TCU Baseball: Frogs Roll Past UT Rio Grande Valley

On Tuesday night, the TCU Horned Frogs baseball team had an easy night, defeating the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valey Vaqueros 14-4 in a run-ruled shortened seven-inning game.

TCU scored its first run of its game against UT Rio Grande Valley without recording a hit. Lead-off man Elijah Nunez was hit by a pitch to start the ballgame, and the three following batters were all walked, resulting in what was quite possibly the easiest run in baseball. A double play ball from Cole Fontenelle and a Kurtis Byrne single scored two more runs for the Frogs, who would lead 3-0 after one.

Things went similarly for the TCU bats in the bottom of the second. Nunez got things going with a double, and three at-bats later, an Anthony Silva RBI brought him home. With just one out, the Horned Frogs had already loaded the bases, and another HBP, this time Byrne was the victim, brought another easy run home. An Austin Davis walk, and a three-run double hit by Logan Maxwell put four more runs on the board, and TCU led 9-0.

It was not until the fourth inning that the Vaqueros finally got on the board. Braeden Sloan started on the mound for the Frogs and didn’t allow a run until the top of the fourth. He pitched for 3.2 innings and struck out six batters, allowing three hits and just one run. He was replaced by Calvin Marley, who was very quickly replaced by Jax Traeger.

TCU’s offense would not be silent for long, as Maxwell got back in the action with a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Maxwell finished the day with two hits and 5 RBIs, which was tied for the team lead. Byrne hit an RBI double an inning later, making it a 12-1 ballgame. In the top of the sixth, UTRGV put together its first and only multiple-run inning thanks to a solo home run from Damian Rodriguez, an Erick Martinez sacrifice fly, and a Kade York RBI single. Despite the strong inning, the Vaqueros still trailed (by a lot), 12-4.

In the seventh inning, which would ultimately be the final one, Byrne continued his strong day with a two-run home run, pushing the lead to 10 runs and putting the mercy rule in effect. Byrne tied Maxwell for the most RBIs with 5. He recorded three hits, including a double and a homer, in the decisive victory.

The Frogs are looking to make a strong final push after a disappointing middle section of their schedule. Currently sitting at 25-20, Kirk Saarloos’ squad will host Cal State Fullerton on May 5-7. Game one begins at 6:30 pm in Fort Worth. It will be available to watch on ESPN+.

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