The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
#3 TCU
No. 6 Baseball preview: at No. 3 TCU
05.06.2021 | Baseball
The Longhorns head back on the road for a Big 12 Conference series in Fort Worth.
TEXAS (36-11, 13-5) at TCU (33-10, 15-3)
May 7-9, 2021
Where: Lupton Stadium
Time: Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m.
TV: ESPNU/ESPN+
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats: gofrogs.com/sidearmstats/baseball
All-time series: Texas leads, 228-74-2
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY–Texas RHP Ty Madden (6-2, 2.21) vs. TCU LHP Russell Smith (6-1, 3.30)
SATURDAY–Texas RHP Tristan Stevens (7-2, 3.16) vs. TCU LHP Austin Krob (6-0, 3.06)
SUNDAY–Texas LHP Pete Hansen (5-1, 2.05) vs. TCU RHP Johnny Ray (3-2, 4.93)
THE MATCHUP—Texas travels to Fort Worth for a three-game series with Big 12 Conference leader TCU. The Longhorns (13-5) are currently two games back of the Horned Frogs (15-3) in the conference standings. The last time these two met, TCU won two of three games in Fort Worth. The squads are currently the top two in the nation in base on balls with TCU collecting 258 walks and Texas right behind with 254. The teams are also tied for the conference lead and ranked fourth in the nation with 91 doubles.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas defeated Texas State at home on Tuesday, 4-1, after falling in two of three games over the weekend to Texas Tech for its first series loss of the season. The duo of Ivan Melendez and Zach Zubia are leading the Longhorns offensively. Melendez leads Texas with 10 home runs and is hitting .341 with 41 RBI and a 1.122 OPS, while Zubia has seven home runs, 41 RBI and has a .448 on-base percentage with a .963 OPS. On the mound, Pete Hansen (2.05), Ty Madden (2.21), and Tristan Stevens (3.16) all rank in the top nine in ERA in the Big 12 Conference, while Stevens' seven wins are the 12th-most in the nation. Texas is 36-8 over its last 44 games and is second in the Big 12 Conference at 13-5.
MAKING A BIG IMPRESSION—After a relatively quiet start to the season, Ivan Melendez caught fire in the month of April. Last month, Melendez hit .412 with eight doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 27 RBI and 16 runs scored. In that span, he compiled a .529 on-base percentage and .912 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.441. He raised his batting average from .263 to .344 during the 19 games. From April 3-11, he established a program-record six-game home run streak that culminated with a pair of bombs against Kansas State on April 11. For the season, Melendez ranks 11th in the Big 12 Conference in batting average (.341), while he is sixth in home runs (10) and ninth in RBI (41). The redshirt sophomore's .674 slugging percentage is sixth in the conference and his .448 on-base percentage ranks eighth. During April, Melendez's distinctions included Big 12 Player of the Week, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Hitter of the Week, and Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week.
MOUND PRESENCE—The Texas pitching staff has been among the most dominant groups in the nation. Three Texas starters rank in the top-nine in the Big 12 Conference in earned run average, with Pete Hansen in a tie for the second spot with a 2.05 ERA. Ty Madden sits in fifth with a 2.21 ERA, Tristan Stevens' 3.16 ERA ranks ninth. As a staff, the Longhorns have the fifth-best ERA in the nation at 2.93, a mark that leads the conference by more than half a run.
DALY GETTING IT DONE—Mitchell Daly has been on a tear at the plate, hitting safely in 32 of the 39 games he has started this season with 11 multi-hit games, including two three-hit games and a four-hit game, while reaching base safely in 36 of those starts. Daly's .348 battings average ranks ninth in the Big 12 Conference. The freshman currently leads the Longhorns in batting average and hits (48), while second in doubles (12), third in on-base percentage (.410), and fourth in OPS (.888) and slugging percentage (.478).
MR. CONSISTENT—With a homer in Tuesday's game against Texas State, Zach Zubia extended his streak of reaching base safely to 23 games. During the streak, Zubia has hit .347 with five doubles, one triple, four home runs and 19 RBI, while walking an incredible 26 times for a .520 on-base percentage. Zubia has eight multi-hit games and seven multi-walk games during the run, including two three-hit games, one three-walk and one four-walk game. On the season, the redshirt junior's 39 walks are second in the Big 12 Conference and ranks fifth in the NCAA, and his .448 on-base percentage is sixth in the conference.
QUICKER THAN QUICK—Mike Antico leads the Big 12 Conference and is 4th nationally with 24 stolen bases. Eric Kennedy is right behind him with 16 steals to rank second in the conference and 40th in the nation. As a team, the Longhorns have swiped 63 bases, which is second in the conference and ranks 22nd in the nation. Additionally, Kennedy uses his speed regularly to get on base with 22 infield singles, including 12 bunt hits this season. In his career he has 46 infield hits (24 bunts).
FLASHING THE LEATHER—Trey Faltine has been a human highlight reel this season, making the difficult look routine. The Longhorns shortstop leads the Big 12 with 139 assists and ranks sixth with 22 double plays while sporting a .975 fielding percentage in 201 chances.
DOUBLE UP—Cam Williams' 13 doubles are tied for sixth in the Big 12, while Mitchell Daly's 12 two-baggers are rank 14th. As a squad, the Longhorns' 91 doubles are fourth in the NCAA and lead the conference.
COMMANDING THE ZONE—Tristan Stevens' command has been on point this season, yielding only seven walks over his last 56 innings pitched. Prior to issuing a walk to open the sixth inning at Oklahoma State on April 24, Stevens had gone 113 batters (28 1/3 innings) without relinquished a free pass. Stevens' seven wins on the year lead the Big 12 Conference and are tied for 12th in the NCAA.
THE ACE—Ty Madden has been brilliant this season, twice earning Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week honors, including following his 14-strikeout, complete game shutout outing on March 5 against Houston. That performance also garnered nods as the NCBWA and Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Week, one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of The Week and one of four nominees for the Golden Spikes Award Performance of the Week. The right-hander is tied for first in in the Big 12 Conference in games started (11) while ranking second in strike outs (84), innings pitched (69.1) and opponent batting average (.190), third in WHIP (1.02) and hits allowed per nine innings (5.97), and fifth in ERA (2.21). Madden's six wins are tied for second in the conference and 36th nationally.
HEAR 'EM—In partnership with Learfield IMG College, Texas games will be broadcast on the Austin Radio Network, primarily on 104.9 The Horn and AM 1260. Craig Way handles primary play-by-play duties alongside Roger Wallace.
