Texas Tech Baseball Players Among Nation's Best Defenders
October 07, 1999 | Baseball
Oct. 7, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - Four Texas Tech baseball players were selected to Collegiate Baseball's Easton Redline Defensive Player of the Award runner-up honors. The four Red Raiders earning runner-up honors included All America catcher Josh Bard, shortstop Lance Woodcock, second baseman Scott Holzhauer and outfielder Ryan Ruiz.
Texas Tech had four of the 12 players mentioned on the team as Nebraska first baseman Ken Harvey was named the 1999 NCAA Division I Easton Redline Defensive Player of the Year. As a team, Texas Tech led the Big 12 Conference and finished the season ranked third in the nation in fielding at a .971 clip.
Holzhauer and Woodcock provided the Red Raiders with an outstanding middle infield combination in 1999 as the duo fielded at .987 and .960 percentages respectively. Holzhauer's .987 fielding percentage (only three errors on the season) was the best fielding for a second baseman in the 1990's while Woodcock's .960 percentage was the second-best in the decade for a shortstop.
Bard threw out 11 baserunners on the season and made only three errors. Ruiz provided some of the most spectacular defensive plays in the history of Red Raider baseball as the 1999 senior would do anything to catch a fly ball- even dive head-first into the centerfield wall.
Collegiate Baseball also ranked the 1999 incoming recruiting classes. Texas Tech ranked 28th in the nation on a point system rewarding All American, All-State, All Conference and Players of the Year recognition. Points were also awarded to drafted players and top pitcher who elected not to sign. Southern California was ranked the No. 1 recruiting class.
--TTU--