Five reasons TCU baseball is off to its best start in program history
After a three-game sweep at the College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field over the weekend, the TCU baseball program is 12-0, ranked No. 5 in the country and off to the best start in its history.
Heading into Tuesday’s game against Abilene Christian and their opening Big 12 series at Kansas this weekend, why are the Horned Frogs so hot? Here are five reasons:
Big-run innings
TCU has one of the most potent offenses in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs have scored 106 runs. Among Big 12 teams, only Texas Tech has scored more.
When the TCU scores, they often do it in bunches. The Horned Frogs have scored five or more runs in an inning six times for a total of 34 runs scored, more than a third of their total runs.
Transfer talent
Peyton Chatagnier started his collegiate baseball career at Ole Miss and has been crucial to TCU’s early success this season.
Chatagnier has stepped into a leadership role for the Horned Frogs this season while becoming one of their most important players.
Chatagnier is hitting .319 with three home runs and eight RBIs with 15 runs scored while starting in all 12 games for the Horned Frogs and leading the team in stolen bases with seven.
Veteran returners
TCU returns multiple players from last year’s College World Series team, including Karson Bowen, Kurtis Byrne and Anthony Silva who rank first, second and third on the team in RBIs respectively.
Byrne and Bowen have started all 12 games for TCU this season and Silva has started in 11. The trio has combined for 46 hits, five home runs and 41 RBIs on the season with each member sporting at least a .280 batting average.
Fresh faces
Sam Myers leads a group of talented freshmen who have contributed to the early success.
Myers, a Cypress native, has started seven games for the Horned Frogs this season. He has played in nine games, hitting .419 with 10 RBIs and nine runs scored.
Myers has the fourth most RBIs on the team despite having the least starts of any Horned Frogs player in the top five.
He has also shown up when it mattered the most, hitting a clutch walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th to help TCU keep their undefeated streak alive against USC on Friday.
Clutch performances
One of the most impressive aspects of TCU’s starts has been its ability to win close games. Of TCU’s 12 victories, six of them have come by two runs or less. Three of those were walk-off wins.
The Horned Frogs have also refused to give up despite early deficits. in their season-opening series against Florida Gulf Coast University they trailed in every game, including twice by six runs, yet pulled off the opening series sweep.
In their most recent three games at the College Baseball Series, they also trailed in each game yet once again TCU swept the series.
Their biggest strength in these comebacks has been their ability to respond after costly mistakes. The Horned Frogs lost late leads against Texas State and USC, but rallied for extra-inning wins.
