The Horned Frogs move to 12-4 overall as Big 12 play approaches.
TCU baseball continued to build momentum entering Big 12 Conference play, winning all three of its games to earn a nonconference sweep against Fresno State at Lupton Stadium over the weekend. The Horned Frogs (12-4), who took both of their midweek games against Air Force on Tuesday and Wednesday, have won five consecutive games and will look to keep their streak alive with a road game against Texas State this Tuesday. TCU will then tee off the Big 12 schedule on Friday, when the Horned Frogs welcome in Arizona State.
Friday: TCU 9, Fresno State 4
The Horned Frogs jumped on the Bulldogs early, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first inning and three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take an 8-0 lead. TCU’s five-run frame included a two-run double from Chase Brunson as well as run-scoring singles from Sam Myers and Karson Bowen. Sawyer Strosnider followed with an RBI single to cap off the frame. Colton Griffin belted a solo homer to spark TCU in the bottom of the second, where Brunson slapped an RBI single and Anthony Silva added a sacrifice fly to center field.
Bowen’s second RBI single of the game put TCU ahead 9-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning. On the mound, Caedmon Parker was solid over the first four frames, holding the Bulldogs scoreless before handing the ball to former California transfer Trey Neumann, who struck out three batters and limited Fresno State to one earned run over two and one-thirds innings. Cohen Feser closed the game in the ninth inning, firing a scoreless frame with one strikeout. Brunson and Cole Cramer each had three hits for TCU, who finished with 16 total.
Saturday: TCU 5, Fresno State 4
The Bulldogs took their first lead of the series after tallying two runs in both the second and third innings to surge ahead 4-0. Anthony Silva cut the Fresno State lead in half, blasting a two-run homer over the center-field wall in the bottom of the fourth inning to put TCU on the scoreboard. Trailing 4-2, TCU rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, where a balk allowed Sam Myers to score and Isaac Cadena delivered an RBI single that tied the game at 4-4. A wild pitch enabled Cadena to cross home plate and give TCU the lead.
Braeden Sloan continued his hot start to the season with another outstanding relief effort. After taking the mound in the fifth inning, Sloan fired five scoreless frames and struck out seven batters to earn his second win and improve to 2-0 on the season. The left-hander is now holding an 0.56 ERA with 26 strikeouts and only four walks over 16 innings pitched. Tommy LaPour started the game, throwing four innings and striking out three batters. Sawyer Strosnider and Nolan Traeger each recorded two hits to lead the TCU offense.
Sunday: TCU 12, Fresno State 6
In a high-scoring series finale, TCU found itself down 6-2 after three innings, but the Horned Frogs rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, where Isaac Cadena belted a two-run triple and Cole Cramer added a sacrifice fly to bring the Bulldogs within one run. Chase Brunson evened the score in the bottom of the fifth inning, smacking an RBI single to center to complete TCU’s four-run comeback. The Horned Frogs continued to plug away in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring four runs on a two-run double from Colton Griffin, an RBI single from Cadena and an RBI single from Cramer to take a 10-6 lead in the ball game.
Noah Franco and Sawyer Strosnider added insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning, where Franco launched an RBI triple and Strosnider followed with an RBI double to give the Horned Frogs a six-run advantage. Mason Brassfield turned in his strongest outing of the season and arguably TCU’s best relief effort of the season, throwing six and one-third innings and striking out seven batters without allowing a run. Brassfield entered in relief of Trever Baumler, who pitched two and two-thirds innings and conceded six earned runs.