Preview: At Grand Canyon
2/15/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Friday | 7pm CT | WatchESPN | KTCU 88.7 FM |
Saturday | 3pm CT | GCU.TV | Live Audio |
Sunday | 2pm CT | GCU.TV | KTCU 88.7 FM |
FORT WORTH -- The 2018 baseball season kicks off Friday night as the third-ranked TCU Horned Frogs hit the road for the season-opening series at Grand Canyon. Friday's night's series-opener is slated to air on ESPN3 at 7 (CT).
WEEKEND ROTATION
Friday: RHP Jared Janczak vs. RHP Jake Wong
Saturday: LHP Nick Lodolo vs. RHP Mike Lundin
Sunday: RHP Sean Wymer vs. LHP Jack Schneider
TCU NOTABLES
• TCU enters the season ranked in the top 10 of all the major polls. The Frogs are ranked as high as No. 3 (Perfect Game) and as low as No. 9 (Collegiate Baseball).
• TCU was picked to finish second in the Big 12 this season. TCU has never been picked lower than second since joining the league in 2012.
• Over the last four seasons, TCU ranks second in the nation with 198 victories.
• Luken Baker (1st Team) and Jared Janczak (2nd Team) are preseason All-Americans.
• TCU welcomed 15 newcomers in the fall, consisting of nine freshmen and six transfers. The class was first in the Big 12 and 14th nationally.
• TCU is one of just seven teams nationally with over 400 stolen bases the last four years. The 416 stolen bases rank sixth in the nation.
• TCU's 2.93 ERA since the start of the 2014 campaign is fifth nationally.
• Luken Baker enters the season carrying a reached base safely streak of 29 games and a nine-game hitting streak.
GRAND CANYON NOTABLES
• Grand Canyon will be playing its first game at the newly renovated Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark.
• Grand Canyon won the WAC regular season in 2017 and is picked to repeat again this year.
• The Lopes return 19 letterwinners, six field starters and four members of their rotation.
• Pitcher Jake Wong is projected to be the WAC Pitcher of the Year.
SERIES NOTABLES
• TCU and Grand Canyon have never met on the baseball diamond.
• The Lopes are the only team on the schedule that TCU has never faced off against on the field.
• TCU will be making just its fourth trip to the state of Arizona, having played at Arizona in 1970 and at Arizona State in 1993 and 2015.
• TCU is 3-8 all-time in the state of Arizona.
SEASON OPENER NOTABLES
• TCU is opening the season away from home for the first time since the 2013 campaign when it played at Ole Miss.
• The series at Grand Canyon will mark the fourth time under the guidance of Jim Schlossnagle the Frogs have opened on the road.
• In 2006, TCU opened the season against Tulane at the Houston College Classic.
• TCU is 1-2 in season-openers on the road under Schlossnagle and 2-2 in openers away from home.
• The 2018 season also marks the 15th year in Schlossnagle's tenure.
• TCU is 9-5 in season-openers under his guidance.
ROAD NOTABLES
• TCU will play 22 games on the road this season.
• TCU went 13-10 on the road last season.
• TCU is 56-25 in series played on the road under the guidance of Schlossnagle.
• In the Schlossnagle era, TCU is 200-124 in games played on the opposition's home field.
• TCU is 56-31 on the road since the start of the 2014 season.
