The Texas Tech baseball team arrives in Surprise, Arizona, as the No. 12 seed in the Big 12 tournament, opening play on Tuesday, May 19 at Surprise Stadium. With a 27‑27 record, the Red Raiders must win five consecutive games to keep their season alive, a feat that would require navigating a single‑loss bracket where each defeat ends the campaign.
A Tight Race in Surprise
Texas Tech’s lineup features several standouts, including Logan Hughes, who boasts a .372 average with 17 home runs and 68 RBIs, and Connor Shouse, a .360 hitter with 10 homers and 66 RBIs. Linkin Garcia adds a .339 average, while Tracer Lopez leads the conference in doubles and sacrifice flies. The team also counts on Caden Ferraro, who tops the squad with a .375 average and eight homers.
Opposing them, BYU counters with right‑hander Blade Paragas, who enters the game at 1‑0 with a 3.00 ERA, and a batting trio led by Ezra McNaughton (.342, 15 homers, 51 RBIs), Ryder Robinson (.316, 10 homers, 35 RBIs) and Easton Jones (.295, 12 homers, 41 RBIs). The Cougars edged the Red Raiders in two of three recent meetings, setting the stage for a rematch that could hinge on pitching duels.
Should Texas Tech prevail, they will meet Baylor next, while a win over Baylor could set up a potential showdown with Kansas, the tournament’s top seed. The path is daunting, but the team’s recent form suggests they could surprise many observers as the competition unfolds.