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What an end to an otherwise magnificent season for this Texas Tech baseball squad.
The morning after Tech was eliminated from College World Series contention, we’re all disappointed to find that yesterday was no bad dream. It actually happened. The season’s over.
But there’s much to be celebrated right now, and we, as Red Raiders, are a tenacious, persevering bunch. We look on the bright side of things in the tough times. No point in stopping now.
Here are five facts that may just cheer you up:
1. Tech had a much better season than it was supposed to
Remember when we lost half our lineup to the MLB draft or graduation? This team was supposed to be in a rebuilding year. Instead, Tech’s roster of freshmen and sophomores shocked everyone by dominating their way to a Big 12 title (and beating top-5 ranked TCU 21-3 in the process) and hosting yet another regional. This team is stacked with talent, and almost everyone will be back next year. I’d be surprised if the Red Raiders aren’t ranked top-5 nationally in the 2018 preseason poll.
2. Football season is only 87 days away
We’re now less than three months away from kickoff against Eastern Washington in Lubbock. I know there’s not a great deal of optimism surrounding Tech’s football program right now, but there’s a reason they play the games. As our baseball team confirmed, you can enter a season in low spirits and be shocked by how quickly the team proves its doubters wrong.
3. Tech’s track and field team is about to compete in Nationals
The Red Raiders finished the preliminary round with a grand total of 13 entries to send on to Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. There’s still a Tech team that needs fan support, so that’s on all of us.
4. Tech basketball signed a monster class
Four-star forward Zhaire Smith headlines one of the best recruiting classes in recent memory, which includes Jarrett Culver, Malik Ondigo, Hyron Edwards, Daniel Mading and Josh Webster. Chris Beard is primed for a breakout second season as Tech’s coach.
5. The worst is behind us
Look, it was a rough year for most Tech sports. I won’t get into specifics, but the only teams who really had an excellent year were baseball and women’s tennis. The basketball team was decent, and a lot of other Tech teams were hovering around mediocre. But Kirby Hocutt has put together a great group of coaches, and I think next year will be better for pretty much everyone. Let’s put this year behind us, enjoy a great summer, and come back in the fall ready to compete for Big 12 championships.