Barry Lewis
Big 12 Baseball Tournament: #1 Seed TCU Beats #8 Seed Baylor In First Round
Baylor took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning as first baseman Kyle Nevin's RBI triple off the right center field wall drove in Baylor's two hole hitter and center fielder Jared Mckenzie. After TCU left the bases loaded in the bottom half of the 1st, Brett Walker paid off Kirk Saarloos' decision to start him in game 1, not allowing another run until the 6th inning.
It would not be until the bottom of the 6th inning, trailing 2-0, before the TCU offense would finally get rolling. Baylor's starting pitcher Blake Helton put in a strong effort, going 6.1 innings while allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks while racking up 7 strikeouts.
In the bottom of the 6th inning with two on and one out, Bobby Goodloe would step to the plate.
For a moment it seemed as if Goodloe's fly ball in the gap was going to hold up just a moment too long, but it fell just between the left and center fielders for an RBI double, driving in Tommy Sacco for the first TCU run of the game. David Bishop would step to the plate next and drive in Kurtis Byrne on a sacrifice fly to left. Goodloe would be doubled up on the play after failing to return to second on the catch, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the 8th with the score still tied 2-2 and Kurtis Byrne at the plate, the Frogs would score the go ahead run.
On a wild pitch that allowed Tommy Sacco to cross the plate for the second time in the game and Braydon Taylor to move from second to third. The wild pitch would prove costly for the Bears as Byrne would single in the at bat.
Driving in Braydon Taylor for the second run scored of the at bat, and breaking the 2-2 tie for a 2-4 lead. 2-4 would be the final score.
Caleb Bolden would continue his exceptional long relief work from the pen, pitching two scoreless innings. Augie Mihlbauer(3-0) would pick up the win while recording just two outs, despite a balk called on him that drew the ire of TCU's Coach Saarloos. Garrett Wright pitched the 9th to pick up his third save of the year.
Tommy Sacco went 1-3 with a walk and two runs scored with the bat, while recording 3 putouts and 3 assisted putouts with the glove to earn Player of the Game honors.
This was TCU's eighth straight win as they appear to be rounding into form at just the right time, the postseason.
TCU will face the University of Texas in the 2nd round of the double elimination tournament tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Coach Saarloos is expected to go with RHP Marcelo Perez (6-2, 3.26) on the mound, while TCU will be thrilled UT had to use Pete Hansen against Oklahoma State. Hansen threw a complete game shutout earlier in the year against TCU. While no official announcement has been made as of this writing, UT coach David Pierce is likely to go with LHP Lucas Gordon (6-1, 2.55) to start the game on the mound against TCU. UT's first baseman Ivan Melendez was the Big 12 Player of the Year and is a Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist. Melendez is leading the nation with a .421 average, .941 Slugging %, with a program record 28 home runs and is second in the nation with 84 RBI's.
Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Killer Frogs message board community today!
Follow KillerFrogs on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest TCU news! Follow KillerFrogs on Facebook and Instagram as well. Download the KillerFrogs app on Google Play or in the Apple App Store.