After a disappointing midweek loss against UT-Arlington, No. 7 TCU traveled west for a major showdown against No. 1 UCLA, the top team in the Big Ten. It was a rough trip for the Horned Frogs, who were swept by the Bruins and allowed 30 runs over the three-game series. TCU (2-5), which has now lost five consecutive games, will look to get back on track during Monday night’s nonconference game against Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles.
Friday: No. 1 UCLA 10, No. 7 TCU 2
Playing without ace Tommy LaPour, who sat out the weekend series because of elbow soreness, TCU sent left-hander Mason Brassfield out to open things up. Brassfield struggled, however, logging less than two innings of work while allowing five earned runs on seven hits. Tyler Phenow and Kade Durnin entered in relief, but both Horned Frog pitchers conceded two runs as the Bruins ballooned their lead.
Trever Baumler (1.2 innings) and position player Cole Eaton (2 innings) combined to hold the UCLA offense scoreless in the final frames.Chase Brunson’s solo shot in the fourth inning and Lucas Franco’s bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning were the lone RBIs for the Horned Frogs, who finished with eight hits in the loss. Despite drawing six walks, TCU left 12 runners on base and struck out 14 times against the UCLA pitching staff.
Saturday: No. 1 UCLA 5, No. 7 TCU 1
Arkansas transfer Lance Davis started the second game for TCU. The right-hander fired four frames and struck out five batters, but allowed four earned runs on six hits. Nate Stern and Walter Quinn provided quality relief for the Horned Frogs, combining for six strikeouts and one earned run allowed over four innings.
But the TCU offense, which mustered up just five hits, struck out 14 times for the second consecutive game. Sawyer Strosnider bashed a solo homer in the first inning to drive in the team’s lone run. Strosnider went 2 for 4 and was the only Horned Frog with multiple hits in the loss.
Sunday: No. 1 UCLA 15, No. 7 TCU 5
True freshman Uli Fernsler made his TCU debut in the series finale, throwing two innings and allowing three earned runs on three hits in the start. It was a tough showing for the bullpen, however, as Cal Poly transfer Tanner Sagouspe allowed two runs on four hits over three innings before Noah Franco conceded four runs without recording an out. Hawaii transfer Ethan Thomas walked four and allowing three runs over 2.1 innings.
Cole Eaton, a position player, was once again called on to pitch and gave up three runs without logging an out. Offensively, TCU finished with seven hits, but struck out seven times and left five runners on base. Sawyer Strosnider went 2 for 2 with a home run and an RBI triple, while Lucas Franco crushed a solo shot in the eighth inning and Chase Brunson went 1 for 4 with an RBI single.