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Larry Hays isn't one who will enjoy a farewell tour. Texas Tech's legendary baseball coach hates it when people make a fuss about him. But we now know that next season will probably be his last with the Red Raiders.

Hays announced earlier this week that pitching coach Dan Spencer was named head coach designate. Though Hays didn't say when he will retire, he was emphatic about finishing out his current contract, which runs out after the 2009 season.

This plan has been in the works for a year.

Spencer was lured away from Oregon State last July specifically to be Hays' successor. And it made perfect sense, too. Spencer is a former Red Raider who became one of the nation's hottest assistants. By getting Spencer on staff now, Tech assured itself of a smooth transition.

"During the [hiring] process, he said he really wanted to be a head coach someday," said Hays, 63. "After the process, I told him I don't know when I'm going to quit. I wish I could tell you when. Or, I don't know when somebody might quit me. But when that happens, I'll do everything I can to help you get the job."

What should energize Tech fans is that Spencer's wheels are already turning about what changes need to be made. He was on a recruiting trip in Denver on Tuesday, the day Hays made the announcement.

Spencer, 42, can essentially eat his own cooking when he takes over in 2010. By using the next year to recruit as an assistant, Spencer can build his own team from the ground up. Talk about an incredible setup.

"We've got to get better everywhere," Spencer said. "We need more left-handed arms, more left-handed bats. We are very one-dimensional offensively as far as being right-handed. We need to get faster, because speed hurts defensively, especially in a big park like ours.

"We have to get better players and get younger."

The Red Raiders won the first Big 12 baseball title in 1997. They've been in a slow, steady decline since 2004. Tech (21-25, 6-15 Big 12) is in ninth place heading into an off weekend.

Kasparek's no-hitter: Texas coach Augie Garrido moved Kenn Kasparek to midweek games so the right-hander could find his groove again. Looks like it worked. He threw the 20th no-hitter in school history in an 11-0 win over Texas State on Tuesday at Disch-Falk Field.

Kasparek threw a first-pitch ball to 18 of the 27 batters, but he ended up with nine strikeouts. The last two batters struck out looking. It's the pick-me-up UT (27-18, 10-11) needed heading into a weekend series against Baylor (27-20, 9-12).

"To put no hits up on the board is very special to me," Kasparek said. "It was amazing, and my teammates are a great group of guys. I wouldn't trade them for the world, so I know tonight will be very special."