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GoFrogs: TCU Heads To Oklahoma State
No. 4 TCU (27-8, 9-3 Big 12) vs. Oklahoma State (23-13, 7-5 Big 12)
Date | Time | TVÂ Â Friday, April 22; 6 p.m. (FCS) | Saturday, April 23; 3 p.m. (FSSW+) | Sunday, April 24; 1 p.m. (FCS)
Location Allie P. Reynolds Stadium (Stillwater, Okla.)
Radio Listing KTCU 88.7 FM
Live Audio Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Radio Talent Chuck LaMendola
Live Video Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Live Stats Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Game Notes TCU Game Notes
FORT WORTH – TCU hits the road for a key Big 12 series at Oklahoma State beginning Friday night at 6 p.m. All three games will be televised. Friday and Sunday’s contests are slated for FCS while Saturday’s game will be on FSSW+.
TCU NOTABLES
• TCU picked up its second Big 12 sweep of the season, defeating Oklahoma to improve to 9-3 in league play.
• In Saturday’s series finale, TCU notched its seventh shutout of the year. It’s TCU’s 31st shutout over the last three years, tops in the NCAA.
• TCU outscored Oklahoma 25-5 over the weekend.
• TCU is one of two Big 12 schools (Oklahoma State) with a sub-3.00 ERA. Its 2.95 ERA is 15th nationally.
• In game two against the Sooners, TCU notched its fourth run-rule victory of the season.
• TCU is ranked 25th in the latest edition of the RPI.
• TCU is 14th nationally in batting average and slugging percentage (.316/.488) and 10th in on-base percentage (.414).
• Evan Skoug was named Big 12 Player of the Week after hitting .600 for the week with six RBIs.
• Austen Wade hit his first career home run on Saturday, the eighth player to hit a home run this season.
• Dalton Horton improved to 6-0 on the season. TCU is 7-0 in games he starts this year.
OKLAHOMA STATE NOTABLES
• Oklahoma State snapped a four-game losing streak with a sweep at Baylor this past weekend.
• The Cowboys are 5-5 in their last 10 games after defeating Oklahoma on Wednesday night.
• Oklahoma State has lost its last four home games, getting swept by Texas Tech and losing a midweek game to Oral Roberts.
• Oklahoma State boasts the Big 12’s top ERA at 2.80, led by Tyler Buffett’s Big12-leading 1.65 ERA.
• Buffett has made a team-high 21 appearances and ranks second in the Big 12 with six saves.
• On the offensive side, the Cowboys are last in the Big 12 with a .245 batting average.
• Donnie Walton paces the team offensively with a .339 average.
• Dustin Williams is the power threat, tied for the Big 12 lead with eight home runs.
SERIES HISTORY
• TCU and Oklahoma State will be meeting on the diamond for the 37th time.
• TCU dropped a 2-1 series decision to Oklahoma State at Lupton Stadium in 2015.
• TCU owns a slim 19-17 series lead.
• Since joining the Big 12, Oklahoma State holds a 5-4 series lead. The Cowboys have won two of the three series (2014, 2015).
• The Horned Frogs are 11-9 against the Cowboys since Jim Schlossnagle took over in 2004.
• From 1923-25, TCU and Oklahoma State met on the diamond as conference opponents.
RUNS GALORE
TCU outscored Oklahoma by a 25-5 margin this past weekend. This season has seen the Horned Frogs post a +165 run differential.
Four Frogs have tallied at least 30 RBIs this season, led by 36 each from Luken Baker and Evan Skoug. In 2015, Skoug led all players with 46 RBIs in 66 games played.
TCU has scored double-digit runs 15 times this season after posting just 11 all of last season. The last time TCU tallied double digit runs more than 13 times in a season was 2010 when it did it 27 times.
NO RUNS FOR YOU
In Saturday’s series finale against Oklahoma, TCU tossed its seventh shutout of the season. Over the last two-plus seasons, TCU has tallied 31 shutouts, a mark that is tops in the NCAA.
Under the tutelage of Kirk Saarloos, TCU has played 224 games. The Frogs have allowed nine or more runs just 13 times. TCU has 37 shutouts and has held opponents to four or fewer runs 172 times.
START ME UP
Over the weekend, TCU had three quality starts on the mound. The trio held Oklahoma to five runs (two earned) in 19 innings of work.
This season, TCU has used six pitchers in a starting role. They are a combined 17-3 with a 2.97 ERA in 173.0 innings pitched. They’ve issued just 46 walks and are allowing opponents to hit just .243.
CIRCLING THE BASES
Austen Wade connected on his first career home run in Saturday’s game 1 victory over Oklahoma. He’s the eighth Horned Frog to hit a home run this season. Six of the home run hitters have hit three or more. It’s the first time since the 2012 season the lineup has featured six batters with three or more home runs.
TCU’s 30 home runs on the season are the most since it hit 39 in 2012.
POWER SOURCE
Evan Skoug leads TCU with 23 extra base hits. Evan more impressive is his first extra base hit didn’t come until game No. 7.
Skoug ranks eighth nationally with his 16 doubles, just three behind the national leader. He’s also pitched in with a triple and six home runs.
He has surged into a tie for the team lead in RBIs with 36. Over his last 10 games, Skoug has driven in 18 runs.
THRIVING IN A NEW ROLE
After taking a week off, Brian Howard returned better than ever on Saturday with seven shutout innings.
Used primarily as a reliever his first two seasons on the team, Howard has made a successful transition to the starting rotation. He paces the team with 48 1/3 innings pitched and 44 strikeouts.
Howard has gone at least six innings in six of his starts this season. His starts have produced two of TCU’s seven shutouts on the season. The Frogs are 7-1 in games he starts this year.
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
TCU drew 15 walks in the three game sweep of Oklahoma. The Horned Frogs rank 16th nationally with 185 walks this season. Four times this year, TCU has drawn at least 10 walks in a game.
Five Horned Frogs have racked up 20 or more walks this season, led by 27 from Austen Wade.
Elliott Barzilli (21 BB, 18 K), Wade (27 BB, 16), Luken Baker (24 BB, 23 K) and Mason Hesse (10 BB, 8 K) all hold the distinction of drawing more walks than they have struck out this season.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
TCU has played 10 of its past 15 games on the road, posting a 7-3 record in those contests.
The Horned Frogs are 11-3 away from Lupton Stadium this season, including an 8-3 mark on an opponent’s field.
Offensively, TCU has been dominating with a .319 team average. It has outscored its opponent 119-42. Elliott Barzilli leads all hitters with a .451 average.
On the mound, the staff boasts a 2.90 ERA.