Texas Tech baseball pitcher Trendan Parish out for at least 2 weeks
Texas Tech will head into the home stretch of the college baseball regular season without one of its bullpen staples this season.
Tech coach Tim Tadlock said Wednesday that Trendan Parish, the team co-leader in appearances this season with 20, won't pitch in this weekend's series at No. 3 Oklahoma State or in next week's last regular-season series against Oklahoma.
That news wasn't a big surprise, given that the freshman righthander came out of the Red Raiders' most recent game last week at Abilene Christian with an apparent arm problem. Tadlock declined to discuss the diagnosis of Parish's injury. He also declined to say when asked whether it could be season-ending.
Texas Tech basketball: Williams, McCullar invited to NBA G League Elite Camp
Parish has been a key figure for the Red Raiders from the beginning of the year, running off a win and five saves in the first 17 games of the season. Now he's 2-2 with six saves and an 8.26 earned-run average.
His ERA spiked when he was charged with five runs in a March 8 game against Mississippi State. He settled back in for a stretch, then was charged with 18 earned runs over four consecutive appearances between April 16 and May 1.
There is some good news for Tech on the bullpen front. Tadlock said the possibility of Brendan Girton pitching again this season has not been ruled out. The sophomore righthander won't pitch the rest of the regular season, but Tadlock said a return by the Big 12 tournament May 25-29 at Globe Life Field in Arlington is possible.
"He is closer," Tadlock said. "He's playing catch. He's been playing catch every day. There's a chance. We'll do what's right for Brendan. You can count on that."
Girton last pitched in a game on March 20. He made nine appearances in the first 21 games of the season, mostly in high-leverage relief. He's 3-0 with a 4.08 ERA. In 17 2/3 innings, he's struck out 18 and allowed 10 hits.
Texas Tech softball: Texas Tech obligated to $429K payout in dismissal of softball coach Sami Ward
Big 12 leader Oklahoma State (34-14, 13-5) hosts No. 8 Tech (32-16, 11-7) at 6 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
After Tech sends its season-long 1-2 of Andrew Morris (6-0, 3.44) and Brandon Birdsell (7-2, 2.07) to the mound, the Red Raiders are leaning toward going back to Chase Hampton (3-3, 5.45) as their Sunday starter this weekend, Tadlock said.
"We've talked about it," Tadlock said. "We haven't really solidified it, but kind of putting everything in place to do that."
In his most recent appearance May 1 at Baylor, Hampton pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief and limited the Bears to one run on five hits while striking out seven. He's started in nine of his 12 appearances this season.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech baseball pitcher Trendan Parish out for at least 2 weeks
