Needing a series victory to stay in the Big 12 title race, TCU swept its doubleheader with Baylor on Sunday, bouncing back from a loss Friday evening to take their three-game set against the Bears in Waco. The Horned Frogs (24-15, 10-8 Big 12) moved into fifth place in the conference standings, four games behind first-place Kansas. TCU will host Dallas Baptist on Tuesday before welcoming Houston for a Big 12 series this weekend.
The Bears scored three runs in the fifth and five runs in the eighth to win the series opener against the Horned Frogs on Friday evening. Noah Franco and Nolan Traeger each smacked home runs, while Brady Dallimore went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Trever Baumler earned the start for the Horned Frogs, logging four innings and striking out five while allowing four runs on six hits. TCU’s relievers struggled, as Mason Brassfield, Nate Stern, Walter Quinn and Kade Durnin all yielded at least one run. TCU had seven hits and struck out 11 times.
Facing a four-run deficit, the Horned Frogs rallied for five runs over the eighth and ninth innings to take the first of their two games on Sunday. Chase Brunson singlehandedly lifted the Horned Frogs to victory, belting a home run in the eighth before crushing a two-run double in the ninth to finish with all five RBIs. Brunson had three hits for the Horned Frogs, who finished with nine as a team and overcame 11 runners left on base in the game.
HUGE swing @ChaseBrunson7 😤#GoFrogs | #FrogballUSA pic.twitter.com/KQPHeYTgBz
Lance Davis spun a quality outing for the Horned Frogs, pitching seven innings and limiting the Bears to three earned runs while striking out five batters. Walter Quinn and Tanner Sagouspe each twirled scoreless innings in relief, with Quinn earning the victory. Quinn struck out two in the eighth and Sagouspe added one in the ninth.
The Horned Frogs smacked the Bears around in their doubleheader finale, notching 16 hits and scoring four runs in the top of the ninth inning to clinch their series victory. Preston Gamster’s two-run homer sparked a three-run sixth for the Horned Frogs, who had five players record at least two hits in the win. Gamster went 3-for-4 and scored three runs, while Rob Liddington went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI single in the ninth.
lift off in Waco🚀No. 3 for @GamsterPreston#GoFrogs | #FrogballUSA pic.twitter.com/T6D8Je57Co
Cole Cramer (three RBIs), Sawyer Strosnider and Chase Brunson each had two hits for the Horned Frogs, who saw right-hander Zack James improve to 5-0 on the season with another strong pitching performance. James threw seven innings and struck out eight batters while holding Baylor to one run on six hits. Nate Stern entered in relief and fired the final two frames, striking out two batters to help the Horned Frogs preserve their win.