TCU baseball saw its early season woes continue over the weekend. After being blown out in their series opener with UCF on Friday night, the Horned Frogs dropped another lopsided affair on Sunday, losing their series to the Knights and dropping to .500 in Big 12 play. TCU (13-10, 2-4 Big 12) travels to Dallas Baptist for a nonconference game on Tuesday before returning to Lupton Stadium for another conference series, this one with Texas Tech.
Friday: UCF 18, TCU 7
The Horned Frogs surrendered seven
runs in the second inning and nine runs in the ninth inning during their series opener with the Knights. UCF notched 18 hits and drew 12 walks against an underwhelming TCU pitching staff. While the Horned Frogs had 12 hits and scored five runs in the fifth inning, the crooked numbers in both the second and ninth innings were too much to overcome. Nolan Traeger went 3-for-5, while Cole Cramer and Kyuss Gargett each had two hits in the game. Sawyer Strosnider went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs.
Mason Brassfield earned the start on the mound, but the left-hander had his worst outing of the season, allowing eight runs on eight hits over one and two-thirds innings. Kade Durnin entered in relief and struggled as well, walking four batters but limiting the Knights to two hits and one run over two and two-thirds innings. Nolan Johnson was roughed up in the ninth, allowing four runs on four hits while recording just two outs. Cole Eaton, a position player, was called on to record the final out. It’s the third time TCU has used Eaton to pitch this year.
Saturday: TCU 6, UCF 0
Lance Davis tossed a shutout in his start and earned his first win of the season, improving to 1-3. Davis threw seven frames and held UCF to two hits while striking out five batters and walking only two. Walter Quinn came out in relief and executed the final two frames, allowing just one hit and striking out three with two walks. TCU took a 1-0 lead after Sawyer Strosnider and Chase Brunson executed a double steal in the bottom of the first.
The Horned Frogs added a run in the second and took a 5-0 lead after Lucas Franco slapped a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning. Colton Griffin laid down a sacrifice bunt for one run in the bottom of the sixth. Franco went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Brunson went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI in the win. The Horned Frogs finished with six hits, drew six walks and struck out just four times on offense.
Sunday: UCF 9, TCU 1
Trever Baumler took the mound to start the rubber match, but the right-hander allowed five runs on six hits over just two frames. Zack James entered in relief and logged four and two-thirds innings, but the Knights tagged him for four runs on nine hits. Nate Stern took over in the seventh and pitched one and one-third innings, holding UCF scoreless on one hit. Baumler, who allowed three doubles, saw his ERA balloon to 7.47 on the season.
The Knights led 3-0 after one inning and 5-0 after three innings. Jack Bell had TCU’s only hit through the first eight innings. TCU avoided the shutout when Sawyer Strosnider homered in the bottom of the eighth inning.
