 "Photo: Ken Muir")
When Texas Tech baseball takes on Texas State, only one thing is certain.
A win is going to put one team closer to who it wants to be as the competition gets tougher this season.
Both Tech coach Dan Spencer and Texas State coach Ty Harrington agree their respective teams have yet to define what their teams are capable of doing.
For Tech, one of the best ways to do that is win on the road.
"We're trying to establish some consistency," Spencer said. "We haven't won enough on the road to say that we can do that."
Tech hit the road this morning for a six-game road trip hoping to prove that, indeed, they can win away from the friendly confines of Dan Law Field.
After facing the Bobcats at 6:30 p.m. today in San Marcos, the slope gets steeper for Tech when it begins a three-game series against Big 12 Conference foe and Baseball America's No. 9-ranked Texas. Tech finishes the trip with two away games of its home-and-home series against New Mexico.
Tech (10-14) enters tonight's game at Texas State (12-8,) after playing just one game at home - its fifth and final game at home in March - after wrapping up a five-game road trip on Sunday with a 1-8 record in true road games.
That lone win comes against Baylor on March 22. Tech then followed up with a 4-3 win against Lubbock Christian at Dan Law Field Monday.
The back-to-back wins mark the first winning streak since Tech started the season 4-0 about a month ago.
But the Bobcats are no strangers to the Big 12.
Texas State enters tonight's game already having played two Big 12 teams this season. However both resulted in losses: a close 6-5 defeat to Texas on March 3 and a wild 22-17 loss to Baylor on March 18.
"We're expecting another great Big 12 team (tonight)," Harrington said. "This game will help define for both teams what they are capable of doing."
Texas State's bullpen is averaging a 5.61 ERA and has allowed opponents a combined .315 batting average.
The Red Raiders may be able to take advantage of the Texas State pitching staff's shaky numbers. There are eight regular starters for Tech batting above .300.
Similarly, Texas State has five players batting above .300 and it will be up to Tech's Colton Farrar (0-0), in his first collegiate start from the mound to quell the Bobcat offense.
The freshman has a 3.00 ERA through six appearances on the mound. He has allowed five hits for three runs and two walks while pitching five strikeouts through six complete innings played.
Despite road woes, the Red Raiders are right in the thick of the Big 12 standings, in a five-way tie for third place. Baylor, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Missouri join Tech in the tie.
But with the last two wins, Tech pitcher Brian Cloud said this team is on its way to turning it around and a win on the road could be proof.
"We feel pretty good about where we are now," Cloud said, "and we feel we're right on the edge of turning the switch on to being a really good team and pulling away from the pack. "
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