TCU Baseball: Frogs Lose A Heartbreaker In Weekend Opener

The opening game of the weekend series between the TCU Horned Frogs (31-22, 11-11) and the Kansas State Wildcats (33-20, 13-9) was expected to be an exciting one to watch as both teams try to improve their resumes to continue playing in the upcoming postseason.

Thursday night’s opening game was a thriller. TCU did not take the lead until the top of the 8th and took a one-run lead into the bottom of the 9th. The Wildcats scored two runs in the last frame to win with a 7-6 walk-off. The loss snapped the Frogs’ six-game winning streak.

Louis Rodriguez got the start for the Frogs. He pitched for three innings and gave up solo home runs in both the first and second innings to give K-State an early 2-0 lead.

TCU would tie the game in the top of the third thanks to a two-out base hit by Brayden Taylor. The Cats came right back and scored two more runs in the bottom of the third, ending Rodriguez’s night.

In the fifth, Karson Bowen got a lead-off single. He later advanced to second on a balk. With two outs, Anthony Silva game to the plate. His single down the left side allowed Bowen to score, reducing the deficit in half. TCU tied the game with another two-out RBI in the seventh, thanks to a double by Tre Richardson that scored Cole Fontanelle.

TIE GAME!! @_trerichardson_ doubles home the tying run in the seventh!#FrogballUSA | #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/jQIAmfDtuc
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) May 19, 2023

Kansas State regained the lead on a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. Hunter Hodges minimized the damage by taking over with the bases loaded and nobody out. A strikeout and a double play kept the deficit at one, 5-4.

The Frogs took the lead in the game for the first and only time, thanks to another hit by Bowen in the top of the 7th. With Austin Davis on first and Luke Boyers on second, Bowen would hit a double down the left-field line, scoring both runners.

Big time swing @BowenKarson 😤#FrogballUSA | #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/SuSoICgmBg
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) May 19, 2023

Garrett Wright entered in the eighth inning. He struck out the side around a one-out walk. However, he was less lucky in the ninth. With one out and the bases loaded, a passed ball allowed the tying run to score. A two-out, walk-off single from Brady Day gave the Wildcats the walk-off 7-6 win.

Next up: Game Two of the series is on Friday at 6 pm. Kole Klecker takes the mound for the Frogs. It can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

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