwitz bats righty, with a one on and one out.
He lines a single to center and another run crosses.

Texas leads 2-0.

The DH is lefty hitting Bret Boswell, with one on and still one away.
He swings and misses a low change up and the K is two outs.

Righty hitter is Tyler Rand, playing center, batting righty, with two out and one on.
Gurwitz goes and his slide is too early and he never reaches the bag, the 2-4 putout will end the frame.

Texas gets two and takes a 2-0 lead, bottom of two.

 

Cooper back to pitch the second with the lead.

Lefty hitting left fielder is Tyler Nesloney, leading off for the Red Raiders.
He K's swinging on the fast ball, one gone.

Eric Gutierrez, the first baseman, bats righty, with an out.
He pops up foul, on the right side and Clemens has this one, for the second out.

Michael Davis is the second baseman, batting lefty, with two down.
He is blown away by a high heater, the swinging K will retire the side in order.

Two played in full and Texas leads 2-0.

 

Martin will return to the mound for Tech in the Horn third.

Ty Rand, the centerfielder, will lead off and bat right handed, he was left at the plate, when Gurwitz came up short at second on the steal.
A full count and he walks on a low fast ball, for a lead runner.

Top of the order is Jones, batting righty, with a man aboard.
He drops the bunt and it gets by the pitcher, it's an infield hit, to put two on.

Kody Clemens up batting lefty, with two on.
He will most likely be bunting now also.
He does and the 5-3 sac will move the runners up.

Barrera bats righty, with two on and one away.
He leads the team in rbi's and has a chance to add to that here.
The count runs full and a fly ball to right is deep enough for a SF, two down, Jones moved to third.

Texas leads 3-0.

Lefty hitting Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with a man on and two outs.
He is on by a pitch off the knee, the HBP puts two aboard.

Baker bats righty with runners on the corners, two outs.
He walks to load the bases.

Lefty hitting Mathis will bat lefty, the bases full and two gone.
He could really open the game up with a clutch hit.
He doubled home a run his first trip.
A ground ball toward short and it goes by him, off his glove, they score it a hit and two runs score, maybe should have had it.

Texas leads 5-0.

Gurwitz bats righty with runners on the corners, two outs.
A foul pop on the right side is caught by the first baseman, by the barrier, to end the frame.

Texas adds three more and have a 5-0 lead, bottom of three.

 

Cooper will go back to the hill, in the Tech third.

Third baseman is Orlando Garcia, batting right handed, leading off.
A grounder to second goes 4-3, one down.

Tyler Floyd, the catcher for Tech, bats righty, with one down.
A little looper to left will fall, for a single.

Top of the order is is Smith, batting righty, with one on and one away.
A grounder to short goes 6-4-3, the double play will end the frame.

Three gone and Texas leads 5-0.

 

Martin still pitches for Tech, as the fourth begins.

Boswell leads off as the DH, batting lefty.
A fly ball to left is one away.

One down for Rand, batting righty.
He lines a high fast ball to center for a single.

Jones bats righty, at the top of the order, with a man on and one out.
Rand goes and another 2-4 out recorded, nailed on the steal attempt, two outs.
Jones walks, for a runner.

Kody Clemens bats lefty, with one aboard and two down.
A squibber down the line on the right side, the pitcher bearhands it and it goes off the first baseman's glove, Rand tries for third and is thrown out 3-5, it's an E-1, but the side down.

Bottom of four and Texas leads 5-0.

 

Cooper back for the fourth.

Ochoa bats lefty, leading off for Tech.
The count runs full and he K's swinging on the fast ball, one down.

Lefty hitter is Gardner, with an out.
A liner to center is a single, for a runner.

One on and one out for righty hitting Raley.
Another full count and a liner to right center is in the gap, the double puts two on.

Nesloney bats lefty, with two aboard and one away.
A ground ball to second goes 4-3, for two down, a run scores.

Texas leads 5-1.

Righty hitter is Gutierrez, batting righty, with one on and two outs.
He is hit by a fast ball, to put two on.

This prompts a visit by Skip, to try to settle Cooper down.

Two on at the corners and two gone for Davis, batting lefty.
A grounder up the middle and Baker boots it, the E-6, scores another run.

Texas leads 5-2.

Righty hitter is Garcia, two on and two outs.
A full count and the runners go and he walks to load the bases.

Floyd bats at the bottom of the order, from the righty side, bases loaded, two gone.
A big curve ball gets Cooper out of the jam, the swinging K, retires the side.

Tech gets on the board, with one earned and one unearned run, Texas leads now 5-2, after four.

 

Martin is still pitching for the Red Raiders, in the fifth.

