March 3, 2008

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
(3-5; 0-0 Big 12)
Larry Hays (1,487-835-4)

THE OPPONENT
Central Arkansas Bears
(5-3; 0-2 Southland)
Doug Clark (146-124)

GAME/SERIES LOCATION
Dan Law Field (5,050)
Lubbock, Texas

DATES/TIMES
Tuesday, March 4: 6:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 5: 1 p.m.

SERIES HISTORY
First meeting

LAST MEETING
First-ever meeting

TELEVISION
None

RADIO
Texas Tech Sports Network
KKAM-1340 AM in Lubbock
Robert Giovannetti (Play-by-Play)
Matt Miller (Color)
Steve Pitz (Engineer)

LIVE STATS
www.texastech.com

LIVE AUDIO/VIDEO
Live audio and video will be available through RaiderVision All-Access at texastech.com.

TICKETS
(806) 742-TECH or www.texastech.com

Complete Texas Tech Release in PDF Format

SETTING THE SCENE
After starting off the season with an eight-game road swing, the Texas Tech Red Raiders finally return home to the friendly confines of Dan Law Field where they will open a two-game series against the Central Arkansas Bears (Southland Conference) on Tuesday night. Texas Tech and Central Arkansas will get underway at 6:05 p.m. on Tuesday evening before wrapping up the series at 1 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. The series will mark the first-ever meeting between the Red Raiders and Bears.

Texas Tech's return home could not come at a better time for the Red Raiders as the squad stands at 3-5 on the season after dropping two close games over the weekend at the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park. Tech had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth on Friday but couldn't turn the table as the Red Raiders dropped a 5-4 decision to the Houston Cougars. The Red Raiders responded with a 7-3 win over Tennessee on Saturday that pushed Tech's win streak over SEC opponents to three games. In the finale on Sunday, the Red Raiders lost a heartbreaker to No. 6 Rice as the Owls scored a single run in the bottom of the eighth to take a 5-4 win.

The midweek series against Central Arkansas will be the beginning of a six-game home stand for the Red Raiders as Tech will host the Illinois Fighting Illini in a four-game set beginning on Friday night.

The Texas Tech Sports Network will carry both games of the Central Arkansas series with Robert Giovannetti and Matt Miller calling the action live from Dan Law Field. Additionally, both games of the series will be webcast (audio and video) through RaiderVision All-Access. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office at (806) 742-TECH or by logging online at www.texastech.com.

FINALLY! RED RAIDERS SET FOR HOME OPENER
After a long eight-game road swing, the Texas Tech Red Raiders open up the home portion of their 2008 season on Tuesday evening against the Central Arkansas Bears. Texas Tech was originally scheduled to open its season at home against Northern Illinois but that series was cancelled due to the tragic shooting there back on Feb. 14. Tech added four games in San Antonio that weekend and just concluded its road swing at the 2008 Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park. Tech has an all-time record of 23-8 in home openers and has won 10-straight (last loss was against TCU in 1997). The last time that the Red Raiders played this many road games (eight) to start the season was in 1988 when that squad played its first nine away from Dan Law Field.

LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG NUMBERS
The Texas Tech middle infield may look like a scene from the Wizard of Oz but shortstop Chris Hall (5-8; 172) and second baseman Joey Kenworthy (5-5; 158) certainly have not played like a couple of "munchkins." Hall and Kenworthy have been huge (no puns intended) components both offensively and defensively for the Red Raiders so far this season and their numbers prove it. Hall is currently second (behind Roger Kieschnick) on the team with a .367 average (11-of-30) and didn't commit an error in the first seven games of the season. Kenworthy is currently fourth on the squad with a .323 average and has been error free since moving over to second base against UTSA.

This weekend in Houston, Kenworthy was named to the Houston College Classic All-Tournament team as the second baseman. For the weekend, he posted a .417 average and led the squad with five RBIs.

ON THE CUSP
Texas Tech certainly had higher hopes of starting the season off better than 3-5, however, that record may be a little deceiving. The Red Raiders are on the cusp of becoming a solid ball club as Tech has dropped three one-run ball games, including a 5-4 heartbreaker to No. 6 Rice on Sunday. Tech's scheduled has included then No. 19 Louisiana-Lafayette, Army, now No. 24 Oral Roberts, UTSA, New Mexico, Houston, Tennessee and No. 6 Rice.

KIESCHNICK HAS BIG WEEKEND IN HOUSTON
Anyone who questioned Roger Kieschnick and his possible draft status, had those questions answered in Houston over the weekend at the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park. Kieschnick, who was projected as the No. 41 college prospect at the beginning of the season by Baseball America, put up big numbers in the tournament and was rewarded as an all-tournament selection in the outfield. Over three games, he hit. 455 with three doubles, one mammoth home run to center field and three RBIs.

HE'S A KEEPER
Freshman RHP Chad Bettis, a product of Lubbock Monterey High School, turned in his second-straight solid start on Sunday against No. 6 Rice. Bettis, an eighth-round draft pick of the Houston Astros in 2007, pitched a no-decision against the Owls as he logged 6 2/3 strong innings allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and struckout three. After giving up three runs in the bottom of the first, the freshman showed maturity as he regrouped and threw three shutout innings that gave the Tech offense the momentum to grab a 4-3 lead during that stretch. He currently leads the Tech staff with a 2.84 ERA through 12 2/3 innings and allowed just four earned runs.

A LOOK AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS
The Central Arkansas Bears come to Lubbock with a 5-3 overall record after splitting a four-game series over the weekend at home against Missouri State. The Bears took 3-of-4 from South Dakota State to open the year and will be making their first road trip of the season this week to Lubbock.

Offensively, the Bears enter the series with a .325 team batting average along with 14 doubles and six home runs. Shortstop Graham Martin leads the attack with a .438 average while outfielder Scott Cline paces the squad with two home runs and 11 RBIs. On the mound, the Bears own a 4.63 staff ERA through 70 innings of work and struckout 54 batters compared to 28 walks. Tuesday starter Matt Whitaker leads the staff with a 2.08 ERA over 13 innings and allowed just three earned runs and struckout 12.