Red Raider Hardball | Texas Tech Hosts Brooks Wallace Memorial Series

Brooks Wallace Memorial Series: Texas Tech (3-1, 0-0), Oral Roberts (1-2, 0-0), BYU (0-4, 0-0)
Official Site Notes: Here
Location: Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park | Lubbock, TX
Radio: Affiliates

Series Preview: Texas Tech will host the Brooks Wallace Memorial Series with Oral Roberts and BYU making an appearance. I'll have a weekend thread going up later this afternoon at 2:00 pm. Here are some previews for your eyeballs: LAJ and DT. Here's a bit from the LAJ:

The recruiting part, obviously, is a big key. In that, Tech has benefited in its past two signing classes of getting recruits such as Moseley, sophomore right-hander Matt Withrow and freshman left-hander Ty Damron to turn down professional money to come to Tech. Withrow was 5-3 last year and on Saturday allowed just one earned run in five innings while striking out five.

Then there’s the aspect of getting guys to blossom at the Division I level. Sadberry is a perfect example, saying that by working with Hayward and Gardner that his slider and fastball have improved and he’s developed confidence in his change-up. Left-hander Cameron Smith, a junior transfer from New Mexico Junior College, was almost unhittable on Sunday, and in his two appearances over 6 2/3 innings he allowed no runs, five hits and two walks while striking out three.

Proudfoot Out Indefinitely: SS Tim Proudfoot is out indefinitely with an injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder (via LAJ) from being hit by a pitch during the week at practice. This is sorta a big deal and I'll be interested to see how the lineup changes.

Sorensen on Tadlock: Pretty good Q&A with Eric Sorensen and Texas Tech head coach Tim Tadlock (via ESPN):

ES: What would you like to see your team do before Big 12 play kicks in?
TT: Just stay focused. That's the big thing. We have a tough road in the Big 12 this year, three of our first four weekends will be on the road, so getting the confidence of beating Indiana is a big help, but we've got a long way to go. It was just one weekend. I tell our guys all the time, prepare to be champions every day, and that means in every detail.
ES: So I assume you like how far this team can go?
TT: Long way to go. Long way. We talk about Omaha all the time when we recruit kids to play here. But we don't talk about Omaha on a day-to-day basis at practice. However, I do think there's a nucleus of guys in our clubhouse that have that dream, though. And that's the biggest thing, just put together a group of guys who have that dream. We'll let the results take care of themselves.

OUTFIELD: LF: Tyler Neslony | CF: Tyler Neslony or Devon Conley | RF: Adam Kirsch
INFIELD: 3B: Jake Barrios | SS: Tim Proudfoot | 2B: Bryant Burleson | 1B Eric Gutierrez | C: Mason Randolph | DH: Anthony Lyons

Game 1: Friday, February 21st @ 2:00 pm
Texas Tech Starting Pitcher: RHP Dominic Moreno
Oral Roberts Starting Pitcher: RHP Kurt Giller
Final Score & Box Score: Oral Roberts 2, Texas Tech 3 - Recap - LAJ

Pretty good little game.  Moreno got the start and pitched really well going 5 1/3 and allowing only 1 run, but the offense had trouble getting moving and Moreno left with a no decision. Cameron Smith pitched 1 1/3 and picked up the win, while Jonny Drozd got the save.  As mentioned in the notes above, SS Tim Proudfoot was out, but true freshman Matt Broadbent had 3 hits, 2 doubles, and all 3 RBI for the team.

Game 2: Saturday, February 22nd @ 2:00 pm
Texas Tech Starting Pitcher: RHP Matt Withrow
Oral Roberts Starting Pitcher: RHP Guilermo Trujillo
Final Score & Box Score: Oral Roberts 2, Texas Tech 7 - Recap - Box Score - LAJ

An incredibly close game through six innings, but a Tyler Neslony grand slam in the 6th inning powered Texas Tech to a 7-2 win over Oral Roberts. Matt Withrow pitched 5 innings, giving up 1 run, walking 2 and striking out 6, while Corey Taylor earned the win in relief, pitching 2 innings, with no runs. Freshman Ryan Moseley pitched the final 2 frames without a hit or a run or a walk and striking out 4. As mentioned below, Neslony was terrific, going 2-3 on the day including the grand slam. Freshman Ryan Long was the lead-off DH and went 2-5 with an RBI and Jake Barrios was 2-4 with an RBI as well.

Game 3: Sunday, February 23rd @ 1:00 pm
Texas Tech Starting Pitcher: LHP Chris Sadberry
Oral Roberts Starting Pitcher: RHP Galvin Glanz
Final Score & Box Score: Oral Roberts 1, Texas Tech 4 - Recap - Box Score - LAJ - DT

Another terrific pitching performance as starter Chris Sadberry went 3.1 innings, iing up just 1 run, while Cameron Smith earned the win, going 4 innings, giving up just 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Johnathan Tripp pitched the final 1.2 innings getting his first save of the year. Freshman Ryan Long, filling in at shorttop, went 2-3 with 2 RBI, and Eric Gutierrez went 1-3 with an RBI.

Game 4: Monday, February 24th @ 1:00 pm
Texas Tech Starting Pitcher: TBD
BYU Starting Pitcher: TBD
Final Score & Box Score: -