No. 16 West Virginia Looks to Keep its Big 12 Momentum Against Texas Tech

Morgantown, WV – No.16 West Virginia takes on Texas Tech in a three-game series May 2-4 at Kendrick Family Ballpark. Game one is set for Friday night at 6:30 p.m. EST, game two is slated for Saturday at 4:00 p.m. EST and the series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EST.

West Virginia is eyeing revenge after Texas Tech swept WVU last season in Lubbock.

West Virginia fell to Marshall in Charleston (WV) Wednesday night the second midweek loss in as many weeks, but only fell three spots in the RPI to No. 18.

The Mountaineers (37-6, 13-3) have maintained a 14-game Big 12 Conference winning streak to remain atop the league standings with a two-game lead with nine conference games remaining.

Junior Skylar King is hitting a team-high .362, which ranks ninth in the Big 12, with two home runs and 26 RBI.

Jace Rinehart owns a batting average of .343 and the senior leads the team in doubles (15) and RBI (43), and along with junior Logan Sauve, has clubbed a team-best seven home runs.

West Virginia is scheduled to start Griffin Kirn (4-0, 3.36 ERA, 62 K) in the opener. The senior toss 4.2 scoreless innings with one strikeout against UCF last week. The last time the lefty recorded one strikeout, he followed with a 10 K performance.

In game two, the Mountaineer started is “to be announced” after Gavin Van Kempen has allowed 13 runs in his previous four weekend starts. The junior pitched one inning against Marshall and gave up a home run in his lone inning.

Right-hander Jack Kartsonas 5-1, 2.19 ERA, 44 K) is slated for the series finale. The senior has made 14 appearances on the season with all three of his starts coming in the last three weekends and has pitched at least six innings in all three outings.

The Red Raiders (15-26, 10-11) are expected to counter with sophomore right-hander Mac Heuer (2-2, 5.67 ERA, 33 K) in game one, righty junior Tyler Boudreau (1-3, 8.10 ERA, 35 K) and junior right-hander Zane Petty (1-2, 5.66 ERA, 33 K) in the series finale.

Texas Tech lost consecutive games to University of Texas Rio Grande Valley after taking two of three from Arizona at home last weekend.

Senior Robin Villeneuve leads the team in batting average (.347) and doubles, and sophomore Logan Hughes holds team-highs with 14 home runs and 48 RBI.

Texas Tech leads the all-time series 22-18.

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