Big 12 play begins this weekend for Texas Tech softball as the Red Raiders travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State in a three-game series March 24-26 at Cyclone Sports Complex.
The Red Raiders (13-14, 0-0) and Cyclones (15-16, 0-0) open the series with a 4 p.m. first pitch Friday, before squaring off at noon both Saturday and Sunday.
A live stream is available at Cyclones.TV with live stats at StatBroadcast.IowaState.com.
Texas Tech looks to rebound from an 0-3 showing at the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic last weekend at Rocky Johnson Field. The Red Raiders tallied double-digit hits in two of three contests, including a season-high 14 Friday against Saint Francis (Pa.).
Offensive fireworks have been common for the Red Raiders this year, who lead the Big 12 in home runs per game (0.26) with 26 in 27 games. Freshman Raina O’Neal leads all Big 12 freshmen in home runs, ranking in the top 15 nationally among freshmen.
Sophomore Jessica Hartwell leads the team in RBI with 20, while senior Kierra Miles has been steady at the plate with a .325 batting average and 12 RBI. Miles is currently just nine RBI from setting the career mark at Texas Tech.
Along with Hartwell and O’Neal, sophomore Kiani Ramsey is the third underclassmen rounding out three of Tech’s top five hitters in 2017. Ramsey is hitting .310 on the year and is second on the team with six doubles.
On the mound, freshman Kassidy Scott leads the team in innings pitched (84.1), ERA (2.99), strikeouts (33) and opponent batting average (.255). Senior Mattison Maisel is right behind her with 55.1 innings pitched and a 5-2 record.
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Red Raiders will look to continue their recent success against Iowa State this weekend as Texas Tech enters the series having won eight of the past 11 games against the Cyclones dating back to the 2013 season. Tech has won each of the past six series against the Cyclones, sweeping a two-game set in 2011 and then a three-game series in 2012 before taking two-of-three games each of the past four seasons.
Tech controls a 30-17 all-time advantage in the series with Iowa State, including a 13-10 mark in games played in Ames.
Iowa State has not claimed a regular-season series against the Red Raiders since the 2002 season when the Cyclones swept a two-game series in Lubbock. Tech’s .636 winning percentage against Iowa State is its highest against any current Big 12 opponent.
QUICK HITS
• Texas Tech opens Big 12 play this weekend as it travels to Ames, Iowa for a three-game series against Iowa State.
• The Red Raiders and Cyclones open the series at 4 p.m. Friday, before squaring off at noon on Saturday and Sunday.
• Texas Tech is 8-13 all-time in Big 12 openers. The Red Raiders will be looking to start conference play with a win for the fourth time in six years.
• The Red Raiders are opening Big 12 play on the road for the first time since 2013 and the second time since 2006.
• Head Coach Adrian Gregory is 1-1 all-time in Big 12 openers. Tech fell to Oklahoma in 2015 before defeating Oklahoma State last season.
• Gregory’s squad opened Big 12 play last season with a three-game sweep of Oklahoma State, moving her to 1-1 in Big 12-opening series.
• This will be the fourth time in school history where Texas Tech has opened Big 12 play against the Cyclones, with the three previous encounters coming in 2012, 2010 and 2004.
• This weekend’s series marks the earliest in the season Texas Tech has ever traveled to Ames for competition. The next earliest Tech has made the journey to Ames was March 28-29 during the 2009 campaign.
• Freshman outfielder Raina O’Neal leads the Big 12 and ranks in the top 15 nationally in home runs per game (0.26)
• Senior Kierra Miles is nine RBI shy of breaking the school’s career RBI mark. She currently sits at 141 for her career.
COURTESY OF TEXAS TECH ATHLETICS
