Three takeaways from TCU’s Big 12 tournament opener against Kansas State
TCU had a one and done appearance in the Big 12 Baseball Tournament falling 9-4 to Kansas State in the second round of the postseason tournament.
It’s the first time since 2015 that TCU failed to win at least one game in the conference tournament.
Here are three takeaways from the Horned Frogs loss to the Wildcats.
Tommy LaPour makes fourth start
Coming into the season Tommy LaPour was supposed to be the Horned Frogs ace but after strong first start, the Missouri native would miss the next two months to a flexor strain, he would only make four more appearances for the rest of the season totalling 15 innings.
LaPour got into trouble early against the Wildcats giving up two runs in the first inning after a wild pitch let Dee Kennedy advance from first to third and scored on a double from Ty Smolinski, who himself would score off a single from AJ Evasco giving Kansas State an early 2-0 lead.
It would be a short start for LaPour who would be pulled after giving a single in the third inning and replaced with Mason Brassfield in relief.
LaPour finished the game giving up three runs off four hits with two strikeouts in two innings of work.
The Horned Frogs Bullpen gave up six runs off 10 hits in seven innings of work in relief.
Horned Frogs bats have slow start
Tazwell Butler got the start for the Wildcats and completely stymied the Horned Frogs early, ending his start giving up two runs off four hits with seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work.
TCU head coach Kirk Saarloos, talking to the ESPN+ broadcast, talked about the team’s slow start from behind the plate before they got on the scoreboard.
“We knew we had to lay out breaking balls in the dirt, and we’re taking the strikes, especially the fastballs in the zone, and swinging at balls in the dirt. So we knew he was going really good. If we didn’t chase him in the dirt, we’d get him out early, and we seem to be doing quite a bit of that,” said Saarloos. “This is an offensive ballpark, we got to get back in this thing. Trever [Baumler], with a nice zero this last half-inning, we got to play some offense.”
The Horned Frogs didn’t get their second hit of the game until the fifth inning, a Preston Gamster double, which led to their first runs of the game after a Noah Franco double followed by a Rob Liddington single got TCU on the scoreboard.
TCU responded to their coaches prodding chasing Butler from the game after Saarloos spoke on the broadcast.
The Horned Frogs had a chance to start a comeback effort with multiple at-bats with the bases loaded in the seventh inning. However, the Horned Frogs only scored two runs in the inning off a fielder’s choice and a walk, but failed to get any hits with the bases loaded.
NCAA prospects
TCU entered the game with USA Today and Baseball America both having the Horned Frogs in the NCAA Tournament, however a couple of wins in the Big 12 Baseball Tournament could’ve helped the Horned Frogs improve their seeding in the tournament.
The loss will hurt the Horned Frogs who will now have to wait till the NCAA’s selection show at 12:00 p.m. on Monday to find out if they’ve been selected for an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament.
