Longhorns Notebook: Texas Leaves Fort Worth With Crucial TCU Series Win
After an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma Sooners that knocked them out of first place in the Big 12, the Texas Longhorns needed to bounce back in a big way against the TCU Horned Frogs - which is exactly what they did.
The Longhorns took the first two games of the series against the Horned Frogs on Saturday and Sunday to clinch a series that had major postseason implications on the line.
While they did drop the series finale on Monday afternoon, taking the series puts the Longhorns alone in third place in the conference and in a position to still contend for the Big 12 title with two conference series left to play on the road against Kansas and at home against West Virginia to end the regular season.
There are only 10 games left in the regular season for the Longhorns, six of which are conference game, as they jockey for position in the Big 12 to try and win a conference title and potentially host a regional come June.
Now, though, here are three key takeaways from the Longhorns crucial series win over TCU.
Lucas Gordon continues to shove
At this point anyone other than Lucas Gordon winning Big 12 Pitcher of the Year should be considered highway robbery. All season long Gordon has been the best and most consistent pitcher in the conference with his outing against TCU on Saturday only furthering that claim.
Gordon once again started the series on the mound for Texas and delivered a career-high eight innings, allowing four runs with five strikeouts while scattering six hits. His performance improved his record to 5-0 as he still sits atop the Big 12 with a dazzling 2.16 ERA.
Dylan Campbell heating up down the stretch
Dylan Campbell started off the 2022 season slow at the plate before roaring to life down the stretch, becoming one of the key bats in a potent Texas lineup in postseason play. Well, it is safe to say that exact scenario is once again unfolding for Campbell and the Longhorns.
Against the Horned Frogs Campbell extended his hitting streak to a staggering 23 games, and is now tied for fourth on the team in average with Eric Kennedy at .320. Campbell has also launched eight home runs and driven in 30 runs, while drawing a team-high 30 walks. As the Longhorns get ready to fight for another trip to Omaha, Campbell is heating up at the perfect time.
And then there was six
We are heading down the final stretch of the season as the Longhorns only have 10 games left before the Big 12 tournament and the rest of postseason play. Of those 10 games, though, six of them are conference games with Texas in the hunt for a Big 12 championship.
The Longhorns currently own a 10-8 record in conference play, good for third behind West Virginia, who is in first with an 11-4 conference record, and Oklahoma State who sits in second at 11-7.
First up is a three-game road set against Kansas with the final conference series at home against the first place Mountaineers. While Texas likely needs some help from other teams below them in the standings, if the Longhorn can take care of business against Kansas they could head into their final series against West Virginia with a conference championship on the line.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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