Barry Lewis
TCU Baseball Eliminated From Big 12 Tournament
In an elimination game Friday afternoon at Globe Life Field, a devastating 5th inning was the difference in the game. The TCU Horned Frogs lost to the Oklahoma State Cowboys by a score of 8-4. It was an elimination game as both teams had already lost one game in the tournament.
TCU got off to a good start scoring two runs in the first inning. Kurtis Byrne grounded out in the first, but it was enough to bring Elijah Nunez home. The next batter was Bobby Goodloe, who singled down the right field line to bring home Brayden Taylor. Nunez singled to bring home Garrison Berkley and give the Frogs an early 3-0 lead in the second.
OSU was able to get four runs in the top of the 3rd to take their first lead of the game. DH Griffin Doershing, who blasted a 447 ft. homer in Thursday’s game against Baylor, decided to go longer, hitting a 450 ft., 2-run homer. A single and a walk after that would be the end of the day for starter Riley Cornelio. TCU would go to the bullpen, and Caleb Bolden took over the mound. Bolden gave up a single on his second pitch to load the bases. He would then hit Caeden Treacle to force in a run. Another run would score later in the inning to give OSU the 4-3 advantage.
A couple of doubles in the bottom of the third by Taylor and Goodloe would tie the game in the third. Then came the top of the fifth when the wheels came off and proved too much for TCU. OSU would get four hits and four runs to take the 8-4 lead. By the end of the 5th, every starter for OSU had reached base safely.
OSU relief pitcher Roman Phansalkar (6-2) would be credited with the win, while Bolden (4-2) got the loss. Phansalkar threw a career-long outing of 5.0 innings and tied his career-high of six strikeouts.
TCU was playing without head coach Kirk Saarloos in the dugout. He was suspended by the Big 12 earlier in the day for not leaving the field in a timely manner after being ejected in Thursday night's loss to Texas. He is to serve a two-game suspension. Since the Frogs were eliminated from the tournament, it is assumed his second game would be the first game of the NCAA Regional next weekend.
Oklahoma State will play Texas on Saturday at 9 a.m. If the Pokes lose, they will go home, and Texas will advance to Sunday’s finals. If OSU beats Texas in the morning, the two teams will play again Saturday afternoon to determine which team advances. This is the third consecutive season for OSU to make the tournament semifinals. It’s the first time since 2015 that TCU will not be in the tournament semifinals.
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