Colt Barber/Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Baseball Tournament: Frogs Advance To Championship
It was another early start for the No. 4 seed TCU baseball team (36-22) at the 2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Saturday morning. And once again, for the fifth time in the last ten days, the Horned Frogs faced the No. 5 seed Kansas State Wildcats (35-24). TCU got the win, 6-3. The win advances the Frogs to Sunday’s championship game, where they will face either the No. 2 seed Oklahoma State Cowboys or the No. 6 seed Texas Tech Red Raiders.
When the Horned Frogs faced the Wildcats in Game 1 of the tournament on Wednesday, the bats were hot for the Frogs, as they were able to run-rule the Cats. In Saturday's matchup, it was more of a pitchers’ duel. TCU only had three hits on the day but found a way to get runs across the plate.
Sam Stoutenborough got the start for the Frogs. He pitched 5.2 innings and threw 93 pitches that included three earned runs, one home run, nine hits, three strikeouts, and one walk.
The two teams put three scoreless innings to start the game. K-State got on the board first in the top of the fourth thanks to a home run to right field by catcher Raphael Pelletier. TCU was able to counter in the bottom of the fourth. Karson Bowen led off the inning with a walk, stole 2nd, but advanced to third on a throwing error. Cole Fontenelle then had a sacrifice fly RBI to score Bowen and tie the game.
Both teams then exchanged two runs each in the next inning. K-State had runners at 2nd and 3rd when shortstop Nick Goodwin singled down the right-field line scoring both runners. Kurtis Byrne hit a solo home run to left field, his second of the tournament and fifth of the season. Logan Maxwell followed him with a triple. Austin Davis then brought him home with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
In the sixth inning, Brayden Taylor was hit by a pitch, followed by a Fontenelle walk. Tre Richardson, with a sacrifice bunt, would load the bases. Anthony Silva would then bat into a double play but got the RBI as Taylor came across the plate with what would turn out to be the game-winning run.
Ben Abeldt (2-3) would pitch in relief starting in the sixth inning and got credit for the win. He was on fire, throwing seven strikeouts. He pitched for 3.1 innings and threw 55 pitches, including three hits, no runs, and no walks.
TCU improved to 26-13 overall in the Big 12 Championship and 4-1 against K-State in the championship. TCU is 3-1 in championship games, having last won in 2021.
TCU also improved to 6-1 this season at Globe Life Field, averaging 10.4 runs per game. Since the stadium opened in 2020, TCU holds an 11-5 overall record in the big league ballpark, which Frog fans should start referring to as “Lupton East.”
Next up: TCU advances to the championship game, which will be played on Sunday, May 28, at 5 p.m. They will face either Oklahoma State or Texas Tech.
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