Longhorns, Red Raiders, Cowboys Lead Big 12 Baseball in Week 3
College baseball is still just getting in full swing as basketball is winding down. This past weekend, we had several teams play some key home series while others were on the road. Now we just wrapped up the fourth weekend in baseball and even though it is still early, I will go over each weekend series from all nine (Thanks Iowa State) Big 12 baseball teams. Keep in mind, I will go in order how I see the teams one through nine.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (Weekend 3-0) (Overall 16-1)
Friday: Beat Rice 7-1
Saturday: Beat Rice 19-12
Sunday: Beat Rice 7-6
Another weekend, another sweep for the Red Raiders. This past weekend’s victim? The Rice Owls. Friday’s game was a breeze for Tech as starting pitcher Clayton Beeter struck out twelve in just six innings. Meanwhile, the bats were hot throughout the game with Jace Jung and Nate Rombach.
Saturday’s game looked like an SEC football score as every pitcher in the game struggled. Especially Tech starter Bryce Bonnin who didn’t last two innings yet gave up six runs. Believe it or not, the Red Raiders were down by seven runs at one point, but the bats just don’t stop. Perhaps nobody had a better game than Tech shortstop Cal Conley who had five RBI’s on Saturday. For the finale, Texas Tech was once again in an early hole (down 4-0) but added four runs in the eighth and ninth inning to extend the game into extras where a T.J. Rumfield RBI won it in the eleventh.
Oklahoma Sooners (Weekend: 2-1) (Overall: 13-4)
Friday: Lost to San Diego State 5-4
Saturday: Beat San Diego State 8-4
Sunday: Beat San Diego State 9-8
Of course, the sweep would have been good, but a series win is never a bad thing. San Diego State isn’t a bad team by any means either so there should be no shame for the Sooners just dropping one. On Friday, the Sooners were down early and starting pitcher Cade Cavalli struck out nine but gave up five runs through seven innings. Bradly Lindsly made things interesting with a two-run shot in the ninth to pull within one, but they couldn’t complete the comeback.
Game two went smooth as could be with the red-hot bats but the star of the show was starting pitcher Levi Prater who struck out thirteen batters and gave up just one run in seven innings. Sunday’s game turned into a hitter friendly contest. Pitcher Dane Acker struggled, and reliever Wyatt Olds did as well. But luckily for the Sooners, their thirteen hits in the game made the difference as the swung the bat well.
TCU Horned Frogs (Weekend: 1-2) (Overall: 11-4)
Friday: Lost to USC 2-1
Saturday: Beat #6 UCLA 8-4
Sunday: Lost to #2 Vanderbilt 4-3
TCU was out in California for the Southern California College Classic, but it wasn’t all sunshine for the Horned Frogs. The weekend opener against USC was a classic pitching duel as both teams had less than eight hits in the game and combined for three runs which all game within the first three innings. Just like on Friday, Saturday’s game was an early scoring contest. The Frogs jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the fifth inning and never looked back. Gene Wood and Connor Shepherd each went deep and while TC used just two pitchers, UCLA used seven. A great win against a top ranked team.
To end the weekend, TCU had to face their toughest test yet against a great Vandy squad. The Horned Frogs got to a 3-1 lead after five innings, but pitcher Drew Hill gave up the game winning RBI for Vanderbilt in the ninth inning.
Texas Longhorns (Weekend: 3-0) (Overall: 13-3)
Friday: Beat Cal State Fullerton 6-1
Saturday: Beat Cal State Fullerton 4-3
Sunday: Beat Cal State Fullerton 8-4
In a weekend to remember the legendary Augie Garrido, the Horns pulled off the sweep against a struggling Cal State Fullerton team. It was a slow start to Friday’s game with the Titans leading 1-0 through six innings but the Texas bats came alive in the seventh inning that had the Longhorns scoring all six of their runs led by Eric Kennedy and D.J. Petrinsky. Game two was a little more stressful for Texas but and Austin Todd RBI single in the sixth inning gave the Horns a 4-3 and never looked back.
In the finale, Texas jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Titans stormed right back to tie it in the second inning. Fortunately for Texas, they would just give up one more run as they added five more to complete the sweep.
