TCU Looks to Finish Big 12 Season Strong
After a rough weekend series against the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The TCU Horned Frogs now gear their attention towards another Big 12 Conference foe in the Kansas State Wildcats. The Horned Frogs are currently 35-14 overall and 16-5 in the conference and now sit at No. 6 in the nation. With a successful season thus far, the Horned Frogs find themselves in a position with a fair chance to win the Big 12 regular-season championship.
Kansas State Series
With a close Big 12 race, the Wildcats are currently 29-20 overall and 8-13 in the conference. And have the potential to be a big problem for the Horned Frogs. The first game of the series is slated to begin Thursday, May 20th at 6 pm. Followed by the second game Friday, May 21st at 6 pm, then concluding the series Saturday, May 22nd at 4 pm.
With Kansas State below .500 in the Big 12 Conference. They may be overlooked by having taken series against Texas Tech teams, who defeated the Horned Frogs. While the Wildcats are having a roller coaster of a season, the Horned Frogs will have to take care of business in the away three-game series in Manhattan, Kansas.
Players to Keep an Eye On
The Wildcats currently only have two players hitting above a .350 average and four other starters hitting above a .225 average. With a solid batting core, the two players to keep an eye on for the Wildcats are Zach Kokoska and Dylan Phillips. The two, each batting at .350 and above, are serious threats that the Horned Frogs will have to contain.
Zach Kokoska a junior from Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and plays outfield for the Wildcats. Standing at 6’1’ and weighing 200, Kokoska is a phenomenal athlete and has the potential to make big plays on either side of the ball. Before playing at Kansas State, he played at Virginia Tech and, while only playing 14 games, impressed many. Now playing for the Wildcats for two years. He has been a key player for the Wildcats and has built an impressive resume. To add to an already impressive resume, Kokoska leads the team in batting with a .369 average. He also leads the team with 66 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, and 14 home runs. With all factors considered, Kokoska has the potential to be a serious problem for the Horned Frogs.
The other player to keep an eye on for Wildcats is Dylan Phillips. The sophomore is from Omaha, Nebraska, and plays both outfield and is a left-handed pitcher. Standing at 6’0” and 220 pounds, he has been with the Wildcats since he graduated high school and has built himself a very impressive resume. Having the second-best batting average for the team at .350, he has started and played in all 49 games this season. With everything considered, Phillips’s athleticism and ability to make decisions on the fly makes him a serious problem for the Horned Frogs.
Key to Stopping the Wildcats
With several weapons, the Kansas State Wildcats can have big games at any time and will have to stop those big plays and games to win an away game series. The way to stop the Wildcats is going to be consistent pitching and solid defensive. The Horned Frogs will have to minimize their errors on the defensive side of the ball and limit big plays. When up to bat, if the Horned Frogs can cash in on opportunities, it should be an attention-grabbing series.
Overview
Overall, the TCU Horned Frogs will look to bounce back and play their last Big 12 Conference series against the Kansas State Wildcats. The Horned Frogs are in contention to win the Big 12 regular season but will have to care business in Manhattan, Kansas, at Tointon Family Stadium. The games are slated to begin Thursday, May 20th at 6 pm, followed by the second game Friday, May 21st at 6 pm, then concluding the series Saturday, May 22nd at 4 pm. The series can be watched on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and listened to on KTCU 88.7 FM.
To see TCU Baseball full schedule checkout: https://gofrogs.com/sports/baseball/schedule/2021
To see more TCU Sports articles checkout: https://www.campuslivetcu.com/
Written by Trinity Porter, Campus Live Intern
