Friday, February 16
Fort Worth, Texas
6:30 p.m.
TCU
vs
Florida Gulf Coast
Preview: vs. Florida Gulf Coast
2/15/2024 1:15:00 PM | Baseball
TCU enters season as a unanimous Top-10 squad
FORT WORTH – The No. 5 ranked TCU baseball team is set to get the 2024 campaign started Friday night when they host Florida Gulf Coast in the start of a three-game series.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Friday, February 16 • 6:30 p.m.
TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 88.7 KTCU FM
Starter: LHP Payton Tolle
Watch | Live Stats
Saturday, February 17 • 2 p.m.
TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 88.7 KTCU FM
Starter: RHP Kole Klecker
Watch | Live Stats
Sunday, February 18 • 12:30 p.m.
TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 88.7 KTCU FM
Starter: LHP Zack Morris
Watch | Live Stats
TCU NOTABLES
• For the 15th consecutive season, TCU opens the season as a ranked team.
• TCU checks in as high as No. 5, marking its highest preseason ranking since debuting as high as No. 3 in 2018.
• TCU is a top 10 team entering the season for the seventh time in program history.
• TCU was picked to finish first in the Big 12, garnering 11 of 13 first place votes.
• Ben Abeldt, Kole Klecker, Anthony Silva and Payton Tolle were named Preseason All-Americans by various publications.
• Silva is a consensus Preseason All-American, earning a spot on various teams from every publication.
• Abeldt, Karson Bowen, Kole Klecker, Silva and Tolle were named Preseason All-Big 12.
• Payton Tolle was selected as the Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year.
• Tolle was named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List.
• The incoming transfer class was ranked No. 10 by D1Baseball.com.
• Chase Brunson is the projected Big 12 Freshman of the Year by D1Baseball.com
HOME NOTABLES
• TCU will play 33 home games during the 2024 season.
• TCU is 469-162 all-time at Lupton Stadium.
• TCU is 235-84 at home with Kirk Saarloos on staff.
• TCU has won 63-of-82 home series under Saarloos.
• TCU owns a 103-38 mark in midweek games at home.
• TCU has won 21 or more games in 16 of the 20 seasons Lupton Stadium has been in existence.
• TCU ranked 15th nationally in average attendance (4,287) in 2023.
FLORIDA GULF COAST NOTABLES
• Florida Gulf Coast is a relatively new baseball program having debuted in 2003. The Eagles became a Division I program in 2008.
• The Eagles' 42 wins in 2023 were tied for the 21st-most in the NCAA.
• FGCU led the nation in three categories in 2023: runs per game (9.6), home runs per game (2.37) and slugging percentage (.592).
• In a vote of league coaches, FGCU was picked to finish second in the Atlantic Sun League. They had two first-place votes.
• Jacob Lojewski and Harrison Povey were named preseason all-conference
• D1Baseball.com projects FGCU to finish third in the ASUN Conference.
• D1Baseball has ranked seven Eagles as top prospects in the next three drafts.
SEASON OPENER HISTORY
• TCU is opening the season at home for the first time since the 2020 campaign.
• TCU owns a record of 8-4 at Lupton Stadium in season openers at home.
• TCU is 14-7 all-time in home openers at Lupton Stadium.
• TCU has won five straight season openers.
• TCU is 8-3 in season-openers with Kirk Saarloos on staff.
SERIES HISTORY
• TCU and Florida Gulf Coast will be meeting for the first time this season.
• The Eagles are the only new opponent on the 2024 schedule.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Friday, February 16 • 6:30 p.m.
TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 88.7 KTCU FM
Starter: LHP Payton Tolle
Watch | Live Stats
Saturday, February 17 • 2 p.m.
TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 88.7 KTCU FM
Starter: RHP Kole Klecker
Watch | Live Stats
Sunday, February 18 • 12:30 p.m.
TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 88.7 KTCU FM
Starter: LHP Zack Morris
Watch | Live Stats
TCU NOTABLES
• For the 15th consecutive season, TCU opens the season as a ranked team.
• TCU checks in as high as No. 5, marking its highest preseason ranking since debuting as high as No. 3 in 2018.
• TCU is a top 10 team entering the season for the seventh time in program history.
• TCU was picked to finish first in the Big 12, garnering 11 of 13 first place votes.
• Ben Abeldt, Kole Klecker, Anthony Silva and Payton Tolle were named Preseason All-Americans by various publications.
• Silva is a consensus Preseason All-American, earning a spot on various teams from every publication.
• Abeldt, Karson Bowen, Kole Klecker, Silva and Tolle were named Preseason All-Big 12.
• Payton Tolle was selected as the Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year.
• Tolle was named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List.
• The incoming transfer class was ranked No. 10 by D1Baseball.com.
• Chase Brunson is the projected Big 12 Freshman of the Year by D1Baseball.com
HOME NOTABLES
• TCU will play 33 home games during the 2024 season.
• TCU is 469-162 all-time at Lupton Stadium.
• TCU is 235-84 at home with Kirk Saarloos on staff.
• TCU has won 63-of-82 home series under Saarloos.
• TCU owns a 103-38 mark in midweek games at home.
• TCU has won 21 or more games in 16 of the 20 seasons Lupton Stadium has been in existence.
• TCU ranked 15th nationally in average attendance (4,287) in 2023.
FLORIDA GULF COAST NOTABLES
• Florida Gulf Coast is a relatively new baseball program having debuted in 2003. The Eagles became a Division I program in 2008.
• The Eagles' 42 wins in 2023 were tied for the 21st-most in the NCAA.
• FGCU led the nation in three categories in 2023: runs per game (9.6), home runs per game (2.37) and slugging percentage (.592).
• In a vote of league coaches, FGCU was picked to finish second in the Atlantic Sun League. They had two first-place votes.
• Jacob Lojewski and Harrison Povey were named preseason all-conference
• D1Baseball.com projects FGCU to finish third in the ASUN Conference.
• D1Baseball has ranked seven Eagles as top prospects in the next three drafts.
SEASON OPENER HISTORY
• TCU is opening the season at home for the first time since the 2020 campaign.
• TCU owns a record of 8-4 at Lupton Stadium in season openers at home.
• TCU is 14-7 all-time in home openers at Lupton Stadium.
• TCU has won five straight season openers.
• TCU is 8-3 in season-openers with Kirk Saarloos on staff.
SERIES HISTORY
• TCU and Florida Gulf Coast will be meeting for the first time this season.
• The Eagles are the only new opponent on the 2024 schedule.
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP/INF
/ Baseball2026 TCU Baseball Schedule Reveal
Thursday, October 16
Fall Ball for the Frogs
Monday, October 13
on the field with TCU Baseball
Tuesday, September 09
#TCUBaseball Sawyer Strosnider Freshman Year Campaign
Wednesday, June 11
