OSU Baseball: Cowboys Drop Big 12 Home Opener to TCU 1-0

The Big 12’s two leaders in strikeouts squared off on Friday night. As you could imagine, it was hard to make contact.

Oklahoma State fell in a defensive slugfest to No. 18 TCU 1-0. It was the Cowboys’ Big 12 home opener.

TCU pitcher Payton Tolle came in as the conference’s leader with 53 strikeouts. He added a career-best 15, earning the win over the Cowboys in nine innings. OSU’s Sam Garcia was no slouch, coming in second at 41. He tied his OSU high with nine Ks in a season-high seven innings, allowing one run and walking three. It looks like Garcia will remain in No. 2. Of course, in a game that ends 1-0, that one run makes all the difference.

The Horned Frogs’ game-winning run early, and it was unearned. TCU’s Chase Brunson scored on an Anthony Silva sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the top of the second inning to give the Horned Frogs the lead for good. The inning started with a walk before back-to-back throwing errors loaded the bases ahead of Silva’s RBI swing.

Robert Cranz spelled Garcia for the final two innings for the Pokes. He struck out three while allowing no walks and no hits, but the Cowboys’ offense faced quite the challenge in TCU.

The Cowboys had their chances to get on the board, including in the sixth inning when they threatened to put two in scoring position with no outs, but one of two TCU double-plays (nearly a triple-play) from kept OSU at bay.

Thisclose to a triple play, but a big double play none-the-less as the Cowboys had two on and nobody out in the sixth.#FrogballUSA | #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/8KivmmM5mK

— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) March 23, 2024

Next Up

With the loss the Cowboys move to 13-9 on the season and 1-3 in conference play. Opening pitch for Game 2 of the series is at 6 p.m. Saturday before finale at 1 p.m. Sunday.