Texas Tech Wrangles With New Mexico This Weekend
February 21, 2001 | Baseball
Feb. 21, 2001
LUBBOCK, Texas -
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NEW MEXICO LOBOS (4-9)
vs.
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (10-5)
THE RED RAIDERS
Texas Tech wrapped up a five-game road swing that took the team through New Mexico and California. Tech went 3-2 through the West Coast swing that included wins over UC-Riverside, San Diego State and San Diego. Tech participated in the 2001 San Diego Baseball Classic where the team finished with a 3-1 record.
Texas Tech opened an eight-game homestretch on Tuesday afternoon against Howard Payne. The game with Howard Payne was added to the schedule to replace one of the games lost with Howard University back in January. Texas Tech escaped with a 5-4 win over HPU behind the pitching of Chris Phillips and Blake McGinley
Tech will face the New Mexico Lobos in a three-game series this weekend. Tech lost to New Mexico 12-11 in Albuquerque on Feb. 13 to snap a six-game win streak over the Lobos dating back to opening day of 1998.
Kerry Hodges and Nick Blankenship both snapped season hitting streaks in Tech's last two games. Hodges snapped a 14-game streak against San Diego while Blankenship snapped a 13-game streak against Howard Payne.
As of the Feb. 20 Big 12 Statistical rankings, Tech was leading the Big 12 in almost every offensive category. As a team, the Red Raiders are second in batting behind Nebraska and fourth in pitching.
Tech will be looking for its 65th non-conference home series win since 1989 this weekend when they take on New Mexico. Texas Tech has won or spilt 74 straight non-conference home series dating back to a two-game loss to Hardin Simmons in 1989. Tech has won 65 and split nine.
INJURY REPORT
Senior leftfielder Jason Rainey is expected to return to his position in leftfield sometime this weekend against New Mexico. Rainey has served in the DH position over the last few games while rehabilitating his throwing arm.
LOOKING AHEAD
After a three-game home series with the New Mexico Lobos, the Red Raiders will continue their home cooking as Tech will face TCU at home on Tuesday, Feb. 27 and Nebraska March 2-4. Texas Tech is 1-0 against TCU this season after beating the Frogs 5-4 in the Astros College Classic in Houston on Feb. 2. Tech opens the 2001 Big 12 Conference season at home for the third-straight year against the 2000 Big 12 Tournament Champion Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Huskers are ranked in the Top 25 by all three major polls. TCU has two wins over Big 12 teams already this year as they have beaten Texas and Oklahoma.
TEXAS TECH PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday: Chad Ertel, RHP (0-0), 4.38 ERA
Saturday: Brandon Roberson, RHP (2-1), 2.95 ERA
Sunday: Chris Phillips, RHP (4-1), 3.09 ERA
RAIDERS ON THE AIR
For the eighth consecutive season, the entire Texas Tech baseball game schedule will be broadcast live on the Red Raider Radio Network and made available to its statewide affiliates. Play-By-Play voice of the Red
Raiders Mark Finkner will make the call in this his sixth season. He will be joined by popular color commentator Ryan Hyatt who will be in the broadcast booth for his fourth season. Finkner and Hyatt will host a 20-minute pregame show and will have postgame interviews with players and coaches. Tech baseball games can be heard locally on KKAM 1340 AM.
RAINEY NEARS CENTURY MARK
Senior Jason Rainey made his debut last season at Texas Tech after transferring from Paris Junior College in Paris, Texas. Rainey finished the 2000 season with 76 hits. He got his first hit of the 2001 season against TCU on Feb. 4 when he hit a two-run home run to win the ball game. He now has 94 hits in his career meaning he needs just six to reach the century mark.
TECH SLIPS BY HOWARD PAYNE, 5-4
Senior relief pitcher Blake McGinley struckout three batters in the top of the ninth to earn his second save of the season and led the Red Raiders to a 5-4 win over Howard Payne Tuesday afternoon at Dan Law Field.
Texas Tech (10-5) took on the Yellowjackets in a make-up game replacing one of the games lost to inclement weather in the Howard series back in January. It was the first visit to Lubbock for Howard Payne (2-2) since Feb. 24, 1998 where they fell to Texas Tech 6-1.
Tony Arnerich put Tech on the board in the bottom of the second scoring from first base on a stolen base, a wild pitch and an error on Howard Payne pitcher Matt Ligon. Ligon pitched a no-hitter until the bottom of the fifth when Tech rang up three runs on two hits. Centerfielder Tyler Carson got Tech's first hit of the game on an RBI single to center field that plated Chad Landry.
Tech scored the game winning run in the bottom of the sixth when Chad Landry singled to right field scoring Tony Arnerich giving the Red Raiders a 5-1 lead. Howard Payne battled back in the top of the eighth scoring three runs on three hits and an error by Tech third baseman Nick Blankenship.
Blake McGinley took over the mound in the top of the ninth and struckout Howard Payne's first two batters to put Tech one out away. McGinley walked the next batter (Lopez) before striking out Bo Blanton for the final out of the game. Blanton came up to bat in the top of the ninth with a perfect 4 of 4 performance on the day. McGinley earned his second save of the season to push his overall record to 1-1-2.
Junior Chris Phillips (4-1) earned his fourth win of the season after pitching seven innings scattering six hits, striking out six batters and giving up one earned run.
TECH FINISHES SAN DIEGO BASEBALL CLASSIC WITH 6-1 WIN
Junior Tony Arnerich hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to propel the Red Raiders to a 6-1 win over the San Diego Torreros on Sunday afternoon in the final day of the San Diego Baseball Classic at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Texas Tech (9-5) wrapped up tournament play in San Diego with a 3-1 record while San Diego (5-5) finished the tournament at 2-1.
The game was shaping up to be a pitcher's dual as San Diego pitcher Tony Martinez didn't allow a Tech hit until the bottom of the fifth inning. Tech starter Cory Metzler (2-1) allowed just two hits through the first four innings. The Red Raiders jumped on the board first in the bottom of the fifth when shortstop Gera Alvarez spoiled San Diego's no hitter plans by smashing this third home run of the tournament over the left field fence.
Texas Tech hit three home runs in the game including Arnerich's sixth inning grand slam.