LUBBOCK, Texas – The Baylor baseball team is set for a Big 12 matchup with No. 5 Texas Tech April 23-25 at Rip Griffin Park in Lubbock, Texas. The Bears (24-12, 5-7 Big 12) look to build momentum after winning its last two conference series, while the Red Raiders (26-8, 7-5 Big 12) are coming off a series win against West Virginia.
The Red Raiders lead the all-time series against the Bears 89-83, with the last meeting coming on April 18-20, 2019 in Lubbock, where Tech took the series after winning on Saturday and Sunday. TTU has a 56-27 record at home against the Bears, while head coach
Steve Rodriguez is 5-8 against the Red Raiders.
SERIES INFO
Date: April 23-25 (Fri.-Sun.)
Game Times: 6:30 p.m./2 p.m./2 p.m.
Site: Lubbock, Texas / (Rip Griffin Park, 4,432)
TV: Big 12 Now (ESPN+)
Radio: ESPN 1660/92.3 FM (Fri. & Sun.), 1590/99.3FM (Sat.)
• Talent: Ryan Boyd (pxp), Chois Woodard (color)
Live Stats: TexasTech.com
Twitter Updates: @BaylorBaseball
Series History: TTU leads, 89-83
Streak: TTU, W2
First Meeting: 1928
Last Meeting: April 18-20, 2019 (TTU won series)
Under Rodriguez: 5-8
PITCHING MATCHUP
Fri. April 23 – LHP
Tyler Thomas (4-2, 1.95 ERA) vs. LHP Patrick Monteverde (6-1, 2.24 ERA)
Sat. April 24 – RHP
Hayden Kettler (3-2, 3.99 ERA) vs. RHP Micah Dallas (1-2, 3.66 ERA)
Sun. April 25 – TBA vs. LHP Mason Montgomery (2-1, 3.66 ERA)
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Riding the momentum of three-straight series wins and 11 victories in its last 13 games, Baylor baseball (24-12, 5-7) goes back on the road for its toughest test in a month.
The Bears will face No. 5/10 Texas Tech (26-8, 7-5) in a three-game series this weekend at Dan Law Field in Lubbock.
"We want to go in there and prove something. Go beat the best," said senior catcher
Andy Thomas, who is hitting .316 with six home runs and 42 RBI. "We want this. We want to strike first, we want to strike hard. We're going to go in there and get three wins. That's our expectation."
Baylor struggled the last time it faced top-10 teams, opening league play by dropping five of six against Texas and TCU. But, head coach
Steve Rodriguez said the Bears "have a better understanding of who we are as a club."
"When you're a year out, and you haven't really competed against anybody, you kind of sit there and say, 'Who are we going to be here?''' Rodriguez said. "But now, you have a great understanding of who each guy is, how they work together, where they fit in the lineup and on the field.
"I think a big thing for me is that the personalities of the guys have really started to develop, it's kind of taking shape. It gives you a better understanding when you start going into games like this."
Senior pitcher
Jimmy Winston (6-2, 2.31 ERA) said the Bears try not to focus on rankings or reputations.
"We try not to think about playing top-10 teams as a different category. It's just another team," Winston said. "I don't even know what their ranking is. We try not to think about that."
Baylor's pitchers will be challenged by a Texas Tech team that has hit a Big 12-leading 54 home runs, tied for the fourth-most nationally, and a Dan Law Field ballpark that is known for being home run-friendly.
"I'll be honest, it seems like every park in our conference is like that, even ours," Rodriguez said. "The wind is going to blow, that's kind of a given in all parks in this conference. Even in Kansas, it was doing the same ting. For us, it's just a matter of not really paying attention to the wind, but just focusing on what we're supposed to do. If they hit some balls out, that's fine, but we're going to have that same opportunity."
Winston, who has developed in the long relief role, said the key for pitchers is to keep the ball low, "because the wind will blow."
"They might end up hitting a home run, which really would have been a pop-up at other parks," Winston said. "But, if that happens, it happens. And I've got to make better pitches, if that's the case. All the pitchers need to do that."
