Sometimes a hot start is all you need to get the job done and that’s exactly what the Baylor Bears (26-13, 7-8 Big 12) got on Sunday as they cruised to a 13-3 victory in a grueling 3 1/2 hour matchup at Dan Law Field.
Texas Tech (27-10, 8-7) starter Mason Montgomery worked back-to-back strikeouts to the first two batters he faced, but the Bears jumped ahead with back-to-back solo shots into the left-field jet stream to take a two-run lead. Montgomery held Baylor scoreless over the next 2.1 innings but another solo bomb from Cade Currington to LF extended the lead to three.
The Bears added another on an RBI groundout by Tre Richardson after Jared McKenzie led off the sixth with a triple past a diving Cole Stilwell at first base.
Tech’s offense scuffled early with 10 baserunners on 3 hits through five innings and was 1-14 with runners on base up to there. Cal Conley finally broke the goose egg on the scoreboard for Tech with a solo shot to left of his own to lead off the sixth on the second pitch of the day from Bears reliever Jacob Ashkinos. Conley’s clout cut the Baylor lead to 3 making it a 4-1 ballgame in favor of the boys from Waco, but it never got any closer the rest of the way.
The Texas Tech bullpen struggled to find an answer for hot Baylor bats as Chase Hampton allowed four straight hits following his first strikeout of the day before being pulled in the 7th. Derek Bridges entered and gave up one hit on one pitch before giving way to Levi Wells. His first batter sent a 2 RBI double into right-center field and Baylor extended their lead to 9-1 with a five-run effort in the frame.
The Bears tacked on four more over the final two innings, including 3 runs in the top of the 9th on no hits as Tech relievers issued two RBI walks and an RBI hit batsman.
Montgomery was a bit of a bright spot as he did strike out 8 batters while only walking 1. Despite the run total, Red Raider pitching combined for 13 strikeouts on the day but couldn’t limit free passes as they issued 9 walks and a hit batsman as well.
Crooked numbers were elusive for the Red Raiders on Sunday as they plated one run in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings to account for their full day of offensive production. Tech 3-for-22 (.136) on the day with runners on base and 0-13 with runners in scoring position. Those numbers are made more frustrating considering leadoff hitters went 7-for-9 (.778).
“Not sticking to what makes me me, if that makes sense. I think we had a little bit of that. You don’t have to do anything that’s not becoming of you,” explained Cody Masters. “I don’t need to hit the ball out of the park and sometimes my approach showed that that’s what I was trying to do. We really didn’t at times stick to a plan and what makes us go.”
The hot start for Baylor Sunday felt on-brand for a weekend in which the Bears took a 1-0 series lead in a Friday contest punctuated by a 6-run second inning on Tech ace Patrick Monteverde.
Baseball is a game that will humble you and the Red Raiders seemed to be feeling that as they begin to reflect on the series loss and look ahead to the rest of the season.
“I think it’s really hard to get these guys to look back and reflect until something like this happens,” said Texas Tech Head Coach Tim Tadlock. “What you hope is when you lose a series that they do understand and try to figure out exactly who they are individually and as a team.”
The Red Raiders have been depleted by injury in 2021 losing potential starters Austin Becker and Hunter Dobbins to injury before the season started, starter Brandon Birdsell to a long-term rotator cuff injury, and reliever Jakob Brustoski before the season as well. In the field Tech also lost starting left fielder Kurt Wilson to a hand injury and Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Dylan Neuse to a season-ending back injury as well.
In the second weekend with a new-look starting rotation with the loss of Birdsell and the 2nd weekend having Dru Baker back in the lineup after shaking a quad injury, Texas Tech is even now still finding their identity.
“I do think this team’s been through quite a bit, and we’re by no means going to use that as any type of excuse. But the reality of it is is we’re still evolving,” said Tadlock.
As the Red Raiders continue to battle through one of the country’s most difficult schedules, questions of an opportunity to host a regional begin to come into question. The NCAA announced recently that host sites will be announced in early May, while the season continues to progress, rather than on Memorial Day as has been the custom. Merit will be one consideration for host sites, along with ease of travel, COVID-19 regulations, and the opportunity to regionalize travel for teams.
With the new selection format for 2021, a strong April showing appears to be critical for any team looking to make a big to host. Texas Tech has hosted in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 in the Tim Tadlock era, with three of those seasons ending in Omaha at the College World Series.
From the perspective of the players on the team, there are no excuses to be made.
“…We’re all pretty frustrated and pissed off. I don’t care, no one cares about the injuries, that’s not an excuse. We’re a good ball club and we haven’t been proving that,” said Masters.
Tech will have an opportunity to turn things around Wednesday before heading to Austin as they host the New Mexico Lobos on Wednesday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. Lobo Head Coach Ray Birmingham announced his retirement last week after 43 years coaching in college baseball. Birmingham has been at the helm of the Lobos for 14 seasons and will retire at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
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