On a beautiful Tuesday afternoon, the Red Raiders (12-2) tallied a 6-3 victory over the Lobos of New Mexico (9-3) to start 11-0 at home for the fourth season in a row. Tech extended their home winning streak back to a dozen victories dating back to the Sunday matchup with Oklahoma in 2022.
Zach Erdman (1-0) got the start for the Red Raiders, he was pressed into service after both Kyle Robinson and Jacob Rogers were used in Tech’s marathon 16-inning affair against Texas A&M on Sunday lasting into the wee hours of Monday morning. Erdman started with trouble loading the bases with two outs in the first inning, but he worked out of the jam with hopes of settling in. The struggles continued as New Mexico plated their first run in the second and followed with another in the third.
The young lefthander gave way to the bullpen after 2 2/3 innings of work and Jase Lopez, Trendan Parish, and Andrew Devine turned in 6 1/3 innings allowing a combined five hits and only one run. That one run was a solo homer to lead off the seventh by Lenny Junior Ashby. Lopez earned the win in the game and Devine earned his first save of the season entering a three-run game in the ninth and slamming the door in the face of the Lobos.
In addition to getting the win, the Red Raider pitching staff hangs a pelt on the wall in taking down the Lobos. New Mexico came to Lubbock leading the nation in scoring averaging 12.5 runs per game and were held far below that average.
The Red Raiders hung two crooked numbers Tuesday and that was the extent of the scoring. A three-run second and fourth was all the offense managed on a 10-hit day. Gavin Kash, Owen Washburn, and Dylan Maxcey set the table in the second and a two-RBI double from Dillon Carter gave the Red Raiders their first lead of the day. Hudson White tallied an RBI walk later in the frame to make it three runs scored.
.@dilloncarter16 scores our first 2 runs with a double!
Bot 2 | Tech 2, NM 1 pic.twitter.com/tJKVSZPQHv
— Texas Tech Baseball (@TTU_Baseball) March 7, 2023
A similar situation played out in the fourth with the top of the order setting the table and Kevin Bazzell providing the two-run double this time around, Ty Coleman chipped in an RBI single to score Tech’s final run of the day. White, Bazzell, Kash, and Maxcey all turned in multi-hit days and while he didn’t record a hit, Will Burns reached on three walks, making his official line for the day 0-1.
It was a different look defensively for Tech as White got the start in place of Austin Green at second base. According to Head Coach Tim Tadlock on his Monday radio show, Green’s hamstring tightened up against Texas A&M and he was replaced in that game by Cade McGarrh.
That middle infield combination worked just fine as Texas Tech added to their nation-leading double-play total, turning their 21st of the young season.
Even with the changes to the middle infield, the defense continued to
Adding to our nation-leading double-play total! 4️⃣6️⃣3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/bWpa2J9WxF
— Texas Tech Baseball (@TTU_Baseball) March 7, 2023
Washburn also got the start in right field, his fourth start of the season and the first since February 20th against Gonzaga. It’s been a rough start at the plate for the sophomore as he’s 1-17 this year, he found his way aboard with two walks on Tuesday.
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