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TCU Tops Oral Roberts, 3-1 - TCU Athletics
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Back-to-back home runs from Brayden Taylor and Kurtis Byrne proved to be the difference as TCU staved off elimination with a 3-1 win over
GoFrogs: TCU Tops Oral Roberts, 3-1
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Back-to-back home runs from Brayden Taylor and Kurtis Byrne proved to be the difference as TCU staved off elimination with a 3-1 win over Oral Roberts Saturday afternoon in the NCAA College Station Regional. Garrett Wright recorded the final eight outs for his fifth save of the season.
The Rundown
A quintet of pitchers held Oral Roberts to just a run on seven hits. Marcelo Perez started and allowed a run on five hits, walked one and struck out five over 4 2/3 innings. Caleb Bolden (5-2) picked up the win in relief after tossing 1 1/3 scoreless.
TCU opened the scoring with two hits in the third. With two outs, Elijah Nunez swiped second and scored easily on a Tommy Sacco double.
Oral Roberts flirted with tying the game in the fourth with two on and one out, but Perez got an infield fly and strikeout to end the inning. TCU was not able to escape the jam in the fifth. With two outs, two hits and a walk loaded the bases. A wild pitch tied the game.
The Horned Frogs responded in the sixth with back-to-back two out home runs on consecutive pitches from Brayden Taylor and Kurtis Byrne to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
ORU's best chance to tie the game came in the seventh after two straight hits to lead off the frame. Augie Mihlbauer came on and struck out the only batter he faced. Garrett Wright took over and finished the inning, stranding the base runners.
Wright finished the game, allowing two walks and striking out four. He worked around a pair of walks in the eighth and a lead-off error in the ninth to tally his fifth save.
Stat of the Game:
57 – Elijah Nunez worked his 57th walk of the season to lead off the game. That is tied for the most in a single-season. (Austen Wade, 2016; Matt Curry, 2010).
Notes:
• TCU improved to 57-41 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• TCU is now 35-23 all-time in the NCAA Regional.
• TCU homered in a game for the 33rd time.
• TCU hit multiple home runs in a game for the 18th time.
• TCU scored first for the 32nd time this season.
• TCU improved to 10-3 in two-run games this year.
• The TCU pitching staff registered double-digit strikeouts (11) for the 24th time this season.
• Elijah Nunez has reached safely in 16 straight games.
• Tommy Sacco hit his 23rd double of the season, tying him for third all-time in a single-season (Jason Coats, 2010; Matt Carpenter, 2009).
• Augie Mihlbauer made his 88th career appearance, tying him for second all-time (Haylen Green, 2017-21; Trey Teakell, 2011-15; Tyler Lockwood, 2007-10).
• Brayden Taylor has reached safely in 13 straight.
• Taylor hit his 11th home run of the season and the 23rd of his career.
• Kurtis Byrne hit his fifth home run of the season and the sixth of his career.
• Byrne has reached safely in 11 straight.
• Garrett Wrighth collected his sixth career save.
Next Up:
With the win, TCU improved to 37-21 overall. The Horned Frogs will take on the loser of the Texas A&M/Louisiana game in another elimination contest Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
