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Texas Tech baseball: Newcomers steal the show on opening weekend

By Matthew Conner

CORAL GABLES, FL - MAY 30: Head coach Tim Tadlock #6 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders looks on as the Columbia Lions take fielding and batting practice prior to the start of the Coral Gables Regional at the NCAA Baseball Tournament on May 30, 2014 at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
CORAL GABLES, FL - MAY 30: Head coach Tim Tadlock #6 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders looks on as the Columbia Lions take fielding and batting practice prior to the start of the Coral Gables Regional at the NCAA Baseball Tournament on May 30, 2014 at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /
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Transfer Cal Conley seems to have locked down the shortstop position

Playing next to Jung on the left side of the Red Raider infield is another new face, Miami transfer Cal Conley.  After sitting out last year per NCAA rules, the Ohio native made up for lost time.

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Going 7-16 (.412) over the weekend, he launched a pair of homers as he drove in seven runs in total.  What’s more, he was 2-2 on stolen base attempts.

It was Conley who drove in the first run of the year with a fielder’s choice against HBU on Friday to break a scoreless tie in the fifth inning.  But that day, he was 0-4 at the plate.

In Saturday’s first game, he was 1-3 with a solo shot and that seemed to get him untracked.  In the second game, he was 5-6 with another big fly and three RBI.  Sunday, he went 1-4 with two more RBI to wrap up his weekend.

But while his efforts at the plate were important, Red Raider fans were also excited to see Conley in the field given his reputation as a silky smooth defender.  He didn’t disappoint.

After 11 chances in the field, he has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.  Given the fact that Tech struggled early last year with defense at short before moving Josh Jung over from third in the middle of the season, it’s encouraging to see that we likely don’t have to worry about those early-season concerns repeating this year.

Next. Previewing the Texas Tech 2020 baseball season. dark

Conley is eligible for the MLB Draft after this season despite being just a redshirt freshman because of the odd rules that allow players of a certain age to be drafted following their second year of college baseball.  Thus, there’s a chance that this could be the only year Conley spends in Lubbock and if that’s the case, he seems ready to make the most of it.

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