Texas Tech’s Brandon Birdsell didn’t break a sweat Saturday.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pound right-handed hurler topped the radar gun round 96 miles per hour and — when the command of his fastball wasn’t there — used his breaking ball to idiot Kansas State batters within the second of a Huge 12 Convention three-game house set.
And whereas his pitches have been working for a majority of his six-inning begin, Birdsell’s nerves have been calmed early because the No. 4 Crimson Raiders lineup erupted for 3 runs within the first earlier than securing a 14-0 victory over the Wildcats on a windy afternoon inside Dan Regulation Subject at Rip Griffin Park.
“You all the time count on an in depth,” Birdsell stated of receiving run help in all eight of his begins. “However, you’re tremendous appreciative after they provide you with that run help. They’ve executed it each time. I’m grateful for my offense and have full religion in them.”
The victory meant the Crimson Raiders (26-8, 6-2) clinched the sequence in opposition to Kansas State (15-15, 1-7) with another left at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. It’s the third straight Huge 12 sequence nabbed, together with Texas at house and at Kansas.
The triumph might be credited to Birdsell, who set the tone on the mound early, hanging out two of the primary 4 batters he confronted within the prime of the primary — capping it off by getting Okay-State’s Nick Goodwin to look at because the ball handed house plate for the ultimate out of the body.
The offense did the remaining, because it’s executed each time Birdsell has been penciled to toe the mound.
After the primary two batters recorded an out, Jace Jung began off the clutch hitting by hitting a double to centerfield earlier than Ty Coleman reached first following a fielding error by Goodwin to place runners on the corners.
“Simply be aggressive on the plate, get your pitch and put an excellent swing on it,” Jung stated of his mentality after going 0-for-4 on Friday night time. “O-fers are going to occur, it’s a part of baseball.”
Kurt Wilson, who’s had some important swings earlier within the 12 months, added one other as he ripped a ball over the left-field fence to place Crimson Raiders up 3-0 after one full.
Wilson, who began as a right-handed pitcher, has developed right into a key contributor for the offense. In his first 4 years, he mixed for 45 RBI in his first 4 years earlier than driving in a team-best 4 runs Saturday towards 43 to maintain him in first or second place within the convention.
“Kurt obtained us off to an excellent begin there,” Texas Tech coach Tim Tadlock stated when requested of the offense scoring with Birdsell on the mound. “Jace comes up with an excellent at bat, first time — no large shock there. And you then get an error and Kurt runs one out of the ballpark.
“That’s all the time useful.”
The Crimson Raiders have averaged 12.5 runs in video games Birdsell has began, going into Saturday’s motion, together with a 28-run output in a highway victory over Kansas final weekend.
After pushing throughout three within the first, Texas Tech added 5 extra within the second — beginning with a solo house run by Hudson White earlier than Wilson doubled to left-centerfield to shut out the crooked inning.
Wilson completed 3-for-2 on the plate, whereas White went 1-for-2 and netted an RBI together with Zac Vooletich, Owen Washburn, Jung and Coleman.
Birdsell ensured that offense wouldn’t go to waste, placing up six innings of no-run ball, which included 12 strikeouts, issuing three walks and permitting one hit in a 97-pitch efficiency. His effort dropped his ERA from 2.31 to 1.98.
At one level, the Willis, Texas, native struck out six straight batters — two away from fanning eight hitters at Rice again in again on March 12.
He ended his streak of six straight strikeouts by strolling Brady Day with one out within the prime of the fifth. He issued one other base on balls to Money Rugley earlier than entering into some hassle for the primary time throughout his begin.
The Crimson Raider protection was very happy to assist out.
Birdsell induced a groundball to Wilson at shortstop earlier than the 6-4-3 double play — the tenth of the season for Texas Tech to finish the menace and maintain the 8-0 benefit.
“They bailed me out, undoubtedly,” Birdsell stated of his protection, which after turning two double performs Saturday has 11 this season. “I used to be actually appreciative of it. Simply glad they might do this for me. Assist me get out of that tough inning.”
The Crimson Raiders’ offense added six extra runs earlier than claiming their seventeenth win at house and this system’s first shutout of the season because of reliever Colin Clark placing in three innings of no-run ball collectively en path to his first save of the 12 months.
It additionally marked the primary time Texas Tech shut out an opponent since downing Kansas 5-0 again on Might 22, 2021.
“It’s phenomenal to have him on the mound,” Jung stated of Birdsell. “We are able to put up runs, we all know that. And after we get on the sector, we all know we’ve obtained 96, 97 (miles per hour) coming at your face. It’s very nice.”
What’s subsequent
The Crimson Raiders and Wildcats conclude the three-game set at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
Chase Hampton is slated to start out for Texas Tech, whereas Kansas State has not introduced its starter for the sequence finale.
NO. 4 TEXAS TECH 14, KANSAS STATE 0
Kansas State 000 000 000 — 0 3 2
Texas Tech 350 002 04x — 14 10 0
Blake Corsentino, Christian Ruebeck (3), Ben Weber (6), Dillon Pearson (8), Landry Jurecka (8) and Justin Mitchell. Brandon Birdsell, Colin Clark (7) and Cole Stilwell. W — Birdsell (5-1). L — Corsentino (2-3). 2B — Kansas State, None; Texas Tech, Cole Stilwell 1 (7), Jace Jung 1 (14), Kurt Wilson 1 (7), Parker Kelly 1 (8). HR — Kansas State, None; Texas Tech, Kurt Wilson 1 (7), Hudson White 1 (4). Data: Kansas State 15-15, 1-7; Texas Tech 26-8, 6-2.
This text initially appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball drops Kansas State as Birdsell strikes out 12
