Baker’s home run helps TCU salvage finale against Baylor
Freshman Luken Baker’s home run highlighted a three-run seventh inning and helped TCU beat Baylor 7-3 on Sunday afternoon as the Horned Frogs salvaged the finale of a three-game series at Baylor Ballpark.
No. 10 TCU (34-14, 12-9 Big 12) needed the victory to keep an outside hope of being one of 16 teams to host an NCAA regional tournament.
With the score tied 2-2, TCU’s Ryan Merrill opened the seventh with a base hit and stole second. After Austen Wade’s bunt single, Merrill scored on an errant pick-off throw to first. Two batters later, Baker hit his fourth home run of the season for a 5-2 TCU lead.
Baylor (22-26, 8-13) got a run back in the bottom of the inning and had the bases loaded with two out, but reliever Durbin Feltman (2-0) got Matt Menard on a called third strike.
Menard’s homer in the first put Baylor ahead 1-0 in the first. Dane Steinhagen answered with a home run in the sixth.
TCU took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. Baker walked, went to third on Josh Watson’s single and scored on a balk against Baylor starter Kyle Hill.
Baylor tied the game with two outs in the sixth after two wild pitches by TCU’s Jared Janczak. Janczak, making his first career start, allowed two runs on two hits and walked four in 5 2/3 innings.
Wade singled in two insurance runs for TCU in the eighth.
The Frogs, third in the Big 12, host Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday before ending the regular season with three games starting Thursday against Kansas State
TCU | 001 | 100 | 320 | — | 7 | 7 | 0 |
Baylor | 100 | 001 | 100 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Janczak, Feltman (6), Gooch (9) and Skoug. Hill, Hessemer (6), Lewis (6), McInvale (8), Ott (8), Stone (9) and Menard. W—Durbin (2-0). L—Lewis (1-5). HR—TCU: Baker, Steinhagen; Bay: Menard. SB—TCU: Watson, Barzilli; Bay: Merrill 2. E—Bay: McLean, Bissonette, Lewis.
RECORDS — TCU 34-14, 12-9 Big 12. Baylor 22-26, 8-13 Big 12.
This story was originally published May 15, 2016 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Baker’s home run helps TCU salvage finale against Baylor."