TCU Tops West Virginia in Opener

Thursday, May 16

Fort Worth, Texas

7:30 p.m.

TCU

31-17, 14-14

West Virginia

31-20, 17-11

West Virginia

TCU

TCU Tops West Virginia in Opener

5/17/2024 12:07:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Tolle fans 11 batters in seven innings of work

FORT WORTH – Early offense and an emotional performance from Payton Tolle guided TCU to a series-opening 6-3 victory over West Virginia Thursday night at Lupton Stadium. Anthony Silva homered and drove in three to lead the offense. Tolle fanned 11 over seven innings of work.

The Rundown
Payton Tolle (7-3) turned in seven strong innings, allowing just three runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out 11 to earn the win. Ben Abeldt took over in the eighth with the bases loaded and retired all six batters he faced to record his eighth save of the season.

TCU opened up an early lead in the first after Sam Myers and Jack Arthur singled to open the inning. Myers scored on a Kurtis Byrne ground out to put the Horned Frogs on top 1-0.

Brody Green opened the second with a base hit and scored on an Anthony Silva double. Two batters later, Silva scored on a Ryder Robinson groundout for a 3-0 lead.

West Virginia cut the deficit to two on a one out solo home run in the second, but the Frogs responded with two in the fourth to extend its lead to four, 5-1. Luke Boyers led off the inning with a double and scored on a towering home run off the bat of Silva.

The two squads traded fifth inning runs. West Virginia took advantage of a one-out walk, scoring to make it a 5-2 ballgame on a two-out base hit. Logan Maxwell scored on a Brody Green groundout to restore the Frogs' four-run advantage.

West Virginia threatened to get closer as it loaded the bases with nobody out in the eight. Abeldt took over, collecting a big strikeout for the first out. A sacrifice fly made it a 6-3 ballgame, but a ground ball brought the inning to a close. Abeldt fanned two in a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up the save.

Stat of the Game:
11 - Payton Tolle posted his fifth double-digit strikeout game of the season. It's the 32nd time this season that the TCU pitching staff has recorded double-digit strikeouts (14) in a game.

Notes:

TCU out-hit its opponent for the 26th time this season.
TCU homered in a game for the 22nd time this season.
TCU scored a first inning for the 19th time this season.
TCU improved to 24-8 when it scores first in a game.
TCU played errorless baseball for the 24th time this season.
TCU turned two double plays.
Ben Abledt stretched his scoreless innings pitched streak to 17 1/3 innings spanning 14 appearances.
Abeldt notched his eighth save of the season and the 10th of his career.
Payton Tolle's 22-inning shutout streak was snapped with one out in the third.
Tolle posted his sixth quality start of the season and the 19th of his career.
Sam Myers stretched his hitting streak to 11 games.
Myers collected his 13th career multi-hit game.
Jack Arthur and Myers have reached safely in 11 straight games.
Arthur stretched his hitting streak to nine games.
Anthony Silva hit his fourth home run of the season and the 11th of his career.
Silva posted his 13th multi-hit game of the season and the 33rd of his career.
Silva notched his ninth multi-RBI game of the year and the 23rd of his career.

Next Up:
With the win, TCU improves to 31-17 on the season and 14-14 in Big 12 play. Game 2 of the series is slated for Friday night at 6:30. Kole Klecker will get the start for the Horned Frogs. The game will be televised on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.