TCU News: Frogs’ season likely over after Big 12 championship heartbreaker

Baseball:

Big 12 title slips by TCU in dramatic, extra-inning loss to Baylor | The Star-Telegram

Shades of game six for Texas Rangers fans, as the Frogs were a strike away... twice.

TCU used 10 pitchers in the game and Schlossnagle’s plan was working perfectly. He brought in All-American closer Durbin Feltman for the ninth inning. Feltman recorded two quick outs before the tying run reached when a shallow pop fell in front of a diving Rizer in center.

It was a play that second baseman Coby Boulware perhaps had a better chance at making after a shift in the wind knocked the ball down. That put the tying run at second base to set up Richard Cunningham’s fly ball that Balta lost in the sun.

Late-game walks doom TCU in 11-inning defeat to Baylor, 6-5 | TCU 360

Balta was so dang good. It sucks that his career in Fort Worth is ending just as it began.

“It’s like a punch in the stomach,” senior designated hitter Michael Landestoy said. “We had to regroup and we went back to our routines. We still had a ballgame to play.”

A one-run double in the eleventh inning by Conner Shepherd to score sophomore catcher Zach Humphreys looked to be the difference maker in the ballgame, putting the Horned Frogs in front of Baylor, 5-4, until the bullpen ran out of arms.

First-year pitcher Austin Boyles, TCU’s tenth pitcher of the afternoon, could not find the strike zone but TCU’s lack of depth forced him to stay in the ballgame.

Balta kept the Frogs in front as he collected Cunningham’s single in right field and threw out BU second baseman Josh Bissonette charging home looking to score from third on the play. Boyles would then pitch two consecutive walks, walking home the tying run, Loftin, and allow the game-winning single to catcher Shea Langeliers, scoring Cunningham from third base.

Mississippi State could offer enough to lure away TCU’s Jim Schlossnagle | The Star-Telegram

It appears that Jim Schlossnagle has donned the purple and white for the last time.

“I love Fort Worth, I love TCU,” Schlossnagle said Sunday evening. “If they call me, we’ll see what they have to say. I’ve shown my loyalty to TCU over and over for 15 years and TCU and Fort Worth have been incredible to my family.”

MSU is likely to discuss the job this week if TCU doesn’t earn a postseason berth. The field of 64 teams is announced Monday morning. Most experts on the topic believe the Horned Frogs are unlikely to earn an at-large berth because of their relatively low No. 54 RPI ranking.

Reasons why TCU could be left out of the postseason | The Star-Telegram

It appears the Frogs will get left out, but we will know minutes from now for sure.

The field of 64 teams will be announced at 11 a.m. Monday on ESPN. TCU has reached the postseason in 13 of coach Jim Schlossnagle’s 14 previous seasons.

”You can be Pollyanna and think you’ve got a shot but we were swept three times in our league,” Schlossangle said. “I think we’ve played well of late. If we were to get lucky and get in I think we’d play well. It shouldn’t even be up in the air; we should have won the game today.”

Football:

Take Two: Could TCU be a darkhorse Big 12 contender? | Rivals

The Frogs absolutely have the talent, but can they come together this quickly?

“At receiver, running back and on defense, TCU can play with anybody in the country. The biggest questions marks will come from the offensive line and quarterback positions, returning just one offensive line starter and a quarterback with one career start (Robinson). If Robinson progresses and can utilize his all-world weapons in Jaelan Reagor, KaVontae Turpin and Taye Barber this could be one of the best offenses in the country.

”If JUCO transfer Anthony McKinney becomes a starter on the offensive line, that adds a lot of beef to go against the likes of Oklahoma, Ohio State and West Virginia. The defense is led by two likely first-round picks in Ben Banogu and Ross Blacklock on the line and tackle machine Ty Summers at linebacker.”