TCU 8, Nebraska 3: Frogs take series from Huskers

TCU defeated Nebraska 8-3 Saturday and clinched the series victory in the process. Riley Cornelio produced yet another fantastic start for TCU, as the starting pitching has been nothing short of dominant to open the year.

Meanwhile, Elijah Nunez drove in four runs, while Reed Spenrath and Gray Rodgers both drove in runs on hard hit balls to right field.

The Frogs improved to 5-1 on the young season with the victory, and will look to sweep the Huskers with a win on Sunday at 1pm.

Luke Boyers put the Frogs on top in the bottom of the first. After Elijah Nunez worked a leadoff walk, Boyers took a 2-1 fastball and launched it high into the right field stands, putting the Frogs up 2-0.

TCU tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third, all with two outs. Reed Spenrath ripped a double into right field that scored Gray Rodgers all the way from first base. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Elijah Nunez took a full count offering back up the middle, bringing Spenrath and Kurtis Byrne around to score.

Nebraska got two back in the fourth on a home run from Cam Chick. Chick took the Cornelio fastball and lifted it just over the fence in right field, driving in Max Anderson and cutting TCU’s lead to 5-2.

The Frogs got one back in their half of the sixth, thanks to a double down the first base line from Gray Rodgers that allowed David Bishop to score from first.

Riley Cornelio put forth a wonderful effort on the mound Saturday, going six innings and allowing just three hits and two runs. The sophomore righty struck out seven, with his fastball sitting in the 92-95 range for most of the day.

Just like Friday night, though, Nebraska kept fighting. After Cornelio’s outing, the Huskers got to reliever Tommy Vail in the seventh. After two quick outs, Vail gave up a rocket of a home run to Colby Gomes, followed by a double to Core Jackson.

Saarloos came quickly out of the dugout following the double, pulling Vail and bringing on Caleb Bolden. Bolden got his man, getting a soft grounder right back to him to end the inning.

TCU picked up Vail in the bottom of the seventh. The Frogs managed to load the bases with one out and Nunez up to bat. Nebraska made a pitching change to force a lefty-lefty matchup, but it didn’t matter. Nunez slapped one out into shallow left-center, bringing home two more runs and extending TCU’s lead to 8-3.

Bolden came back out for the final two innings on the mound, and took care of business. Where Nebraska had the tying run at bat in the final three innings of Friday’s contest, they didn’t even muster a baserunner against Bolden on Saturday.

The grad transfer from Arkansas did everything Saarloos and company needed him to do, and TCU got the win.

Check out Saarloos’ full postgame presser right here: