Defensive miscues gifted nine early runs before TCU battled back with home runs.
ARLINGTON - No. 7 TCU baseball dug itself a hole too deep to escape Tuesday night, falling 11-8 to UT Arlington at Globe Life Field despite a spirited comeback attempt highlighted by home runs from Kyuss Gargett and Rob Liddington.
The Horned Frogs (2-2) were rocked early as UT Arlington capitalized on defensive miscues in the opening frame.
The Mavericks pushed nine runs across in the first inning, sending 13 hitters to the plate. Three TCU errors hurt, leading to eight unearned runs that ultimately proved to be the difference in the game.
Nolan Johnson (0-1) made his first start as a Horned Frog but was tagged for seven runs, only three of which were earned, in just one-third of an inning. The early deficit put TCU in catch-up mode from the outset.
To their credit, the Frogs didn’t fold. TCU chipped away with three runs in the third inning. Preston Gamster scored on a wild pitch, Lucas Franco drove in a run with a groundout, and Liddington lifted a sacrifice fly to trim the margin.
In the fourth, Kyuss Gargett launched his first home run of the season to spark another rally. Later in the inning, Chase Brunson delivered a clutch two-run double that brought TCU within 9-6.
Liddington wasn’t done. The senior blasted his first home run as a Horned Frog in the fifth inning, cutting the deficit to two runs and giving TCU real momentum. He finished with multiple hits and multiple RBIs, continuing his strong start to the season.
However, defensive struggles resurfaced in the sixth.
Another error helped UT Arlington tack on two more unearned runs, stretching the lead back to four. Despite 12 strikeouts from TCU’s pitching staff and a strong collegiate debut from Cade Nelson - who tossed four scoreless innings with five strikeouts - the Frogs couldn’t fully recover.
TCU tallied 11 hits, its first double-digit hit performance of the season, and stole multiple bases.
Nolan Traeger added an RBI single in the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate, but the rally fell short.
The loss drops TCU to 22-12 all-time at Globe Life Field and sets up a massive test ahead. The Horned Frogs now travel west for a marquee Top 10 showdown against No. 1 UCLA, with Friday’s opener scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on FS1.
If TCU can clean up the defense, the offense has already shown it has the firepower to compete with anyone.