#18 Texas Tech Baseball 2017 Preview

 
 
Texas Tech Red Raiders
 
Overall Rank: #18
Conference Rank: #2 Big 12
 
Texas Tech Logo
 
Texas Tech had a superb regular season in 2016. They went 19-5 in Big 12 play and were rewarded with the number five overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Raiders did not have an easy time making it to Omaha though. In the Regional Final, Dallas Baptist nearly beat them twice to advance to the Super Regionals, but Texas Tech managed to pull off a 5-3 victory. In the Super Regional, the Red Raiders lost the opener 8-6 to East Carolina and had to endure a 13 inning victory to force a game three. They won that game easily, 11-0. In the College World Series, Texas Tech lost in the opener to TCU, eliminated top seeded Florida and were then eliminated by eventual champions Coastal Carolina.
 
2016: 47-20, 19-5
2016 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Tim Tadlock
 
Key Departed Players:
Robert Dugger, P, 2.67 ERA, 60.2 IP, 54 SO
Hayden Howard, P, 2.98 ERA, 84.2 IP, 54 SO
Eric Gutierrez, .333 BA, 13 HR, 60 RBI
Cory Raley, .323 BA, 6 HR, 53 RBI
Stephen Smith, .309 BA, 10 HR, 42 RBI
Tyler Neslony, .306 BA, 10 HR, 58 RBI
 
Key Returning Players:
Davis Martin, P, 2.52 ERA, 89.1 IP, 61 SO
Steven Gingery, P, 3.18 ERA, 68.0 IP, 63 SO
Tanner Gardner, IF/OF, .379 BA, 3 HR, 35 RBI
Michael Davis, IF, .268 BA, 3 HR, 37 RBI
Orlando Garcia, IF, .265 BA, 6 HR, 30 RBI
 
Projection:
The Red Raiders had one of the best scoring offenses in the nation last season. That will be tough to duplicate in 2017 with four key hitters gone. Eric Gutierrez hit .333 with 13 homeruns and 60 RBIs and he will be extremely difficult to replace. Losing Stephen Smith and Tyler Neslony, who each batted over .300 with ten homeruns, will not help either. And then there is Cory Raley, who added six homeruns and 53 RBIs. Tanner Gardner, Michael Davis and Orlando Garcia will have to lead the offense now. The pitching staff returns Davis Martin, Steven Gingery and Erikson Lanning. Martin went 10-1 as a freshman and should be ready to move into a starring role. Gingery and Lanning were not as productive, but both are experienced starters. The pitching staff has potential, but the offense will almost certainly take a step back. Hosting another regional is a good goal for this group, but Coach Tim Tadlock has quite a few holes to fill.
 
Projected Postseason: NCAA Baseball Tournament
 

 

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