Cowtown Ropers: TCU Horned Frogs Look To Wrangle Texas Longhorns

With opportunities running out to salvage a disappointing season, the TCU Horned Frogs hit the road for Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns.

The TCU Horned Frogs (21-13, 7-11 Big 12) are running out of time. Last weekend likely saved the trajectory of the 2024 baseball team after a 2-1 series win over Texas Tech kept TCU from falling too far down the Big 12 standings. But the road doesn't get easier. TCU heads to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns (22-16, 9-6) for a three-game series monumental to both sides.

For the Frogs and 'Horns, this will be their last series as Big 12 conference foes. The regional rivalry boosts this series with a little extra intrigue, as does the desperation coming from both camps of underperforming baseball teams. For TCU, a series sweep pushes them to the brink of even making the Big 12 Championship field. A series sweep for Texas amplifies already-loud cries for new leadership atop the program. The stakes are high.

TCU at Texas begins Friday night at 6:30 p.m. CT. Saturday's Game 2 kicks at 6:00 p.m., and Sunday's finale at 1:00 p.m. This will be a largely-national broadcast, with Game 1 on ESPNU, Game 2 on ESPN2, and Game 3 on the Longhorn Network. As always, listen to the game on 88.7 FM KTCU or see it for yourself at Disch-Falk Field in Austin.

The Weight of Expectation

When you sit 11th in the Big 12 standings, every weekend series is monumental. But this one seems to carry just a little more weight – not only are these two teams strong regional rivals (particularly on the diamond), but both teams are at a level of desperation after failing to meet high expectations. Although TCU's fallen further short of national expectations, Texas fans feel the team's fallen even shorter of their personal ones.

But should the season end today, Texas would be the fourth seed in the Big 12 Championship, whereas TCU would be out of the field entirely. Only the top 10 teams make the tournament.

Calls to replace head coach David Pierce grew louder Tuesday night after Texas was walloped by UTRGV (No. 142 in DSR), 17-9. That loss came ten days after the Longhorns dropped two of three to BYU (No. 120), continuing a slide of five losses in nine games.

From the outside, the gripes over Pierce are unfounded. Since taking over the storied program in 2017, Pierce led UT to three College World Series appearances and another Super Regional, missing the postseason just once (2019). While 2024 hasn't yet met lofty expectations – although with an impending move to the notably more difficult SEC inbound – leadership change seems far from a measured response.

Fans in purple across the way found themselves almost exactly in this situation last year. TCU finished the 2023 season just 13-11 in Big 12 play before finishing fourth nationally in Omaha.

Jekyll And Horns

Previewing this series was a more difficult task than usual, considering Texas had to be reviewed in two ways: one for each team that may show its face this weekend. On one hand, you have the aggressive power hitting Texas team that hung 21 runs on Kansas State and 22 on Texas Tech earlier this season. On the other, you have a Longhorns team incapable of breaking five runs against BYU (97th in team ERA).

Power exists throughout the entire lineup. Star Jailin Flores leads the Big 12 in home runs (14) and bats .358 on the season. Sophomores Max Belyeu (12) and Jared Thomas (11) also crack the top-five in homers, while a familiar face, Porter Brown, has seven dingers of his own, batting ninth in the order.

Last weekend, TCU expected to face a juggernaut offense in Texas Tech. But the Red Raiders struggle massively to generate any scoring in-league. That's not the case with Texas.

The duality continues on the mound. At times, the talented pitching staff looks like the conference's best. At others, they allow 23 runs in two games (Kansas State). But have no doubt about it, the talent is there.

Pitching Matchups

The name to know in burnt orange is Lebarron Johnson Jr. The redshirt junior is a decorated arm who earned second team All-American honors last season. However, this year has been a disappointment, as Johnson Jr. is just 1-3 with a 5.57 ERA. He struggled with command in his last outing, walking four batters and throwing two wild pitches while allowing five hits and three runs.

Sophomore Max Grubbs (4-2, 3.73 ERA) turned in two dismal starts his last two times out, allowing ten combined runs between Houston and BYU. Outside those two starts, however, the righty allowed more than one run just once, a two-run outing back in February. Grubbs moved from a relief role into a starter last month.

Two-way pitcher Ace Whitehead (3-0, 3.86) started on the mound last Saturday, his fourth start of the season. The junior was also pulled from the bullpen last month during a rotation-wide reshuffle.

Those three pitchers can be expected again this weekend – Grubbs on Friday, Whitehead on Saturday, and Johnson Jr. on Sunday – barring another shakeup.

TCU will almost certainly start Peyton Tolle (3-3, 3.91) and Louis Rodriguez (3-1, 3.18) in the first two games. Last Sunday, freshman Mason Bixby (3.21) took the bump first before giving way to Ben Hampton (1-1, 7.11) in the latest shakeup to the pitching staff. The experiment worked, as Bixby allowed all three runs in 3.1 IP, and the staff – Hampton, Zach Cawyer, and Caedmon Parker – shut the Red Raiders out the rest of the way.

Player To Watch

More and more college teams opt to utilize an "opener," a pitcher designed to come in for a couple short innings, throw fastballs, and get the staff in a rhythm. It's the opposite of a closer and has proven to be an effective way, not just to get ahead in ballgames, but to correct struggling veteran starters. Mason Bixby could be that opener.

The freshman can consistently hit his fastball in the upper 90s, even breaching 100 mph. Although he gave up five hits and three runs in 3.1 IP on Sunday, Bixby also fanned six batters. Hampton, the veteran West Virginia transfer, looked much more comfortable following Bixby up, holding Tech to two scoreless innings.

Perhaps sticking the flamethrower in as a brief spark to the pitching corps could inject newfound confidence in arms in dire need of it – be it Hampton or struggling Kole Klecker (0-2, 6.47). With plenty of years ahead in Fort Worth, Mason Bixby is a name worth remembering.

How To Watch TCU Vs. Texas Tech

When: Apr. 19, 6:30 p.m. | Apr. 20, 6:00 p.m. | Apr. 21, 1:00 p.m.

Where: Disch-Falk Field (Austin, TX)

TV/Streaming: ESPNU (Friday), ESPN2 (Saturday), Longhorn Network (Sunday)

Radio: KTCU 88.7 FM

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