TCU drops Big 12 series against Oklahoma State
Compared to their usual efficiency, TCU’s pitchers teetered all weekend between solid and rocky. But in their first two games against Oklahoma State, the offense and defense ensured that the Horned Frogs kept pace with the Cowboys.
Sunday, however, both of those fallbacks fell through.
TCU (17-4, 4-2 Big 12) committed three errors, allowed six unearned runs in one inning and was silenced at the plate in a 7-2 loss at Lupton Stadium.
The Cowboys (16-7, 2-1), who are trying to defend their Big 12 regular season title, won the series, too, beating the Frogs 7-6 in 12 innings Friday night. TCU won 7-4 Saturday night.
What set up to be a pitchers’ duel Sunday quickly turned into a blowout when OSU scored six runs with two outs in the third inning.
TCU starter Alex Young (4-1) struggled early with his command but settled in to retire the first two batters of the inning.
But the next three Cowboys reached based — including Conor Costello on an error by third baseman Derek Odell — and Corey Hassel doubled to give OSU a 3-0 lead.
Jon Littell and David Petrino followed with singles, and Jacob Chappell doubled to extend the lead to 6-0 and chase Young, who entered with a 1.33 ERA in 27 innings.
Right-hander Brian Howard relieved Young and threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. But as Howard steadied the Frogs, OSU starter Michael Freeman (4-0) continued to control the TCU offense.
Freeman struck out nine in a complete-game performance, and he didn’t allow more than one base runner at a time until the seventh inning when Evan Skoug and Dane Steinhagen singled to get on the corners.
The senior left-hander stayed composed, though, and allowed just one run on an infield single by Nolan Brown. Freeman struck out Zack Plunkett to end the inning and strand runners at second and third.
“He had a great sinker,” TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said of Freeman. “That ball was really, really sinking. He never elevated the ball, and they played great defense behind him.”
Garrett Crain grounded out to shortstop to drive home Keaton Jones in the eighth. Jones finished with two of the Frogs’ six hits Sunday. TCU had 19 hits combined in the first two games of the series.
But even with the offense not providing much support, OSU’s bats were still able to produce 10 hits to go along with four walks and a hit by pitch. On the weekend, the Frogs combined to give away 21 free bases between walks, hit batters and errors.
“It was a really uncharacteristic weekend for us,” Schlossnagle said. “When you’re playing a good team and you’re in a great conference in the country — I think the best conference in the country — and you play like that or you pitch like that, you’re not going to win very many games. We’re fortunate to win the game we won.”
Briefly
▪ First baseman Elliott Barzilli left in the third inning after colliding with a runner while trying to apply a tag. Schlossnagle said Barzilli’s shoulder or elbow was “pretty sore,” and that he’ll visit with a doctor Monday.
▪ The Frogs’ loss Sunday knocked them out of first place in the Big 12 standings. Texas, which swept Kansas State, now leads the conference at 5-1.
▪ Freshman Connor Wanhanen didn’t play for TCU on Sunday, but he’s batting .380 after a 6-for-8 performance Friday and Saturday. Wanhanen usually bats second as a designated hitter against right-handers.
Ryan Osborne, 817-390-7760
Twitter: @RyanOsborneFWST
This story was originally published March 22, 2015 at 8:13 PM with the headline "TCU drops Big 12 series against Oklahoma State."