Luken Baker done for the season

The Frogs got bad news Wednesday night, learning that their star first basemen was out for the year after suffering a leg injury in Tuesday night’s loss to ACU.

Baker slid awkwardly into second base in the eighth inning of the Frogs’ 4-2, extra inning defeat, leaving the game after limping gingerly off. Wednesday, he sought advice of a specialist, who confirmed that he had fractured his fibula, torn one ligament, and strained another. He will have surgery Friday, thus ending his season - and as a draft eligible junior, possibly his collegiate career.

This is the second consecutive year that Baker will have season-ending surgery; in 2017, he suffered an injury to his arm against Oklahoma that required surgery. Baker also had his pitching career ended as a freshman after suffering an injury to his throwing arm. Luken will have a decision to make this summer, as the highly sought MLB prospect could enter the professional draft. But, after an injury like this, teams may want to see him get healthy before pulling the trigger in the early rounds.

Baker was hitting .319 this season, and led the Frogs with nine home runs. In his absence, Connor Wanhanen and Michael Landestoy will likely share duties at first, while Johnny Rizer moves back into the outfield and the lineup full time.