Preview: Horned Frogs, Bears Set for Big 12 Series Opener in Waco

WACO, Texas (Interstat) — A pivotal Big 12 Conference series begins Friday when the TCU Horned Frogs visit the Baylor Bears at Baylor Ballpark.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. under partly cloudy skies with a game-time temperature near 82 degrees.

The matchup features two teams jockeying for position in the conference standings. TCU (22-14) holds a slight edge in overall record over Baylor (21-15). Both teams are coming off high-scoring, extra-inning midweek victories. The Horned Frogs defeated Tarleton State 12-5 on Tuesday, while the Bears outlasted Texas-San Antonio 10-9 in 12 innings the same day.

A player to watch for TCU is Rob Liddington Jr., who powered Tuesday’s win with a pinch-hit grand slam for his only hit in the game. Over his last 10 games, he is 4-for-18 with two home runs and seven RBIs.

Baylor’s offense is fueled by Tyce Armstrong, who was instrumental in the comeback win over UTSA. The first baseman went 3-for-6 with two home runs and four RBIs. In his last 10 contests, Armstrong is batting .294 (10-for-34) with four homers and nine RBIs.

On the mound, TCU received strong relief performances from Walter Quinn and Cade Nelson in its last outing, each throwing two scoreless innings. Baylor’s Caldwell McFaddin provided 2 1/3 innings of one-run relief to help secure Tuesday’s win.

This series is the first of three scheduled meetings between the in-state rivals this season. According to Interstat’s game simulator, Friday’s contest projects to be an offensive battle, with a predicted final score of TCU 7, Baylor 6.

The Horned Frogs have won five of their last eight games. The Bears have split their last 10 contests, showing resilience with several comeback victories.

The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.