TCU Baseball Tops Ranked Foes at Shriners Showdown

Horned Frogs defeat No. 23 Vanderbilt and No. 7 Arkansas in one-run games at Globe Life Field

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The No. 10 TCU baseball team opened its season with a pair of ranked wins at the Shriners Children's College Classic in Arlington, Texas. The Horned Frogs defeated No. 23 Vanderbilt 5-4 on Friday and No. 7 Arkansas 5-4 on Saturday, before falling to Oklahoma 12-2 on Sunday.

Why it matters

The early-season victories over top-25 opponents demonstrate TCU's strength and competitiveness as it looks to contend for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Horned Frogs' ability to win close games against highly ranked teams sets them up well for the rest of the season.

The details

Against Vanderbilt, TCU overcame a ninth-inning home run to secure the one-run win. Sawyer Strosnider and Lucas Franco homered for the Frogs, who took advantage of a Vanderbilt error in the eighth inning to score three runs and take the lead. Nate Stern earned the win in relief, and Walter Quinn recorded the save. In the win over Arkansas, TCU jumped out to a 4-1 lead after two innings, with Chase Brunson and Cole Cramer driving in runs. Noah Franco closed out the game with three scoreless innings to earn the save.

  • The Shriners Children's College Classic took place over the weekend of February 14-16, 2026.
  • TCU defeated Vanderbilt on Friday, February 14.
  • TCU defeated Arkansas on Saturday, February 15.
  • TCU lost to Oklahoma on Sunday, February 16.

The players

TCU

The No. 10 ranked college baseball team that competed in the Shriners Children's College Classic.

Vanderbilt

The No. 23 ranked college baseball team that faced TCU on Friday.

Arkansas

The No. 7 ranked college baseball team that faced TCU on Saturday.

Oklahoma

The college baseball team that defeated TCU on Sunday.

Sawyer Strosnider

A TCU player who hit a solo home run in the first inning against Vanderbilt.

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What’s next

TCU will look to build on its strong start to the season as it continues its non-conference schedule. The Horned Frogs' performance at the Shriners Children's College Classic has positioned them well for the rest of the year.

The takeaway

TCU's ability to win close games against highly ranked opponents like Vanderbilt and Arkansas shows the team's potential to be a force in college baseball this season. The Horned Frogs' early-season success will give them momentum as they look to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.