HOUSTON – Once again the Red Raiders (7-3) turned a defensive slugfest into an offensive explosion as they downed the Sam Houston State Bearkats (2-5) 8-0 in their second game of the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Class at Minute Maid Park.
It was a lefty on lefty duel as Patrick Monteverde got his third weekend start for Texas Tech, this time facing Matt Dillard, who’d struggled against UTSA earlier in the season and walked into the game with an ERA of 18.69, in stark contrast to Monteverde’s 0.00. It was scoreless through two and Tech was hitless sans another Braxton Fulford extra-base-hit, this one a leadoff double to right field. Looking back into Friday’s stat line, where Fulford went 3-for-4, he’s hit four extra-base-hits in a row (2B, HR, HR, 2B) across both games.
Parker Kelly stepped up in the nine-hole in the third inning and smoked a screaming line drive off the shortstop’s glove giving him a one-out single. An errant throw on a pickoff attempt by Dillard moved Kelly to second base and then Dru Baker followed with a single up the gut putting runners on the corners. Jace Jung popped a sacrifice fly into left field and Kelly beat the play to the plate to put Tech up 1-0, and there the score sat for the three innings to follow.
Monteverde allowed only three hits on the day and never walked a batter. One of his only apparent mistakes came on a leadoff double that he advanced to third when he was called for a balk. He responded with resolve and struck out the side to follow, stranding Jackson Loftin 90 feet away and making him the last Bearkat baserunner to advance into scoring position.
“He’s an older guy, he’s played a lot of college baseball. He’s pretty comfortable pitching in a tight game it looks like and handled it really well today,” said Head Coach Tim Tadlock.
In the fourth the lefty hurler beaned right fielder Blake Faecher, but Fulford took care of him with a gundown to Jung at second base, eliminating the steal threat with a quick release after digging out a low slider.
The Red Raiders worked the leadoff man aboard in the seventh inning for the third time of the day when Cole Stilwell earned a six-pitch walk in the first at-bat against a pitcher other than Dillard. Kelly followed with a one-out walk but was thrown out on a fielders choice hit by Baker. Then the Red Raiders really got to work. Jung and Neuse hit back-to-back RBI singles, both pulled to the opposite field, extending the lead to 3-0 and forcing another pitching change. Unfortunately for the Bearkats – it didn’t help.
Fulford accepted a four-pitch walk and Cal Conley stepped up with the bases juiced for the second time in the game. His first opportunity ended in a swinging strikeout, Dillard’s eighth of the day. His second chance was decidedly more exciting for Red Raider Nation as he destroyed the 1-2 offering from Hayden Collins, depositing it in the upper deck in right center field. There’s a real chance Conley watched it land and then he touched them all with 4 RBI to his name and the Red Raiders led 7-0.
When it was all said and done, Baker and Conley both notched multi-hit games, Conley’s seventh of the season, and Red Raider relief pitching once again stepped up big in the late innings. Levi Wells and Ryan Sublette both made their third appearance of 2021. They each pitched a perfect inning combing for three strikeouts and no walks. When combined with Monteverde’s final inning of work, Tech pitchers did not allow a baserunner in the final three frames and fanned four Bearkats in the process.
When he entered the transfer portal from Seton Hill, Monteverde received interest from 42 Division 1 programs, his season statline certainly illustrates why.
More cynical observers may wonder about the performance of Texas Tech batters against a pitcher who had an excellent day, but who’d struggled in the very recent past. Tadlock was impressed with Dillard’s performance which resulted in a line of 6 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8K and who lowered his ERA from 18.69 to 7.84 in the effort.
He [Dillard] made some good pitches with the changeup in fastball counts. When that’s the case you just tip your hat. I thought Dillard was really good.”
But he was also realistic about his team’s approach in the early innings as well.
“We probably had some breakdowns at times with men in scoring position with approach a little bit,” said Tadlock. “Again I think some of that is it’s just early, and there’s nothing wrong with going and trying to hit the fastball.
The Red Raiders will be back in action once more this weekend as they face the Texas A&M – Corpus Christi Islanders Sunday morning at 11 a.m. Randy will have an On Deck for you before first pitch to get you ready.
Recapping the Bobcats | Game 1
TTU 8, SHSU 0 -- Box Score