TCU Renews Rivalary With Texas This Weekend

TCU and Texas will close the 2013 regular season this weekend with a three-game series beginning Thursday night at 6:30.

TCU NOTABLES
• The Horned Frogs made it three straight wins wiht a 2-1 victory over UT Arlington on Tuesday.
• Kyle Bacak drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, executing a safety squeeze.
• The one-run victory improve TCU to 8-8 overall in games decided by one run.
• TCU turned three double plays in Tuesday's win. The Frogs rank third in the league with 45 double plays turned this season.
• TCU took a 2-1 series victory over West Virginia this past weekend to wrap up a 4-2 road swing.
• The TCU pitching staff still leads the league in conference games with a 2.53 ERA. They rank second in overall ERA at 2.77.
• Preston Morrison leads the league, averaging 7.33 innings pitched per game.
• TCU played its third straight errorless game and continues to lead the league with a .976 fielding percentage.

TEXAS NOTABLES
• Texas is coming off a doubleheader sweep of Texas Southern on Saturday.
• The league's best pitching staff posted two shuouts and held the Tigers to just one hit combined in the two games.
• Texas has played just five games in the month of May.
• Corey Knebel is the backbone of the bullpen, ranking second in the league with nine saves in 25 appearances.
• Offensively, the Longhorns are averaging just 3.3 runs per game. They have scored two runs or less 19 times this season.
• Mark Payton is the leading hitter with a .382 aveage and a team-leading 27 RBIs.
• Twenty-two of the Longhorns' 49 stolen bases have come from Weston Hall and Taylor Stell, who each have 22.
• Defensively, the Longhorns have a .972 fielding percentage.

SERIES NOTABLES
• TCU and Texas will be meeting for the 251st time on Thursday.
• Texas holds a 160-87-4 series lead.
• TCU and Texas have played just 22 times since the demise of the Southwest Conference in 1996. The Longhorns are 14-8 in those games.
• The Frogs and the Longhorns have not played since TCU took a 2-1 series win over the Longhorns in the 2010 Super Regionals to advance to their first-ever College World Series.
• Texas' last appearance on the TCU campus was May 5, 1996.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
The bullpen was key in this past weekend's series victory over West Virginia and Tuesday's win over UTA. In the three wins, six pitchers combined to toss 22 innings. They allowed just three runs, walked six and struck out 22 while holding the opponents to just 18 hits.

On the season, the bullpen has been a strength of the team. TCU has used 11 pitchers in relief this season. In 198 2/3 innings pitched, the bullpen has put up a 2.49 ERA and held opponents to a .219 batting average. The group has struck out 191 and issued just 52 walks.

Leading the charge out of the bullpen has been Trey Teakell who has not allowed an earned run in 16 2/3 innings pitched. Trevor Seidenberger has been equally as effective with a 1.11 ERA in 14 appeances.

JACK OF ALL TRADES
Alex Young has pitched in a variety of roles this season and has succeeded in each one. Young has been used as a starter, a middle reliever and a closer.

Young made two starts earlier this season posting a 1-1 record. The freshman has a 5.87 ERA in 7 2/3 innings pitchd. He started against Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 24 and at Jacksonville on March 3.

Out of the bullpen, Young has posted a 5-3 record with five saves to go along with a 1.21 ERA. In 29 2/3 innings, he has fanned 32 batters.

In his first collegiate campaign, Young is 6-4 in 20 appearances with a 2.17 ERA. In 37 1/3 innings pitched, he has fanned 35. Opponents are hitting just .175 against him.

HOME NOTABLES

• This weekend's series marks the final regular season contests for the Horned Frogs.
• The Horned Frogs have an all-time record of 247-89 at home.
• After 26 home games, TCU ranks 11th nationally in attendance, averaging almost 3,600 fans per game.
• The Frogs own a 5-4 home record in conference games this season.
• TCU is 48-21 under head coach Jim Schlossnagle in home midweek contests.