Big 12 gives hot-hitting Coleman weekly honors
Texas Tech went into its weekend baseball series against Kent State with a .220 team batting average.
Ty Coleman did his part to get the Red Raiders going.
Batting third in the order and then fourth, Coleman went 6 for 13 in Tech's three-game sweep with two home runs, seven runs batted in and five runs scored. On Monday, the Red Raiders' designated hitter was named Big 12 player of the week and newcomer of the week.
The fourth-year junior from Midland Lee transferred to Tech after three seasons at Texas A&M.
"It's definitely different, but it's closer to home," he said. "I know a lot of people around here, and it's awesome to feel the warmth and embracement already from everybody in the community around here. So heating up into it, it feels good starting the year."
No. 21 Tech (5-2) goes on the road to face Dallas Baptist (4-3) at 2 p.m. Tuesday, the Red Raiders' only road game in a nine-game stretch from Feb. 22 through March 6.
Coleman is a son of David Coleman and a nephew of Steve Coleman, both former Monterey standouts who played at Lubbock Christian University. Steve played on the 1981 Monterey state championship team and the 1983 LCU NAIA World series champion, and David Coleman was on the Chaparrals' NAIA World Series team in 1991. Both later coached high-school ball in Lubbock.
So Ty Coleman's baseball bloodlines and his roots in Lubbock run deep.
Against Kent State, he had an RBI single in 10-7 victory Saturday. On Sunday, Tech coach Tim Tadlock moved him from the No. 3 hole to cleanup in the lineup, slotting him behind all-America second baseman Jace Jung, and he flourished.
Coleman went 3 for 5 with a pair of RBI doubles in an 8-1 victory, then hit a solo homer and a three-run shot in a 7-5 win.
"It's been fun watching him," Tadlock said. "Ty was on the shelf for most of the fall and trying to get a hundred percent (healthy). I've known Ty since he was really young. He's always been a baseball player, always been a winner and has always put good at-bats together. We're fortunate to have him in our lineup."
Tech is playing a Tuesday game against Dallas Baptist for the second week in a row, this time at the Patriots' Horner Ballpark. Last week, Tech beat DBU 8-4. Coleman wielded a big stick in that game, too, with a pair of two-run singles.
Sophomore righthander Chase Hampton (1-0, 4.50) is in line to start again against the Patriots. Hampton went five innings in last week's Tech-DBU game, struck out five and was charged with three runs on four hits.
Hampton was Tech's Game 1 starter in NCAA regional and super-regional play last year, but he pitched little in the fall, dealing with tendinitis. He said he's fully healthy again and good to go, and Tadlock said he could move into the weekend rotation at some point.
Through the first two weekends, righthanders Andrew Morris and Brandon Birdsell and freshman lefthander Mason Molina have made up the starting rotation.
"I think I'm in a good spot," Hampton said. "We have a lot of good guys in the bullpen. I can easily come in and do the exact same job I did (as the Tuesday starter). I think going forward we're going to have a good staff and am looking forward to the future."
College baseball
Who: Texas Tech at Dallas Baptist
When: 2 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Horner Ballpark, Dallas
Records: Texas Tech 5-2, Dallas Baptist 4-3
Rankings by National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association: Texas Tech No. 21, Dallas Baptist receiving votes
Projected starting pitchers: Texas Tech RHP Chase Hampton (1-0, 4.50 earned-run average) vs. Dallas Baptist RHP Kyle Rich (0-2, 4.91).
TV: Bally Sports Southwest
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: College baseball: Big 12 gives hot-hitting Ty Coleman weekly honors
