Baseball: TCU wins back-to-back games, takes Big 12 series at Houston

The Horned Frog offense scored 28 runs in two games.

TCU baseball took over its Big 12 series against Houston with an explosive offensive display, scoring a combined 28 runs on Saturday and Sunday to secure back-to-back victories as well as the team’s second conference series win of the season. Despite a one-run defeat on Friday evening, TCU dominated with a shutout victory on Saturday before recording 16 hits in the rubber match on Sunday. TCU (21-8, 5-4 Big 12) will return home for a midweek game against UTSA on Tuesday before welcoming BYU in for a conference series Friday evening.

Friday: Houston 3, TCU 2

Noah Franco delivered an RBI single for the Horned Frogs in the top of the first inning. Houston took the lead in the bottom of the third inning, where Cougar outfielder Xavier Perez laced a two-run double down the right-field line to put Houston ahead 2-1. That was the only major damage allowed from TCU starting pitcher Tommy LaPour, who fired six strong innings while striking out six batters and holding the Cougar offense to four hits.

Franco evened the score in the top of the fifth inning, smacking an RBI single through the left side to bring home Sawyer Strosnider. Left-hander Braeden Sloan relieved LaPour in the bottom of the seventh inning, where Houston retook the lead after an RBI double from pinch hitter Colby DeJesus, who bashed a hit down the right-field line. Despite suffering his first loss of the season, Sloan struck out four batters over two innings without a walk.

Saturday: TCU 12, Houston 0

Right-hander Caedmon Parker made his return to the pitcher’s mound on Saturday, firing five shutout frames while striking out three batters to improve to 3-0 on the season. TCU took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and added three runs in the top of the second inning, where catcher Karson Bowen sent an RBI single into center before freshman outfielder Sawyer Strosnider belted an opposite-field, two-run blast over the left-field fence.

The Horned Frogs carried a 4-0 advantage into the top of the seventh inning, where TCU tallied one run on a wild pitch. Noah Franco extended TCU’s lead with a two-run single in the top of the eighth inning. Leading 7-0, the Horned Frogs capped off their victory with a five-run rally in the top of the ninth inning, where Strosnider smashed a three-run bomb over the left-center-field wall for his second home run of the game. Kade Eudy and Jax Traeger combined to throw four innings of shutout relief, striking out five total batters.

TCU limited the Cougars to three hits in Saturday’s victory. Strosnider went 4-for-5 with five RBIs for the Horned Frogs, who finished with 11 hits in the game. Infielder Jack Bell reached base five times, finishing 2-for-2 while drawing three walks. TCU drew 10 walks in the win.

Sunday: TCU 16, Houston 5

The Horned Frogs overcame a four-run deficit in their rubber match against Houston on Sunday, rallying for three runs in the top of the second inning, where catcher Nolan Traeger slapped an RBI double and shortstop Anthony Silva reached on an RBI infield single. Trailing 4-3, TCU evened the score after pitcher/designated hitter Noah Franco launched a solo shot over the right-center-field wall in the top of the third inning. The Horned Frogs took a two-run lead in the top of the fourth inning, where outfielder Sam Myers delivered an RBI bunt single to the third-base side and outfielder Isaac Cadena reached on a fielder’s choice.

Leading 6-5 after five innings, TCU tallied four runs in the top of the sixth inning, where outfielder Chase Brunson pounded an RBI single to left field and Traeger reached on an error at second base to give the Horned Frogs a 10-5 advantage. Infielder Cole Cramer kept the TCU offense rolling, bashing a two-run single up the middle in the top of the eighth inning. Shortstop Anthony Silva put the Horned Frogs over the top in style, bombing a grand slam down the left-field line. Silva went 4-for-6 with five RBIs, while Cramer went 2-for-5 with three RBIs to lead the TCU offense. Brunson was a perfect 5-for-5 in the victory.

Right-hander Louis Rodriguez earned the win on the mound for the Horned Frogs, firing three and two-thirds innings while striking out five batters and holding Houston to two hits. Kole Klecker recorded his first save of the season, throwing the final three frames and limiting the Cougars to two hits while striking out three hitters.