When I was a kid, about the same time the original movie
Bad News Bears was released, I always use to say this quotation whenever I
would come up to bat in the neighborhood sandlot.
“You betta back up sucka,
cause I feel good!”
I said it again leaving Dan Law Field after watching your Texas Tech Red
Raiders turn their young season around. They executed the Sunday sweep of the
Northwestern Wildcats and Western Illinois Leathernecks like a Morris
Buttermaker pool cleaning. YES! Beautiful thing about this game, you can always
be a kid at the ballpark. It was a good day for middle aged kids with Tech
jerseys on. Nobody is ever old at the "Law".
Somebody around here needs
to eat some crow...
and that somebody is me. Well, maybe just a couple of bites.
What you can take a bite out of is the impressive Texas Tech pitching on Sunday.
Against Northwestern, Weatherford Kangaroo alum Colt Hynes counter
punched his way through 6 innings. He only allowed 2 runs despite giving up 10
hits, picking up the win. Then the Tech bullpen showed up. Sam Janca
pitched an inning, allowing one run, and gave way to Collin Auten. Mr.
Auten picked up save with two scoreless innings allowing only a hit and walk! I
will gladly eat crow all season if this continues.
Tech grabbed a lead..
in the first inning when Roger Kieschnick doubled and was brought in
from a single by Kyle Martin. Trailing 2-1 in the 5th, Matt Smith hit a
solo home run to tie the game. Later in the inning, Tech struck again when Chris Hall singled up the middle to score Geoff Byrnes. In the 6th inning,
Martin got his second RBI on a sacrifice fly to score freshman Taylor Ashby.
All Northwestern could muster was one more run and Tech won 4-3.
The Leathernecks were up
next..
in the Red Raider Classic, and came into the game winning their first three
contests this season. Western Illinois looked as if the were about to grind
another win out until Matt Smith scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by
Taylor Ashby. With the bases loaded and no outs in the 5th, Roger
Kieschnick stroked a ball that appeared to be ducking foul down the left
field line. Instead, the ball tucked inside the foul pole and the wall for a
grand slam home run. I need to get my eyes checked because I looked at the
scoreboard and saw a 5 run Red Raider lead. Tech eventually led by 11 and won by
a final score of 12-2. Aaron Odom picked up the win allowing just 5 hits
and 1 run. Paul Gonzales pitched three innings of relief giving up one
run and 3 hits.
Kudos from the cheap seats
The Texas Tech Hecklers were out in force Sunday afternoon. The box score
will not reflect this, but I give them credit for one strikeout in the Western
Illinois game. I am glad that the Hecklers never grow up!
The sun came out. Tomorrow I will have to sit on the other side of the cheap
seats to get a burn on my left side, but I just now realized that isn't going to
work.
Note to pitching Coach Lance Brown. Whatever you did on Saturday to get
this staff ready, especially in light of losing a stud like Miles Morgan, keep
it up. I appreciate their efforts today and it reflects on you! Good job.
Willie Rueda is a hustler. I like that kid. Good games today.
The trip to Negative town
I want more cowbell. Let's get Bangin' Bertha so loud they can hear it in
the Spirit Arena!
Sunscreen works; I will apply and repeat throughout Monday afternoon on the
right side.
Final Out
Two wins even this season up at 3-3. My blood pressure has dropped, and I
think I am going to be okay.
On Deck
***Monday's game was originally scheduled for 1pm and has been pushed back
to 2pm.
Western Illinois
Dan Law Field