Baseball: TCU sweeps midweek series with Air Force

The Horned Frogs improve to 9-4 overall after back-to-back wins over the Falcons.

TCU baseball bounced back from a home series defeat against Southern Miss over the weekend, taking each of its two games for a midweek sweep over Air Force at Lupton Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday. The bats broke out in a big way for the Horned Frogs (9-4, 0-0 Big 12), who scored 28 runs over 14 innings and run-ruled the Falcons to win both games. TCU totaled 23 hits in the Air Force series and limited the Falcons to only seven hits. The Horned Frogs are back in action for a home series with Fresno State this weekend.

Tuesday: TCU 17, Air Force 6 (7)

Facing a 2-0 deficit in the bottom of the second inning, TCU exploded for five runs on one error and two clutch hits including a two-run single from Anthony Silva and a two-run triple from Sawyer Strosnider. The Horned Frogs continued to chip away at the Air Force pitching in the bottom of the third inning, where Jack Bell belted a solo home run to center field and Sam Myers slapped a two-run double into left field to plate Strosnider and Noah Franco.

A fielding error in center resulted in three unearned runs for the Falcons in the top of the fourth inning. But TCU answered with another crooked frame, tallying five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, where an Air Force error led to two runs before Chase Brunson smashed a three-run homer to left-center field. Leading 13-6 after an RBI single for Air Force in the top of the sixth inning, TCU recorded four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, extending its lead on an RBI single from Isaac Cadena as well as a sacrifice fly from Karson Bowen and a wild pitch to Cole Cramer. The game ended after a scoreless seventh frame.

Carson Cormier relieved starter Louis Rodriguez and earned his first career win for the Horned Frogs, striking out three batters over one and one-third innings thrown. Rodriguez pitched three and two-thirds innings, striking out four with two walks and five runs (only one earned) allowed. Nate Stern fired the final two frames and added five strikeouts.

Wednesday: TCU 11, Air Force 1 (7)

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, TCU surged ahead with two runs on a sacrifice fly from Chase Brunson and an RBI single from freshman Nolan Traeger. The Horned Frogs went ahead 6-1 in the bottom of the second inning, where Sawyer Strosnider ripped a two-run double down the right-field line and Sam Myers delivered an RBI single up the middle. Singles from Noah Franco and Strosnider led to two runs in the bottom of the third inning.

Anthony Silva’s two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning put TCU one step closer toward another run-rule victory. Cole Cramer walked the Horned Frogs off in the bottom of the seventh inning, sending an RBI single into center field. Zack James started on the mound and earning his second victory of the season, moving to 2-0 after holding Air Force to one run on three hits over four frames of work. Franco followed with two innings of shutout relief, striking out four batters before handing the ball to Kole Klecker, who tossed a scoreless frame in the seventh inning to help the Horned Frogs secure their win.