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Texas Tech Baseball Shuts Out Sam Houston 6-0

By Matthew Conner

Jun 19, 2016; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders pitcher Steven Gingery (47) pitches against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second inning in the 2016 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 19, 2016; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders pitcher Steven Gingery (47) pitches against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second inning in the 2016 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Texas Tech baseball team is one win away from advancing to the Super Regionals after shutting out Sam Houston State 6-0 on Saturday.

When facing a substantial underdog, it is always best for the favorited team to strike early and assert its dominance from the outset.  That is exactly what the Texas Tech baseball team did en-route to a 6-0 win over Sam Houston State last night.

The victory moved the Red Raiders into position to wrap up the Lubbock regional with one more victory.  They will next face the winner of this afternoon’s elimination game between SHSU and Arizona.  Texas Tech will try to wrap up their second-consecutive trip to the Super Regional round tonight at 6 CST.

In the top of the first inning, Tech struck twice via a two-run homer from Tanner Gardner.  That would be all the scoring the Red Raiders would need thanks to starting pitcher Steven Gingery.

Gingery tossed six shutout innings while yielding just two hits and striking out eight.  The win moved him to 10-1 on the season.

The offense made sure that Sam Houston knew a comeback was not in the cards.  In the third, Ryan Long added a solo homer while Gardner mashed another long ball in the fifth.  Gardner ended the night with three hits, four RBI and two runs scored.

An RBI double from catcher Michael Berglund later in the sixth would round out the scoring for the evening.  Berglund was also a weapon behind the plate throwing out two would-be base stealers.

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An added benefit of Gingery’s efficient performance is that it helped save a bullpen that used four pitchers in Friday night’s win over Delaware.  A weather delay cut short Davis Martin’s start after just 1.1 innings forcing Tim Tadlock to use his bullpen for 7.2 innings in the regional’s opening game.

Last night, only two relievers, Jose Quezada and Dylan Dusek were used meaning the Red Raiders will have a rested pitching staff headed into tonight’s contest.

Keep in mind, Tech’s opponent tonight will be playing the second game of a double-header giving the Red Raiders a huge tactical advantage.  Saturday’s win not only means that Texas Tech will only play once on Sunday, it also gives the Red Raiders two opportunities to advance.

That is reassuring for Red Raider fans given that Tech has lost two games in a row only once this season.  Furthermore, Tadlock’s team has only lost five total games at home this year.

Next: Tech Tops Delaware 5-2 To Open NCAA Tournament

After exiting last weekend’s Big 12 Tournament after three games, the Red Raiders seem to be firing on all cylinders.  The victory over Sam Houston, which knocked off No. 2 seed Arizona by scoring five runs against the Wildcat’s ace JC Cloney, was as complete and convincing as a postseason game could be.  One more like that and the Red Raiders will move on to the Super Regionals for the third time in four years.

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