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There's always the old adage to fall back on: there's a reason they play the games. The #2/3 TCU Horned Frogs came into Tointon Family Stadium looking at a likely easy victory over the eighth-place team in the Big 12. But the Wildcats showed every bit of their bright potential, and came out and stunned the defending National Champs to the tune of 14-4, the most runs the Horned Frogs have allowed since joining the Big 12. A dominating victory for the Wildcats against one of the nation's best teams doesn't come often, or ever this easy.
TCU's Friday starter, Mitch Traver, came into the game as a POY candidate, holding an impressive 5-0 record paired with a 0.99 ERA. But the BatCats jumped on him early, carding seven earned runs on him before he was pulled after only two-thirds of the first inning under his belt. His relief, Brian Howard, gave up three more runs in long-relief, pitching five and a third.
But the Wildcat batters made it hurt. Every Cat who came to the plate got at least one hit, 18 total, led by Tyler Wolfe who went 4-for-5 with an RBI. The 14 runs are the most by a TCU opponent in three years, dating back to a 16-15 win against San Diego State in the MWC tournament on May 24th, 2012. To say it was a banner night for the BatCats is an understatement. This TCU squad with its touted bullpen came into tonight's game with a team ERA at a ridiculously low, and nation-leading, 1.98.
Wildcat starter Colton Kalmus looked like the best pitcher on the night. He gave up two in the first and one in the second before finally putting up straight zeroes into the seventh. He pitched a career-high six and two-thirds innings, and his relief in the seventh, Brice Ward, managed to strand the two baserunners Kalmus allowed. Mitch Plassmeyer gave up one run on one hit in the eight, and Lucas Benenati completed the victory for the Cats. Kalmus gets his first victory of the season, moving to 1-2.
This is a huge win for the K-state baseball team. Let's just hope that they can return tomorrow afternoon with some of the same fire to get another much-needed conference victory.