TCU’s pitching plan may make or break its College World Series hopes

Collegiate pitchers are making headlines for how many pitches they’re throwing in a game. Stanford starting pitcher Quinn Mathews threw 156 in the NCAA Super Regional against Texas.

Last night, Florida’s starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep threw 103. When TCU faced Virginia in an elimination game, the Cavaliers’ pitcher threw 101.

TCU’s head coach Kirk Saarloos said the Frogs may have “the least amount of pitching depth” of any of the teams in Omaha.

The starting rotation and the bullpen dealt with injuries all season, forcing the Frogs to depend on a lot of inexperienced freshmen.

While those freshmen have stepped up for the team, veteran pitcher Cam Brown even attributed TCU’s trip to Omaha to the freshman staff, it means trouble for the depth of the staff in Omaha.

Saarloos said the key to not overloading the staff, and their overall success in the tournament, is to “stay in the winner’s bracket.”

That plan didn’t work out when the Frogs dropped the first game of their 2023 College World Series appearance, but they’ve been able to manage the workload for the pitching staff.

Their starting pitcher, Sam Stoutenborough, threw 64 pitches in Sunday’s win over Virginia. The reliever, Garrett Wright, threw 43. TCU’s reliable freshman Ben Abeldt closed the door, throwing only 18 pitches.

In the team’s first game, four pitchers combined for 157 pitches with starting pitcher, freshman Kole Klecker, carrying most of the load with 87 pitches.

In order to make it to the championship series, the Frogs must play three more games beginning with Tuesday’s 1 p.m. elimination game against Oral Roberts.

Saarloos said a lot of the pitchers on TCU’s roster will get their names called, despite the consistent pitchers already declaring themselves eligible in the next few days.

“Garrett [Wright] wasn’t happy with me when I took him out, but he told me he’d be ready for Tuesday,” said Sarloos.

Klecker even told Saarloos he was ready to pitch if he needed to against Virginia. Saarloos let him know he wouldn’t be needed, so he could keep his tennis shoes on.

For Tuesday’s rematch against ORU, “everybody is going to be ready, which is awesome,” said Saarloos.

While overuse is a big concern, Saarloos said Abeldt gets better the more he throws.

He trusted him to close out the elimination game because he can bounce back really well.

“I knew he wanted the ball,” said Saarloos.

Virginia’s head coach commended the way the TCU pitching staff handled themselves against a tough UVA offense.

He said Stoutenborough did really well facing only three batters in the last few innings of his outing.

TCU outfielder Austin Davis said it was important that the Frogs wore down the Virginia pitchers so they could get a good pitch to hit.

Davis said the game plan was to “grind out at-bats [against Virginia pitcher Connelly Early] ‘til you get your pitch.”

“If you don’t get your pitch, just foul it off,” he said.

On Sunday, Florida used four pitchers that combined for 166 pitches. Oral Roberts used four pitchers that combined for 156 pitches.

Florida will get the benefit of an extra day off and would have to lose to the winner of the TCU-ORU elimination game twice in order to be eliminated.

Florida used closer Brandon Neely for 22 pitches. The head coach of the Gators said they’ve used Neely in back-to-back games, so it will be nice to have the extra day off.

So, for Oral Roberts or TCU, the ability to win while managing the workload of the bullpen will be essential to their path to the championship series.

This story was originally published June 19, 2023 at 8:41 AM.