TCU News: Football freshmen making their impact felt

Football:

Next man up: 2017 recruiting class could become TCU cornerstones this fall | The Star-Telegram

I loved Garrett Wallow in the class of 2017, and it seems like he might be a guy on the field regularly sooner rather than later.

They’re some of the players who have stepped in for extra practice time while others nurse injuries. Wallow, who has moved from safety to linebacker, has impressed with his ability to pick up concepts quickly. Patterson compared him to Travin Howard.

”Nothing ever bothers him. He knows how to ask the right questions. He knows how to focus, to see the trees through the forest,” said Patterson, making an idiom of his own. “He’s a lot like Travin, with that kind of football knowledge level where you can move him around and he kind of knows what’s going on. He doesn’t get flustered very easy.”

Baseball:

Luken Baker’s two-run bomb starts Big 12 play on right foot for TCU | The Star-Telegram

This isn’t a powerhouse offense, but there is enough in the heart of the order to support the pitching enough to win games. That’s what happened Friday night - JJ was good, Augie was great, and Baker came up big.

“It’s the sign of a great one,” TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “When the game comes calling, even in the conditions, he finds a way to hit it to the part of the park where it will go out.”

Lefty Nick Lodolo (3-1) faces Wildcats’ right-hander Gabe Littlejim (1-3) in Game 2 of the three-game series at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Augie Mihlbauer took over for starter Jared Janczak in the sixth and struck out four over 2 1/3 dominant, scoreless innings. He earned his first-career win. Schlossnagle said confidence has been Mihlbauer’s best asset over the past month.

”It’s definitely the name of the game,” said Mihlbauer, a true freshman. “When you come in in messes like that you really need to know that you’ve got the stuff and you’re going to get out of it.”