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When the Texas Tech baseball team won a home series against Arizona last weekend, the Wildcats had been No. 1 in the Big 12 power rankings three weeks in a row and four out of five. Beating them twice was, for the Red Raiders, the high spot in a rough season.
Now No. 13 West Virginia is atop the power rankings, and the Red Raiders will try to take down the Mountaineers, too.
WVU (37-6, 16-3 Big 12) hosts Texas Tech (15-26, 10-11) in a three-game weekend series in Morgantown, West Virginia. Game times (all CDT) are 5:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday at Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
"They've had a great year," Tech coach Tim Tadlock said.
More: UTRGV turns back Texas Tech baseball ninth-inning rally
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West Virginia leads the Big 12 standings by two games over No. 25 Kansas (36-10, 15-6), TCU (32-13, 15-7) and Arizona State (30-16, 14-7). The Mountaineers have played two fewer conference games than nearly all the other Big 12 teams because two games in their series at Oklahoma State on the conference's first weekend were canceled on account of wildfires.
West Virginia has won 14 conference games in a row: the last two games at BYU, followed by sweeps of Utah, Houston, Cincinnati and UCF. All except Cincinnati occupy the bottom four spots in the conference standings. Though West Virginia has the No. 18 RPI in the country, one behind TCU among Big 12 teams, the Mountaineers' 121st rank in strength of schedule is worst in the conference.
Tech missed the 2024 NCAA postseason. The highlight of last season might have come in late April when the Red Raiders swept West Virginia in Lubbock after the Mountaineers came to town ranked and tied for the conference lead. The Mountaineers have been swept only twice in 35 Big 12 series dating to 2021, and that was the last time.
WVU ranks third in the conference in runs scored and first with a team ERA of 3.72. The Mountaineers generally haven't got great length out of their starting pitchers — Friday starter Griffin Kirn's team-high 56 innings ranks ninth in the Big 12 — but they rely on a deep, quality bullpen.
Among WVU pitchers with at least eight appearances, 12 have an opponent batting average no higher than .250. Reese Bassinger (5-0, 3.35) and Carson Estridge (3-0, 3.32) have five saves apiece.
∎ When (all times CDT): 5:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday, noon Sunday
∎ Where: Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark, Morgantown, West Virginia
∎ Records: Texas Tech 15-26, 10-11 in the Big 12; West Virginia 37-6, 16-3
∎ Starting pitchers: Friday, Texas Tech RHP Mac Heuer (2-2, 5.67 ERA) vs. West Virginia LHP Griffin Kirn (4-0, 3.38). Saturday, Texas Tech RHP Tyler Boudreau (1-3, 8.10) vs. West Virginia pitcher to be announced. Sunday, Texas Tech RHP Zane Petty (1-2, 5.66) vs. West Virginia RHP Jack Kartsonas (5-1, 2.19).
∎ Online streaming: All games on ESPN+
Home games in ALL CAPS. Asterisks (*) denote Big 12 games. All times CDT.
∎ April 26: ARIZONA*, W 12-3
∎ April 26: ARIZONA*, L 2-1
∎ April 27: ARIZONA*, W 9-3
∎ Tuesday: UT-RIO GRANDE VALLEY, L 13-4
∎ Wednesday: UT-RIO GRANDE VALLEY, L 7-4
∎ Friday: at West Virginia*, 5:30 p.m.
∎ Saturday: at West Virginia*, 3 p.m.
∎ Sunday: at West Virginia*, noon
∎ Tuesday: NEW MEXICO STATE, 6 p.m.
∎ Wednesday: NEW MEXICO, postponed
∎ May 9: CENTRAL FLORIDA*, 6 p.m.
∎ May 10: CENTRAL FLORIDA*, 2 p.m.
∎ May 11: CENTRAL FLORIDA*, 1 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball at West Virginia preview, how to watch
Continue reading...
Now No. 13 West Virginia is atop the power rankings, and the Red Raiders will try to take down the Mountaineers, too.
WVU (37-6, 16-3 Big 12) hosts Texas Tech (15-26, 10-11) in a three-game weekend series in Morgantown, West Virginia. Game times (all CDT) are 5:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday at Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
"They've had a great year," Tech coach Tim Tadlock said.
More: UTRGV turns back Texas Tech baseball ninth-inning rally
More: What does Tim Tadlock think of plan for Texas Tech baseball's cut of revenue share?
West Virginia leads the Big 12 standings by two games over No. 25 Kansas (36-10, 15-6), TCU (32-13, 15-7) and Arizona State (30-16, 14-7). The Mountaineers have played two fewer conference games than nearly all the other Big 12 teams because two games in their series at Oklahoma State on the conference's first weekend were canceled on account of wildfires.
West Virginia has won 14 conference games in a row: the last two games at BYU, followed by sweeps of Utah, Houston, Cincinnati and UCF. All except Cincinnati occupy the bottom four spots in the conference standings. Though West Virginia has the No. 18 RPI in the country, one behind TCU among Big 12 teams, the Mountaineers' 121st rank in strength of schedule is worst in the conference.
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Tech missed the 2024 NCAA postseason. The highlight of last season might have come in late April when the Red Raiders swept West Virginia in Lubbock after the Mountaineers came to town ranked and tied for the conference lead. The Mountaineers have been swept only twice in 35 Big 12 series dating to 2021, and that was the last time.
WVU ranks third in the conference in runs scored and first with a team ERA of 3.72. The Mountaineers generally haven't got great length out of their starting pitchers — Friday starter Griffin Kirn's team-high 56 innings ranks ninth in the Big 12 — but they rely on a deep, quality bullpen.
Among WVU pitchers with at least eight appearances, 12 have an opponent batting average no higher than .250. Reese Bassinger (5-0, 3.35) and Carson Estridge (3-0, 3.32) have five saves apiece.
How to watch Texas Tech baseball at West Virginia
∎ When (all times CDT): 5:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday, noon Sunday
∎ Where: Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark, Morgantown, West Virginia
∎ Records: Texas Tech 15-26, 10-11 in the Big 12; West Virginia 37-6, 16-3
∎ Starting pitchers: Friday, Texas Tech RHP Mac Heuer (2-2, 5.67 ERA) vs. West Virginia LHP Griffin Kirn (4-0, 3.38). Saturday, Texas Tech RHP Tyler Boudreau (1-3, 8.10) vs. West Virginia pitcher to be announced. Sunday, Texas Tech RHP Zane Petty (1-2, 5.66) vs. West Virginia RHP Jack Kartsonas (5-1, 2.19).
∎ Online streaming: All games on ESPN+
Texas Tech baseball recent results, upcoming schedule
Home games in ALL CAPS. Asterisks (*) denote Big 12 games. All times CDT.
∎ April 26: ARIZONA*, W 12-3
∎ April 26: ARIZONA*, L 2-1
∎ April 27: ARIZONA*, W 9-3
∎ Tuesday: UT-RIO GRANDE VALLEY, L 13-4
∎ Wednesday: UT-RIO GRANDE VALLEY, L 7-4
∎ Friday: at West Virginia*, 5:30 p.m.
∎ Saturday: at West Virginia*, 3 p.m.
∎ Sunday: at West Virginia*, noon
∎ Tuesday: NEW MEXICO STATE, 6 p.m.
∎ Wednesday: NEW MEXICO, postponed
∎ May 9: CENTRAL FLORIDA*, 6 p.m.
∎ May 10: CENTRAL FLORIDA*, 2 p.m.
∎ May 11: CENTRAL FLORIDA*, 1 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball at West Virginia preview, how to watch
Continue reading...
