ARLINGTON – Texas Tech (1-2) met up with the Arizona Cardinals (3-0) Sunday at 3:30 pm in their final game of the State Farm College Baseball Showdown. Texas Tech walked in with high hopes and a new-look lineup, but exited licking their wounds after falling 13-2 to what may be one of the hottest teams in America after the opening weekend of the college baseball season.
Freshman Mason Molina got the nod on the mound for Tech and the lefty from Trabuco Hills, CA showed himself to be up to the challenge. Molina retired the Wildcats in order in the first and walking into the fifth, both dugouts found themselves in a scoreless deadlock with one hit apiece. That changed when back-to-back doubles by Garen Caulfield and Nick McClaughry proved to be the opening of a floodgate that the Red Raiders were unable to close.
A combination of Molina and reliever Andrew Devine gave up 5 earned runs in the fifth. Devine, who emerged heroic from a save in Tallahassee against Florida State in 2020, struggled to a 12.00 ERA in 2021. In 2022 however, expectations have been high for the sophomore out of Simi Valley, CA. following strong showings in fall and spring scrimmages. On Sunday, he inherited a baserunner from Molina and fanned leadoff hitter Mac Bingham to start his appearance, but followed by giving up an RBI single, RBI double, and 2-run bomb before being pulled in favor of Jamie Hitt.
Hitt worked a flyout and groundout to escape the fifth without further harm and provided a spark after retiring the side in the sixth as well. The Red Raiders got something cooking in the fifth with a two-out walk by Dillon Carter and a single by Parker Kelly. But a baserunning mistake at third base saw Dalton Porter get back picked, ending the rally before it began. Tech did break the drought with a two-run sixth as Porter and Cole Stilwell drove in Ty Coleman and Owen Washburn.
Porter, who saw opportunities as a pinch hitter in the first two games of the weekend, including a game-tying, ninth-inning RBI sac fly Friday night, got the starting nod in left field Sunday. He was the only Raider to book a multi-hit day and batted in his second run of the season.
The glimmer of hope in the 5-2 game was dashed quickly when the Wildcats combined for 10 hits on the following five Red Raider pitchers and posted a crooked number in the following three innings to reach a final of 13-2.
Head Coach Tim Tadlock’s squad saw bright spots over the course of the weekend in flashes and moments of individual and team performance. But the questions discussed by observers heading into the weekend will continue to linger as this team works to find their identity and shake the rust off in the early season.
Not to be discounted in the story of the final game of the weekend for the Red Raiders is the incredible start for the Arizona Wildcats. A 2021 College World Series team, Arizona outscored their opponents in Arlington 35-12 and outhit them 34-18. Daniel Susac, the Wildcat catcher projected to be taken in the first round of the MLB Draft was overshadowed by former Red Raider Tanner O’Tremba. Bam Bam started each game in right field and leaves Globe Life Field slashing .500/.563/1.214. Of O’Tremba’s 7 hits, 5 were for extra bases, including two home runs. Saturday night against the Oklahoma Sooners, O’Tremba was a double shy of hitting for the cycle.
Texas Tech will return to action Tuesday in the home opener at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park against the Dallas Baptist Patriots. The game will be broadcast live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Chris Sylvester and Dr. Mike Gustafson on the call.
