Big 12 baseball power rankings: Here come those Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas baseball last advanced to an NCAA regional in 2014, but second-year coach Dan Fitzgerald has the Jayhawks on a trajectory to end that drought soon. Heck, maybe even this year.
KU started Big 12 play last weekend by winning two of three from TCU, which went into Lawrence undefeated and ranked No. 4 in the USA TODAY Sports Top 25 coaches poll. It was the most attention-getting outcome of any games involving a Big 12 team this year.
Reese Dutton threw seven innings when KU beat TCU 3-1 in the series opener, and Dominic Voegele outpitched Kole Klecker, last year's Big 12 pitching victories leader, in an 8-4 win. Even TCU's 13-4 victory Sunday was misleading in that the Horned Frogs blew it open with an eight-run ninth inning.
Fitzgerald, a Dallas Baptist and LSU assistant before he took the Kansas job, has the Jayhawks on the move in this week's Big 12 power rankings. All records and records are as of Monday.
1. TCU (14-2, 1-2)
Last week: 1
What to know: The Horned Frogs hang on to the top spot with their overall body of work, but they're having to win too many high-scoring games. Of the five TCU pitchers with at least two starts, only one has an ERA lower than 5.30.
2. Texas (9-6, 2-1)
Last week: 3
What to know: Texas stormed back from a three-run deficit Sunday to beat Texas Tech 9-7 and win a rubber match in Lubbock. Shockingly, the atmosphere was hot and tempers flared after a collision between Longhorns base runner Will Gasparino and Red Raiders first baseman Gavin Kash.
More: Fundamental lapses cost Texas Tech baseball in finale vs. Texas
More: Big 12 pitchers shined Friday, but Texas Tech baseball arms didn't hold up their end
3. Texas Tech (11-4, 1-2)
Last week: 2
What to know: Mac Heuer's a 6-foot-5, 265-pound righthander who turned down the Cleveland Guardians to come to Texas Tech. He beat the Longhorns 7-2 with six strong innings on Saturday, but the Red Raiders need more from the rotation.
4. Oklahoma State (10-6, 0-0)
Last week: 4
What to know: The Cowboys were the odd team out on the schedule last weekend with no Big 12 opponent. They took two in three low-scoring games with visiting Mercer.
5. Kansas (9-5, 2-1)
Last week: 10
What to know: The series win over TCU wasn't a fluke. Weekend starters Reese Dutton, Dominic Voegele and Patrick Steitz have a composite 1.75 earned-run average over 11 starts.
6. Oklahoma (9-5, 3-0)
Last week: 8
What to know: Good bounce-back week for the Sooners, who won four in a row — three against Central Florida — without allowing more than three runs in a game. The lineup has never been the question.
7. West Virginia (9-7, 2-1)
Last week: 6
What to know: Aidan Major's a 5-11 righthander who's averaging six-plus innings per start with a .198 opponents' batting average, making him one of the conference's most improved players. Can he maintain that workload after coming out of the bullpen in 18 of his 21 appearances last year?
8. Houston (11-4, 3-0)
Last week: 9
What to know: The Cougars' weekend rotation of L.A. Dodgers draft pick Jaxon Jelkin, Alabama transfer Antoine Jean and Presbyterian transfer Duncan Howard have a combined 2.75 ERA over 12 starts. They helped Houston sweep old Southwest Conference rival Baylor 4-3, 8-0 and 3-2.
9. Kansas State (9-6, 2-1)
Last week: 5
What to know: Kansas State's first no-hitter since 2017 came from Jacob Frost (seven innings) and Jackson Wentworth in a series-opening 4-0 win over Cincinnati. Still, the Wildcats have the Big 12's second-worst team ERA and all-American closer Tyson Neighbors sidelined since Feb. 20.
10. Central Florida (9-4, 0-3)
Last week: 7
What to know: Oklahoma brought UCF back to earth. Next up might be an even bigger challenge with Oklahoma State.
11. Cincinnati (9-7, 1-2)
Last week: 12
What to know: Regular first baseman Tommy O'Connor extended his on-base streak to 31 games with a pinch-hit single Sunday against Kansas State. The Bearcats took a game in the series.
12. Baylor (4-11, 0-3)
Last week: 11
What to know: The Bears struggled to score while being swept by Houston. Now comes No. 25 Texas Tech and No. 24 Texas the next two weekends.
13. Brigham Young (7-7, 1-2)
Last week: 13
What to know: In a doubleheader split at West Virginia, the Cougars got strong starts from Bryce Robison in a 4-1 win and Cutter Clawson in a 2-0 loss. Robison has 24 career victories, tied for seventh in BYU history.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Big 12 baseball power rankings: Here come those Kansas Jayhawks
