The Morning Stake | 2018.04.04

The Morning Stake is brought to you by DiamondStuds4Less.com. Enter promotional code RedRaider15 for 15% off your diamond jewelry purchase, including custom orders.

Texas Tech Volleyball

Texas Tech Golf

Texas Tech Baseball

Texas Tech 2, New Mexico State 1. Zach Rheams walks it off in the bottom of the 9th inning to win this mid-week game (Recap | Box Score). No runs were scored in the first 3 innings and NMSU got on the board in the 4th inning. Texas Tech would score in the 7th inning off of a Zayne Willems single that pushed Cam Warren home and Zach Rheams would homer in the 9th inning and it would be game over. Ryan Sublette got the start, going 3.2 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 run and striking out 1. This was a bullpen game as Caleb Freeman (1.1 innings, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts), John Henry Gonzalez (2.1 innings, 2 strikeouts), Ty Harpenau (0.2 innings, 1 walk, 1 strikeout) and Kurt Wilson (1.0 inning, 2 strikeouts). Wilson got the win

Texas Tech Basketball

Buy your very own Staking The Plains t-shirt at the Staking The Plains Threadless Shop. Click on that danged shirt (or the link).

Myers to Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Waco Tribune’s Krista Pirtle (yes, the same one that used to work for the AJ) writes about Gerald Myers being inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday:

Growing up in Borger, Texas, nearly 180 miles to the north of Lubbock, Myers knew he wanted to go to Texas Tech, as was the case with most of his classmates. But looking back at that decision now, it’s something that Myers could have never planned out for his life.

And as he prepares to be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, Myers sure is grateful for Texas Tech University.

“It just sort of happened,” Myers said. “To be able to be here as a player, then as a coach and then as the athletic director, it’s been a great career to be able to do all of that at Texas Tech.”

Final Top 25. Your Texas Tech Red Raiders finished 6th in USA Today’s Coaches Poll, which is the highest finish for this team ever. We sorta discussed in the comments yesterday that I wasn’t sure that Texas Tech would be a top 25 team next year. maybe they’ll turn into one, but replacing Keenan Evans is a huge deal, one that shouldn’t be overlooked. It will be interesting to see how things shake out as we finish up the recruiting process.

Miscellaneous. Heartland College Sports’ Matthew Postins has his Texas Tech season review and the only thing that I’d add, one that I think a lot of people are forgetting is that CJ is here on campus and will be eligible in December. If you wanted to think about a guy that could be partially responsible for replacing Keenan, I think it starts with Roberts and seeing what he can do . . .

Texas Tech Football

Suspensions Lifted. There’s no official video, this is from Baillie Burmaster, but head coach Kliff Kingsbury said that the suspensions for Jett Duffey, Quan Shorts, Christian Taylor and Desmon Smith have all been lifted and they are back practicing. Smith did not practice with an injury, but as a lot of you pointed out when the news broke, Smith was the one bitten by the dog so that may be why he’s out. Kingsbury had said when they were all suspended that he would let the legal process play out and I kinda thought that was a bunch of smoke to give himself some time. I think this is the right outcome. Kingsbury also said that he isn’t sure if these players will play in the Frisco scrimmage, but I hope that they will.

Pancotti’s Opportunity. A-J Media’s Don Williams writes about OL Giovanni Pancotti, who is now inside at left guard:

“I think I’ve handled it really well,” Pancotti said. “I like banging around inside and pulling for plays. It’s kind of helped out also in pass (protection), because I’m able to have two people beside me to help me out. I think guard is where I’m going to play in the future, and I’m really enjoying it so far.”

One of the curiosities this spring is the Red Raiders return all five offensive-line starters, but Kingsbury has made it sound as if left guard Madison Akamnonu’s job is not secure. In addition to Akamnonu, Pancotti, senior Jacob Hines and redshirt freshman Dawson Deaton have all gotten work at that position.

“We’re trying to find the best answer,” Kingsbury said. “We feel like it’s a spot that last year we had some productivity, but we’ve got to get better, so we’ve challenged that whole group to see who wants it, who steps up.”

Back To Top