TCU

Big 12 coaches pick TCU to win baseball title, but it was close

The TCU baseball team celebrates with the Lupton Stadium fans after an 8-4 victory against LSU in an elimination game at the College World Series in June last year. The Horned Frogs, who finished 51-15, begin the season Feb. 19 as the Big 12 coaches’ pick to win the league title.
The TCU baseball team celebrates with the Lupton Stadium fans after an 8-4 victory against LSU in an elimination game at the College World Series in June last year. The Horned Frogs, who finished 51-15, begin the season Feb. 19 as the Big 12 coaches’ pick to win the league title. AP

TCU is the coaches’ pick to win the Big 12 title in baseball, but it was a closest vote in five years.

The Horned Frogs got 57 points in the voting, followed by Oklahoma State with 55 and Texas with 53. Each team got three first-place votes, according to the totals released by TCU.

The Frogs were picked to win the league last year, too, and did so with an 18-5 conference record on the way to a 51-15 season that ended at the College World Series.

It’s the ninth time under coach Jim Schlossnagle that TCU has been voted the preseason favorite for a conference title.

The rest of the voting had Oklahoma fourth, then Texas Tech and West Virginia. Kansas and Kansas State tied in seventh, and Baylor under new coach Steve Rodrigue was picked ninth.

The Big 12 season begins March 18 with the West Virginia-TCU and Texas Tech-Baylor series.

TCU’s season opener is Feb. 19 against Loyola Marymount in a three-game series at Lupton Stadium. The Horned Frogs’ Alumni Game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Feb. 13.

Carlos Mendez: 817-390-7760, @calexmendez

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 11:54 AM with the headline "Big 12 coaches pick TCU to win baseball title, but it was close."

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