A Red Raider Double-Header

NCAA football and baseball are coming to the Permian Basin as Texas Tech University's football and baseball teams will headline a pair of events at the Scharbauer Sports Complex.

The Red Raiders will hold a special spring scrimmage on Saturday, March 29, at Grande Communications Stadium. There is no admission charge for the event.

The stadium gates will open at 11:30 with tailgating in the parking area and a kids' play area also available. The Red Raiders' scrimmage kicks off at 1:00 and is expected to last approximately two hours.

This marks the second consecutive season in which the Red Raiders have come to West Texas and the Scharbauer Sports Complex. It is the only appearance outside of Lubbock the team will make this spring.   Last year's event drew more than 8,000 fans to Grande Communications Stadium.

" It is a tremendous honor to again host Texas Tech athletics at the Scharbauer Sports Complex," said RockHounds general manager Monty Hoppel. "With the morning tailgating and kids' play areas leading up to kick-off, it truly will be an entire day of Red and Black in West Texas."

On Tuesday, April 1, the Texas Tech baseball team will host the University of New Mexico at Security Bank Ballpark. 

Gates will open at 5:30, with the first pitch at 6:00. Tickets are $7.00 (General Admission).  

Red Raiders Football: Grande Communications Stadium - Saturday, March 29

Gates Open at 11:30 a.m.      Kick-off at 1:00 p.m.

Texas Tech finished 8-5 in Kliff Kingsbury's first season as head coach at his alma mater (he is the school's second all-time leading passer), finishing the season with a 37-23 win over 16th-ranked Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl.

Red Raiders Baseball: Security Bank Ballpark - Tuesday, April 1

Gates Open at 5:30 p.m.        First Pitch at 6:00 p.m.

Tech is coming off an impressive weekend, posting three wins over the third-ranked Indiana Hoosiers in their season-opening,

four-game series in Lubbock. The wins boosted the Red Raiders into a pair of national rankings, gaining top 30 status in both the Collegiate Baseball and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) polls.

Texas Tech's roster includes three local players, each a product of Midland Christian High School: 

-   Catcher Hunter Redman is a junior transfer who began his collegiate career at Midland College

-   Infielder Bryant Burleson is a junior and two-year letter-winner with the Red Raiders

-   Sophomore pitcher Matt Withrow, who was a letter-winner in his freshman year at Tech

    (Matt's brother, Chris, who also attended MCHS, is a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers)

Lubbock Christian University Baseball - Security Bank Ballpark - Tuesday, March 4 

Gates Open at 5:30 p.m.        First Pitch at 6:00 p.m.

College baseball will also come to Security Bank Ballpark on Tuesday, March 4, when the Lubbock Christian Chaparrals meet the University of the Southwest. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.

After a long (four decades) and successful run the NAIA (including two national baseball championships), LCU now competes at the NCAA Division II level. The Chaparrals are 5-4 in the early stages of the season after posting back-to-back wins against nationally-ranked Angelo State University last weekend in Lubbock. Their opponent, the University of the Southwest (Hobbs, New Mexico), competes in the (NAIA) Red River Athletic Association.   

All tickets are priced at $4, and all seating will be general admission.

"We're very excited to bring Texas Tech football back to the Permian Basin. Last year's event was a huge success with more than 8,000 Red Raider alumni, supporters and fans in attendance, and we're expecting an even larger turnout this year.

"Midland-Odessa rolled out the red carpet for Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury, his coaching staff, the Tech football team, the band and the cheerleaders, and they were very appreciative of our efforts.

"Coach Kingsbury felt last year's scrimmage provided a great springboard for Tech's spring football practices, and he is thrilled to showcase his team once again at Grande Communications Stadium.

"March 29 will be another big day for Texas Tech in the Permian Basin."

Tim Culp

Event Organizer