TCU Pitcher Makes First Career Start in Big 12 Championship Game

With a Big 12 Championship on the line, Kirk Saarloos and the TCU Horned Frogs look to freshman pitcher Nate Stern to get the job done.

According to a report from 247Sports’ Jamie Plunkett, Stern is set to make his first career start in the Big 12 Championship matchup between TCU and Arizona.

This season at TCU, Stern is 3-1 in 14 appearances. He enters the matchup with a 1.53 ERA and has given up just three earned runs on 11 hits in 17.2 innings pitched. The 6-foot-4 freshman has also recorded 28 strikeouts and is allowing opposing batters to hit just .177.

Coming out of Loyola High School, Stern earned Second-Team All-Mission League and led the conference with 62 strikeouts in his senior season. He was named to the California All-Region Team twice in his high school career and checked in as the 22nd-ranked right-handed pitcher in the state of California.

TCU fans are believed to be pretty excited about the move, and here are some of their reactions to the news on social media.