Huge Big 12 Baseball Series in Fort Worth This Weekend

STILLWATER – Undisputed second place in the Big 12 baseball race will be on the line this weekend at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth when the No. 12 Oklahoma State Cowboys visit the No. 10 TCU Horned Frogs for a three-game conference series. Currently, the Frogs are one-game in front of the Pokes in the Big 12 standings at 7-2 with an overall record of 23-9. The Cowboys are 6-3 in conference play and they are 21-7-1 overall. Oklahoma State has won 9-of-their-last-10 games including a sweep over Kansas State, taking two-of-three from West Virginia and sweeping UNC-Wilmington last weekend.

Oklahoma State Athletics

Parker Scott is 6-1 and has a 1.60 ERA.

In the last couple of weeks the Cowboys team batting average has climbed some 20 points while the starting pitching has remained rock solid with the weekend combination of left-hander Parker Scott (6-1/1.60), strike out artist Justin Campbell (4-0/1.15 ERA), and Justin Wrobleski (3-2/4.08 ERA). The Cowboys are hitting .257 with 197 runs scored. TCU has scored 266 runs and their team batting average is a lofty .293. Both teams can pitch it with Oklahoma State sporting a 3.84 team ERA and TCU is right behind at 4.03.y Russell Smith (6-1/2.30 ERA) on Friday

The Frogs are scheduled to pitch lefty Russell Smith (6-1/2.30 ERA) on Friday, another left-hander Austin Krob (4-0/2.91 ERA) on Saturday, and then Sunday right-hander Johnny Ray (2-2/5.40 ERA).

“Game after game you’re starting to see more chances on offense and seeing more guys deliver big hits,” Holliday said of his blossoming offense. “I like the way the team continues to be formed and I like the depth that has been developed because we’ve had to play a lot of games without our regulars. Now they’ve started to come back and the depth we developed while they were out has made us a good team. It gives us a chance to stare down this last half of the season with a full assortment of players.”

The Cowboys have Jake Thompson (.328 with 13 RBI) back and Cade Cabbiness (.247 and 14 RBI) back healthy along with one of the top hitters in the Big 12 in Christian Encarnacion-Strand who is batting .365 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI. Freshman Nolan McLean has seven home runs and 15 RBI.

TCU Athletics

TCU is tough at home at Lupton Stadium.

The Horned Frogs are just as potent and in conference play so far have swept Baylor, swept Oklahoma and took one on the road at Texas Tech, just like the Cowboys did in their conference opening series in Lubbock.

“Very good ballclub, lots of talent, and very well-coached, always have been,” Holliday said of the Horned Frogs and head coach Jim Schlossnagle. “Very good atmosphere to play baseball and thay have strong starting pitching with some good relievers, so it will be a very good challenge. It is one we are ready for and we need to go down and continue to do the things that make us go. Keep up with our good starting pitching and timely hitting.”

TCU Athletics

Freshman Brayden Taylor is TCU’s top hitter.

Holliday is expecting a closely contested series. Both teams have yet to play Texas, who leads the Big 12 at 10-2. This weekend the Longhorns are out of conference playing Abilene Christian before visiting Stillwater on April 23-25.

“We will probably have to win a one-run game, win a game where we will really have to out hit them, and it’s going to be a marquee match-up for the nation,” Holliday continued in discussing TCU. “We need to just be us and the team that we have been consistently, and we will be fine.”

The opener is Friday night at 6:30 p.m. with day games on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).