The TCU Horned Frogs upended Indiana State 6-4 to sweep the series and advance to the College Baseball World Series. TCU caught fire during the second half of the season and has not looked back since. No one wants to play the Frogs right now as they have won 11 straight games and 17 of their last 18 contests.
Jim Schlossnagle built one of the most consistent programs in college baseball during his tenure at TCU. Replacing a legendary head coach can be one of the most daunting tasks in sports. Former assistant, now head coach Kirk Saarloos is making it look easy as he has got the Horned Frogs back in the college baseball world series in his second season at the helm.
How did TCU reach the College Baseball World Series for the first time in four years? The Horned Frogs played 'small ball' and ground out many games with fundamentally sound play. Let's dive into the TCU foundation and find an answer to whether the Frogs have a World Series run in them or not.
TCU: HITTING
As mentioned above, the Horned Frogs use 'small ball' to win their games. Brayden Taylor led TCU with 23 HRs in 2023. No one else on the team tallied more than 13. The Frogs won't win many slug fests, so they must do all the little things right.
Karson Bowen, Cole Fontenelle, and Anthony Silva lead off this lineup and are essential to their success. All three bat .340 or above and get the Horned Frogs' offense going.
The Horned Frogs are aggressive on the base paths, with five players who stole 15 or more bases in 2023. TCU applies pressure on the opposition's pitching staff and defense and makes teams pay when they commit errors.
TCU: PITCHING
Pitching is an area of concern in the College Baseball World Series. TCU doesn't have the high-end talent or the depth of pitching that other teams have.
Kole Klecker can compete with anyone in a one-game showdown, but he is the only Horned Frogs' pitcher of note with an ERA under 4.00. Facing the best batters in the game, holding offenses down will be a challenge for TCU.
TCU: CAN THEY MAKE A RUN?
Unfortunately for Horned Frogs fans, the magic ride will end unceremoniously for TCU. It was a great run while it lasted, but TCU can't compete with the best arms and bats in the collegiate game.
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