The Texas Tech baseball team is sitting one game off the lead in the Big 12 after the first two weeks of conference play. To stay that high or move higher, the Red Raiders will have to succeed where others have failed lately — at Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas.
Texas Tech (8-13, 4-2 in the Big 12) visits Kansas State (16-8, 5-1) for a three-game series this weekend, trying to hand the Wildcats their first home losses of the season.
K-State is 7-0 at home. Dating to last season, the Wildcats have won four Big 12 home series in a row and five of their past six. During that stretch, then-Big 12 member Texas is the only visiting team to win a conference series in Manhattan, taking two of three the last weekend of March 2024.
The Wildcats swept Utah two weeks ago at home and won two of three last weekend at Baylor. They’re Big 12 co-leaders with No. 20 Arizona (19-5, 5-1).
“They’re athletic. They’re very athletic,” Tech coach Tim Tadlock. “Their pitching guy does a really good job. Their hitting guy does a really good job.”
Tech will face three left-handed starting pitchers as the Wildcats roll out seniors Jacob Frost and Michael Quevedo and junior Lincoln Sheffield, all with ERAs between 4.00 and 4.50.
Kansas State shortstop Maximus Martin is an early contender for Big 12 newcomer of the year after playing in 2023 at Rutgers and last season at Georgia State. Batting .413 with 10 home runs and 35 runs batted in, Martin ranks second in the conference in homers, tied for first in RBIs, first in slugging percentage (.888) by more than 100 percentage points and first in on-base-plus-slugging (1.377).
Tadlock and K-State coach Pete Hughes have both prioritized strengthening nonconference schedules to improve their chances of making an NCAA regional. It paid off last year for K-State, which ended a 10-year streak of not making the postseason, then won Arkansas’ regional and lost in a super regional at Virginia.
In strength of schedule, Tech ranks sixth in the nation and Kansas State 39th, which are first and fourth in the Big 12, respectively.
Tech pitcher Lukas Pirko returned from a two-week absence with an arm issue to throw an inning Tueday against Tarleton State. Tadlock said third baseman T.J. Pompey, who’s missed four games with an injury, is close to a return.
How to watch Texas Tech baseball at Houston
∎ When: 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday
∎ Where: Tointon Family Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas
∎ Records: Texas Tech 8-13, 4-2 in the Big 12; Kansas State 16-8, 5-1
∎ Rankings in USA TODAY Sports Top 25 coaches poll: Texas Tech unranked, Kansas State receiving votes
∎ Starting pitchers: Friday, Texas Tech RHP Mac Heuer (1-2, 5.18 ERA) vs. Kansas State LHP Jacob Frost (0-0, 4.44). Saturday, Texas Tech RHP Tyler Boudreau (1-0, 6.75) vs. Kansas State LHP Michael Quevedo (4-0, 4.13). Sunday, Texas Tech RHP Zane Petty (0-1, 4.22) vs. Kansas State LHP Lincoln Sheffield (4-2, 4.46).
∎ Online streaming: All games on ESPN+
Texas Tech recent results, upcoming schedule
Home games in ALL CAPS. Asterisks (*) denote Big 12 games.
∎ Friday: TCU*, L 13-2
∎ Saturday: TCU*, W 7-6
∎ Sunday: TCU*, L 9-5 (11)
∎ Tuesday: TARLETON STATE, W 10-7
∎ Friday: at Kansas State*, 6 p.m.
∎ Saturday: at Kansas State*, 4 p.m.
∎ Sunday: at Kansas State*, 1 p.m.
∎ Tuesday: vs. Oklahoma, at Frisco, 6:30 p.m.
∎ April 4: CINCINNATI*, 6:30 p.m.
∎ April 5: CINCINNATI*, 2 p.m.
∎ April 6: CINCINNATI*, 1 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball takes aim at K-State’s perfect home record