Texas Tech baseball takeaways: Ryan Free gives Red Raiders courage out of the pen
ARLINGTON — Tracer Lopez hit a tiebreaking infield single in the ninth inning Saturday, boosting the No. 22 Texas Tech baseball team to a 6-3 victory against Nebraska on day two of the Shriners Children's College Classic at Globe Life Field.
Lopez's hit broke a 3-3 tie, and Austin Green followed with another RBI single. Two batters later, Gavin Kash drew a bases-loaded walk.
Need big outs? Call Texas Tech baseball lefty Ryan Free
The relief pitcher Texas Tech coach Tim Tadlock turned to most often last season was Ryan Free, and the lefthander rose up Saturday in some tight spots, keeping the game tied at 3 from the sixth inning through the eighth. He entered with one out and two in scoring position in the sixth, escaping with a swinging strikeout and a fly ball.
After yielding a leadoff single and a sacrifice in the seventh, Free struck out the next two batters to strand another in scoring position. He stranded another runner at second in the eighth.
Mac Heuer debuts with encouraging performance
Among Texas Tech's freshmen pitchers, arguably the most eagerly anticipated is Mac Heuer, a 6-foot-5, 265-pound righthander from Georgia whom the Cleveland Guardians drafted in the 16th round.
Heuer debuted with 3 1/3 innings in relief, allowing a run on five hits. His fastball sat at 92-93 mph, touching 94.
Men in the pen: Tim Tadlock breaks down Texas Tech baseball relief corps usage
Will Burns, Drew Woodcox make first starts
Sophomore Will Burns, who played exclusively at shortstop last season, will be used at other positions this year and started Saturday in center field. That's a result of the Red Raiders having a surplus of starting-caliber shortstops and Burns' speed and defensive ability that translates elsewhere.
Burns hit .169 in 29 games last season, but Tech coach Tim Tadlock said Burns has shown signs of progress at the plate, too.
In his first plate appearance Saturday, he hit an 0-2 curveball for a sacrifice fly that gave the Red Raiders a 2-0 lead. He struck out with runners at second and third in the ninth.
Drew Woodcox, also making his first start of the season, was in the 2-hole at designated hitter and singled his first two times up. Woodcox, beginning his third year in the Tech program, has long had big power, but has needed to make more contact to stay in the lineup. Going into this year, he'd hit .232 in his first two seasons with the Red Raiders with 40 strikeouts to 12 walks.
Surplus of shortstops: How Texas Tech baseball coach Tim Tadlock views his myriad middle-infield options
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball takeaways: Oft-used Ryan Free holds down Nebraska
