Andrew Morris and Brandon Birdsell both tossed complete games as the Red Raiders (29-13, 9-5) shook off the weight of a five-game losing streak by earning the series win over West Virginia (23-14, 6-5) and overtaking the Mountaineers for third place in the Big 12 Conference.
It was the first time Texas Tech pitchers tossed back-to-back complete games in a doubleheader since April 11, 2009, when then future big leaguers Chad Bettis and AJ Ramos did it in Norman against the Sooners in a 4-0 loss and 5-1 win respectively.
Morris started his ninth game of the season strong, working three groundouts to second base in the opening frame. But 3 errors and 3 hits over the next two innings gave West Virginia a 5-1 lead that left the Colorado Mesa transfer visibly frustrated on the mound. Morris responded well, however, retiring the side in order after the four runs scored in the fourth. With the help of a double play, Morris faced the minimum the rest of the way until a walk in the ninth inning as he retired 19 Mountaineer hitters in order.
“[Pitching coach Matt] Gardner and I talked about it in the dugout,” Morris explained about responding to the difficult third inning. “Just flush it and go back out there. Just keep working, that’s all you can do.
“It’s frustrating, but at the same time, I tried to let it go. That’s probably the hardest thing in baseball, just let things go like that. But, had to do it,” said Morris.
Morris’s complete game was the first by a Red Raider pitcher since Caleb Kilian did it in Morgantown in 2019.
Easton Murrell primed the offensive pumps early with another game-opening home run, his fifth of the season. The leadoff man took starter Jacob Watters deep over the left-field fence on his first pitch to make it a 1-0 Red Raider lead. In game one, Murrell went 3-3, HR, R, 2BB to lead all Tech hitters. The Red Raiders responded to the four-run fourth by the Mountaineers with a big inning of their own.
Sam Hunt worked a leadoff walk followed by a Murrell single. Jace Jung walked as well to load the bases and a Ty Coleman sacrifice fly scored one. Kurt Wilson stepped in with two outs and two on and pounded a no-doubter over the left-field fence to make it a new ballgame with a 5-5 tie. Owen Washburn smoked a double to right field and Hudson White knocked him home with a single down the left-field line for the lead.
Tech outhit the Mountaineers 11-3 in game one and the Red Raiders tacked on some insurance in the fourth when an RBI single by Coleman scored Hunt, who’d led off the inning with a single.
Morris finished his complete game in 104 pitches, one shy of tying his season-high pitch count.
Birdsell shoved in the second game allowing 4 hits, 1 walk, and striking out 9 in a run-rule affair in which he allowed 0 earned runs. Birdsell faced the minimum through 4 2/3 innings and after allowing the only hit in that span in the second inning, he picked off the runner at 2B with a toss to Wilson.
The right-hander got significant run support in his outing in the back half of the doubleheader. Cole Stilwell made it 1-0 in the second inning with an RBI single that scored Washburn, who’d reached on a strikeout with a dropped strike three that couldn’t be completed at first base. In the next frame, Wilson came up with another big swing, this time a two-run bomb that scored Coleman and pushed the lead to 3-0. Washburn followed two batters later with a solo shot of his own.
Kurt Wilson has undoubtedly been on a tear in 2022 with a walk-off steal of home and a walk-off grand slam, both of Texas, as two of the most memorable moments of the Tim Tadlock era. With his two bombs across two games Saturday, Wilson becomes the second Red Raider hitter to reach double-digit home runs this season. Coleman and Kelly are next in the hunt, both with 8 dingers so far.
A three-run fourth, one-run fifth, and four-run eighth spelled the end for the Mountaineers as Tech triggered the run-rule there to take the 12-2 victory. The Red Raiders outhit West Virginia 16-4 in game two and Tech pounded 7 extra-base hits on the day. Five Red Raiders had a multi-hit game in the nightcap with Stilwell and Parker Kelly each turning in multiple extra-base knocks.
Texas Tech, whose RPI dropped to #44 after the 10-11 walk-off loss to New Mexico Tuesday in Albuquerque, needed to get right on the path to building a post-season hosting resume. The West Virginia series represented a pivotal moment in the 2022 season and could serve as a turning point or a nail in the coffin.
“I would tell you that locker room really pulled together when we left Albuquerque,” said Head Coach Tim Tadlock. “Just really proud of the way they came out and responded today. The way that first game was going, there was a time there where you go – you could have really easily started blaming each other. They just put their head down and keep playing.”
Texas Tech’s RPI has risen 10 spots to #34 following the two wins over West Virginia and after the rest of the action across the country plays out rippling through strengths of schedule across baseball. The Red Raiders are still in the hunt for a chance to host a Lubbock Regional for the 6th consecutive full season, but they’ll need to continue to perform down the stretch like the talented squad we know them to be.
The Red Raiders will be back at it Sunday at 1:00 pm as they seek the Big 12 series sweep. The live stream will be available on the Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with the radio call available on Double T 97.3 FM and in their listening area, as well as through The Varsity Network App.
