Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
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No. 23 Vanderbilt
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Tech drops Saturday contest to No. 23 Vandy
February 14, 2026 | Baseball
The Red Raiders led 1-0 after three before falling to nationally-ranked Commadores in eight
ARLINGTON – Texas Tech Baseball fell 13-3 to No. 23 Vanderbilt in a run-rule eight-inning contest Saturday afternoon in the second of three games at the Shriners Children's College Showdown hosted by REV Entertainment and Globe Life Field.
For the second-straight day, Texas Tech (0-2) got off to an early lead, as in the first, lead-off hitter Kyeler Thompson singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by Vanderbilt (1-1) starting pitcher Austin Nye.
After a sac-bunt from Tracer Lopez put Thompson on third, Connor Shouse drove in his first of two runs on the afternoon when he grounded a ball deep down the first baseline.
With only a play at home, Shouse was safe at first, and Thompson beat the throw from VUs Brodie Johnston to give the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead.
Cruising through three scoreless innings, and up 1-0, Tech starter Lukas Pirko ran into trouble in the home half of the fourth, when a two-run homer from Commodores center fielder Braden Holcomb gave Vandy the lead for good at 2-1.
After a strikeout put the innings first out on the board, a bunt single, an RBI double and a two-run home run by Ryker Waite gave Vanderbilt a 5-2 lead.
Looking to stop the bleeding, Pirko coaxed a pair of routine groundballs that resulted in back-to-back errors by SS Coleman Ryan. Despite his struggles in the field, Ryan did reach base three times, walking twice with a single. Â
The back-to-back errors proved to be the end of the line for Pirko who went just 3.2 innings and allowed six hits, seven runs (five earned) and a pair of walks. He struck out two.
Following a four-pitch walk from reliever Jorden Espinoza that loaded the bases, Holcomb un-loaded the bases on a bases-clearing double into the left field corner that gave Vandy an 8-1 lead.
Chasing 2025 Second Team All-American Austin Nye for the game after just four innings and 72 pitches, Tech loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth off new reliever Tyler Baird for Shouse.
Even in the count, Shouse plated Tech's second run of the afternoon, beating out a potential double play ball. The run, scored by Ryan, cut the Tech deficit to 8-2.
The Red Raiders batted five times in the contest with the bases loaded and went a combined 0-for-5 in those at-bats.
Strolling to the plate with runners on the corners and one out, Preseason All-American Logan Hughes hit one on the screws that resulted in a tough-luck, inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
The Red Raiders were able to put the first two runners on base in the seventh and ultimately plated one of the runners on a single from Hughes. The base hit was Hughes first of the weekend despite four previous at-bats where he the ball at least 103 MPH.
After an electric inning from redshirt freshman Logan Addison where the Tahoka native struck out the side on just 14 pitches (11 strikes), the Red Raiders next turned to Shouse, who in his first outing on the mound as a Red Raider allowed four runs on just one hit. The righty struck out one and walked three.
The one hit was a 405-foot solo home run by Brodie Johnston. The blast gave the Commodores a 9-3 lead.
After the home run, Shouse lost the strike zone, as he walked three-straight hitters to load the bases with one-out.
Just four runs from a walk-off win, Vandy used a bases loaded walk and a pair of singles to close out the 13-3 win.
In the setback, the Red Raiders again had chances at the plate but were ultimately hampered by a 1-for-10 performance with runners in scoring position. The lone hit was the seventh inning Hughes single. Tech was also just 3-for-15 with runners on base.
UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will close out the weekend on Sunday afternoon against No. 7 Arkansas. First pitch from Globe Life Field is set for 2:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Batting:
RBI: Hughes, Logan 1 ; Shouse, Connor 2
SH: Lopez, Tracer 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ryan, Coleman 1 ; Thompson, Kyeler 1 ; Thomas, Chase 1
Batting:
2B: Johnstone, Logan 1 ; Holcomb, Braden 1 ; Johnston, Brodie 1
HR: Holcomb, Braden 1 ; Waite, Ryker 1 ; Johnston, Brodie 2
RBI: Rigdon, Rustan 1 ; Johnstone, Logan 2 ; Holcomb, Braden 5 ; Waite, Ryker 3 ; Johnston, Brodie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Rigdon, Rustan 1 ; Johnstone, Logan 1 ; Holcomb, Braden 2 ; Brightwell, Collin 1 ; Barczi, Colin 1 ; Goodin, Tommy 2 ; Waite, Ryker 1 ; Jensen, Max 1 ; Johnston, Brodie 3
SB: Rigdon, Rustan 1 ; Johnstone, Logan 1 ; Holcomb, Braden 1 ; Brightwell, Collin 1
