The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

No. 3 Baseball preview: No. 11 Texas Tech
04.29.2021 | Baseball
The Longhorns host the nationally ranked Red Raiders for a Big 12 Conference series.
TEXAS (34-9, 12-3) vs. TEXAS TECH (28-10, 8-7)
April 30-May 2, 2021
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field
Time: Friday–2 p.m.; Saturday–2:30 p.m.; Sunday–2:30 p.m.
TV: Longhorn Network
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: https://texassports.com/sidearmstats/baseball
All-time series with Texas Tech: Texas leads, 116-49
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
FRIDAY–Texas RHP Ty Madden (6-1, 1.68) vs. Texas Tech LHP Patrick Monteverde (6-2, 3.20)
SATURDAY–Texas RHP Tristan Stevens (7-1, 2.74) vs. Texas Tech RHP Micah Dallas (1-2, 3.23)
SUNDAY–Texas RHP Kolby Kubichek (5-3, 3.26) vs. Texas Tech LHP (Mason Montgomery (2-2, 4.00)
THE MATCHUP—Texas hosts Texas Tech for a three-game Big 12 Conference series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. In 2019, the Longhorns won the series, two games to one, in Austin, winning the series-opener and the rubber match. Texas is 17-1 in the month of April, while Texas Tech is 9-6 after defeating New Mexico in Lubbock on Wednesday.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas improved to 23-2 at home this season after a 5-3 win over UIW at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Tuesday night. The duo of Ivan Melendez and Zach Zubia lead the Longhorns offensively. Melendez leads Texas with nine home runs and is hitting .352 with 39 RBI, while Zubia has a team-leading 40 RBI with six home runs and a .466 on-base percentage. On the mound, Ty Madden (1.68), Pete Hansen (2.19) and Tristan Stevens (2.74) all rank in the top seven in ERA in the Big 12 Conference, while Stevens' seven wins are tied for third-most in the nation. Texas is 34-6 over its last 40 games and tied for first in the Big 12 Conference at 12-3.
MOUND PRESENCE—The Texas pitching staff has been among the most dominant groups in the nation, with the fifth-best ERA in the nation at 2.87, a mark that leads the conference by 0.61. Three Texas starters rank in the top-seven in the Big 12 Conference in earned run average, with Ty Madden holding down the second spot with a 1.68 ERA. Pete Hansen sits fourth with a 2.19 ERA, while Tristan Stevens' 2.74 ERA ranks seventh.
MR. CONSISTENT—With his three-hit game against UIW on Tuesday, Zach Zubia extended his streak of reaching base safely to 19 games. During the streak, Zubia has hit .410 with five doubles, one triple, three home runs and 18 RBI, while walking an incredible 22 times for a .571 on-base percentage. Zubia has eight multi-hit games and six multi-walk games during the run, including two three-hit games, one three-walk and on four-walk game. On the season, the redshirt junior's 35 walks rank third in the Big 12 Conference and 10th in the NCAA, and his .466 on-base percentage is fourth in the conference.
MAKING A BIG IMPRESSION—After a relatively quiet start to the season, Ivan Melendez caught fire in the month of April. In the month, Melendez is hitting .431 with eight doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 27 RBI and 16 runs scored. In that span, he has a .538 on-base percentage and .954 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.492. He raised his batting average from .263 to .352 during the 18 games. From April 3-11, he established a program-record six-game home run streak that culminated with a pair of bombs against Kansas State on April 11. For the season, Melendez ranks 10th in the Big 12 Conference in batting average (.352), while he is sixth in home runs (9) and eighth in RBI (39). The redshirt sophomore's .680 slugging percentage is fifth in the conference and his .448 on-base percentage ranks 10th. During April, Melendez's distinctions have included Big 12 Player of the Week, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Hitter of the Week, and Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week.
DALY GETTING IT DONE—Mitchell Daly has been on a tear at the plate, hitting safely in 28 of the 35 games he has started this season with 11 multi-hit games, including two three-hit games and a four-hit game, while reaching base safely in 32 of 35 starts. Daly's .358 battings average ranks seventh in the Big 12 Conference. The freshman currently ranks leads the Longhorns in batting average and tied for first in hits (44), while sitting third in on-base percentage (.417), fourth in OPS (.897) and slugging percentage (.480) and fifth in doubles (9).
QUICKER THAN QUICK—Mike Antico leads the Big 12 Conference and is 4th nationally with 24 stolen bases. Eric Kennedy is right behind him with 16 steals to rank second in the conference and 27th in the nation. As a team, the Longhorns have swiped 60 bases, which is second in the conference and ranks 15th in the nation. Additionally, Kennedy uses his speed regularly to get on base with 22 infield singles, including 12 bunt hits this season. In his career he has 46 infield hits (24 bunts).
FLASHING THE LEATHER—Trey Faltine has been a human highlight reel this season, making the difficult look routine. The Longhorns shortstop leads the Big 12 with 135 assists and ranks seventh with 20 double plays while sporting a .974 fielding percentage in 193 chances.
COMMANDING THE ZONE—Tristan Stevens' command has been on point this season, yielding only six walks over his last 50 innings pitched. In his last four starts, the right-hander is 4-0, throwing 28 innings and allowing 25 hits and four runs, while striking out 19 and surrendering three walks. Prior to issuing a walk to open the sixth inning at Oklahoma State on Saturday, Stevens had gone 113 batters (28 1/3 innings) without relinquishing a free pass. Stevens' seven wins on the year lead the Big 12 Conference and is tied for third in the NCAA.
THE ACE—Ty Madden has been brilliant this season, twice earning Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week honors, including following his 14-strikeout, complete game shutout outing on March 5 against Houston. That performance also garnered nods as the NCBWA and Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Week, one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of The Week and one of four nominees for the Golden Spikes Award Performance of the Week. On Saturday at Oklahoma State, Madden struck out 12 batters in six innings of work, ending each inning with a strikeout to extend his streak to 11 consecutive innings. Madden's 1.68 ERA ranks 16th in the nation and second in the Big 12 Conference. The right-hander leads the conference in hits allowed per nine innings (5.74) and is tied for second in games started (10). He ranks second in the Big 12 in strike outs (77), innings pitched (64.1), opponent batting average (.183), and WHIP (0.98), while his six wins are tied for second in the conference and 20th nationally.
DOUBLE UP—Cam Williams' 13 doubles rank fifth in the Big 12, while Ivan Melendez's 11 place him 12th in the conference. As a squad, the Longhorns' 86 doubles are fifth in the NCAA and second-most in the conference.
HEAR 'EM—In partnership with Learfield IMG College, Texas games will be broadcast on the Austin Radio Network, primarily on 104.9 The Horn and AM 1260. Craig Way handles primary play-by-play duties alongside Roger Wallace.
WATCH 'EM—All of Texas' home games will be broadcast on Longhorn Network this season. The team of Keith Moreland and Greg Swindell will return to the booth to call the action.