#9 Texas (16-5, 2-1) at Texas Tech (11-12, 1-2)
Friday 6:30 PM (Fox Sports Central)
Texas: RHP Taylor Jungmann, So. (2-0, 1.98 ERA)
Texas Tech: RHP John Neely, Jr. (0-1, 5.74 ERA)
Saturday 6:30 PM
Texas: RHP Cole Green, Jr. (4-0, 3.00 ERA)
Texas Tech: RHP Bobby Doran (0-1, 4.97 ERA)
Sunday 12:00 PM (Fox Sports Network)
Texas: RHP Brandon Workman, Jr. (3-1, 2.94 ERA)
Texas Tech: TBA
Texas is the hands on favorite in this matchup. Texas Tech has shown some hot bats at various times this season, but also gone cold at the plate against top-level pitchers. Luckily for Texas, they boast an elite pitching staff, but will have to score runs to ensure victory in Lubbock. Texas Tech RHP Chad Bettis has moved back into the closer role, with a nod to start on Sundays if he doesn’t pitch too many innings on Friday or Saturday.
Prediction: Texas sweeps
#15 Oklahoma (18-2, 1-0) at Nebraska (11-9, 1-2)
Friday
Oklahoma: RHP Zach Neal, Jr. (2-0, 6.56 ERA)
Nebraska: RHP Casey Hauptman, Jr. (1-2, 2.48 ERA)
Saturday
Oklahoma: RHP Bobby Shore, Jr. (3-0, 2.19 ERA)
Nebraska: RHP Michael Mariot, Jr. (2-2, 4.50 ERA)
Sunday
Oklahoma: TBA
Nebraska: RHP Tom Lemke, Fr. (3-1, 4.50 ERA)
Oklahoma is the clear favorite to win the series in Lincoln, but Nebraska can’t be counted out after almost winning a series in Austin last weekend. Nebraska would be 2-1 in conference if not for a 2-out walk-off home run in their conference opener by Texas C Cameron Rupp. Oklahoma is led by the trio of 3B Garrett Buechele, 1B Cameron Seitzer, and SS Caleb Bushyhead, who are all hitting at least .380. Nebraska’s biggest weapon is Adam Bailey, an outfielder hitting .449 with 7 HR and 29 RBI on the season.
Prediction: Oklahoma takes 2 of 3
Missouri (12-6, 0-0) at #25 Texas A&M (15-5, 2-1)
Friday
Missouri: RHP Nick Tepesch, Jr. (2.0, 5.40 ERA)
Texas A&M: RHP Barret Loux, Jr. (3-1, 1.29 ERA)
Saturday
Missouri: TBA
Texas A&M: RHP Ross Stripling, So. (3-1, 5.18 ERA)
Sunday
Missouri: TBA
Texas A&M: RHP Clayton Ehlert, Sr. (1-2, 5.40 ERA)
Texas A&M is on a two game losing streak while Missouri has won eight of their last nine, including a 28-2 drubbing of Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Wednesday. Teas A&m is led offensively by OF Brodie Greene (.438, 5 triples, 3 HR, 19 RBI) and DH Joe Patterson (.425, 3 HR, 15 RBI), and is anchored on the mound by closer John Stilson (4-0, 1.00 ERA, 3 saves, 41 K in 27 IP). Missouri SS Michael Liberto leads the team with a .458 average, but Aaron Senne has been the workhorse, hitting .388 with 7 HR and 21 RBI. If their is one chink in A&M’s armor, its Clayton Ehlert, their Sunday starter.
Prediction: Texas A&M takes 2 of 3
Kansas (13-8, 0-0) at Baylor (12-7, 0-1)
Friday
Kansas: RHP T.J. Walz, Jr. (3-2, 5.29 ERA)
Baylor: RHP Shawn Tolleson, Jr. (1-2, 4.28 ERA)
Saturday
Kansas: RHP Cameron Selik, Sr. (4-1, 4.02 ERA)
Baylor: RHP Logan Verrett, So. (2-2, 3.67 ERA)
Sunday
Kansas: RHP Brett Bollman, Sr. (1-2, 5.06 ERA)
Baylor: RHP Willie Kempf, Sr. (3-1, 3.48 ERA)
Kansas finally has 2009 Big 12 Player of the Year Tony Thompson back in the field, and just in time for Big 12 play. Thompson joins the outfield duo of LF Jimmy Waters and CF Brian Heere in the Jayhawk lineup to provide a powerful punch for the offense. Cameron Selik has been the most consistent starter for Kansas in 2010. Baylor is hitting .323 as a team, with five players sporting averages over .350, including a pair of freshmen. Sr. Raynor Campbell, Fr. Logan Vick, and Fr. Max Muncy pace the Bears with four home runs each, while the bullpen has only one player with more than one inning pitched over an ERA of 4.50.
Prediction: Baylor takes 2 of 3
Oklahoma State (14-3, 0-0) at Kansas State (16-3, 0-0)
Friday
Oklahoma State: LHP Tyler Lyons, Sr. (2-0, 1.99 ERA)
Kansas State: RHP Ryan Daniel, Sr. (5-0, 2.48 ERA)
Saturday
Oklahoma State: LHP Thomas Keeling, Jr. (1-2, 5.48 ERA)
Kansas State: RHP Evan Marshall, So. (2-0, 3.21 ERA)
Sunday
Oklahoma State: TBD
Kansas State: LHP Kyle Hunter, So. (4-0, 1.53 ERA)
Kansas State’s starters this weekend have amassed an 11-0 record in 15 starts this season, more than making up for the loss of A.J. Morris, their star hurler from 2009. SS Carter Jurica earned a spot on the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List after starting the year with a .427 average with 28 RBI, but OF/DH Blair DeBord sits atop the stat sheet with a .450 average. The Cowboys dropped a game to Alabama A&M on Tuesday, which is never a good omen. Regardless of the midweek, Oklahoma State’s lineup still has four players hitting over .360, while 2B Davis Duren and Ginther pace the team with 24 RBI each. Oklahoma State suffered a huge blow before the even played a game this season, losing closer Randy McCurry for the year with an elbow injury while warming up for their season opener, but the remainder of the staff has picked up the slack.
Prediction: Oklahoma State wins 2 of 3
