Alex Wilson and Texas A&M travel to Oklahoma to take on the Sooners this weekend. (Photo courtesy of Wildmen03 at TexAgs.com)
With Texas locking up the Big 12 regular season championship last weekend, it’s a battle for second place in the conference this weekend. Oklahoma and Texas A&M both sit at 14-10 in conference play, and the two teams face off in Norman this weekend with a potential NCAA host spot on the line. Kansas and Kansas State face off in a split series, with the first game in Manhattan on Friday and the remaining two games in Lawrence. Baylor travels to Lincoln to take on the struggling Nebraska Cornhuskers, and the Bears desperately need a series win in their quest for a NCAA tournament bid. To round out the conference action, Texas Tech hosts Oklahoma State in Lubbock. The Red Raiders have already qualified for the Big 12 tournament, and Oklahoma State must sweep the series and hope for a Nebraska sweep of Baylor to make the field. In non-conference action, Missouri hosts Cal State Bakersfield in a three game set, and Texas hosts Alabama A&M in a Saturday doubleheader in Austin.
Here is the current weekend schedule with projected pitching matchups:
#15 Texas A&M at #13 Oklahoma
Friday (6:30 PM CT): Brooks Raley (So., LHP, 7-1, 2.67 ERA) v. Andrew Doyle (Jr., RHP, 6-4, 4.19 ERA)
Saturday (6:30 PM CT): Ross Hales (Fr., LHP, 5-1, 3.50 ERA) v. TBA
Sunday (1:00 PM CT): Barret Loux (So., RHP, 3-2, 4.05 ERA) v. Garrett Richards (Jr., RHP, 7-3, 6.96 ERA)
Prediction: Texas A&M takes 2 of 3
Kansas v. #23 Kansas State
Friday (6:30 PM CT): Shaeffer Hall (LHP, Jr., 4-5, 4.58 ERA) v. A.J. Morris (RHP, Jr., 11-1, 1.67 ERA)
Saturday (6:00 PM CT): T.J. Walz (RHP, So., 7-1, 3.67 ERA) v. Lance Hoge (LHP, Sr., 5-3, 4.07 ERA)
Sunday (6:00 PM CT): Lee Ridenhour (RHP, Fr., 5-2, 4.09 ERA) v. Todd Vogel (RHP, Sr., 4-0, 4.43 ERA)
Prediction: Kansas State takes 2 of 3
Baylor at Nebraska
Friday (6:05 PM CT): Kendal Volz (RHP, Jr., 3-5, 4.00 ERA) v. Mike Nesseth (RHP, So., 4-4, 5.15 ERA)
Saturday (2:05 PM CT): Willie Kempf (RHP, Jr., 4-3, 5.62 ERA) v. Sean Yost (RHP, Fr., 1-5, 7.19 ERA)
Sunday (1:05 PM CT): Shawn Tolleson (RHP, So., 1-1, 4.68 ERA) v. Erik Bird (RHP, Sr., 2-2, 5.43 ERA)
Prediction: Baylor takes 2 of 3
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech
Friday (6:30 PM CT): Andrew Oliver (LHP, 5-6, 4.83 ERA) v. Nate Karns (RHP, 4-5, 5.44 ERA)
Saturday (1:00 PM CT): Tyler Lyons (LHP, 5-5, 3.79 ERA) v. Louis Head (RHP. 1-3, 4.60 ERA)
Sunday (1:00 PM CT): Tyler Blandford (RHP, 7-3, 4.52 ERA) v. TBA
Prediction: Oklahoma State takes 2 of 3
Cal State Bakersfield at Missouri
Friday (6:30 PM CT): Martin Medina (Fr., RHP, 2-3, 7.84 ERA) v. Kyle Gibson (Jr., RHP, 9-3, 3.73 ERA)
Saturday (2:00 PM CT): Spenser Messmore (Fr., RHP, 2-2, 6.60 ERA) v. Scooter Hicks (Sr., LHP, 4-2, 4.14 ERA)
Sunday (1:00 PM CT): Jonathan Montoya (Fr., LHP, 4-5, 7.09 ERA) v. Ryan Clubb (Fr., RHP, 3-2, 4.50 ERA)
Prediction: Missouri sweeps
Alabama A&M at #7 Texas
Saturday (Game 1) (1:00 PM CT): TBA v. TBA
Saturday (Game 2) (4:00 PM CT): TBA v. TBA
Prediction: Texas sweeps
