Logan Hughes and Jesse Rusinek powered Texas Tech baseball past Kansas 11-4 as the Red Raiders opened Big 12 play with another explosive offensive night.
Texas Tech baseball wasted absolutely no time making a statement in Big 12 play.
The Red Raiders stormed past Kansas 11-4 Friday night at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park, opening conference play with the same offensive explosion that has defined their season.
Texas Tech (12-5, 1-0 Big 12) continued its scorching run at the plate, extending a stunning streak of 14 consecutive games with at least eight runs scored, the longest stretch in program history.
And once again, Logan Hughes was right in the middle of the chaos.
The Texas Tech outfielder reached base in all five plate appearances, crushed his fifth home run of the season, scored three times and looked like the most dangerous hitter on the field.
His towering 426-foot blast left the bat at 104 mph, giving the Red Raiders early control and setting the tone for a long night for Kansas pitching.
If Hughes sparked the offense, Jesse Rusinek nearly stole the show.
The corner outfielder finished a home run shy of the cycle, peppering the field with hits and constantly putting pressure on the Jayhawks’ defense.
The Red Raiders’ offense came in waves.
After Kyeler Thompson sparked the opening rally by reaching base and eventually scoring the first run, Texas Tech kept stacking traffic on the basepaths.
In fact, the Red Raiders placed the leadoff hitter on base in six of eight innings, a nightmare scenario for any pitching staff trying to survive in Lubbock.
The biggest inning arrived in the fourth when Robin Villeneuve launched a 424-foot rocket off the bat at 110 mph for his team-leading seventh home run, tying him near the top of the Big 12 leaderboard.
Moments later, freshman shortstop Linkin Garcia ripped a two-run single, pushing his RBI total to 32 on the season. The young slugger continues to look like one of the most productive freshmen in the country.
Meanwhile, starter Lukas Pirko quietly handled business on the mound. The right-hander struck out seven batters across 5.2 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) while walking just one hitter. His outing earned him his third win of the season and kept Kansas from ever truly gaining momentum.
From there, the bullpen slammed the door.
Relievers Heeryun Han, Logan Bevis and company combined for 3.1 innings of one-hit relief, eliminating any chance of a Jayhawks comeback.
Perhaps the most impressive number of the night came outside the box score.
Texas Tech is now 11-2 at home, already approaching last season’s entire win total at Rip Griffin Park. One more victory this weekend would match the Red Raiders’ full 2025 home win count.
Big 12 play has officially arrived in Lubbock.
And if Friday night is any indication, Texas Tech baseball plans to make it loud.