Texas Tech baseball needs these players to come up big in Omaha

LHP Dane Haveman

To win the College World Series, your bullpen must be nails.  And prior to last weekend’s Super Regional, Red Raider fans were more than confident in their relievers.  But against OSU, the Tech pen gave up seven earned runs in just 11.2 innings of work.

And only one reliever pitched in all three games; Dane Haveman.  The big lefty gave up three earned runs on three hits (with one being a homer) in just three innings of work last weekend. He has to be better in Omaha.

For the year, his numbers remain solid.  With an ERA of 2.57, he is one of the better arms in the Tech bullpen.  He’s worked 42.0 innings, the third-most of any of Tadlock’s relievers, and given up just 12 earned runs.

Expect to see plenty of Haveman in Omaha because he is essentially Tadlock’s only left-haded relief specialist.  When the Red Raiders come up against a left-handed bat in a big situation, Haveman is likely to get the call.

What’s great is that the junior from Katy has proven capable of handling a heavy work load.  Three times this year, he’s pitched on consecutive days and his best outing in the Supers came in his third-consecutive appearance as he recorded the final two outs to clinch the series against the Cowboys.

If Haveman can be a shutdown lefty out of the pen, Tech’s relief corps will be tough do deal with.  But if he is shaky like he was against OSU, it will be hard for the Red Raiders to prevail in the type of close games that we almost always see in Omaha.