Preview, how to watch Texas Tech baseball at Oklahoma State
In many a May over the past decade, making the NCAA tournament was a foregone conclusion for Texas Tech baseball teams, so much so that there were few must-win games as the Big 12 tournament approached.
That's not the case in 2024.
At the moment, the Red Raiders are in 10th place in the Big 12 with 10 teams going to the conference tournament, scheduled for May 21-25 at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
"I think they've had good intent," Tech coach Tim Tadlock said this week. "I think they've had a lot of want-to. It just hasn't happened."
Tech (30-20, 12-15) goes to No. 20 Oklahoma State (32-16, 15-9) this weekend, having been swept in its past two Big 12 series. Tech and OSU play at 6 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at O'Brate Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
This weekend is the last Big 12 series for Tech, which finishes the regular season in Tempe, Arizona, playing two games at Arizona State and one against Nevada-Las Vegas. The other Big 12 teams have two conference series remaining.
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The Red Raiders, near the bottom of the conference and No. 49 in the RPI, probably need to finish strong to make the NCAA tournament. They hit the skids the past two weekends, dropping three games each at Kansas and at home against No. 17 Oklahoma.
"To me, there's still a window there where they can still play at a high level," Tadlock said.
In its past 21 games against Oklahoma State, Tech is 16-5. The Cowboys, however, won the last two last year, in a bracket final at the Big 12 tournament. And Oklahoma State's in better position now, in a three-way tie for second in the Big 12.
They'll confront the Red Raiders with one of the Big 12's best rotations: Lefthander Sam Garcia (4-3, 3.98 ERA), followed by righthanders Brian Holiday (4-3, 3.70) and two-way player Carson Benge (2-1, 2.45).
Benge, a top prospect for this year's Major League draft as an outfielder, moved from the bullpen to the rotation two weeks ago and allowed one run each to Brigham Young and Texas.
Tadlock said Holiday "has pitched awful good every Saturday. It looks like he's got really good feel to pitch. Garcia's got really good feel to pitch. I think Benge has got more stuff than both of them. They're in position with three starters, I think, to kind of do what you want to do at the end of the year."
How to watch Texas Tech baseball at Oklahoma State
When: 6 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: O'Brate Stadium, Stillwater, Oklahoma
Records: Texas Tech 30-20, 12-15 in the Big 12; Oklahoma State 32-16, 15-9
Ranking in USA TODAY Sports Top 25 coaches poll: Texas Tech unranked; Oklahoma State No. 20
RPI ranking: Texas Tech No. 49; Oklahoma State No. 21
Starting pitchers: Friday, Oklahoma State LHP Sam Garcia (4-3, 3.98 earned-run average) vs. Texas Tech LHP Ryan Free (5-1, 4.79). Saturday, Oklahoma State RHP Brian Holiday (4-3, 3.70) vs. Texas Tech RHP Kyle Robinson (4-6, 5.09). Sunday, Oklahoma State RHP Carson Benge (2-1, 2.45) vs. Texas Tech starter to be announced.
Online streaming: All games on ESPN+
Texas Tech baseball recent results, upcoming schedule
Home games in ALL CAPS. Asterisk (*) denotes Big 12 game.
April 30: UT-RIO GRANDE VALLEY, W 11-6
Friday: OKLAHOMA*, L 8-0
Saturday: OKLAHOMA*, L 7-5
Sunday: OKLAHOMA*, L 8-7
Friday: at Oklahoma State*, 6 p.m.
Saturday: at Oklahoma State*, 6 p.m.
Sunday: at Oklahoma State*, 2 p.m.
May 16: at Arizona State, 8:30 p.m.
May 17: vs. Nevada-Las Vegas, 3 p.m., Tempe, Arizona
May 17: at Arizona State, 8:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Preview, how to watch Texas Tech baseball at Oklahoma State
