Why Texas Tech softball added more games to back end of schedule

Not many teams chasing a national championship are going to add road games at mid-major foes this late in the regular season, but that's exactly what the Texas Tech softball team is doing. The second-ranked Red Raiders (35-2) added a pair of games to the tail end of the schedule, now slated to visit UTSA on April 14 and Texas State on April 15. These games will be the end of a six-game-in-six-days part of the schedule for Texas Tech, which has a road series at Utah April 10-12 and another road game at Utah State on April 13.

Sounds like an unnecessary change to the schedule for a team looking to be stronger by the time the postseason arrives. However, for head coach Gerry Glasco, that's exactly what these games are intended to do. "I want that test," Glasco said.

"I want my kids to really be road warriors. I want to be a team that's mentally tough and that's been through all the challenges that travel presents and then matching up with six different pitchers in six days is going to be really interesting and I think it'll also get us in a really good rhythm going into the last couple weeks of the season. " Part of the reason for adding the games, Glasco said, is that the games at Stetson and Florida State had to be canceled due to travel difficulties.

Texas Tech also has its open date in the Big 12 schedule after Utah, allowing for a few games during the week to fill in the gaps. Glasco said his team is currently in a good rhythm after earning their 10th win in a row, downing Abilene Christian 9-1 on the road on Tuesday and heading into the three-game series with BYU on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Tracy Sellers Field. There is an issue at play with all those dominant victories.