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Texas Tech Baseball: 2017 Season Opens With Goal Of National Championship

By Matthew Conner

Jun 23, 2016; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Tim Tadlock (6) looks over the field after the loss to Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at the 2016 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Coastal Carolina defeated Texas Tech 7-5. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Tim Tadlock (6) looks over the field after the loss to Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at the 2016 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Coastal Carolina defeated Texas Tech 7-5. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Texas Tech baseball team opens its 2017 season today with a doubleheader versus Western Illinois and Mississippi State. Let’s look at what the Red Raiders must do to make a return trip to the College World Series.

Head coach Tim Tadlock has taken the Texas Tech baseball team to never-before-seen heights in his four seasons at the helm.  The former Red Raider shortstop led his squad to the College World Series in 2014 and 2016 marking the programs first two trips to Omaha.

However, a taste of success only makes one hungrier.  Now, after coming close claiming a national title, Tadlock has one singular focus: finish the job.

Once again, Tadlock has a talented team.  But this edition of the Red Raiders is likely to look drastically different than recent squads.

Texas Tech has been built around a powerful offense during the Tadlock era.  Last season Tech ranked second in the Big 12 in batting average and runs scored while finishing first in slugging percentage and home runs.

But much of the 2016 firepower is gone. Sluggers Eric Gutierrez, Tyler Neslony, Stephen Smith and Cory Raley have all moved on.

Their collective absence means that Texas Tech must replace 39 home runs and 213 runs batted in.  Now the offensive burden falls on Tanner Gardner and Orlando Garcia.

Gardner led the 2016 team with a .379 batting average.  Meanwhile, Garcia tallied six home runs and drove in 30 runs.

But regardless of how well the 2017 offense performs, the strength of this year’s team is on the mound.  The Texas Tech baseball team will go as far as the starting rotation will take it this year.

Fortunately, this could be the most talented collection of starters to ever suit up for the Red Raiders.  After all, the group did lead Texas Tech to Omaha last season despite being built around true freshmen.

Sophomores Davis Martin, Ty Harpenau and Steven Gingery compose one of the best weekend rotations of any team in America.

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Martin was named a 2016 freshman all-American last season.  He posted a 10-1 record and had an earned-run average of 2.52.

His final win of the year came in the College World Series against Florida.  It was the program’s first ever win in Omaha.

Gingery was also named a freshman all-American.  The lefty went 4-2 with a 3.18 E.R.A. in his debut season.

Furthermore, the pitching staff should be bolstered by the return of a Big 12 veteran.  Junior hurler Dylan Dusek will return to the diamond after missing last season due to Tommy John surgery.

In his career, Dusek has made 21 starts.  He has compiled a 10-2 record with a 2.52 E.R.A with the Red Raiders.

Dusek will begin in the bullpen as he works himself back into form.  However, by the time Big 12 play heats up, he could emerge as another strong option for the starting rotation should one of the young starters struggle.

Regardless of where Duesk fits in, the Red Raiders have a wealth of quality arms in 2017.  Those arms will be tested by a schedule that is ranked by some as the toughest in the country.

Texas Tech will face three teams that also made it to Omaha last season.  In addition to a one-game mid-week matchup with Arizona, Tech will also have to deal with 2016 CWS participants TCU and Oklahoma State.

In fact, the Horned Frogs and Cowboys are the two teams picked to finish ahead of the Red Raiders in the preseason Big 12 poll.

Luckily, both teams must travel to Lubbock this year.  Nevertheless, the road back to Omaha will be tough.

But Tadlock plans to be back for the third time in four years.  And this year, he plans on staying longer.

“Believe me, it’s not any fun leaving (Omaha) early and watching the championship series on TV or catching it in a restaurant on TV” he told the Lubbock Avalanche Journal .

Next: Basketball: 3-Star Forward Daniel Mading Commits To Tech

The Texas Tech baseball team knows it can compete with the elite programs in the nation.  In 2017, the goal for the Red Raiders is to beat the best of the best and finally reach the top of the college baseball mountain.

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