Big 12 Baseball Roundup: Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk!
This past weekend, Big 12 Conference play opened its gates. The race to Globe Life Field began with a bang, with the Kansas Jayhawks notching a huge series upset over the #5 TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Longhorns securing a major series win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock. Nobody is left unbeaten in the Heartland Conference and, if this weekend is any indication of the 2024 college baseball season, we're in for a wild ride.
Two teams swept their series: the Houston Cougars (over Baylor) and Oklahoma Sooners (over UCF). Let's dive into the Big 12 happenings from last weekend.
TCU, Texas Tech Drop Opening Series
It took three weeks and 13 games for #12 TCU (15-2) to lose a single game. Kansas (9-6) shut down the Horned Frogs' bats with stellar pitching from Dutton Reese and Dominic Voegele. The starters went seven and five innings, respectively, and held TCU to just five runs in the first two games. Even on Sunday, Jayhawk starter Patrick Steitz turned in four quality innings before things came unraveled in the top of the ninth.
Two genuine concerns surrounding TCU finally cost them games – arrhythmic starting pitching and poor hitting with runners in scoring position. But credit to Kansas, whose 9-6 record isn't necessarily indicative of team talent. Since dropping two of three in its opening series, KU rattled off an 8-4 record with three wins over top-30 programs.
#24 Texas Tech (13-4) received a bit of shell shock Friday night against #23 Texas (10-6) when the Longhorns posted 22 runs. It was a taste of their own medicine, as the Red Raiders have routinely tested the limits of the scoreboard early in the year.
Will Gasparino had a game worth remembering, recording five hits in six at-bats, including a grand slam, and scored four times himself. Porter Brown sent a ball into orbit on a 480-foot three-run homer, one of the longest connections on the season.
Tech rebounded with a 7-2 victory Saturday, but Texas outlasted them Sunday for a 9-7 series winner.
Taking Care Of Business
Houston – now 11-4 on the season – swept the series against Baylor. Friday's and Sunday's contests were only one-run games, with Baylor pulling within a run late in each game. Cougar pitcher Antoine Jean lead the way for a five-hit shutout of the Bears on Saturday afternoon. Baylor now sits at just 5-11 on the season.
Oklahoma (10-6) took its series sweep in a bit more convincing fashion. After a 4-3 decision Friday, the Sooners clobbered UCF (10-4) 11-3 and 14-2 the remaining two games. A glance at the record would suggest this was a stunner of a series, but as outlined in last week's roundup, UCF's record was inflated relative to team talent whereas Oklahoma was better than its record suggested.
Sophomore Easton Carmichael hit a ridiculous .775 in the series.
The West Virginia Mountaineers (10-7) took two of three from BYU (7-7) at home – including a four-hit shutout Sunday – while the Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-6) won two-of-three over Mercer.
Jumping The Shark
Or maybe the Wildcat?
Before the season began, the Kansas State Wildcats (10-6) were pegged as a top-25 team by multiple outlets and D1 Baseball said this K-State team might be its best in over a decade. The analysis wasn't incorrect – many reputable and knowledgable outlets figured the same – rather, the Wildcats are underperforming.
A series win is a series win but, for us to be really confident in Kansas State, skirting by the Cincinnati Bearcats (10-8) isn't reassuring. According to D1 Baseball's DSR ranking (an upgraded RPI+), Cincinnati ranks 159th nationally... after this series win.
The series began with a no-hitter orchestrated by starter Jacob Frost and closer Jackson Wentworth. But in the next two games, Kansas State allowed 24 runs on 29 hits (20 on Sunday alone!). It took 12 total innings for the Wildcats to avoid the home series loss.
With Missouri State (42nd in DSR), Houston (33rd), Nebraska (22nd), and Texas (13th) on tap, K-State gets no time to regroup.
Team That Impressed Me The Most
Who else but the Kansas Jayhawks? I've been bullish on KU all season long, but predicting a series win over TCU last weekend was a step too far. And, yet, Dan Fitzgerald's crew got the job done.
So far on the season, Kansas might have the Big 12's best starting rotation (and those words aren't minced). The primary concern against TCU was its bullpen. However, the Jayhawks buried that concern with a terrific performance outside the top of the ninth inning Sunday.
Outside that single half-inning, Kansas held TCU to 10 total runs.
On the other side, catcher Jake English came up with multiple clutch hits. On the season, the senior is batting .356 with six homers, just five strikeouts, and 14 drawn walks.
Notable Performances
Reese Dutton, RHP, Kansas: Dutton turned in another seven innings of work, allowed four hits, and just one run in the top of the first. He fanned eight batters and walked two. His relief support, Tegan Cain and closer Hunter Cranton, fanned the final six batters of the game to close the 3-1 victory.
Max Belyeu, OF, Texas: The air was thin in Lubbock as Belyeu smashed three home runs in a series win over Texas Tech – one each game. The sophomore drove in seven runs on seven hits. He was especially clutch Sunday with the series on the line, going 4-for-5 with three RBI.
Jacob Frost, LHP, Kansas State: The junior went seven innings in a combined no-hitter over Cincinnati with RS sophomore Jackson Wentworth. Frost only fanned four batters in the process, but he forced 17 flyouts and groundouts while only walking a pair. Wentworth fanned five-of-six batters faced to seal the deal.
Big 12 College Baseball Standings
Rankings courtesy of D1Baseball. Records accurate as of Wednesday.
1. Houston Cougars (11-4, 3-0)
2. Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-6, 1-0)
3. Oklahoma Sooners (10-6, 3-1)
T4. Kansas State Wildcats (10-6, 2-1)
T4. #23 Texas Longhorns (10-6, 2-1)
6. Kansas Jayhawks (9-6, 2-1)
7. West Virginia Mountaineers (10-7, 2-1)
8. #12 TCU Horned Frogs (15-2, 1-2)
9. #24 Texas Tech Red Raiders (13-4, 1-2)
10. Cincinnati Bearcats (10-8, 1-2)
11. BYU Cougars (7-7, 1-2)
12. UCF Knights (10-4, 0-3)
13. Baylor Bears (5-11, 0-3)
Upcoming Weekend Series
Conference Play
- Houston at BYU: Provo, UT (Thurs-Sat)
- Kansas at Cincinnati: Cincinnati, OH
- Oklahoma at #12 TCU: Fort Worth, TX
- Oklahoma State at UCF: Orlando, FL
- #23 Texas Tech at Baylor: Waco, TX
Non-Conference Play
- Kansas State vs. Missouri State: Manhattan, KS
- #23 Texas vs. Washington: Austin, TX
- West Virginia vs. Ohio State: Morgantown, WV
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