Baseball: TCU Downs Washington State on a Walk-Off in Extras
TCU is eight games into the new season and has already had several close brushes with defeat, but somehow, some way, the Horned Frogs are still perfect. The undefeated record was put to the test once again as Washington State came to Fort Worth on Tuesday and gave TCU everything it could handle.
In the bottom of the 12th inning, with the score tied 7-7, outfielder Luke Boyers hit a two-out single to bring Sam Myers and the Horned Frog's eighth straight victory home. If you ask the players and coaches, they would probably tell you it should not have come down to that because in the top of the ninth inning, TCU had a four-run advantage. But none of that matters now. The Frogs are 8-0 for the first time since 1994.
Luke Boyers hits a walk-off single against Washington State on Tuesday night in Forth Worth.
The run-producers for TCU were mostly familiar faces. Karson Bowen and Anthony Silva led Frog hitters with two RBIs apiece. Bowen and Payton Tolle each batted one runner in during the third inning while Silva brought home two in the fourth inning to give the Frogs a 4-1 lead.
Bowen's second RBI came in TCU's three-run fifth inning which was also supported by a Peyton Chatagnier RBI and a Kurtis Byrne RBI which gave the Horned Frogs a 7-3 lead.
Runs allowed has been a weakness for the TCU so far this season, and Tuesday night was no different. Despite this, the Horned Frogs' bullpen gave them enough to secure a win.
Ben Hampton got the start and pitched for 4.1 innings, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out five. Louis Rodriguez pitched for 1.2 innings and struck out three batters, allowing three hits and no runs. The next two pitchers in relief were Chase Hoover and Hunter Hodges, who pitched for an inning each, combining for no runs allowed, no hits allowed, a walk, and four strikeouts.
Kyle Ayers was next out of the bullpen, and while his appearance was short lived, it allowed plenty of damage. Ayers threw for 0.1 innings and allowed three hits and three runs. Ben Abeldt finished out the inning and allowed one run on two hits.
Zachary Cawyer pitched in all three of the extra innings and allowed no runs on two hits and struck out three batters. Cawyer earned the win for TCU, his third of the season.
This goes down as TCU's fourth one-run victory of the season. The Frogs are clutch; we know that for sure. TCU will be back in action on Wednesday to take on Arizona at 6 p.m. in Forth Worth. The game will air on ESPN+.
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