Back-to-back one-run victories, including a walk-off victory in extra innings on Saturday, enabled the TCU baseball team to secure a Big 12 Conference sweep against Texas Tech at Lupton Stadium over the weekend. It’s the first Big 12 sweep of the season for the Horned Frogs (17-10), who moved one game above the .500 mark in conference play. TCU hosts Lamar on Tuesday before heading to Manhattan for a Big 12 series at Kansas State.
Friday: TCU 18, Texas Tech 8
The Horned Frogs broke out the bats in
their series opener, posting 17 hits and scoring eight runs in the third inning. TCU led 3-0 after the first inning, where Sawyer Strosnider and Brady Dallimore each smacked RBI singles. Chase Brunson, Noah Franco and Jack Bell all belted home runs in the third inning, where Strosnider added another RBI single and Brunson hit an RBI single as the Horned Frogs batted around the order.
A three-run blast from Strosnider sparked a five-run fifth inning and Cole Cramer, who went 3 for 5 while scoring five runs, launched a solo shot in the sixth inning. Colton Griffin went 3 for 5 with three runs scored and Strosnider went 3 for 5 with three runs scored and a team-high five RBIs. Franco and Bell each went 2 for 4 and Brunson went 2 for 3 with two walks, two runs and three RBIs. Mason Brassfield earned the win on the mound, improving to 3-2 after throwing five innings and striking out four while holding Texas Tech to three earned runs.
Saturday: TCU 10, Texas Tech 9 (13)
The Horned Frogs and Red Raiders combined for 38 hits on Saturday, with Texas Tech recording 23 while TCU had 15. With the Horned Frogs down 9-8 in the bottom of the 13th inning, Sawyer Strosnider ripped an RBI double and Brunson lofted a sacrifice fly to the outfield that clinched TCU’s victory. Preston Gamster and Cole Cramer each crushed two-run homers in the second inning to spark a four-run frame for the Horned Frogs.
TCU continued to play long ball, with Brady Dallimore sending a solo shot over the wall in the third inning, Noah Franco belting a two-run shot in the seventh inning and Jack Bell blasting one away in the eighth inning. Trever Baumler earned the win in relief, improving to 1-2 after throwing four innings and striking out four while holding Texas Tech to one earned run and scattering six hits. Tanner Sagouspe gave quality relief in the middle innings, logging three and one-third innings of scoreless ball while striking out three batters without allowing a walk.
Sunday: TCU 5, Texas Tech 4
The Horned Frogs, looking for the sweep, scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning before Noah Franco tossed a scoreless ninth innin to save TCU’s victory on Sunday. Kyuss Gargett sparked the three-run rally with an RBI single and Cole Cramer gave the Horned Frogs a one-run lead with a two-run single. Franco threw the final one and one-third innings and struck out two batters while holding the Red Raiders to one hit.
Jack Bell ripped an RBI single in the second and Chase Brunson added an RBI groundout in the third for the Horned Frogs, who finished with 11 hits and overcame 11 strikeouts at the plate. Bell went 3 for 4, while Sawyer Strosnider, Colton Griffin and Nolan Traeger each finished with two hits in the victory.
