Hitt Deals, Kelly Rakes, and Tech Gets Revenge - Red Raider Dugout

Hitt Deals, Kelly Rakes, and Tech Gets Revenge

BILOXI, MS – The #11 Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-3) played a rainy day offering at MGM Park and took down #23 Mississippi State (7-7) in a game once again punctuated by a big offensive inning. Tuesday it was a nine-run fourth that proved too much for Tech to overcome, but Wednesday it was a five-run second inning by the Red Raiders that was the difference as they took the lead early and never looked back.

Parker Kelly drove the bus in that second inning with his third grand slam of the season, and fifth home run in five days. He scored Cole Stilwell, who reached on a leadoff single, and Owen Washburn and Trevor Conley, both recipients of walks issued by Bulldogs starter Jackson Fristoe. Kelly is now hitting .405 on the season and leads the Red Raiders with 19 RBIs. Kelly will most likely take the Big 12 home run lead over UT’s Ivan Melendez and will tie with Melendez for the lead in RBIs.

Dillon Carter followed Kelly’s big fly with a solo home run to extend the early lead to 5-0, Carter’s second tater of the year.

Head Coach Tim Tadlock sent LHP Jamie Hitt to the mound for his first collegiate start and he was excellent going 4.0IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 4K. Hitt tossed strikes in the ongoing rain at a clip better than 67% and retired the Bulldogs in order in the first and third innings. Colin Clark entered in relief and turned in a perfect fifth, thanks in part to a brilliant diving catch by Kelly at 3B for the first out of the frame. Clark became the pitcher of record and earned the win.

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Texas Tech starting pitcher Jamie Hitt prepares to deliver a pitch in his first collegiate start against Mississippi State. Photo by Brandon Brieger, Texas Tech Athletics.

Derek Bridges and Brendan Girton shined in their relief outings. They combined for 3.2IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 2K and tossed strikes at almost 62% of their combined 55 pitches. Bridges now leads the team with seven appearances and Girton leads all relievers with 11.1IP.

Solid pitching on both sides hung zeroes on the board until the sixth when a leadoff walk and RBI double by Mississippi State off of Clark gave the Bulldogs their first hit and run of the day. Clark gave way to Jase Lopez who worked a flyout, but a walk and RBI single scored the second run and prompted the entrance of Bridges. He and Girton slammed the door on the Bulldogs and, combined with their fellow hurlers, completed a three-hitter against Mississippi State.

Kurt Wilson was the insurance agent in this one as he led off the eighth inning with a triple to right field and scampered home on a wild pitch to tack on Tech’s sixth run. He followed in the ninth with an RBI single to score Cooper Swanson who pinch ran for Ryan Brome after he got aboard on a leadoff HBP to the foot. Wilson booked a multi-hit day going 2-5, 3B, R, RBI, joining Kelly’s 3-4, HR, 4RBI as the only Red Raiders with multiple hits on the board.

Following the 5-11 loss to the Bulldogs Tuesday, it was a bit of a new look for Tech Wednesday when freshmen Brome and Conley earned their first starts. Brome batted in the two-hole and was the designated hitter throughout and Conley handled catching duties behind the dish and batted seventh.

This was a significant win for Texas Tech in the lens of 2022, a quality win over the defending national champions is a strong statement nationally and a resume-builder for the upcoming RPI. Beyond this season, Tech snapped a six-game losing streak to Mississippi State dating back to 2017 and the Red Raiders improved to 2-6 against the Bulldogs in the Tadlock era. Despite simultaneously competing at the College World Series in 2018 and 2019, these two teams have not met at Charles Schwab Field (formerly TD Ameritrade Park) in Omaha.

Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State

2017: Won 5-2, Lost 5-8 in Starkville
2019: Lost 2-4 in Frisco
2020: Lost 3-6 & 2-3 in Biloxi
2021: Lost 5-11 in Arlington
2022: Lost 5-11, Won 7-2 in Biloxi

Texas Tech will be back in action in a three-game weekend series in Houston facing off with the Rice Owls (3-10). The Friday game is slated for 6:30 pm with streaming available on C-USA.TV and radio broadcast on Double T 97.3 FM in Lubbock and their listening area, and on The Varsity Network App.

GAME 1: Bulldogs Snap Tech’s Nine-Game Win Streak

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