FIGHT, RAIDERS, FIGHT! Sullivan pitcher Drake Gawer (center) has signed with Texas Tech University. He is pictured seated alongside his mother, Tara (left), and his father, Matt (right). Standing in the back row are his high school head coach, Ian Whitson (left), and assistant coach, Jordan Mehl (right). Submitted photo
DUAL THREAT. Drake Gawer plays lights out on both the mound and plate. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
GAWER POWER. Photo by Wyatt Hardy
Drake Gawer Inks With Texas Tech University
After years of dominating the mound, Drake Gawer will continue his baseball journey at Texas Tech University. He shared, “This is something I have dreamt about for a long time, so it means a lot. I plan to make our small town proud.”
Sullivan’s right-handed ace committed to the Red Raiders on Feb. 18, 2024. He can deliver a blazing fastball with a velocity range of 91.3-92.2 and a spin rate of 2430.
Before joining the Big 12 Conference, Gawer will hurl his final strikes as an Eagle this spring. He threw heat last year for Sullivan with a 2.279 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 67 strikeouts. Gawer also rocked the plate with a .417 batting average, a 1.024 on-base plus slugging percentage and 30 hits. He received first-team all-state, all-district and unanimous first-team all-conference honors.
Gawer said winning two district titles has been his favorite memory so far at Sullivan High School. He led the Eagles to their first championship in eight years and hit a walk-off RBI to clinch their second.
Gawer also reminisced about playing summer ball for the St. Louis Gamers. He loved traveling to Fort Myers and Cooperstown, practicing at Oklahoma State University, and spending “a weekend at Matt Holliday’s house.”
Gawer credited his pitching coaches, Andy Marks and Matt Whiteside, as a “huge influence” on him. He also thanked his trainer, Cullen Stockley, and his father, Matt, for preparing him for the Big 12.
Gawer plans to dive deeper into the game he loves and his other passions in Lubbock. “I’m looking forward to learning from the coaches and other players. I’m excited to continue to get better,” he stated. “I’m planning on studying to become a physical therapist. So I’m also excited about studying things I am very interested in.”
Texas Tech’s baseball team finished the 2024 season with a 33-26 record. Since 2014, the Red Raiders have appeared in four College World Series and eight NCAA Tournaments, winning five regional and three regular-season conference championships.