No. 7 Texas vs. No. 23 TCU: Preview and pitching matchups

No. 7 Texas and No. 23 TCU will battle it out in front of sold out crowds in Austin this weekend.

No. 7 Texas (22-9, 3-3) is set to welcome No. 23 TCU (20-9, 6-3) for a three-game series likely to have major Big 12 title implications. This marks Texas’ first conference home series of the season and a chance to get back above .500 in Big 12 play.

The Longhorns seem to be finding their stride after a dramatic series victory over Oklahoma last weekend. Texas scored 11 runs in the final three innings to take down the Sooners in Arlington.

TCU is entering the weekend looking to bounce back from dropping a home series to West Virginia last weekend. The Frogs will still be without ace Austin Krob who is dealing with an arm injury.

Here is a look at the probable pitching matchups for the weekend set:

Friday: Texas LHP Pete Hansen (5-0, 2.51) vs. TCU RHP Riley Cornelio (3-1, 3.10)

Saturday: Texas RHP Tristan Stevens (4-2, 3.16) vs. TCU RHP Marcelo Perez (2-1, 2.16)

Sunday: Texas LHP Lucas Gordon (2-1, 2.63) vs. TCU RHP Brett Walker (3-1, 4.89)

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LOOK: Texas’ pitching staff headlines Baseball America’s February cover

Texas has a chance for a special season and it all starts on the mound.

Most publications have Texas ranked No. 1 to start the 2022 college baseball season and for good reason. Texas returns the majority of an Omaha lineup and will boast one the best pitching staffs in America.

Texas’ weekend rotation of Pete Hansen, Tanner Witt and Tristian Stevens headlined Baseball America’s college baseball preview magazine cover. Baseball America labeled the Horns “armed and dangerous” and “the best pitching staff in the nation.”

All three pitchers in Hansen, Witt and Stevens had fanatic seasons a year ago.

Hansen posted a 9-1 record with a 1.88 ERA. The southpaw was named preseason Big 12 pitcher of the year by coaches around the league.

Witt will move into the starting rotation after a freshman All-American outing from the pen in 2021. The hard-throwing righty held opponents to a .194 batting average and finished with a 3.14 ERA.

Heading into last season Texas had some question marks in the weekend rotation behind eventual first-round pick Ty Madden. Tristian Stevens stepped into the Saturday role and was excellent all season. Stevens finished the season as an All-Big 12 selection.

Texas has a chance for a special season and it all starts on the mound.