TCU Hosts Florida Gulf Coast For 2024 Opening Weekend Series
The last time we saw the TCU Horned Frogs on a baseball diamond, it was in Omaha, Nebraska. TCU came up just shy of forcing a winner-take-all game against Florida for a spot in the championship series against LSU. While disappointing, it's hard to see last season as anything but a raving success. Now, eight long months later, the Horned Frogs are back, hosting Florida Gulf Coast (FGCU) in a three-game Opening Weekend series.
OK – so maybe don't crack a window just yet, as Saturday's high is forecast to be in the mid-40s. After all, this is mid-February. Although chilly, the weather isn't expected to affect any games this series. Game 1 begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT, Game 2 on Saturday at 2:00 p.m., and Game 3 on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. All games will be played at Lupton Stadium, and can be streamed on ESPN+, or broadcast on 88.7 KTCU.
This is the first-ever meeting between TCU and FGCU (who began D-I play in 2008).
Speak Softly And Carry A Big Stick
While this series against FGCU doesn't hold the same weight as an upcoming non-league series against No. 22 UCLA, the Eagles aren't a team to overlook. D1 Baseball selected FGCU to finish third in the ASUN, and they finished 59th in RPI a season ago (out of over 300 D-I programs). They came away with a staggering 42 wins but came up short in their conference tournament and missed getting a bid.
The key to their success? A lineup jampacked with studs at the plate. FGCU led the nation in runs per game, home runs per game, and slugging.
Four of their top six home run hitters departed this season, so there's a lot that needs to be made up in 2024. Harrison Povey returns 19 home runs (.303 average), and Jacob Lojewski returns 18 (.290). So while the density of proven hitters is less than in 2023, FGCU's lineup still threatens power.
A new face gets the Opening Night start Friday, Florida transfer Anthony Ursitti. At 6-foot-7, Ursitti is as physically imposing a pitcher as TCU will see on the season. He throws a fastball peaking at around 93 mph and counters with a strong curveball. Povey and Lojewski are both two-way players who, in addition to nearly touching 20 homers, may see time on the mound.
Another new face suits up Saturday in Justin Henschel. The sophomore won six games last season and allowed a 5.76 ERA. Henschel did fan 56 batters in 65.2 innings but also allowed a team-high 83 hits.
FGCU has not formally announced Sunday's starter.
Setting The Tone
There's a lot of deserved praise to give this FGCU team. They have a lot of pop at the plate. But the bottom line is, TCU is heavily favored and rightfully so. The Frogs should take care of business and dropping any of these three games could be a costly mistake.
Wichita transfer Payton Tolle gets the Friday nod. It marks his first official action in Fort Worth, but perhaps his most exciting stuff won't come Friday night. Tolle is a two-way player who hit 13 homers with the Shockers as well as started 15 games as a pitcher in 2023. He recorded a 9-3 record and posted a respectable 4.62 ERA.
Ace Kole Klecker moves off his Friday slot from last year into a Saturday starter. As a freshman, Klecker immediately burst onto the scene, winning 10 games (most on the team) and posting a 3.72 ERA. He nearly struck out more batters (72) than he allowed hits (78). Of course, expectations – and excitement – run high for the sophomore.
Arkansas transfer Zack Morris will start Sunday's Game 3. As a Razorback, Morris struggled. Although he was named a team captain, he was peppered for a 7.61 ERA and went just 1-4. According to D1 Baseball's fall report on the Frogs, Morris made enormous strides since transferring and earned his Sunday spot among a very talented group of arms.
Fight Fire With Fire
Like a good scorer in basketball, FGCU's power hitters are going to have opportunities to get theirs. It's unreasonable to expect each starter to pitch a shutout. So, in order to keep up, TCU is going to need some run assistance.
The Eagles' pitching staff is its biggest question mark coming into the season. Lojewski made four starts as an opener and allowed an 8.38 ERA. He allowed 14 hits, nine earned runs, and struck out just four batters in 9.2 innings. Henschel allowed a high volume of hits, but also managed to find ways to win games.
That sets up opportunities for hitters like Tolle, Kurtis Byrne, and Peyton Chatagnier to get in a rhythm early in the season. Those three are the lone TCU Horned Frogs to return 10+ home runs from a season ago, although only Byrne did it wearing purple.
Rather than swing for the fences, TCU will likely lean into small ball, allowing strong contact hitting and savvy base running by players like Anthony Silva and Karson Bowen to score runs. Dragging out innings – particularly early on with openers – will exhaust a thin FGCU pitching staff. It wouldn't be surprising to see at least one outing where the Frogs score 15+ runs.
Player To Watch: Payton Tolle
It'll be hard to miss him. At 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, Tolle is an imposing figure both on the mound and at the plate. On Saturday and Sunday, expect him to gear up as a DH, perhaps in the four spot when not pitching (a spot suggested to be Chatagnier's on Friday). If he hits below cleanup, Tolle provides the lineup with another power opportunity later on.
Perhaps most interesting will be throughout the season to see how Tolle transitions to a much tougher league.
Either way, he brings abundant excitement to a lineup in need of new bats.
How To Watch TCU Vs. FGCU
When: Friday, Feb. 16, 6:30 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 17, 2:00 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 18, 12:30 p.m.
Where: Lupton Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
TV/Streaming: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: KTCU 88.7 FM
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