MANHATTAN, Kan. – TCU dropped a 7-4 decision to Kansas State in the opener of a three game series Thursday night at Tointon Family Stadium. Austin Henry homered and drove in three of the four Horned Frog runs.
A pair of infield singles to open the first for Kansas State set the tone for the game. The Wildcats turned the hits into a 2-0 lead on a sacrifice bunt and a two-out single.
Another infield single to lead off the fourth turned into a run after a two-run home run of the bat of Terrence Spurlin doubled the Wildcats lead, 4-0.
In the fifth, the Wildcats added a trio of runs. The first three hitters of the inning reached and scored to extend the lead to 7-0.
TCU got on the board in the seventh. Alex Isola singled with one out and raced home on a two-out double off the bat of Austin Henry.
The Frogs made it interesting in the ninth, pick up a trio of runs and getting the tying run on deck. Henry hit a two-run run home run to left to make it a 7-3 ballgame. Back-to-back hits from Conner Shepherd and Adam Oviedo followed. The Wildcats second error of the frame allowed Shepherd to score for a 7-4 game. A diving stop on a ball up the middle turned into the final out of the game.
Nick Lodolo (5-3) took the loss after allowing all seven K-State runs on nine hits. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three. Dawson Barr threw the remaining three innings in the contest.
With the loss, TCU falls to 22-14 overall and 5-5 in Big 12 play. Game 2 of the series is set for Friday night at 6 p.m. Charles King will get the start for the Horned Frogs.