Baseball | 5/9/2016 11:36:00 PM
#7 Texas Tech (37-13, 17-4 Big 12) vs. Abilene Christian (14-30, 6-18 Southland)
Crutcher Scott Field
Abilene, TX
How To Follow The Wildcats
Tuesday, May 10: Live Audio / Video l
Live Stats
Starting Pitchers
Friday, April 29: RHP
Nate Cole (ACU) vs. LHP Erikson Lanning (TTU)
ABILENE – The ACU Wildcats will host seventh-ranked Texas Tech Tuesday night at Crutcher Scott Field in their final home game of the 2016 season. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
The game can be heard locally on KTLT 98.1 FM The Ticket with The Voice of the Wildcats
Grant Boone calling the play-by-play action.
ACU is 14-30 overall and 6-18 in the Southland Conference after dropping two of three games last weekend at home against New Orleans. The Red Raiders swept Kansas in a three-game Big 12 series last weekend in Lawrence, Kan., to improve to 37-13 overall and 17-4 in the Big 12.
The Red Raiders have now swept four Big 12 series this year, matching the single-season school record from the league's inaugural season in 1997.
In addition, the victory pushed Tech to just one win shy of clinching at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season title as the Red Raiders head into finals week with a two-game lead on Oklahoma State. Tech can also clinch a share of the Big 12 title with an Oklahoma State loss next weekend against Oklahoma or in its final regular-season series against Kansas.
The Wildcats are 16-33 all-time against the Red Raiders and have lost 11 straight to Texas Tech, although ACU lost twice by one run apiece in 2015 and lost by a 5-4 score in a neutral-site game in Midland on April 27. The last ACU win over Texas Tech came on April 20, 1976, when the Wildcats beat the Red Raiders, 4-3, in the first game of a doubleheader in Abilene.
ACU will send senior righthander
Nate Cole to the mound for his final home appearance as a Wildcat. Cole is 1-5 with a 5.14 ERA with his lone win on the season coming back on March 15 in ACU's 10-0 win over Texas-Permian Basin. Cole got the start in ACU's 5-4 loss in Midland, going 4 2/3 innings and allowing four hits and three runs (all earned) while walking four and striking out four Red Raiders.
The Wildcats are led offensively by senior infielder
Russell Crippen, who is hitting .311 with three home runs and 17 RBI. Freshman shortstop
Mark Pearson is hitting .265 with eight RBI, while senior first baseman / designated hitter
Heath Beasley was 8 for 12 with four RBI last weekend to raise his batting average to .364 to go along with one home run and 12 RBI.
Texas Tech will send lefthanded pitcher Erikson Lanning (2-3, 5.92 ERA) to the mound to face the Wildcats. The Red Raiders are hitting .300 as a team with 45 home runs and are led by five players hitting better than .300. Tech is led by Tanner Gardner, who is hitting .386 with 29 RBI, while Eric Gutierrez is hitting .343 with 11 home runs and a team-best 49 RBI.
