FORT WORTH, Texas — BYU baseball dropped both games, 11-6 and 8-0, in a doubleheader with TCU on Thursday at Lupton Stadium.
“That’s a really good TCU team,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt. “Sometime you just have to tip your cap to the opponent. They got hot and we didn’t get off to our best start in either game. Our guys out of the bullpen did well but we have to get off to a better start tomorrow.”
The Horned Frogs used a combined 15-2 scoring advantage in the first three innings of both games to get ahead and stay ahead as BYU’s comeback efforts fell short.
Up Next
The Cougars and Horned Frogs will play game three of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. CDT. Watch live on ESPN+ or listen live on BYU Radio.
Game One
Despite a promising start with a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, BYU was unable to overcome a 9-0 TCU run in the second and third innings, and fell 11-6 in game one. The Cougars six runs came on six hits with three left on base while TCU used 14 hits for its 11 runs and stranded nine with one error.
BYU Highlights
Brock Watkins: 1-3, Run, 3 RBI, HR
Ryder Robinson: 1-4, Run, 2 RBI, HR
Ryker Schow: 1-1, Run, 2B
Cooper Vest: 1-3, Run, RBI
Game Summary
BYU opened the scoring with two runs on one hit in the top of the second. Cooper Vest reached with a leadoff walk and Ryder Robinson hit a two-out, two-RBI home run over the centerfield wall.
The Cougars’ 2-0 lead proved short-lived as TCU responded with seven-runs in the bottom of the second on six hits. The Horned Frogs tacked on two more runs with an RBI triple and single to take a 9-2 lead through three innings.
BYU battled its way back into the game with three runs on two hits and an error in the top of the sixth. Luke Anderson singled up the middle and advanced to second on an error from the TCU shortstop, while Vest reached base on a fielder’s choice. Bryker Hurdsman then reached on a fielder’s choice sending Anderson to third, while Vest was called out on a close play at second.
After a lengthy delay for an official’s review, Brock Watkins came to the plate and sent the first pitch he saw over the right center fence for a two-out, three-run bomb. With the Watkins homer cutting the Horned Frog lead to 9-5, reliever Jake Porter then kept the Cougars in striking distance, going four innings while allowing just one hit to keep TCU off the scoreboard.
BYU drew closer in the top of the eighth with one run on two hits. Pinch hitting, Ryker Schow doubled to right center, reached third on a TCU wild pitch and came home on a Vest single bringing the Cougars within three, 9-6.
The Vest RBI would be BYU’s last with the Horned Frogs scoring a pair of insurance runs on a two-out, two-RBI homer in the bottom of the eighth. TCU closed the door on the 11-6 win with three quick outs in the top of the ninth.
Game Two
TCU poured it on early with three runs in the home half of both the first and second innings. The Horned Frogs built the lead to eight with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth while starter, Tommy LaPour, held the Cougars hitless with six strikeouts in seven innings of work.
BYU recorded one hit in the game while stranding eight on base. TCU's eight runs came on 14 hits for a final score of 8-0.
Game Summary
TCU used two homers to get out to a quick 3-0 lead with three runs in the first inning and added three more with a three-RBI home run to right field in the second. After two-and-a-half scoreless innings, TCU extended its lead with two runs on three hits and a BYU error in the bottom of the fifth.
Nolan Ficklin, Ashton Johson and Luke Sterner came in relief for the Cougars and kept the Horned Frogs without a run in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings respectively. Crew McChesney got on base in the top of the eighth on a single to first but was stranded with three strikeouts following his hit.