Texas Tech made its first trip to the College World Series last season, but their first game in Omaha, Nebraska, ended as a 3-2 loss to TCU.
The No. 2 Horned Frogs (21-5, 4-2 Big 12) and the No.19 Red Raiders (18-11, 3-3 Big 12) will go at it again this weekend in Lubbock at Rip Griffin Park, where Texas Tech has won its last seven home series.
TCU hasn’t played a three-game away series since the Frogs traveled to Arizona State where on Feb. 20. The Horned Frogs took two of three games from the Sun Devils.
The Red Raiders took two of three games from Kansas in their home series last weekend.
In Texas Tech’s Friday night 7-4 loss to the Jayhawks, starting pitcher Ryan Moseley (2-2) couldn’t make out of the fifth inning. The sophomore right-hander gave up nine hits, two walks and four runs in 4 1/3 innings pitched.
Moseley will battle TCU’s Mitchell Traver (4-0) on Thursday night. In Traver’s start against Wichita State, who TCU swept last weekend in Fort Worth, he allowed only one run and four hits in six innings pitched.
TCU’s Friday starting pitcher Preston Morrison (6-0) didn’t have his best outing in TCU’s 11-4 win over Wichita State. The senior, who is considered to be the Frogs’ ace, gave up five hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings pitched.
Morrison’s counterpart on Friday will likely be Cameron Smith (3-2). Smith, a lefty, has a 3.12 ERA and a 36-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
While Texas Tech’s Saturday pitcher has yet to be announced, it seems likeAlex Young (5-1) won’t be left out of the weekend rotation any time soon. The junior had his perfect game hopes crushed in the sixth inning last Sunday against Wichita State, but his 0.98 ERA is the lowest among TCU’s weekend starters.
TCU’s 2.00 team ERA is the lowest in the country, and its .290 batting average is the highest in the Big 12. But the Frogs struggled on the mound and at the plate in their loss to UT-Arlington on Tuesday night.
Schlossnagle didn’t sound too worried about his team’s performance after the loss.
“I hope to get on the bus tomorrow and stay in our routine and be ready to go.” Schlossnagle said. “It’s just baseball and we have a resilient team/ they’ll be ready to play. I have no doubt.”
TCU was much more successful from the mound and the batters box in its sweep of Wichita State. The Frogs outscored the Shockers 36-7 in the series.
Evan Skoug had the hot bat for the Frogs last weekend he went 7-10 from the plate with five doubles and seven RBIs.
The Red Raider’s most notable hitter is first baseman Eric Gutierrez. The College Homerun Derby champion is batting .304 with two home runs and a team best 25 RBIs.
Last season, Texas Tech and TCU faced off five times, TCU lost the series at Lupton stadium, but won in Abilene and Omaha, giving them a 3-2 record over the Red Raiders.
The first game of this year’s series will be played at 6:37 Thursday evening.
