2017 NCAA Tournament Lubbock Regional Preview

Davis Martin

SEE ALSO: NCAA Regional Preview Podcast

1. Texas Tech (43-15, 16-8 in Big 12 Conference)

12th appearance (second straight), at-large, tied for first in Big 12

Top 200 Prospects: None

Season in a Sentence: After advancing to the College World Series twice in the past three years, Texas Tech fought for a conference lead and came out on top, claiming back-to-back conference regular season titles for the first time in program history thanks to a 6-1 run in the month of May.

Player to Watch: Davis Martin, rhp. The sophomore recently returned from a bout of tendinitis that kept him off the field since late March. He didn’t have his best stuff in his lone start back against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament, but pairing him with Steven Gingery atop the rotation makes for a formidable 1-2 punch. Martin, a Freshman All-American last season, went 3-2, 3.38 with 23 strikeouts and four walks in 32 innings this season.

Best Weekend: vs. Texas Christian University, April 28-30. Texas Tech needed a series win here after losing a home series to Oklahoma State the weekend before. Nick Lodolo held the Red Raiders to just one run over eight innings on Friday night, but Tech closed out the final two games with decisive victories. The icing on the cake was a 21-3 battering on Sunday, giving Texas Tech the tiebreaker over TCU for the conference championship.

Outlook: Texas Tech’s bats have been a sensation all season long, but their pitching staff has longed for Davis Martin in his absence. With Martin back, the Red Raiders pitching staff is back to full strength, which should be the boost they need as the postseason begins.

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2. Arizona (37-19, 16-14 in Pac-12 Conference)

39th appearance (second straight), at-large, fourth in the Pac-12

Top 200 Prospects: 1B J.J. Matijevic (64), OF Jared Oliva (138)

Season in a Sentence: Arizona suffered several significant losses to the draft and graduation from last season’s CWS runner-up team, most notably of two-way star Bobby Dalbec, but numerous players also took a step forward, propelling the Wildcats back to regionals.

Player to Watch: Nick Quintana, 3b. He came into the season tabbed by many as a contender for freshman of the year. But after bursting out of the gate, Quintana’s cooled down significantly in the later months of the season, going 7-for-45 in May and enters regionals hitting .293/.395/.475 with six home runs. If he can capture that early fire again, watch out for his offensive potential.

Best Weekend: vs. Washington, May 5-7. The Wildcats showcased their tactical ability against the Huskies by mounting two impressive ninth-inning comebacks and sweeping the series. The two weekends prior, Arizona had been swept by Utah and Stanford, respectively, so this was a must-win set. Cal Stevenson and Matijevic amassed a combined 12 hits (including 3 home runs) to lead the Wildcats offense.

Outlook: Arizona jumped out to a 10-0 start, before cooling off as conference play began. While the Wildcats’ second half hasn’t been spectacular, they showed last year that they are a dangerous postseason team with coach Jay Johnson at the helm. If Arizona finds its postseason mojo again, it will be a tough out in Lubbock.

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3. Sam Houston State (40-20, 19-11 in Southland Conference)

11th appearance (second straight), automatic, third in Southland, Southland Tournament champion

Top 200 Prospects: OF Bryce Johnson (190)

Season in a Sentence: Sam Houston has been for the last several years a Southland powerhouse and consistent regional contender, and the Bearkats played up to those expectations again this spring.

Player to Watch: Bryce Johnson, of. An electric speedster at the top of the Bearkats’ lineup, Johnson’s only gotten better with age. The junior hit .350/.455/.439 this season to drive Sam Houston forward. His plus speed helps him at the plate and on the other side of the ball, where he’s the team’s center fielder.

Best Weekend: vs. McNeese State, April 28-30. Taking two out of three from the in-conference leaders is always a good sign. The Bearkats won the Friday night clash 10-9 on the back of a ninth-inning comeback and held on for a tight victory in the finale to claim the series.

Outlook: The team’s prized starter and Southland pitcher of the year, senior Heath Donica, will always keep games close. With him on the mound and Johnson in center, Sam Houston stands a chance, but will have its work cut out for it in Lubbock.

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4. Delaware (34-21, 15-9 in Colonial Athletic Association)

17th appearance (first since 2001), automatic, fourth in the CAA, CAA Tournament champion

Top 200 Prospects: None

Season in a Sentence: The Blue Hens held their own in a competitive CAA throughout their spring and then swept through the conference tournament at UNC Wilmington wo win the league for the first time since joining after the 2001 season.

Player to Watch: Jordan Glover, of: The redshirt senior has been a solid run producer for Delaware, ranking among the top ten in the CAA in batting average, slugging, home runs, and stolen bases. He enters regionals hitting .333/.421/.582 with 10 home runs and 21 stolen bases.

Best Weekend: vs. Penn State, March 18-19. Delaware swept the Big Ten Conference foe and allowed just one run in the three-game series. Their rotation combined for 21 innings and 31 strikeouts, giving up six hits. Brandon Walter highlighted the staff’s performance in the opener, striking out 17 batters and holding Penn State to one hit and one walk in eight innings.

Outlook: Delaware has won 10 of its last 11 games, even taking one from North Carolina State in Raleigh. The Blue Hens have shown the ability to rise to the occasion in the past, which they will need to do in the opener against Texas Tech.

STAT PACK (National rank in parentheses)
Team	Avg.	Runs P/G	HR	SB	ERA	K/9	WHIP	Field %
1. Texas Tech	.306 (25)	7.24 (22)	54 (64)	50 (139)	3.81 (48)	9.0 (24)	1.39 (77)	.979 (23)
2. Arizona	.308 (19)	7.86 (11)	34 (169)	47 (153)	4.29 (90)	7.7 (134)	1.45 (114)	.967 (180)
3. Sam Houston State	.307 (23)	6.83 (38)	30 (196)	93 (18)	3.51 (21)	7.9 (110)	1.27 (26)	.970 (135)
4. Delaware	.313 (14)	7.54 (16)	57 (53)	58 (95)	4.35 (99)	8.3 (67)	1.45 (115)	.967 (182)