Preview, how to watch Texas Tech baseball at TCU
The Texas Tech baseball team will try to extend a season-best win streak and take advantage of a slumping Big 12 opponent when the Red Raiders visit TCU for a three-game weekend series in Fort Worth.
Tech (25-9, 8-7) and TCU (20-11, 5-10) square off at 6:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Lupton Stadium. The Red Raiders have won seven games in a row, matching their longest winning streak of the season.
Big 12 coaches made TCU the conference favorite in the preseason poll, giving the Horned Frogs 11 of the 13 first-place votes. TCU reached No. 3 in the USA TODAY Sports coaches Top 25 poll in late February and won its first 13 games, a program record for best start. The Horned Frogs are 7-11 since and have lost four of their first five Big 12 series.
In Big 12 series last weekend, Texas Tech swept Houston at home and TCU got swept by Cincinnati on the road. Those were the Horned Frogs' last games. Tech run-ruled Abilene Christian 21-3 on Wednesday, setting a program record with nine home runs, including two each from Gavin Kash, Cade McGee, Drew Woodcox and T.J. Pompey.
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Pompey has hit grand slams in two of the past three games, increasing his season totals to seven homers and a team-leading 42 runs batted in. Pompey, Tech center fielder Damian Bravo (.457-4-40) and Kash (.321-10-34) are second, third and sixth, respectively, in RBI in the Big 12.
They'll be challenged by TCU ace Payton Tolle, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound transfer from Wichita State. The junior lefthander is 3-2 with a 3.74 earned-run average. In 45 2/3 innings, he's allowed 29 hits and struck out 72, the latter figure ranking sixth in NCAA Division I.
However, sophomore righthander Kole Klecker has gone from the Big 12 wins leader last year with a 10-4 record and 3.72 ERA to 0-2 with a 6.68 ERA in eight appearances, including seven starts, this year.
TCU's top run producers have been Kurtis Byrne (.250-5-26) and Karson Bowen (.236-3-24). The Horned Frogs rank next to last in the Big 12 in home runs and are fourth from the bottom in runs scored.
After the weekend, Tech plays top-ranked Arkansas (29-3) on Tuesday and Wednesday in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Around the conference: West Virginia getting healthy, hitting stride | Big 12 baseball power rankings
How to watch Texas Tech baseball at TCU
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday
Where: Lupton Stadium, Fort Worth
Records: Texas Tech 25-9, 8-7 in the Big 12; TCU 20-11, 5-10
Ranking in USA TODAY Sports Top 25 coaches poll: Both teams receiving votes.
Starting pitchers: To be announced.
TV/Online streaming: Friday and Sunday games on ESPN+. Saturday game on ESPNU.
Texas Tech baseball recent results, upcoming schedule
Home games in ALL CAPS. Asterisk (*) denotes Big 12 game.
April 1: STANFORD, W 10-9
April 2: STANFORD, W 15-12
Friday: HOUSTON*, W 12-9
Saturday: HOUSTON*, W 15-12
Sunday: HOUSTON*, W 12-8
Tuesday: at Abilene Christian, W 21-3
Friday: at TCU*, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday: at TCU*, 3 p.m.
Sunday: at TCU*, 1 p.m.
Tuesday: at Arkansas, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: at Arkansas, 4 p.m.
April 19: WEST VIRGINIA*, 6:30 p.m.
April 20: WEST VIRGINIA*, 2 p.m.
April 21: WEST VIRGINIA*, 1 p.m.
April 23: NEW MEXICO, 2 p.m.
April 26: KANSAS*, 6:30 p.m.
April 27: KANSAS*, 2 p.m.
April 28: KANSAS*, 1 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Preview, where to find Texas Tech baseball at TCU in Big 12 series
