Tech Heads to Manhattan to Take on The Wildcats

After poor weather conditions caused the Red Raiders to suspend their midweek game against Abilene Christian, they now look to head to Manhattan Kansas to take on the Wildcats of Kansas State. The Wildcats start the series with a 26-16 overall season record and a 9-6 conference record with single-game wins over ranked West Virginia and Texas.

Pitching

Friday’s matchup will feature LHP Mason Molina (3.96 ERA) for the Red Raiders and LHP Owen Boerema (4.37 ERA) for the Wildcats. Boerema starts the series with 55.2 innings over 10 appearances for the Wildcats, allowing 62 hits, 29 runs, 2 home runs, and 20 walks while recording 69 strikeouts. Saturday’s matchup will see RHP Trendan Parish (5.36 ERA) for Texas Tech and RHP German Fajardo (4.99 ERA) for Kansas State. Fajardo starts the series with 48.2 innings over 11 appearances, allowing 49 hits, 29 runs, 4 home runs, and 25 walks while recording 43 strikeouts. The Red Raiders have yet to announce a Sunday pitcher but they will face RHP Collin Rothermel (4.50 ERA). Rothermel enters the series with 16 innings over 4 appearances, allowing 19 hits, 17 runs, 5 home runs, and 9 walks while recording 15 strikeouts.

Batting

Of the seven batters that have played in the majority of K-State’s 42 total games, two are batting over .300. Brady Day leads the Wildcats in batting average (.351), hits (47), and walks (38). Brendan Jones (.256 AVG) leads the Wildcats in runs with 40, Nick Goodwin (.295 AVG) leads in home runs with 10, and Roberto Pena (.248 AVG) leads in RBI with 47. 

K-State sits one place above Texas Tech at a standalone 3rd in the conference whereas Tech comes into this series tied with Texas at 4th, however, Texas Tech still leads the Big 12 in team batting average (.322) where K-State sits at 8th (.271). The Red Raiders are also one spot above the Wildcats in team ERA, Tech at 3rd (4.62) and K-State at 4th (4.96). It’s no question this Tech team has had its share of struggles on the road, but with the offensive power they possess, should the pitches find the strike zone this series looks promising.