No. 7 TCU Horned Frogs Head Out West for Top-10 Showdown vs No. 1 UCLA

While injury concerns linger, the Frogs still have a chance to make a major statement out West.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 7:47am

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The No. 7-ranked TCU Horned Frogs will head out West to face the No. 1-ranked UCLA Bruins in a highly anticipated top-10 matchup. The Frogs have a 2-2 record so far this season with wins over Vanderbilt and No. 8 Arkansas, while the Bruins hold a 3-1 record with their lone loss coming against UC San Diego. However, TCU's path to a series win against the Bruins may have just gotten much harder, as Friday-starter Tommy LaPour will miss his second start of the year due to injury.

Why it matters

This top-10 matchup between TCU and UCLA is a highly anticipated series that will draw a lot of attention from the college baseball world. The Frogs have a chance to make a major statement by stealing a road series from the No. 1 team in the country, but the loss of their Friday-night starter due to injury tightens the margin for error.

The details

With LaPour unable to go this weekend, the starts of both Mason Brassfield and Lance Davis will be moved up a day. Freshman left-hander Uli Fernsler will get the nod on Sunday for the Frogs. Fernsler is making his collegiate debut against the No. 1 team in the country, which is a trial by fire but could also pay dividends for the lefty down the road.

  • The series between the two Omaha hopefuls drew a plethora of attention from the college baseball world, and now the long-anticipated series out West is finally here.
  • After dropping a midweek contest to UTA on Tuesday night, the No. 7-ranked TCU Horned Frogs will now head out West for a top-10 matchup against the No. 1-ranked UCLA Bruins.

The players

Roch Cholowsky

The UCLA shortstop is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft and may be the most complete player in college baseball. Last season, Cholowsky led UCLA to its sixth College World Series appearance by hitting an astounding .353 at the plate with 89 hits, 19 doubles, one triple, and 23 home runs. Through just four games this season, the shortstop is hitting .438 at the plate with seven hits, three doubles, and three home runs.

Mulivai Levu

The UCLA first baseman has seemingly taken his hitting to a new level this season. After hitting .320 on the season with 12 home runs last year, Levu currently leads the UCLA lineup in hits with nine.

Will Gasparino

The UCLA power hitter is a real threat at the plate. The former Texas Longhorn has already blasted three home runs this season in just 12 at-bats.

Michael Barnett

The UCLA pitcher was extremely solid for the Bruins last year, finishing the 2025 season with a 3.98 ERA.

Ian May

The UCLA pitcher was also solid for the Bruins last year, finishing the 2025 season with a 4.97 ERA.

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What they’re saying

“Stealing a road series from the No. 1 team in the country was already going to be a difficult task. The unfortunate timing of LaPour's injury, and the already growing concerns about the Frogs' pitching depth, only tightens the margin for error against the Bruins.”

— Jamie Plunkett, HornedFrogBlitz

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.