Preview: Cal State Bakersfield at Texas Tech

LUBBOCK, Texas (Interstat) — The Texas Tech Red Raiders will look to complete a series sweep when they host the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners in a nonconference baseball game Sunday evening at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. under cloudy skies with a temperature near 57 degrees.

The Red Raiders (7-3) have dominated the first two games of the series, winning 17-4 on Friday and 14-3 on Saturday. Texas Tech’s offense has produced 31 runs on 30 hits in the two contests.

Texas Tech is projected to continue its success. Interstat’s game simulator predicts a 7-3 Red Raiders victory, and its ELO rating system gives Texas Tech an 84.3% probability to win.

A player to watch for the Red Raiders is right-hander Lukas Pirko, who started Saturday’s win. He threw five innings, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out four. In his previous start on Feb. 21, he went seven innings in a 15-1 win over Albany, allowing one run on five hits with seven strikeouts.

Cal State Bakersfield (4-7) seeks to avoid the sweep and snap a three-game skid. The Roadrunners have lost five of their last six.

First baseman Evan Cloyd is a key bat for the Roadrunners. He drove in two runs in Saturday’s loss and has six RBIs over his last five games. In a 15-2 win at Long Beach State on Feb. 22, he went 2 for 3 with an RBI.

Following Sunday’s finale, Texas Tech begins a three-game series against Penn State next Friday. Cal State Bakersfield travels to face California on Wednesday before opening a series with Cal State Fullerton next Friday.