TCU Baseball: Frogs Sweep the Baylor Bears in Waco

The Horned Frogs are turning up the heat as their quest for a spot in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament continues. TCU’s chances just got a whole lot better after completing a series sweep of the Baylor Bears down in Waco.

After a 7-1 victory on Friday and a 9-7 extra-innings win on Saturday, the Frogs continued their offensive onslaught in game three on Sunday.

The Frogs jumped out to a commanding lead after spanking three home runs in the 1st inning. Two-run blasts from Logan Maxwell, Luke Boyers, and Karson Bowen gave the Frogs a 6-0 advantage.

Plating six runs in the first, the Frogs knocked out Baylor’s left-handed pitcher Mason Green after recording just one out. He surrendered six runs on five hits and faced just seven batters.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Bears nabbed a run back courtesy of a fielder’s choice. But the Frogs were quick to restore their six-run lead after Myers had a leadoff double and was knocked in by a Maxwell single.

With the Frogs raking at the plate, Louis Rodriguez put together another fine start on the mound. He tossed 92 pitches over five innings, surrendering two runs on seven hits and punching out six Baylor Bears hitters.

Despite holding onto an 8-2 lead in the 7th, the Frogs ran into some trouble after the heart of the Bears' order loaded the bases on a couple of singles and a walk. With one out and the bases loaded, Zach Mazock hit a two-run double to cut the deficit to 8-4. Catcher Cortlan Castle further minimized the deficit to 8-5 with an RBI groundout.

After a single, walk, and hit by pitch in the 9th, Bowen tacked on two more runs with an RBI single. While Chase Hoover allowed a run in the bottom of the 9th, closer Ben Abeldt came in to close out the series and notch his 3rd save of the series.

Abeldt became the first Horned Frog to notch three saves in a weekend series since Riley Ferrell in 2014.

With the series sweep, the Frogs now improve to 29-16 overall and 13-14 in the Big 12. TCU now sits 8th in the Big 12, which would be enough to clinch a spot in the Big 12 Tournament.

With no midweek games, TCU will look ahead to a series with New Mexico State beginning Friday, May 10.