Texas leads with Barrera, batting right handed.
He takes a curve over the outside corner, for a K, one out.

Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with one down.
He works the count full and takes a fast ball for another called K, two away.

So Baker will bat righty, with two outs.
He K's swinging on the heater, the side down in order on strike outs.

Halfway through the game and Texas leads 5-2.

 

Cooper will return in the Tech fifth, he tries to become the pitcher of record. He also needs a good inning, as the momentum has swung Tech's way lately.

Top of the order is Smith, batting righty, leading off.
The count runs full and a grounder to second goes 4-3, one down.

A pinch hitter is Ryan Long, batting lefty, and he will probably go in and play third.
He walks, to put a runner on.

Gardner bats lefty, with one on and one away.
Another full count and a big hook is a called K, for two down.

Righty hitter is Raley, with a man aboard and two gone.
A grounder through on the left side is a single, to put two on.

Nesloney bats lefty, with two on and two down.
Big at bat and could be Cooper's last batter either way.
A fly ball to left and Jones gets too it, but can't haul it in, it's a double that scores two runs, big play there, could have had it, just misplayed it a bit.

Texas leads 5-4.

That's all for Cooper, pitching change.

 

Eric Dunbar, the freshman right hander, is in for Texas.

He faces Gutierrez, batting righty, man on second and two gone.
A liner to right and Mathis dives and misses it, it goes by him and to the fence, the triple will tie the game.

Game tied at 5-5.

Lefty hitting Davis bats, with a man on third and two gone.
A grouner over the bag at first and Clemens has it on the dive and the 3-1 out will end the inning.

Tech ties the game at 5-5, after five.

 

Martin, who has hung around will pitch the sixth.

Mathis leads off, batting lefty.
A full count and he K's swinging, on the low change, one down.

Gurwitz bats righty, with one away.
Another full count and he takes a fast ball, on the outside corner, the K is five in a row for Martin, two down.

The DH is Boswell, batting lefty, two away.
He K's swinging, the sixth consecutive K, retires the side in order again.

Game tied 5-5, bottom of the sixth.

 

Got to put Gurwitz back in the outfield.....Gurwitz, Rand, Mathis
Clemens at SS or 3rd......Barrera at 3rd.....Boswell at SS or 3rd when Barrera catches.
Baker back at 2nd where he belongs.....
Our OF has killed us too many times with Jones etc in LF.....SMH

 

Dunbar will come back out and pitch the sixth, for the Horns.

Leading off for Tech is Garcia, batting righty.
He walks, for a lead runner.

Floyd bats righty, at the bottom of the order, a man on.
He squares and foul's it off and a slow grounder to third, the play goes 5-4, for a force, one away.

Top of the order is Smith, one on and one down.
A full count and a liner to center will put two on.

That's it for Dunbar, pitching change.

 

The new Texas hurler is senior Travis Duke, the left hander.

He faces lefty hitter Long, who pinch hit and stayed in the game, with two on and one out.
A fly ball to shallow left is two outs.

Another lefty hitter is Gardner, with two on and two down.
The runner at second goes and steals third, without a throw, but the runner held at first.
A little looper to left center will drop and the throw to third is late and the batter to second on the throw, the run scores, got to hit the cutoff man there.

Tech leads 6-5.

Raley bats righty, with two and two outs.
He is put on to bring up the lefty hitter, bases loaded.

Nesloney bats lefty, with the bases full and two outs.
This needless to say is a big hitter in the game.
He K's looking at a fast ball, side down.

Tech takes the lead 6-5, but it could have been worse, after six.

 

The seventh starts and Tech brings in Robert Dugger, right hander, with a 3-0 record.

Rand leads off, batting righty, at the bottom of the order for the Horns.
A grounder to second goes 4-3, one away.

Jones bats again, at the top of the order, one down.
He is hit by a pitch on the elbow, for a runner.

Kody Clemens bats lefty, with one on and one down.
A grounder up the middle goes through, to put two on.

Righty hitting Barrera up, with two on and one away.
A slow chopper to third goes 5-3, for two outs.

Up to Kacy Clemens, with two on and two outs.
A hit to the outfield could give the Horns the lead again.
A little roller toward the line on the right side, the pitcher fields and the 1-3 will end the frame.

Texas strands two and Tech leads 6-5, as it's stretch time in Lubbock.

 

Blake Wellman comes in to pitch the seventh for Texas.

Tech will lead off with Gutierrez, batting righty.
He walks for a lead runner.

Davis bats lefty, with a man on.
A full count and he walks, to put two on.

Righty hitter is Garcia, with two on.
A fly ball to shallow center is one down.

