Blaze Brothers, batting ninth in the order, hit a three-run homer as part of a four-run ninth inning to lift Oral Roberts past TCU 6-5 on Friday in the opening game of the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
TCU, which had sported a nation-best 11-game winning streak, led 5-2 going into the top of the ninth, when Oral Roberts’ Mac McCroskey reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by third baseman Brayden Taylor.
McCroskey went to third on Holden Breeze’s single, and Drew Stahl’s RBI single made it a 5-3 deficit for the Golden Eagles.
Right-hander Luke Savage (5-4) recorded the first out on a strikeout, then gave up Brothers’ three-run shot to left for his 12th homer this season.
The Horned Frogs threatened in the bottom of the ninth against Cade Denton (3-1), who bookended two strikeouts around a single and a walk to put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. But Taylor lined out to end the game.
Unranked Oral Roberts, which has won 24 of its last 25 games, will play Sunday night against the winner of Friday’s other game pitting Virginia and Florida. TCU will face the loser of that contest in an elimination game Sunday afternoon.
McCroskey hit his 14th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the sixth, and teammate Breeze collected three of the Golden Eagles’ 11 hits.
The Horned Frogs totaled eight hits, with two apiece from Karson Bowen and Cole Fontenelle, who drove in three runs on a solo homer, a single and a walk.
–Field Level Media