The TCU Horned Frogs are surging at the right time. Riding a three-game winning streak into their Big 12 series against Houston, the purple and white swept a three-game set with the Cougars at Lupton Stadium. TCU also saw ace right-hander Tommy LaPour return from an extended injury absence, logging one inning and reaching 99 MPH on his fastball in a seven-inning victory Sunday. The Horned Frogs (28-15, 13-8 Big 12), who moved into a tie for fourth with West Virginia, host UT-Arlington on Tuesday before traveling to take on Oklahoma State.
Friday: TCU 8, Houston 3
Nolan Traeger and Colton Griffin each posted three hits to lead the Horned Frogs, who had 10 hits in their series-opening victory Friday evening. Traeger went 3-for-4 with a home run in the sixth inning, while Griffin went 3-for-5 with a trio of singles. Jack Bell launched a three-run shot in the second inning and Rob Liddington scored two runs while going 2-for-4 at the dish. TCU scored twice in both the fourth and eighth innings.
Trever Baumler earned the start for the opener, pitching five and two-thirds innings and holding Houston to two earned runs while striking out two and walking three. Baumler earned the victory, improving to 2-3 on the year. Walter Quinn followed in relief and struck out three over two and one-third innings pitched before handing the ball to Tanner Sagouspe, who struck out the side in the top of the ninth inning to seal TCU’s victory.
Saturday: TCU 4, Houston 2
Run-scoring doubles from Chase Brunson and Brady Dallimore allowed TCU to rally and knock off the Cougars in a series-clinching victory Saturday. The Horned Frogs scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and Tanner Sagouspe threw a clean ninth inning to notch the save, his third of the season. Nate Stern, who twirled a scoreless eighth inning in relief of Lance Davis, earned the victory and improved his record to 2-0 on the season.
Davis started on the mound and fired seven strong innings, striking out five without a walk and holding Houston to two earned runs. Preston Gamster went 2-for-3 with a third-inning homer to lead the TCU offense, which had nine hits in the win. Sawyer Strosnider added a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two doubles.
Sunday: TCU 14, Houston 2 (7)
Right-hander Zack James took the bump for the series finale, firing five strong innings and holding the Cougars to three hits while improving to 6-0 on the season. James has allowed just one run in his last 27 innings pitched across four starts. TCU smacked Houston’s pitchers around, posting 16 hits and a pair of home runs. Hitting atop the TCU batting order, Colton Griffin went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBIs.
Brady Dallimore turned in a monster performance from the No. 7 hole, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and a career-high six RBIs. Jack Bell was equally as efficient, going 4-for-4 with a home run, a triple and four RBIs. TCU scored four runs in the third inning and six runs in the fourth inning to build a sizeable lead in the series finale. LaPour and Noah Franco each pitched one inning of relief and struck out one batter.