TCU Baseball: Frogs Didn't Lose, Just Ran Out Of Time

Frogball could have used a 10th inning as a nine-run rally comes short at the warning track.

TCU Athletics

If you checked out of TCU baseball's midweek game at Louisville after the sixth inning, you may be surprised to see the box score. Heading into the seventh, TCU was facing what seemed to be an insurmountable 9-0 deficit.

Key phrase, "seemed to be."

The nine-run avalanche began as a smattering of single-here, single-there before the Cardinals (9-3) opened the bats in the fifth inning. Junior Dalton Rushing kicked off the frenzy with a solo home run, followed by an RBI triple by senior Ben Bianco. A wild pitch scored another and Louisville left the fifth with an 8-0 lead.

Another inning passes with another Cardinal run courtesy of Levi Usher, who drove in one more run. 9-0 Cards.

TCU (8-4) finally arrived at the game in the seventh, where Elijah Nunez drove their first run of the game with the bases loaded. The Frogs took advantage of their own wild pitch and scored again with the bases loaded.

Brayden Taylor knocked in a two-RBI double in the final score of the seventh inning. TCU trailed 9-4.

The eighth inning found TCU in a similar position to the seventh: bases loaded, Nunez at the plate. After starting in a 0-2 hole, he took four pitches and walked, bringing in Tommy Sacco.

Luke Boyers and David Bishop drove in three total runs with a pair of singles to make the game 9-8 heading into the ninth.

The Frogs are within two! Luke Boyers with a bases-loaded single makes it a 9-7 game!#FrogballUSA | #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/ZE8MV5CHt7

— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) March 8, 2022

Unfortunately for TCU, the Louisville defense regained their wits in the ninth, shutting out the Frogs and sealing a 9-8 victory for the home team.

In total, TCU drew 10 free bases– nine via walk and one hit by pitch. Cam Brown (2-1) picked up his first loss on the season, but allowed just three of the nine runs. Louisville exercised seven pitchers across the back three frames, at one point burning six of them in half an inning.

TCU returns home this weekend for their first home series of the year against Army (3-7). First pitch is at Lupton Field on Friday, March 11 at 6:00 p.m. CT.

Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Killer Frogs message board community today!

Follow KillerFrogs on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest TCU news! Follow KillerFrogs on Facebook and Instagram as well. Download the KillerFrogs app on Google Play or in the Apple App Store.