Big 12 Baseball Championship
(click link to watch games live)
Texas Tech (27-27, 13-14)
Location: AT&T Bricktown Ballpark : Oklahooma City, OK
Radio: Affiliates
Date | Start Time | Texas Tech Starting Pitcher |
Opponent Starting Pitcher |
Result |
5.26.10 | 9:00 a.m. | Ben Flora 3-2, 5.12 |
Texas A&M: Michael Wacha 7-2, 2.41 |
|
5.27.10 | 3:00 p.m. | TBA - |
Texas: TBA - |
|
5.29.10 | 9:00 a.m. | TBA - |
Missouri: TBA - |
Outfield:
LF - Michael Reed (Sr.); CF - Taylor Ashby (Sr.); RF - Bonham Hough (Sr.)
Infield:
SS - Joey Kenworthy (Sr.) 2ND - Jamodrick McGruder (Fr.);
3RD - Nick Popescu (Jr.) 1ST - Barrett Barnes (Fr.)
C - Jeremy Mayo (Jr.)
DH - Scott LeJeune (So.)
*Click on the score for boxscore. Texas Tech series preview (pdf).
All-Big 12 Teams Announced: Of course, the Longhorns dominated this team, but the All-Big 12 Awards were announced and a handful of Texas Tech players made the list:
Freshman of the Year: 1B/RF Barrett Barnes
All-Big 12 Second Team: 1B/RF Barrett Barnes; DH Scott LeJeune; P Chad Bettis
Honorable Mention: P Bobby Doran; SS Joey Kenworthy; 2B Jamodrick McGruder; C Jeremy Mayo; LF MIchael Reed
I can't say that I know who should or should not have made this team. What I will say is congrats to this group of Red Raiders, who were picked to finish last in the Big 12 this year and ended up finishing fifth. Despite how the season ended (and I know it's not over just yet), I'm proud of this group.
LAJ's George Watson talked with Barnes, who said that this was a goal of his:
"It's a goal I set for myself before the season," Barnes said. "I always set high goals. It's just a reward for all the hard work I put in through high school and my career working to this point and I'm excited about it."
And head coach Dan Spencer thinks highly of his freshman:
"He's a special kid," head coach Dan Spencer said. "Talent part of it but it's not enough if you're going to hit in that part of the lineup. He has a tremendous home life and structure and family and tremendous faith. He wants to be great and does all the work and he does extra work and pays attention. A lot of kids say they want to be great but they don't show up for the early work. He's a very good example to anyone who wants to be successful."
Big 12 Baseball Championship: You can click on the link at the top of this post, or click here to watch the games live. LAJ's George Watson writes that the season has been tough on the team, but ultimately a success:
You know that's got to irk a pitching guy like Spencer, who made his name shaping an Oregon State staff that won consecutive College World Series titles. But, he's as handcuffed as his players right now. That's why he had to stick with Jay Johnson on Saturday and Bobby Doran on Sunday about an inning longer than normal. Bettis was in the stands, not the bullpen, and he'll be there one more time Wednesday for the final game of his suspension.Whether he intended to hit Baylor's Gregg Glime or not, Bettis has some making up to do this week. He's got to be fresh and focused because for the Red Raiders to have any chance this week he's going to have to pitch lights out against Texas and Missouri. That's the only chance Tech has to win this tournament until the offense gets out of its doldrums.
Regardless of what happens in Oklahoma City, Tech fans should look at this year as a successful one. The consensus among Big 12 coaches said the Red Raiders would finish last. So a fifth-place finish in the regular season is significantly better than expected.
Watson also writes that the team wiull look to CF Taylor Ashby and SS Joey Kenworthy to lead the team in Oklahoma City:
When the 2010 season is done, Joey Kenworthy and Taylor Ashby will likely never don another baseball uniform.But Texas Tech’s only four-year seniors will leave their Red Raider days knowing they were two huge factors in turning a program from a postseason afterthought into one that was in the thoughts of those deciding postseason fates.
"It’s a huge feeling," said Kenworthy, Tech’s shortstop. "Being a part of that is something special, and (head coach Dan Spencer) reminds us of that every day that we’re the ones showing the young guys what it takes on and off the field. It’s a special feeling and I wouldn’t trade it for anything."