Eleven Horned Frogs Earn All-Conference Recognition
5/24/2022 11:23:00 AM | Baseball
Saarloos tabbed the Big 12 Coach of the Year
FORT WORTH – Eleven members of the Big 12 regular season championship baseball team were voted as all-conference performers by the Big 12 head coaches. In addition to the 11 athletes, first year head coach Kirk Saarloos was tabbed the Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Tommy Sacco and Luke Savage headlined TCU's all-conference selection, earning a spot on the first team. Brayden Taylor, Marcelo Perez and Riley Cornelio were named second-team all-conference. The quintet of Luke Boyers, Kurtis Byrne, Elijah Nunez, River Ridings and Garrett Wright were named honorable mention. David Bishop was selected to the All-Freshman team.
Saarloos led TCU to its second consecutive Big 12 regular season title in his first year as head coach. He is the only coach to have won the Conference in their first season in the role. Among those who are in their first season as a college head coach, he is tied for the Division I lead in wins (35) and ranks second in winning percentage (.660). It is Saarloos' first Coach of the Year accolade, although he was on staff at TCU in 2015 when the school last won the award.
Sacco has put together a career year at the plate, hitting .359 with 21 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs and 51 RBIs. Additionally, he has swiped 17 bases and boasts a .971 fielding percentage. In league play, Sacco hit .394 with 13 doubles, eight home runs, 10 stolen bases and 33 RBIs.
Savage has been a go-to arm out of the bullpen with 21 appearances. He has posted a 1.82 ERA in 34 2/3 innings pitched with 29 strikeouts. He is 1-1 on the year with two saves. Savage was even better in league play with a 0.78 ERA in 13 appearances.
Cornelio is tied for the team lead with 13 games started. He is 4-4 on the year with a 4.03 ERA. In 67 innings pitched, Cornelio has fanned 72 and is limiting opponents to a .220 batting average. He made seven starts in Big 12 play and posted a 3.12 ERA in 40 1/3 innings pitched.
Perez has pitched in multiple roles, starting the season out of the bullpen before moving into the rotation where he has made seven starts. He leads the team with a 6-2 record over 15 appearances. He owns a 3.26 ERA and has 41 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings pitched. In league play, Perez is 4-1 with a 3.58 ERA.
Taylor reached double-figure home runs for the second straight year, ranking second on the team with 10. He is hitting .308 on the year with 12 doubles and one triple to go along with the home runs. He sits third on the team with 43 RBIs. Taylor hit .274 in league play with four doubles, seven home runs and 16 RBIs.
Boyers has played in and started every game this season. He is hitting .271 on the year with 11 doubles, two triples and six home runs to go along with 37 RBIs. In league play, Boyers was even better, ranking second on the squad with a .322 average.
Byrne has been a key cog in the offense this season, hitting .288 with 14 doubles, one triple and four home runs. He has driven in 38 runs. Playing in and starting all 24 league games, Byrne hit .253 with six doubles, one home run and three RBIs to go along with 17 RBIs.
Nunez owns a .296 average with six doubles, four triples and one home run this season. He is among the national leaders with 29 stolen bases and 53 walks on the year. In league play, Nunez hit .286 and picked up 10 stolen bases while driving in 12.
Ridings leads the Big 12 with 10 saves this season, a mark that ranks tied for 19th nationally. He has made 20 appearances on the year, fanning 19 batters in 20 1/3 innings pitched. Six of his 10 saves have come in league play as have 12 of his appearances.
Wright has appeared in 16 games this season and notched three saves while fanning 21 in 15 innings of work. In league play, Wright boasts a 2.70 ERA over nine appearances.
Bishop has put together a solid freshman campaign, hitting .275 with seven doubles, two triples and six home runs. He sits second on the squad with 45 RBIs.
TCU will begin its Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship title defense Wednesday afternoon against the tournament's No. 8 Baylor. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. The contest will be televised on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
Tommy Sacco and Luke Savage headlined TCU's all-conference selection, earning a spot on the first team. Brayden Taylor, Marcelo Perez and Riley Cornelio were named second-team all-conference. The quintet of Luke Boyers, Kurtis Byrne, Elijah Nunez, River Ridings and Garrett Wright were named honorable mention. David Bishop was selected to the All-Freshman team.
Saarloos led TCU to its second consecutive Big 12 regular season title in his first year as head coach. He is the only coach to have won the Conference in their first season in the role. Among those who are in their first season as a college head coach, he is tied for the Division I lead in wins (35) and ranks second in winning percentage (.660). It is Saarloos' first Coach of the Year accolade, although he was on staff at TCU in 2015 when the school last won the award.
Sacco has put together a career year at the plate, hitting .359 with 21 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs and 51 RBIs. Additionally, he has swiped 17 bases and boasts a .971 fielding percentage. In league play, Sacco hit .394 with 13 doubles, eight home runs, 10 stolen bases and 33 RBIs.
Savage has been a go-to arm out of the bullpen with 21 appearances. He has posted a 1.82 ERA in 34 2/3 innings pitched with 29 strikeouts. He is 1-1 on the year with two saves. Savage was even better in league play with a 0.78 ERA in 13 appearances.
Cornelio is tied for the team lead with 13 games started. He is 4-4 on the year with a 4.03 ERA. In 67 innings pitched, Cornelio has fanned 72 and is limiting opponents to a .220 batting average. He made seven starts in Big 12 play and posted a 3.12 ERA in 40 1/3 innings pitched.
Perez has pitched in multiple roles, starting the season out of the bullpen before moving into the rotation where he has made seven starts. He leads the team with a 6-2 record over 15 appearances. He owns a 3.26 ERA and has 41 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings pitched. In league play, Perez is 4-1 with a 3.58 ERA.
Taylor reached double-figure home runs for the second straight year, ranking second on the team with 10. He is hitting .308 on the year with 12 doubles and one triple to go along with the home runs. He sits third on the team with 43 RBIs. Taylor hit .274 in league play with four doubles, seven home runs and 16 RBIs.
Boyers has played in and started every game this season. He is hitting .271 on the year with 11 doubles, two triples and six home runs to go along with 37 RBIs. In league play, Boyers was even better, ranking second on the squad with a .322 average.
Byrne has been a key cog in the offense this season, hitting .288 with 14 doubles, one triple and four home runs. He has driven in 38 runs. Playing in and starting all 24 league games, Byrne hit .253 with six doubles, one home run and three RBIs to go along with 17 RBIs.
Nunez owns a .296 average with six doubles, four triples and one home run this season. He is among the national leaders with 29 stolen bases and 53 walks on the year. In league play, Nunez hit .286 and picked up 10 stolen bases while driving in 12.
Ridings leads the Big 12 with 10 saves this season, a mark that ranks tied for 19th nationally. He has made 20 appearances on the year, fanning 19 batters in 20 1/3 innings pitched. Six of his 10 saves have come in league play as have 12 of his appearances.
Wright has appeared in 16 games this season and notched three saves while fanning 21 in 15 innings of work. In league play, Wright boasts a 2.70 ERA over nine appearances.
Bishop has put together a solid freshman campaign, hitting .275 with seven doubles, two triples and six home runs. He sits second on the squad with 45 RBIs.
TCU will begin its Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship title defense Wednesday afternoon against the tournament's No. 8 Baylor. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. The contest will be televised on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
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