Is The Fourth Time A Charm For TCU In Omaha?

For the third straight year, and the fourth time in seven seasons, TCU is going back to Omaha for the College World Series. But will there be a different outcome this year?

The Horned Frogs have fallen short of bringing home the national championship on previous trips. They were bounced out of the tournament last season by Vanderbilt, lost to Virginia and Ole Miss in 2014 and UCLA in 2010.

“Anytime you go and you don’t win, you’re thinking what can I do to give ourselves a better chance to win,” said head coach Jim Schlossnagle. “We played really well last year. I think you can still do everything right and not have the baseball gods look kindly on you.”

TCU has built one of the best college baseball programs in the nation under Schlossnagle. In fact, the constant trips to Omaha in recent years are now considered a key recruiting tool. TCU doesn’t rebuild, they reload. And every year it’s the same goal, go to Omaha and win the national title. As for this year, can TCU finally cross the finish line?

“I just think we are more prepared with the atmosphere and what it’s like,” said infielder Elliott Barzilli. “I think we have an advantage this year.”

The return to Omaha does add the “been there before” confidence that can be so important to a team. But does TCU feel a sense of urgency to win the title this time around?

“You just don’t know when the next time you’ll get to go,” said Schlossnagle. “Even though we’ve been there four of the last seven years, there’s no guarantee to get back there because it’s so hard to do.”