TCU's Season Suddenly Feels Uncomfortable After Big 12 Tournament Exit

A one and done stay in Arizona left more questions than answers for the Horned Frogs. Now injuries, timing, and a late-season slide could have TCU sweating ahead of selection Monday.

TCU Baseball X

TCU arrived in Arizona, hoping the Big 12 Tournament would strengthen its NCAA Tournament resume. Instead, (with the new rules) the Horned Frogs packed their bags after one game. A 9-4 loss to Kansas State added another frustrating chapter to an injury-filled stretch and now leaves TCU facing uncomfortable questions ahead of Selection Monday.

TCU Could Not Find Answers Early

Kansas State wasted no time in this game, jumping on the board right away in the first inning. I truly think this set the tone for the Horned Frogs' night. It was an all-around bad situation for the Frogs, as they were already without their two best players, Sawyer Strosnider and Chase Brunson. Despite being the higher seed, it was not going to be an easy matchup, as the Wildcat offense had been cruising. Tommy LaPour got the start for the Horned Frogs in their opening game, as the Horned Frogs were hoping to get off to a strong start. However, the Wildcats took advantage of a few pitches left up in the zone.

Kansas State seemed to have picked up where they left off from their first game, tallying two runs off of a leadoff runner who got to third off a pitch that got away from Traeger, and he could not find it. The speedy Dee Kennedy was able to take advantage of it. He would then score as Ty Smolinski hit a big-time double. Then, with two outs and a runner on second, the Wildcats struck again with a single from AJ Evasco that would score another run. That would be it for the Wildcats in the inning, but the early damage really seemed to sway all the momentum their way.

Kansas State Took Control Before TCU Could Respond

Kansas State’s pitcher got off to a hot start in the first with two big strikeouts, setting the tone for his appearance. Tommy LaPour seemed to settle down in the second inning, striking out two, but the Horned Frog bats could not get anything going in the bottom of the frame. Jack Bell did lead off with a single, but two strikeouts and a fly out would end the inning.

Then things would get ugly for the Frogs. A leadoff single ended the night for Tommy LaPour. I think he should have stayed in a bit longer, but the Frogs decided to make a switch to Mason Brassfield early in the third. LaPour’s night would be done with 2.0 innings pitched, allowing four hits, a walk, three runs, and two strikeouts. It was far from his best outing.

Kansas State would waste no time on Brassfield, getting a single right away that would score another run. The Wildcats would then walk two more batters, and a single from Grant Gallagher would score two more, making it a 5-0 ballgame. The Frogs were once again silenced in the fourth, but the Wildcats would once again strike. Dee Kennedy led them off with a leadoff walk, and he would score all the way from first on a Smolinski single, as there was a fielding error from the Frogs.

TCU's baseball season is on a downward slide | Emma Swinney for KillerFrogs.com

The Frogs would once again make a pitching switch, going to Walter Quinn. He got the second out of the inning, but AJ Evasco hit a massive triple, scoring Smolinski. This would do it for Kansas State in the inning, but the damage was done, and the lead grew to 7-0. The Frogs would once again strike out twice in the fourth, and nothing seemed to be brewing or clicking for TCU. It was going from bad to worse.

The Frogs would make another pitching change in the fifth, as Trever Baumler replaced Quinn. He shut down the Wildcats in the fifth despite a double in the inning. TCU was able to strike in the fourth inning, as Preston Gmaster led off with a double and Noah Franco scored him on a double. Then an error in the outfield had Franco advance to third with no outs. Rob Liddington brought him home with a hit up the middle to make it a 7-2 ballgame. The Frogs did get a few more base runners, but they were left stranded.

The Wildcats would answer right back, as they had two doubles in the inning, bringing in two more runs and making it 9-2. The Frogs had an excellent opportunity to get back in the game in the seventh, as an error, a walk, and a hit batter had the bases loaded with no outs. Cole Cramer reached on an error to drive a run in, and Lucas Franco worked a walk to make it 9-4. However, the Frogs would leave the bases loaded, and Kansas State escaped with minimal damage, keeping it a 9-4 ballgame.

Did TCU Do Enough Before Selection Monday?

TCU still appears to have done enough to hear its name called, but the margin suddenly feels thinner than it did a week ago.

However, losing their last series against West Virginia and going one-and-done in the Big 12 Tournament does not help their case. Injuries will also make the tournament committee second-guess the Frogs.

With the Big 12 Tournament loss, TCU falls to 33-21 on the season. The Horned Frogs will learn their postseason fate during Monday's NCAA Baseball Selection Show at 11 AM on ESPN2.