Texas Tech Takes On South Florida
After a bumpy start to the season, Texas Tech Men’s Baseball has been a roll, only losing one game to Oklahoma State that Texas Tech would eventually win 2-1. Texas Tech is set to continue winning with the momentum and will begin a series against South Florida. The series starts Friday, March 26th, and will play a 3-game series ending Sunday, March 28th. The series will be at home at Dan Law Field at RIP Griffin Park. The series will be on ESPN+ on Friday at 6:30 pm, Saturday at 2 pm, and Sunday at 1 pm.
The South Florida Bulls are coming into the series 9-9, while the red raiders are currently sitting at 16-4. While the bulls are sitting at .500, they are not a team to underestimate. With a deep team with a plethora of players, they can put any team in trouble quickly.
Players To Watch Out For
Three players to watch out for on Florida State are Carmine Lane, Drew Butcher, and Matt Ruiz. All three have above a .300 batting average and can change the game in a single swing.
Carmine Lane a 6’ and 187-pound freshman and a Florida native. As a freshman, he appeared in 15 games and started in 12. He has multiple home runs and walk-offs in his short time and will look to add to his resume against the Raiders. Lane averages a .400 batting average, so he has the chance to make a big hit when up to bat.
The next player to keep an eye on for the bulls is Drew Butcher. He is also a Florida Native and stands at 6’6 and 205 pounds. Butcher was an 8A player of the year and has the potential to put red raiders fans on edge. Butcher had a career-high three hits in one game last week against Florida Atlantic University and a .352 batting average for the season. So keep an eye out for him to be a potentially big hitter.
The last player to keep an eye on is Matt Ruiz, who is also a freshman and Florida native. Ruiz plays outfield and being 6’3” and 195 with his length and speed. He has the potential to be a threat in the outfield and up to bat. Ruiz in 2019 was given All-America honors last month for a career-high three hits in one game against Florida A&M. Along with his .316 batting average, Ruiz like Butcher and Lane has the potential to do big things.
Raiders Are On Fire
While the bulls have an arsenal of weapons at their disposal, so do the red raiders. A few of these players include Jace Jung, the younger brother of Josh Jung, who had a successful collegiate career at Texas Tech, and Dru Baker, one of the big names this year and Cal Conley. With Tech having all three players performing above a .350 batting average, they look to take care of business against South Florida.
Jace Jung, who many argue may like his brother to be the best player on the team, will continue his hot streak. Jung is currently batting a .403 batting average for the season and doesn’t look to be slowing down.
Keep Your Eyes On The Raiders
One of the big names this season is Dru Baker. After the red raiders started 0-4 for the season, Baker showed composure and bounced back, helping the team win 11 of their last 12 games. He currently has a .395 batting average for the season and has come in clutch throughout the season.
The last red raider to keep an eye on is Cal Conley, who may have had a somewhat quiet season thus far as a redshirt freshman is having a great year at-bat. The Ohio native has a .363 batting average and like Baker has been clutch throughout the season, but with the clutch factor has remained consistent when up to bat.
Overall, No. 6 ranked, and 16-4 ranked red raiders will take on the South Florida Bulls in a three-game series scheduled for March 26th through 28th at Dan Law Field at RIP Griffin Park. The series will be available to watch on ESPN+ and will begin Friday at 6:30 pm, Saturday at 2 pm, and Sunday at 1 pm.
Want to read more? Check out the game overview for Texas Tech Volleyball.
Written by Trinity Porter, Campus Live Intern