Frogs Drop Game One Then Defy Odds on Sunday in Rivalry Game in Waco

TCU walked into Waco this weekend in almost identical positions to Baylor. Same conference record, nearly identical stat lines, and both staring at a stretch of the season where there's no room for wasted opportunities.

This wasn't just another series; it was a must-win for both sides, the kind that can quietly shape the rest of your season. And, after a lopsided start, the pressure didn't ease up; it only got heavier.

Baylor Bats Dismantle Frog Pitching in Game 1

TCU baseball could not hold on to an early lead in Game 1 of their weekend series against Baylor, falling apart in the late innings and losing 11–4 in Waco. The Baylor bats could not be stopped, pulling away in the latter half of the game.

The Horned Frogs got off to a solid start in the game, scoring early in the second inning when catcher Nolan Traeger drove in Brady Dallimore on an RBI out. Baylor answered right away with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning to even the score at 1–1.

However, TCU re-captured the lead in the fourth inning as Noah Franco launched his third home run of the season to put the Frogs back in front. TCU's starter, Trever Baumler, didn't have his best outing, but looked good early, keeping Baylor on their heels through the early innings. The Bears were only allowed one run until trouble came in the fifth. The Bears tied the game at 2–2 on an RBI single, ending Baumler’s outing.

Reliever Mason Brassfield entered the game, but couldn’t slow Baylor’s momentum.

Nolan Traeger provided a much-needed spark for TCU in the seventh inning with a leadoff home run, his second of the season, to cut into the deficit. But Baylor quickly answered, attacking the TCU bullpen with a bases-loaded walk and a home run off of Walter Quinn to grow the lead to 7–3.

The game got uglier and slipped further out of TCU's reach in the eighth inning, when Baylor erupted for five runs on four hits against Quinn and Kade Durnin, putting the Frogs in a big hole.

TCU was unable to generate any momentum in the ninth inning, which gave Baylor the win.

Brunson Shines as Frogs Earn Game 2 Win

Oh my, what a game this was! Things were not looking in the Frogs' favor whatsoever until very late, as their offense struggled early. Lance Davis had another quality start for the Frogs and really kept TCU in the game by holding the powerful Baylor bats at bay. Davis went seven innings, giving up six hits, two walks, and three earned runs, two of which came late in his outing on a two-run homer. He tallied five strikeouts, a strong performance from the redshirt freshman.

BALLGAME!!!#GoFrogs | #FrogballUSA pic.twitter.com/JJqsRbaGtp
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) April 19, 2026

However, through the seventh inning, it looked like Baylor was going to capture the series in two games and shut out the Frogs. But Chase Brunson had other plans. In the top of the eighth, things were looking grim as Baylor’s star closer Caleb Bunch came in just two days after shutting down TCU. But Cole Cramer and Sawyer Strosnider were able to get on base, and Brunson capitalized, sending the ball deep out of the park for a three-run homer to bring the Frogs within one.

Walter Quinn came in and held Baylor scoreless in the eighth, striking out two batters. His big outing gave the Frogs one last chance. TCU wanted this game and never gave up. They once again manufactured base runners at the top of the ninth. Lucas Franco got the Frogs started with a walk, then Colton Griffin laid down a bunt to advance him to second. Cole Cramer worked another walk, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Baylor opted to intentionally walk Sawyer Strosnider to load the bases, bringing up Chase Brunson once again, and he made the Bears pay, ripping a double to drive in two runs and give TCU a 5–4 lead.

Tanner Sagouspe then came in and closed the door. He allowed no hits, no runs, and no walks while recording a strikeout to take Game 2 right from under the Bears. The win gave TCU momentum heading into the next game of the doubleheader.

Complete Control: TCU Cruises In Game 3 To Take Series

What a finish it was for the Horned Frogs as they took game three, winning the series by taking both games of Sunday’s doubleheader. The win was fueled by TCU starter Zack James and clutch hitting by the Horned Frog lineup. This led to a big-time 10-2 win over Baylor as TCU completed the doubleheader sweep. This was huge for TCU, as Friday’s game was nothing but ugly. They found a way to win and get a needed series victory against their rival.

Doubleheader Sweep ✅
Series Win ✅

FROGS WIN!#GoFrogs | #FrogballUSA pic.twitter.com/z21vR2Jjg0
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) April 20, 2026

Preston Gamster was an addition to the lineup tonight and should be considered as a permanent add-in. He had a near-perfect performance as he homered as part of a three-hit game. Gamster was also able to drive in three runs. Zack James was another major part of this win. He is now 5-0 on the mound. He was once again a force to be reckoned with. He allowed a run on six hits, walked two, and struck out a career-high eight batters. The Baylor Bears had no answer whatsoever and were kept guessing.

ANOTHER quality start out of @Zack_James7 🔥

ZJ picks up a career-high 8 strikeouts against the Bears! #GoFrogs | #FrogballUSA pic.twitter.com/KDeao50iHo
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) April 20, 2026

The offense backed up his outing by scoring early, putting him in a great position. A lead-off single from Jack Arthur in the first inning also became the first run for TCU, as he scored on a Chase Brunson base hit. The Frogs kept the scoring going as they had back-to-back doubles in the second from Rob Liddington and Preston Gamster, which extended the lead to 2-0 through two innings. Baylor was able to cut the lead in half in the fourth inning after their first two hitters reached safely to open the inning. James gave up a sacrifice fly, but was able to strand the tying run at third with a strikeout to end the inning.

TCU got the run back quickly at the top of the fifth as Cole Cramer hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-1 ballgame. TCU then opened the gates in the sixth as they pushed the lead to 6-1. Jack Bell drove in the first run of the inning after Brady Dallimore led off the inning with a big double. Then, who else but Preston Gamster, who hit a two-run home run to cap off a three-run inning.

The Frogs kept the pressure on, putting the game out of reach with a four-run ninth inning. With two on, Rob Liddington singled to make it a 7-1 ballgame. Then Cole Cramer continued his big night as he lined a single up the middle with two outs to drive in two more runs. Then the Frogs’ final run of the game came on an error committed by Baylor. The Frogs caught momentum late in game two and continued it in game three, and they were hard to put away. It was a great series in Waco.

What's Next For The Frogs

This win helps TCU improve to 24-15 on the season and 10-8 in Big 12 play. The Frogs will return home to start a five-game homestand beginning Tuesday night when they host Dallas Baptist. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. against the Patriots. The game will be televised on ESPN+. The Frogs weren’t perfect, but they found a way to win, and good teams always find a way to win.

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