FORT WORTH — No. 21 TCU scored three unanswered runs in its final two at-bats to take the series-opener victory, 7-4, over No. 4 Texas Tech Friday night at Lupton Stadium. Seven Horned Frogs drove in a run in the victory.
Facing a 2-0 deficit heading into the fifth, a two out single from Gray Rodgers got the Horned Frogs on the comeback trail. Hunter Teplanszky delivered an RBI-double to cut the lead in half, 2-1.
Tommy Sacco tied the game in the sixth with a lead-off home run. Back-to-back hits from Brayden Taylor and David Bishop put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Taylor slid in ahead of the tag on a fielder’s choice hopper to first off the bat of Kurtis Byrne. Luke Boyers extended the lead to two, 4-2, with a two out double.
The Red Raiders took advantage of a lead-off error in the seventh. Easton Murrell’s two out, home run tied the game at four.
Elijah Nunez’s bunt single with one out in the seventh set the table for the go-ahead run. Taylor bounced a single through the right side to drive home Nunez for a 5-4 lead. Reed Spenrath grounded out to push the lead to two, 6-4. Gray Rodgers home run in the eighth padded the lead.
Riley Cornelio started and pitched into the seventh. He allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits, walked two and struck out a career-high nine. Augie Mihlbauer (1-0) picked up the win as he closed the seventh with a strikeout to strand the go-ahead run at second. Luke Savage retired all six batters he faced, four via the strikeout, to pick up his first career save.
Stat of the Game:
4 – TCU has hit a home run in four straight games. Four Horned Frogs have combined to hit five long balls during that stretch.
Notes:
- The TCU pitching staff fanned double-digit batters for the 15thtime this season.
- The 14 strikeouts match a season-high for TCU (14 vs. UT Arlington – March 1).
- TCU homered in a game for the 18thtime this season.
- TCU hit multiple home runs in a game for the seventh time this season.
- TCU posted double-digit hits for the 12thtime this season.
- TCU had five extra base hits in the game (3 doubles, 2 home runs).
- Riley Cornelio set a career-high with nine strikeouts.
- Tommy Sacco hit his sixth home run of the season and the eighth of his career.
- Sacco collected his 15thmulti-hit game of the year and the 28thof his career.
- Brayden Taylor posted his 12thmulti-hit game of the year and the 35thof his career.
- Gray Rodgers hit his second home run of the season and the seventh of his career.
- Rodgers posted his ninth multi-hit game of the season and the 31stof his career.
- Hunter Teplanszky collected his first career hit and first career RBI.
Next Up:
With the win, TCU improves to 22-12 overall and 8-5 in Big 12 play. Game 2 of the series is set for Friday night at 6 p.m. Marcelo Perez will get the start for the Horned Frogs. The contest will be televised on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