Bottom of the order is Floyd, batting righty, two on and one out.
A grounder through the right side and the single scores a run.

Tech leads 7-5.

Runners on the corners for Smith, at the top of the order, one away.
He is hit on the shoulder and it loads the bases.

That will be all for Wellman, pitching change.

 

Freshman lefty is Nick Kennedy, in for the Horns now.

He will face Long, batting lefty, one away and the bases loaded.
Now Hunter Hargrove, will bat righty, a pinch hitter, as Tadlock goes for the big inning and bigger lead.

Hargrove steps in, the bases loaded and one out.
A liner to center is a single and two runs score as Rand kicks it. It's ruled a single and the second run scores on the E-8, the runner had held at third.

Tech leads 9-5.

Gardner bats lefty with one out and two on and he grounds a single through the right side.

Tech leads 10-5.

Raley bats righty, two on and still one out.
A passed ball on Barrera and another run scores.

Tech leads 11-5.

The wheels have come off now.

Raley walks to put two on.

Lefty hitter is Nesloney, two on and still one out.
Raley is picked off first and Clemens just holds the ball and he goes safely to second, what is going on.
A shot off the wall in right is a double to score two more.

Tech leads 13-5.

Kennedy is out and another change is made.

 

And the wheels are off. Pathetic.

 

Going to be tough to sweep 'em now...

 

Jake McKenzie comes in to pitch for the first time this season, he pitched some last season.

He faces Gutierrez, what bats for the second time this inning.
He ground a ball off McKenzie, he recovers and the play goes 1-3, for two away.

Davis bats again lefty, with a man on and two outs.
He K's swinging to finally end the inning.

Tech comes up with seven on various ways and looks now to take a large lead, in the conference race. They lead 13-5, after seven.

 

Dugger back out to pitch the eighth and probably the rest of the game for Tech.

Baker leads off, batting righty, for Texas.
He K's swinging on a high fast ball, one out.

Lefty hitting Mathis is up, with an out.
He walks for a runner.

Gutierrez bats righty, with one on and one away.
A fly ball to right is two down.

The DH is Boswell, batting lefty, with two gone.
He K's again swinging, to end the inning.

Bottom of eight and Tech is cruising to another conference win 13-5.

 

K-State will save us from finishing last.

 

Lefty Jon Malmin, comes in to work the eighth, for the Horns.

Garcia will lead off for the Red Raiders, batting right handed.
A grounder to the right of Gurwitz, he has it and the 4-3 is one down.

Bottom of the order is Floyd, batting righty, with an out.
A liner to Clemens at first is two gone.

Smith bats righty, the top of the order comes around again, two outs.
A drive to left center and Rand dives and can't come up with it, it's a triple.

Zach Davis bats, for the first time, as he came into the game. He bats righty, with a man on third and two gone.
A fly ball to right and Mathis almost misplayed it, but caught it off his shoelaces, to end the frame.

To the ninth and Tech leads 13-5.

 

Tech decides to bring in lefty Jacob Patterson, I guess he needs the work, in the ninth.

Rand leads off, for Texas, batting righty.
He grounds to short and the 6-3 is one away.

Top of the order is Jones, batting righty, with an out.
He K's swinging, on a high fast ball, two down.

Kody Clemens bats lefty, with two out.
The count goes full and he walks, for a runner.

Barrera bats righty, with one on and two outs.
He drives one off the wall in left center and the double scores a run.

Tech leads 13-6.

Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with one on and two outs.
A wild pitch send Barrera to third.
A ground ball to short goes 6-3 and that ends the madness.

Tech wins 13-6 and they are running away with the conference, at this point, while Texas nears the point of no return, in the regular season.

Back in a bit.

 

Texas jumps out to a 5-0 lead after three innings and then it all went south for the Horns.

Cooper was pitching well and things looked good, but in the fourth Tech got two runs and the momentum all changed.

The big turning point was with two outs and two on for Tech in the fifth, a fly ball goes to left and Jones misplayed it and it scored two runs and that opened the flood gates. You can't blame Jones, he's an infielder playing in the outfield, to get his bat in the line-up.

If that catch is made, it's Texas still leading 5-2, after five and maybe the momentum switches back. Instead Tech ties the game and never looks back, while Texas never scored again, till the meaningless run in the ninth.

Many Texas players are playing out of position and it has showed this season. You can't give extra outs to a team like Tech. Good teams find a way to win and bad teams often find a way to lose.

That means a must win in the next two game for the Horns, or start figuring out how to win the Big 12 Tournament again. It starts tomorrow, with your best in Culbreth, on the mound. See you tomorrow afternoon.