No. 17 TCU baseball finishes a rain-delayed 9-4 win over Kansas as Chase Brunson’s grand slam and Zack James’ strong outing power the Horned Frogs.
No. 17 TCU baseball wrapped up a strange two-day victory on Wednesday, finishing off a 9-4 win over Kansas after rain forced the game to be suspended the night before.
When play resumed in the ninth inning, the Horned Frogs simply closed the door on a game they had already controlled from the start.
The win pushed TCU to 10-6 as the team now turns its focus toward the start of Big 12 play with a three-game road series against Arizona State.
TCU built the foundation for the win early thanks to strong pitching and a breakout offensive inning that put the game out of reach.
On the mound, Zack James delivered one of his best outings of the season. The right-hander worked 4.2 innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five batters without issuing a walk. The performance improved his record to 2-0 and helped stabilize the middle innings.
TCU’s pitching staff combined to keep Kansas quiet for most of the game. Trever Baumler opened things with a scoreless inning before Nolan Johnson navigated through 2.1 innings, working around three walks while keeping the Jayhawks off the scoreboard.
Walter Quinn returned on Wednesday to secure the final two outs once the game resumed. While the pitching handled business, the Horned Frogs’ offense delivered the knockout blow in the fourth inning.
After already taking a lead early, TCU erupted for five runs in the fourth, highlighted by Chase Brunson’s towering grand slam that blew the game wide open.
Earlier in the game, Jack Bell produced a run with a perfectly placed bunt single before later scoring on a balk, while Cole Cramer added another RBI with a sharp base hit.
TCU kept applying pressure throughout the night, finishing with eight hits and eight walks as the lineup consistently forced Kansas pitchers to work in stressful situations.
The Horned Frogs added their final run in the sixth inning when Sawyer Strosnider ripped an RBI triple, providing additional breathing room.
Now with the rain-delayed win officially in the books, TCU heads into conference play carrying momentum and a lineup that is beginning to show signs of dangerous offensive depth.