Oklahoma State Cowboys (Weekend: 3-0) (Overall: 11-5)
Friday: Beat BYU 2-0
Saturday: Beat BYU 6-1
Sunday: Beat BYU 8-3
BYU isn’t even a top 100 team in baseball, so it was good to see the Pokes take care of business. Friday’s matchup was all about starting pitcher Parker Scott who struck out thirteen batters in seven innings and didn’t allow a run. In fact, he allowed just two hits to help shutout BYU. The two scores came from Kaden Polcovich’s sac fly and a wild pitch. Once again, the pitching for the Cowboys dominated game two. Pitcher Justin Campbell allowed just three hits through eight innings while the Pokes bats did just enough led by Nick DeNicola’s three run bomb in the seventh inning.
The Sunday game was never close. The Cowboys were tied at one in the fifth inning but after that went on to outscore the Cougars 7-2 in the final six innings to complete the sweep.
Baylor Bears (Weekend: 2-1) (Overall: 10-5)
Friday: Lost to Cal Poly 2-1
Saturday: Beat Cal Poly 8-6
Sunday: Beat Cal Poly 6-4
After a great weekend at the Shriners Tournament, the Bears had a meltdown last Tuesday when they got beat down by Texas State. However, the weekend didn’t start out as they had hoped in California as Baylor had nine hits but only one run to show for. However, starting pitcher Paul Dickens did everything he could to help win the game giving up just four hits through seven innings, but Cal Poly scored a late run to send it to extras. Just two innings later, Cal Ploy hit an RBI single to win game on in the eleventh inning.
There was plenty of drama in Saturday’s game compared to Friday’s. There were four different lead changes and heading into the seventh inning, the game was tied at five. That changed when Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo hit an RBI single to break the tie and Baylor never looked back. In the series finale, it was all about holding a lead. The Bears got off to a 6-0 lead led by shortstop Nick Lofton’s two RBI’s, but they certainly had a scare as Cal Poly scored four runs in the seventh inning. However, Baylor held on for the win.
West Virginia Mountaineers (Weekend: 2-1) (Overall: 10-5)
Friday: Beat Mercer 6-0
Saturday: Lost to Mercer 3-1
Sunday: Beat Mercer 2-1
West Virginia spent this past weekend in Georgia for a three-game series against Mercer. The Mountaineers started off their weekend hot with an easy 6-0 win. Mercer had just five hits while West Virginia raked. Simple as that. Saturday’s game is where the bats went cold. West Virginia scored just one run in the third inning and that was it. Mercer didn’t do anything special to win game two. For the finale, stayed cold as they went to extras in a 1-1 game, but Paul McIntosh hit the go-ahead solo dinger to get the Mountaineers out of the Peach State with a series win.
Kansas State Wildcats (Weekend: 3-1) (Overall: 9-6)
Friday: Beat Stanford 6-1
Saturday Game 1: Lost to Stanford 7-5
Saturday Game 2: Beat Stanford 11-1
Sunday: Beat Stanford 6-1
The Wildcats were one of a few Big 12 teams to hit the west coast and it was good weekend for the guys in purple. Kansas State ended up taking three of four at Stanford this past weekend for a much-needed series win. Friday’s game was all about pitcher Carson Seymour who struck out nine in just six innings while giving up just one run. Meanwhile shortstop Kamron Willman led the way with his bat smacking in three runs.
Game one of Saturday’s double header was the lone loss of the weekend. The pitching struggling even though the bats were good enough to win. But that changed in game two of the doubleheader as the Wildcats poured on eleven runs led by first baseman Terrence Spurlin who had a five RBI game. In the finale, it was much like the previous game. The Cats jumped out to an early lead and never looked back thanks to the pitching of Jordan Wicks who allowed just five hits in seven innings of work.
Kansas Jayhawks (Weekend: 1-2) (Overall: 7-8)
Friday: Beat Indiana State 6-1
Saturday: Lost to Indiana State 9-3
Sunday: Lost to Indiana State 2-8
Well. I guess things could be worse. At least they took a game out of this series but right now Kansas is in a world of trouble and I would be shocked if they finished any higher than dead last in the Big 12 this season. They won Friday’s game behind a six run fifth inning. The final two games if the series were told by the score. The Jayhawks continue to struggle at the plate with big droughts and have a lackluster pitching group at the moment.
**We now have FREE Big 12 Forums here at Heartland College Sports. Go sign up here and join our conversation! **
