FORT WORTH – The #4 Texas Tech Red Raiders (27-12, 7-5) rode into Fort Worth with high expectations of rebounding from a disappointing 14-9 midweek non-conference loss to Oklahoma in Amarillo. Instead, they’ll leave Cowtown with their first sweep at the hands of a Big 12 opponent since dropping three games to Kansas in Lawrence in 2014 as the TCU Horned Frogs (24-12, 10-5) dominated Tech over the Thursday – Saturday series moved up for the Easter holiday.
The Red Raiders are now on a four-game losing streak, their longest skid since dropping five in a row April 25- May 1, 2015, to OSU x2, Grand Canyon x2, and Texas.
RHP Chase Hampton (3-3) got the Sunday start and the loss for the Red Raiders as they continue to search for the answer for the third spot in the starting rotation. LHP Mason Molina, who started 7 Sundays for Tech en route to a 1-4 record, has become a needed bullpen piece in the absence of Brendan Girton. Molina turned in three scoreless innings in relief Friday night, setting up the comeback bid which ultimately fell short.
Game 1: Tech Drops Series Opener at TCU
Game 2: Tech Drops Big 12 Series Amid Controversy
Hampton held the Horned Frogs scoreless through the first inning, but from there was plagued by red-hot TCU hitting ultimately giving up 3 runs on 7 hits through 3 2/3 innings of work. A leadoff home run in the second got TCU on the board first and a three-hit third scored a second run for the Frogs.
The Red Raiders were held hitless through four innings with Jace Jung the only one to find himself aboard via a walk in the first. Aside from Jung, Tech left all of their stranded runners (9) aboard in the fifth through eighth innings. The TCU pitching staff once again held the usually prolific Red Raider offense down as was the case throughout the series. Parker Kelly was the only Red Raider hitter to post a multi-hit game in the series, that came on Friday.
Tech did manage four extra-base hits, all doubles, on Saturday, tripling their combined output from the previous two contests. Those belonged to Kurt Wilson, Ty Coleman, Zac Vooletich, and Sam Hunt.
The bullpen inherited a 2-0 contest and Jamie Hitt, Trendan Parish, Derek Bridges, and Brandon Beckel combined to give up the other 8 TCU runs on 5 hits and 6 free passes (5BB, 1HBP). Bridges inherited a bases-loaded situation with two outs and surrendered a bases-clearing double before a strikeout ended the seventh. Those runs were charged to Parish leaving Bridges with the only scoreless line of the day.
Tech pitching combined to issue 6 bases on balls and hit 2 batsmen for 8 free passes on the day – all but one crossed the plate.
Defensively, Easton Murrell made two nice grabs in right field in the early innings Saturday, robbing catcher Kurtis Byrne of two extra-base hits. Byrne would get payback with an RBI double hugging the right-field line in the eighth inning.
What a catch 😲
Big play in right field by @EastonMurrell5 to end the inning and limit the damage in the third! pic.twitter.com/nROexHWim2
— Texas Tech Baseball (@TTU_Baseball) April 16, 2022
Murrell got the start in right as Owen Washburn missed the first start of his Red Raider career. Washburn made a fantastic catch Friday to rob extra bases but went face-first into the wall. In his next at-bat, he was seen holding his chest after each pitch and did not return to the game.
The Red Raiders did themselves no favors on the base paths Saturday either. After a leadoff double, Wilson ran early from second as a grounder to shortstop was being gathered in and he was thrown out at third base. For a runner on second base, rule number one is not running until you’re sure the ball is leaving the infield. To add insult to injury, an almost identical situation played out in the next inning with Coleman being eliminated in the same way after a leadoff double of his own.
It was undoubtedly a bad series for the Red Raiders and the road trip is not over yet. They’ll head to Albuquerque to take on the New Mexico Lobos (14-21) Tuesday at 4:00 pm CST. The previously scheduled Monday game was canceled prior to the TCU series. The live stream will be available on the Mountain West Network with the radio call available on Double T 97.3 FM and in their listening area, as well as through The Varsity Network App.
TCU 11, Texas Tech 3