TCU Opens Big 12 Baseball Slate With Kansas
Back when I previewed TCU baseball in January, I mentioned how imperative it was for the Horned Frogs to enter Big 12 play with two or fewer losses. At 13-0, TCU exceeded that expectation, even if a few of those games took a bit of fight and, frankly, luck. But that part of the season is over. It's time to get serious as league play starts up. First up for TCU, the Kansas Jayhawks (7-4).
It's also the first time TCU leaves the DFW Metroplex this year. Each of its first 13 games came at Lupton Stadium or down the road at Globe Life Field. Now, the Frogs hit the road for Lawrence and Hoglund Park. It's the meat of an eight-game home stand for Kansas.
As a reminder to fans: last year's Omaha squad went just 13-11 in Big 12 play. The punches are coming – they just haven't landed yet.
#5 TCU Opens Big 12 Play Against Kansas
Kansas was a team outlined by many to be a quiet contender in the Big 12 this year. While expecting them to win the league title is a bit too ambitious, the Jayhawks will certainly end the year with far more wins than what's expected of them. Beyond this series, they face the six of the seven projected bottom teams in the conference, with the lone exception being Kansas itself.
But for as lenient a schedule as KU draws, they open it with a bang.
The three weekend starters for the Jayhawks have been lights out. None of the crew has an ERA over 2.50 with Sunday starter Patrick Steitz leading the way (.61 ERA). All seven of his runs allowed this season came in 3.2 innings against Kentucky; outside of that, he's thrown 11 scoreless innings.
Senior Reese Dutton (2-1, 2.40 ERA) takes the mound Friday to presumably square off against Payton Tolle (1-0, 6.57). RHP Dominic Voegele (1-0, 1.80) likely starts Saturday against Kole Klecker (0-0, 4.05). The freshman leads the team in total runs allowed with just five in 15 innings of work. Steitz cleans up Sunday, likely against Ben Hampton (0-0, 6.23) as Zack Morris suffered an injury after taking a ball to the face last weekend.
Starting pitching is the strength of this KU team. Each starter has shown the ability to work seven or more innings. If TCU can dig into the bullpen, they'll put runs on the board. The arm talent burns up pretty quickly.
Key To A TCU Victory
Pitching from some of the top names on the team like Klecker, Tolle, and Ben Abeldt (4.05) has been inconsistent. Klecker has yet to post a quality start or record a win while Tolle allows too much power on contacted balls. Abeldt has been spectacular as many times as he's given leads away. Naturally, finding a pitching rhythm takes time.
There could be worse weekends to iron out pitching wrinkles than this one.
Kansas has two real dangerous hitters: outfielder Lenny Ashby (.429 average, four homers) and catcher Jake English (.394, six homers). The rest of the lineup is serviceable, but hitting is a weak point for this Jayhawk team. They've scored 10 runs in just one game outside of a four-game series with Texas Southern, who's allowed the second-most runs in the country.
TCU's offense hasn't been a problem this year. But they have to take advantage of rock-solid starters to stay ahead in this series.
Giving The Scoreboard A Workout
In all the ways there are to score in baseball, TCU excels at all of them. Peyton Chatagnier himself manages to touch on nearly all of those. Brody Green was a player that's sat behind all-world talent for a couple years and now he leads the team in batting (.474!). In 21 plate appearances, Green has only struck out three times and knocked a home run. Though he's rotated with Ryder Robinson at third, Green has turned into a true asset in the lineup.
Of course, Chase Brunson has been a focal point in the early season. The true freshman is batting .395 and slugged three homers through 12 games. He had big shoes to fill in centerfield after Elijah Nunez departed and, Brunson appears to have cemented himself as the full-time starter.
Logan Maxwell leads batters with at least 30 plate appearances in batting, posting .410 through 50 plate appearances. Part of the secret? His excellent vision. Maxwell drew 10 walks and connected on 16 hits, both second-best on the team through 12 games.
Tolle and Luke Boyers are working through less-than-stellar batting, posting .235 and .257 at the plate, respectively. But Tolle provides some of the most power in the lineup, already sending two balls over the fence, and Boyers has a home run of his own. Considering these two are at the bottom of the batting stats, TCU could be doing much worse.
To this point, TCU and Kansas have scored exactly the same number of runs per game (8.5), although the Horned Frogs have played the better competition defensively.
Player To Watch
Transfer Peyton Chatagnier has been nothing short of spectacular. The grad student has three home runs, two doubles, 15 hits, 15 walks drawn, and (perhaps most impressive), a pair of triples on the season.
On the bases, Chatagnier is a menace. He leads the team with seven steals, matching his total of just seven strikeouts. We've already seen teams opt to put Chatagnier on base intentionally in critical situations and risk his advancing rather than let him get a crack at extra bases with his bat.
As the leadoff man, he has the opportunity to provide a spark against Kansas' stingy pitchers. Chatagnier was not in Tuesday's lineup, though it appears Kirk Saarloos was giving him an opportunity to rest, already having taken 65 plate appearances in just 12 games.
How To Watch TCU Vs. Kansas
When: Friday, Mar. 8, 5:00 p.m. | Saturday, Mar. 9, 2:00 p.m. | Sunday, Mar. 10, 12:00 p.m.
Where: Hoglund Ballpark (Lawrence, KS)
TV/Streaming: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: KTCU 88.7 FM
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