Baseball: TCU downs Oklahoma State to win Big 12 Conference tournament

TCU baseball capped off its scorching hot run at the Big 12 Conference tournament on Sunday evening, coasting over Oklahoma State 12-5 to win the school’s second conference tournament crown in three seasons. The Horned Frogs (37-22, 13-11 Big 12) were in full control from the opening frame, surging ahead with eight straight runs and eclipsing double-digit runs for the third time in four games. Despite entering as the No. 4 seed, TCU outscored its opponents 48-15 en route to its eighth conference title (including regular season) as a member of the Big 12. The Horned Frogs are now 14-2 since the start of May.

Playing as the visiting team for the first time in the conference tournament, TCU surged ahead in the top of the second inning, taking a 4-0 lead after shortstop Anthony Silva’s RBI single as well as a 415-foot three-run homer from left fielder Luke Boyers that soared far beyond the right-center-field fence. The Horned Frogs padded their lead in the top of the third inning, loading the bases before second baseman Tre Richardson belted a two-run double into deep right-center field. While first baseman Cole Fontenelle was tagged out at home on a throw to the plate, TCU followed Richardson’s run-scoring knock with RBI singles from designated hitter Kurtis Byrne and right fielder Austin Davis to take an 8-0 lead.

Freshman left-hander Chase Hoover escaped a pair of jams over the first and second innings, striking out four batters and overcoming three walks to keep the Cowboys off the scoreboard. Oklahoma State tacked on two runs in the top of the third inning, where Hoover exited with the bases loaded and right-hander Luke Savage entered in relief. After a strong relief showing against Kansas on Thursday, Savage showed more dominance on Sunday, throwing four straight scoreless frames while allowing only two hits. Davis gave the Horned Frogs a 10-2 lead over the Cowboys with RBIs during the fifth and seventh innings.

Oklahoma State carved into the TCU lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, where right-hander Cohen Feser entered in relief and conceded a three-run homer to right field. Feser recovered with a scoreless effort in the eighth inning before handing the ball to closer Garrett Wright, who struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth inning to seal the championship victory for the Horned Frogs. Davis went 3-for-5 with three RBIs to lead the TCU offense, which tacked on two runs in the top of the eighth inning after third baseman Brayden Taylor crushed a homer into the right-field bleachers. Byrne went 3-for-4 with four runs scored, while four players recorded two hits for the Horned Frogs, who totaled 16 hits in the win and averaged 12 runs per game across four games in the conference tournament.

TCU will now await its destination for the upcoming NCAA Regional Championships. The Horned Frogs will receive an automatic berth with their conference title victory Sunday, which marks the 19th time in school history that TCU will compete in the NCAA postseason.