Texas Tech beats WSU 3-1 to complete sweep

No more games for Wichita State against highly ranked opponents. No sighs of relief from coach Todd Butler.

The Shockers’ schedule becomes less challenging following Sunday’s 3-1 loss to Texas Tech, which will make life easier for Butler, who started four freshmen on Sunday, including starting pitcher Tommy Barnhouse.

On the other hand, Butler wants to have a team and a program that can stack up favorably with the likes of No. 3 Texas Tech and LSU, which was ranked sixth when it swept WSU earlier this month.

“We don’t have to play LSU anymore, we don’t have to play Texas Tech,” Butler said. “With me, I want to beat these people, and right now we’re not ready to do that. That’s the disappointing part for me, because I want to play these people so we can improve and get better and learn from these teams.”

In three games against Texas Tech, WSU (11-13) seemed to reduce the distance between itself and college baseball’s powerhouses while still showing how much work it has to do to join them.

Saturday’s defeat was marked by WSU’s failures with runners in scoring position, as the Shockers were hitless in 11 of those at-bats. Sunday was much of the same, though leadoff hitter Alex Jackson had a two-out RBI single and nearly provided a more dramatic breakthrough.

WSU left the bases loaded in the fifth inning and couldn’t capitalize after leadoff hitters reached base in the sixth and seventh. WSU had three hits and five walks but its last nine batters were retired in order.

“To me, we’re just one double away, one base hit away to getting things going,” Butler said. “Early in the game, we were chasing balls out of the zone, and we got control of that. Later in the game, we weren’t striking out as much. Strike-zone discipline is something we’re really harping on.

“… Offensively, it has to change eventually. The percentages have to change eventually, and that’s what I’ve been telling our guys. It’s going to happen, and if it’s going to happen, it’s better now than later.”

Texas Tech scored two unearned runs in the second inning after an error, the only two runs with which Barnhouse was charged. The Red Raiders added another run in the sixth after Hunter Hargrove singled, stole two bases and scoring on a wild pitch.

The Shockers were frequently a hit away from changing momentum and appeared most on the verge in the fifth inning, when Noah Croft and Jordan Boyer walked before Jackson batted with two outs.

Jackson, a freshman, fouled off seven pitches before taking a close pitch for ball four. It was a successful end to a hard-fought at-bat, but not necessarily the ending he wanted.

“A hit there would have been nice, for sure,” Jackson said.

The next batter, Trey Vickers, grounded out to end the inning.

“We’re giving good effort,” Butler said. “The effort is there, the pitching staff has done a good job. …The effort is there, that’s one thing I’m pleased with yesterday and today. I’m pleased with the effort. Now, we’re not getting the hits, and we’re not getting many people on base.”

This story was originally published March 26, 2017 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Texas Tech beats WSU 3-1 to complete sweep."