In a world where instant communication can fuel instant gratification, Jace Jung didn’t mind the message he got moments after Texas Tech nailed down a 17-7 rout of TCU in 7 innings on Sunday at Dan Law Field.
It was a succinct compliment via text message from big brother Josh Jung, the former Red Raider star who was the Texas Rangers’ first-round draft pick in 2019 after back-to-back All-American seasons.
“He just texted me a second ago and said, ‘Wow!’” Jace Jung said. “So that’s pretty cool.”
And well-directed after kid brother slammed three home runs – one in the 1st inning to get Texas Tech (22-7, 5-4 Big 12 Conference) headed down the right path and two in a 9-run 6th that sapped all the drama out of a Sunday rubber-game showdown that ended with a run-rule victory.
Sunday’s performance capped an impressive about-face and delivered a huge series win for the 8th-ranked Red Raiders, who are alive and well in the hunt for a Big 12 crown after a loss on Friday threatened to derail those aspirations.
Jung was the major catalyst with his second 3-homer game in 11 days and fourth multi-home run game this season, but he had plenty of company in the offensive fireworks department. The 2-6 hitters combined to go 10-for-18 with 7 walks, 14 runs scored, and 11 RBIs.
- Braxton Fulford ended up 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI
- Jung was 3-for-4, scored 4 times, and drove in 5 runs
- Cole Stilwell went 2-for-3, with a homer, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs
- Cal Conley ended the day 2-for-5 with 2 runs
- Cody Masters produced a key three-run home run, walked three times, and crossed the plate three times
All of that was part of a 13-hit attack that was aided by 10 walks issued by the beleaguered Horned Frogs’ pitching staff.
Because Texas Tech snapped back to win the series, the Big 12 race is still up for grabs. Texas (25-8, 10-2) leaped into first place by sweeping Kansas State, TCU (22-9, 7-2) slipped into second place and Oklahoma State (21-7, 6-3) sits in third.
The Red Raiders are in fourth place and their remaining schedule features series with four teams below them, as well as the Longhorns.
“I think if we lose that game, we’re 4-5 in the Big 12,” said Masters whose homer in the 3rd inning padded Tech’s lead to 6-1 and came right after TCU scored its first run of the day in the top of the frame.
“Obviously, coming back from Manhattan, we needed to win this series and hopefully get kickstarted going into West Virginia, which is always tough to play there.”
The Red Raiders bounced back to claim the series because their offense clicked Sunday as well as it had since a 17-1 road win at K-State on April 1.
Conley might’ve lit the fuse with a walk-off home run in a 6-5 10-inning triumph on Saturday. Jung reignited things when he jacked the second pitch he got from Horned Frogs’ starting pitcher Johnny Ray out of the ballpark to left-center field in the bottom of the 1st.
His two later bombs came in the 9-run 6th to up his season total to 15, which is tied for the national lead. The younger Jung showed some power at San Antonio MacArthur with 7 home runs as a senior and he belted 4 in 16 games in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign.
For comparison, his current total equals Josh Jung’s career-best in 2019 in a 64-game season.
“I have it in my backpack to pull out whenever I need it,” Jace Jung said of his power surge this season.
Texas Tech needed Jung’s jolt of energy Sunday and, mixed with the generosity of the TCU pitching staff, the results were impressive.
Six of the hitters who reached on free passes came around to score and one of those walks forced in a run. The Red Raider offense trumped what would’ve been a solid day for the Horned Frog hitters on most days – 11 hits and three home runs against five Texas Tech pitchers.
But thanks to Jung – and with Masters upping the ante – TCU was in comeback mode from the 1st inning on and that was a welcome role reversal from the Red Raiders’ recent slide when they fell behind by at least three runs in each outing of a three-game losing skid.
Jung dominates the headlines, and justifiably so. But in Tech’s third game in a row with Dru Baker and Dylan Neuse both out with injuries (Neuse did check-in for the final inning and a half), getting a clutch swing from somebody other than Jung was vital.
Making Masters’ clout a key turning point.
“(Saturday) I was chasing a lot and getting myself into bad counts,” said Masters, who came into the game just 7-for-35 this season. “I think I was able to get 1-0 every time up and put myself in position to see a heater.”
Overshadowed by the euphoria of the lopsided victory was an early exit by Red Raider starting pitcher Brandon Birdsell.
He had just surrendered a solo homer and a bloop single in the 3rd when Texas Tech coach Tim Tadlock came out with trainer Bryan Simpson in tow and quickly lifted the right-hander.
Tadlock didn’t identify the ailment but noted it was shoulder-related and was an aggravation of an issue that arose in his start at K-State on April 1.
Birdsell was shifted from his regular series-opening role this week to Sunday to allow time for rest and recovery, but the ailment flared back up.
“Thought he was in a really good spot,” Tadlock said. “But it reared its head, so we’ll give him some time to get better. We were hoping with a little bit of extra rest, he’d be fine. Probably should have just given him a week (off).”
Up next for the Red Raiders is a rare (this season) mid-week series when Stephen F. Austin visits for games on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Lumberjacks (12-14) were off this weekend after a 9-1 loss at Texas on Wednesday.
TTU29