Story by
Texas Tech’s Gavin Kash, Kevin Bazzell named first-team All-Big 12 selections
- Story by
- Texas Tech’s Gavin Kash, Kevin Bazzell named first-team All-Big 12 selections
Kevin Bazzell and Gavin Kash were honored after strong regular season performances.
On Tuesday, Bazzell and Kash were both named first-team All-Big 12 selections, highlighting a group of Red Raiders included as part of the annual postseason baseball awards.
Advertisement
The Big 12 all-conference teams are selected in a vote of the league's head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.
Bazzell finished the 56-game regular season with the second-most hits (81) in the Big 12, trailing only Big 12 Player of the Year J.J. Wetherholt of West Virginia . Bazzell, a freshman, led the league in doubles (23), tied for the third-most RBIs (58) and held the fourth-best batting average (.367) in the league. Bazzell started 53 games at third base and twice at catcher.
Texas Tech's infielder Gavin Kash (13) reacts to scoring a run against Abilene Christian in their midweek baseball series, Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.
Kash, a unanimous selection and sophomore, concluded his regular season leading the Big 12 in home runs (23), RBIs (79) and total bases (167). The Texas transfer owned the second-best slugging percentage (.729), owned the third-most hits (80) and tied for the third-most runs scored (62) in the conference. Kash started all 56 regular season games at first base.
Advertisement
Senior Nolen Hester and sophomore pitcher Mason Molina were each tabbed to the All-Big 12 second team. The Red Raiders' leadoff hitter and everyday left fielder led the Big 12 in on-base percentage (.527) and tied for the league's most walks drawn (54). Meanwhile, on the mound, Molina recorded the second-most strikeouts (92) in the Big 12 and led the league in striking out batters looking (33).
Junior Brandon Beckel, freshman Gage Harrelson and catcher Hudson White each received All-Big 12 honorable mention nods for their respective seasons.
The Big 12 All-Freshman team included Red Raiders' Bazzell, a unanimous selection, as well as Harrelson.
2023 ALL-BIG 12 BASEBALL
Advertisement
All-Freshman Team
Men's basketball
Eemeli Yalaho is officially a Red Raider after signing his National Letter of Intent. A 6-foot-8 forward from Finland, Yalaho spent last year at Western Reserve Academy in Ohio for his senior season of high school.
"We are really excited to add Eemeli to our signing class," Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said in a news release. "He is extremely skilled and has an intelligent feel for the game. We can't wait to get him here to Lubbock this summer."
Yalaho is coming off a season at Western Reserve Academy (Hudson, Ohio) where he averaged 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He scored a season-high 28 points in a game against Spire National where he also had 12 rebounds. He scored in double figures in 17 games and over 20 in six throughout the 23-game season. He finished the season shooting 42.9 percent on 3-pointers and made at least two 3-pointers in 15 games.
Advertisement
A Jyväskylä, Finland native, Yalaho played for the Finish U18 National Team where he helped it win the bronze at the FIBA U18 Division B. He averaged 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, including going for 12 points against Denmark and 10 points in a win over Iceland.
Yalaho chose Texas Tech over other offers that include his final three of Providence and Nebraska .
He is the fourth signee for McCasland, following Warren Washington (Arizona State), Chance McMillian (Grand Canyon) and Darrion Williams ( Nevada ). The first three signees were transfers who all played for NCAA Tournament teams last season.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech's Gavin Kash, Kevin Bazzell named first-team All-Big 12 selections