When the Bears went to Lubbock four years ago, Thomas said his approach was to hit the ball in the air and swing for the fences.
"But, you don't really have to think that way," he said. "You can hit a line drive, and it will go out. I think if we just stick with our approach and hit the fastball – they like to throw a lot of fastballs – if we can get up there and be on time and be ready for the fastball, I think we're going to be really successful."
In a matchup of left-handed aces, Baylor's
Tyler Thomas (4-2, 1.95 ERA) will be matched against the Red Raiders' Patrick Monteverde (6-1, 2.24) in Friday's 6:30 p.m. series opener.
Fifth-year senior
Hayden Kettler (3-2, 3.99) will be opposed by Tech sophomore righty Micah Dallas (1-2, 3.66) in Saturday's 2 p.m. game, while Baylor hasn't named a starter for Sunday's 2 p.m. series finale.
Texas Tech leads the all-time series, 89-83, including a 57-27 mark in Lubbock, where the Bears haven't won a series since 2010.
All three games will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
STORY LINES
• As a team, Baylor is near or at the top of the Big 12 and in the country in various categories. The Bears are first in the Big 12 in batting average (20th nationally) with a .298 clip and second in triples with nine. BU is first in the league with five shutouts (4th nationally) and second in the Big 12 in earned run average with a 3.53 ERA (24th nationally).
• Individually, the Bears have a number of players at the top of the conference as McKenzie is 1st in runs scored (2nd in the nation), 2nd in hits (2nd in the nation), 2nd in triples (15th in the nation), 3rd in total bases (4th in the nation), 4th in batting average,
Andy Thomas is 3rd in RBI (8th in the nation),
Tyler Thomas is 2nd in ERA (1.95),
Luke Boyd is 1st in saves (5th in the nation) with eight and 2nd in appearances with 17,
Jimmy Winston is 1st in wins (9th in the nation) with six, while
Ryan Leckich is 1st (14th in the nation) in pitching appearances with 18.
• Baylor has one of the most reliable bullpens in the country, with the combination of Boyd,
Logan Freeman, Leckich,
Jacob Ashkinos,
Hambleton Oliver and Winston. Leckich is tops in the conference in appearances and 22nd nationally with 18 appearances in 2021. Boyd is 2nd in the conference with 17 outings and Freeman is 5th in the Big 12 with 16 appearances, while Oliver is 7th with 15. Winston leads the team with six wins (T-1st in Big 12), while Ashkinos has a perfect 3-0 record. Each is sporting an impressive ERA, led by Boyd (1.47), Winston (2.31), Freeman (2.65), Ashkinos (3.24), Leckich (3.26), and Oliver (3.52).
• McKenzie has continued with his hot bat last week after hitting .600 batting average (9-for-15) which led the conference, while his .667 on-base percentage and .867 slugging was second in the Big 12. McKenzie was untouchable in the Saturday doubleheader sweep on the road against Kansas as he went 7-for-10 on the day with a double and a triple, while scoring two runs and two RBI. His 4-for-5 performance in the Bears game two win tied a career high. On the season, McKenzie is hitting .386 (T-3rd Big 12), while leading the league and 2nd in the nation in runs scored with 45. In addition, McKenzie's 59 hits and three triples are 2nd in the league, while his season on-base (.444) and slugging percentages (.627) are 7th in the Big 12.
•
Tyler Thomas has showed out this season as he is second in the Big 12 with a 1.95 ERA in nine starts. He leads the team in innings pitched (55.1) and strikeouts (54). Thomas ranks 2nd in the Big 12 in ERA, 3rd in opponent batting average (.192) and T-9th in strkeouts. Thomas has thrown more innings than he did last year as he threw a total of 6.2 innings, all in relief after coming off of surgery to remove a rib in June 2019 due to his Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor baseball, follow the team on Facebook (Baylor Baseball), Twitter (@BaylorBaseball) and Instagram (@BaylorBaseball).
