No. 6 TCU and No. 10 Texas Tech, the two top-ranked teams in the Big 12, faced off against each other in Fort Worth in a preview of what could be the conference
tournament final.
The two teams split the opening games of the series and in the rubber game, the Red Raiders were able to just edge the Horned Frogs in a 3-1 pitcher’s duel.
Texas Tech rode five innings of one run ball from starter Ty Damron and four scoreless innings from the bullpen to reign in the potent TCU offense and secure a crucial conference series victory to strengthen its grip on first place in the conference.
Bullpen pair make midseason list
Late inning runs are not easy to come by in the Big 12, and the NCAA awards makers have taken notice.
Relievers Troy Montemayor and Tyler Buffett of Baylor and Oklahoma State, respectively, were both named to the midseason watch list for the National College Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year award bestowed upon the top NCAA Division 1 reliever.
Buffett, a member of the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List, has been a potent arm at the back of the bullpen all season for the Cowboys. He has conceded just three runs in 14 innings of conference play and his 1.90 ERA for the season is the third-best mark in the league.
Montemayor’s nine saves lead the Big 12, and his 0.95 ERA has helped the sophomore become just one of ten underclassmen on the 40-person list.
West Virginia takes honors sweep
The Mountaineers won two games in their three-game set against the visiting Baylor Bears and swept the Big 12 weekly honors.
The Mountaineer corner infielders lead the Blue and Yellow offensive charge over the weekend. Junior first baseman Jackson Cramer tallied three multi-hit and multi-RBI performances and drove home the winning run in Wednesday’s 9-8 win against Marshall en route to conference Player of the Week award.
Freshman third baseman Ivan Vera made his season debut at the hot corner and contributed solid defense and a team-high eight hits on the week to take home Newcomer of the Week honors.
Right hander Chad Donato two-hit complete game shutout in West Virginia’s 10-0 win over the Bears earned the junior Conference Pitcher of the Week honors to round out the sweep.
