STATESBORO – Hall of Fame Head Coach Larry Hays used to say “Great pitching gives you courage.” Well, the (3) Red Raiders (38-21) walked into an elimination game with (4) UNC Greensboro (34-30) and were provided courage in spades by the combined efforts of Brandon Birdsell, Andrew Devine, and Derek Bridges.
After a 10-hour and 25-minute marathon Friday that saw Tech battle through a 5-hour and 59-minute weather delay, Texas Tech’s bats continued to stay quiet Saturday against the Southern Conference Tournament Champions, but a combined no-hitter by Red Raider pitchers won the day to keep Tech alive and playing Sunday in the Statesboro Regional.
The Red Raiders couldn’t take the chance of walking out of Statesboro without throwing their ace in Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Birdsell (9-3). The junior from Willis, TX didn’t dominate in the strikeout column, booking five on the day which is more than two under his season average and 10 less than his season-high. But he held down the Spartans throughout his appearance and pitched out of jams drawing consistent contact and allowing his defense to make plays behind him. Birdsell retired UNCG in order in the fifth and sixth innings before handing the ball to Devine in relief.
“I just threw a lot of strikes. Had two back-to-back walks but just pounded the strike zone and the slider was working well so I was just able to mix well and just tried my best to keep them off-balance,” said Birdsell in the postgame press conference.
The Red Raiders flashed the leather often Saturday, almost turning a triple play at one point with a possible interference by the sliding runner at second base breaking up the relay to first. Parker Kelly was excellent over and over and then Dillon Carter helped preserve the shutout flashing the leather Superman-style in the bottom of the eighth frame with a diving catch to end the inning for Devine.
OH-ME-OH-MY
It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman 🦸♂️@dilloncarter16 | #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/KTGbO6z9lk
— Texas Tech Baseball (@TTU_Baseball) June 4, 2022
“I thought the guys made some really good plays. There were a lot of balls hit, on both sides, that were hit hard, said Head Coach Tim Tadlock. “He [Carter] took a single off the board for sure with the diving play he made late.”
Carter looked visibly shaken in the dugout following the diving catch in center field but he gutted it out and continued to play the remainder of the game.
Following a night that saw Texas Tech strike out a season-high 19 times, the Red Raider bats weren’t exactly live, but they were more competitive. Tech outhit the Spartans 7 to 6, exactly the same as the Friday night hitting for the Red Raiders and Fighting Irish. Texas Tech struck out 9 times Saturday, 7 of which came at the hands of starter Jared Mathewson. Tech did not improve on their performance of 1-12 with runners in scoring position with an 0-4 effort Saturday, but they did what was needed and took advantage of their opportunity when it came.
Easton Murrell and Hudson White both booked a double for Tech’s first extra-base hits of the Regional, but it was Carter who provided the biggest swing of the day. He led off the eighth inning with a single to left-center field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Murrell. With two outs, Jace Jung was intentionally walked and another single by Ty Coleman put both into scoring position. A wild pitch by reliever Alex Hoppe sent Carter streaking for home and an off-target toss to coverage from the catcher squirted toward first base allowing Jung to rumble home as well.
The irony of the win is practically impossible to ignore after Texas Tech lost their game Friday night on an inning with two E2 and a wild pitch and today took the lead on a wild pitch followed by an E2.
Jung (single, intentional walk) and Coleman (fielder’s choice, single, single) were the only Red Raiders to reach more than once on Saturday.
Devine took the bump for Tech in the eighth and retired the Spartans in order with two strikeouts, reminding fans of the Devine coming-out party in 2020 in Tallahassee against the Florida State Seminoles. After a groundout in the ninth, an error on a slightly wild throw from Parker Kelly allowed a man to reach with one out and Devine’s day ended. Bridges took over and earned his first save of 2022 and second of his career.
Texas Tech will await the loser of the winner’s bracket matchup between (1) Georgia Southern (41-18) and (2) Notre Dame (35-14), scheduled for 4:20 pm CST Saturday. Tech’s game is currently scheduled for 1:00 pm CST Sunday and will be aired on an ESPN Network or stream with the radio call available on Double T 97.3 FM and in their listening area, as well as through The Varsity Network App.
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