Killer Frogs

TCU Baseball: A Disastrous First Inning Evens up the Series

The Horned Frogs were unable to overcome the seven-run deficit and drops game two to Utah.

Zion Trammell

May 16, 2025: TCU Baseball's Cole Cramer takes batting practice prior to their game against Utah.
May 16, 2025: TCU Baseball's Cole Cramer takes batting practice prior to their game against Utah. / X: @TCU_Baseball

843. Final. 6. 466. 5/16 BB UU. 8

Disaster struck in the first inning of Friday night's contest between TCU and Utah. The Frogs, looking for the series win, dug themselves in a 7-0 hole after the first inning. They couldn't scrape enough runs for the remainder of the game and fell 8-6 to the Utes.

Caedmon Parker was unfortunately the victim to the onslaught from the Utes. The first 10 hitters reached base and the only out was a play at the plate. Parker wouldn't even face all 10 hitters as his day ended early. He only recorded one out and allowed seven runs on six hits. This now marks two consecutive weeks where Parker couldn't get past the second inning.

The first inning saw seven hits highlighted by a three-run shot from Tyler Quinn to make it 3-0. Mason Bixby took over in a 5-0 deficit and a two-RBI single added on to the red hot start from Utah.

The TCU offense had to get to work immediately and they did just that. Chase Brunson worked a walk and got to third on a Nolan Traeger single. Brunson would score on a RBI base hit from Anthony Silva. Traeger would eventually score on a double play to make it 7-2.

The Frogs continued to crawl back as Cole Cramer came through with a run scoring single and Noah Franco had a sac fly, scoring Karson Bowen. With the deficit at three, the bullpen kept the Utes in check. Bixby was terrific in his 3.1 innings of work. He allowed just three hits while striking out three.

Both offenses went cold in the middle innings until TCU found answers in the seventh. After a walk from Cramer, Noah Franco torched a ball to right field and it became a one-run game. The ball went 431 feet with a 106 exit velocity.

Utah was able to get a big insurance run back in the bottom of the eighth inning. TCU had life in the ninth with runners on first and second and two outs. However, Utah's closer Mateus Conaway struck out Franco to end the game.

It was a valiant effort from TCU in the two-run loss. A game that could've gotten out of hand remained close courtesy of strong pitching from the bullpen and the bats. The Horned Frogs drop to 36-17 overall with a 18-11 Big 12 record. They need a win to stay ahead of Arizona in the standings.

First pitch is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN+.

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Zion Trammell
ZION TRAMMELL

Zion Trammell graduated from TCU in 2023 with a degree in sports broadcasting and a minor in journalism. He has been on the TCU Horned Frogs On SI team since 2022. He is the lead writer for TCU Women’s Volleyball. He also writes about football, basketball (men’s and women’s), baseball, and other sports as necessary. In addition to his work with TCU Horned Frogs On SI, he is currently the play-by-play voice for Southlake Carroll baseball and hosts a TCU show on the Bleav Network.

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