IOWA CITY – The Red Raiders (17-3) entered the first in a two-game weekend against the Iowa Hawkeyes (8-8) with their sixth leadoff hitter of the season in the batting order. Easton Murrell re-entered the starting lineup, this time at the top, for the first time since March 5 when he exited the game after aggravating a nagging hamstring injury. Murrell announced his presence with authority with the first of Tech’s six extra-base hits, a leadoff home run that gave the Red Raiders a lead they never relinquished in an 11-3 victory over the Big 10 foe.
The game looked on paper to be a potential pitcher’s duel with Iowa starter Adam Mazur, who was exceptional over the summer in the Cape Cod League, the premier collegiate summer league, with a 3-0 record and 1.55 ERA. He posted 34 strikeouts to 6 walks in 29 innings pitched and was named to the Cape Cod All-League Team. Texas Tech’s six extra-base hits Saturday accounted for 75% of their eight hits in the game, and they came from the barrels of five Red Raider hitters. Mazur did strike out five, but issued four free passes and scored a run on a wild pitch as well.
Murrell booked a multi-hit day going 1-1, 3R, 2BB, and his tater was clocked at 102mph off his bat over a right-field fence marked at 327ft – it traveled another 107ft to land at 434ft. A healthy Murrell’s re-emergence could be a settling presence for the Red Raiders, who have continued to seek an answer at left field in his absence.
Four more Red Raiders pounded extra-base hits as well. Dillon Carter added a triple in the fourth inning, Hudson White an RBI double in the 8th, and Ty Coleman a two-RBI double later in the same inning. The eighth proved to be Tech’s most prolific offensive inning with four runs plated in the frame, pushing a 7-2 lead up to 11-2. The loudest performance of the day was undoubtedly from Cole Stilwell. Saturday’s starting catcher, the fourth-year junior from Rockwall followed Murrell’s home run with a flyout to center field – that would be his last unproductive plate appearance of the day.
Stilwell pounded a one-out double in the third and came around to score on a Coleman fielder’s choice, he followed in the fourth with a two-out two-run bomb, scoring Murrell who’d reached on a walk. Stilwell closed out his day with his third RBI, this one on a sacrifice fly to score White who’d reached on an error in the seventh, and finally, a walk in the eighth scoring on the Coleman double. Stilwell finished with a line of 2-3, 2B, HR, 3RBI, BB, 3R.
Brandon Birdsell started on the bump for Tech, his fifth start of the season, and earned the win to improve to 3-1 overall. After a 15 strikeout performance last weekend against Rice that earned him Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, College Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher of the Week, and Golden Spikes Performance of the Week honors, Birdsell shoved again this time fanning 9 Hawkeye hitters in his five innings of work. Birdsell finished the second inning with a strikeout looking and then followed in the third sitting down the side in order – all looking. While Birdsell brings 97mph velocity to the mound, it’s the mix and execution that are his most valuable tools and that was on full display with a ꓘ issued to back-to-back-to-back-to-back Iowa hitters.
Andrew Morris entered in the sixth inning for his first bullpen appearance of the season. Normally the Red Raiders Friday night starter, Morris was available with the weather-related cancellation of the scheduled Friday night matchup with the Hawkeyes. Morris retired the first seven hitters he faced in order, adding four more strikeouts to his season stat line, three of which came against those first seven. Kyle Robinson managed the ninth for Tech, working out of some two-out struggles, and ultimately slamming the door with bases loaded.
Tech also flashed the leather defensively with Parker Kelly playing his usual elite defense at the hot corner, charging balls with difficult off-balance throws for outs, and executing a perfect putout to Stilwell at home to protect the lead and eliminate a run in the fifth. White also put a star in the book in the fifth with a run-saving dive and putout at second base.
The Red Raiders will close the two-game stand with Iowa on Sunday at 1:00 pm CST with televised streaming on Big 10 Network+ and with the radio call available on Double T 97.3 FM and their listening area and on The Varsity Network App.
TTU20 box score