TCU Baseball Looks to Bounce Back Against Rival Baylor

The Horned Frogs head to Waco for a crucial series against their in-state foe.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 1:53pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a college baseball game, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of vibrant purple, green, and gold colors.The intense rivalry between TCU and Baylor baseball is captured in a cubist-inspired illustration, highlighting the high-stakes clash between the two teams.Fort Worth Today

After a frustrating home series loss against Arizona, TCU baseball looks to rebound this weekend with a big rivalry series against Baylor in Waco. The Horned Frogs have shown signs of progress this season but need to clean up some late-game issues, reduce errors, and find more consistency at the plate if they want to take down the Bears and get their season back on track.

Why it matters

This series against Baylor represents a major opportunity for TCU to make a statement and get their season back on track after a tough home series loss. The Horned Frogs have the talent to be a dangerous team down the stretch, but they'll need to shore up some lingering issues in order to take down their in-state rival and position themselves for a strong finish.

The details

TCU's starting pitching has shown steady improvement, with Zack James emerging as a reliable Sunday starter. However, the bullpen and late-game decision making have been concerns, leading to some tough losses. The Horned Frogs have also been plagued by uncharacteristic errors that have cost them runs. Offensively, TCU has shown flashes of power, but consistency has been lacking across the lineup. If the Horned Frogs can clean up those areas, execute in high-leverage situations, and continue to build on their starting pitching progress, they'll have a great chance to take down Baylor this weekend.

  • The series against Baylor begins on Friday, April 17th at 6:30 PM.
  • The second game is scheduled for Saturday, April 18th at 2:00 PM.
  • The series finale will be played on Sunday, April 19th at 1:00 PM.

The players

Zack James

TCU's reliable Sunday starter who has posted a 2.87 ERA over his last three outings.

Trever Baumler

TCU's Friday night starter who has a 7.09 ERA on the season but has shown signs of improvement.

Lance Davis

TCU's Saturday starter who has a 5.36 ERA but has been a key part of the Horned Frogs' rotation.

Mason Brassfield

TCU reliever who has thrived in his new role out of the bullpen after previously starting.

Sawyer Strosnider

One of TCU's top offensive players who has struggled at the plate in recent weeks.

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What they’re saying

“This has been a killer, and it was extremely evident this weekend as two games were lost in the latter half of two games. The starters seemed to get the team off to a great start, but the bullpen could not hold on long enough, and the hitting went stagnant.”

— Emma Swinney, Writer for KillerFrogs/TCU on SI

“ZJ's last three outings = 𝙙𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙩 💪”

— TCU Baseball

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This series against Baylor represents a crucial opportunity for TCU to get their season back on track and make a statement in the Big 12. If the Horned Frogs can clean up their late-game issues, reduce errors, and find more consistency at the plate, they have the talent to take down their in-state rival and position themselves for a strong finish to the season.