DALLAS -- In a matchup between two of the nation's top teams, No. 17 Dallas Baptist knocked off No. 4 TCU 6-4 at Horner Ballpark on Wednesday night in front of the third-largest crowd in DBU history. Freshman righthander Gavin Fritz tossed three shut-out innings without allowing a hit to earn the win, while Brandon Koch closed the door on the Horned Frogs for his 11th save of the season.
Facing TCU's Mitchell Traver, DBU (33-9) struck first for two runs in the second inning, with the first run coming on a Chane Lynch bloop single to left that went in and out of Horned Frogs' third baseman's glove. Leading 1-0, a Nash Knight RBI single to right brought in Camden Duzenack to extend the lead to two.
The Patriots added another run in the third on an RBI single by Justin Wall. Up 3-0 and with Drew Smith on the mound, TCU (34-9) pushed a run across the plate in the fourth when Nolan Brown lifted a sacrifice fly into left center field that scored Evan Skoug from third. Smith, who came in relief of Fritz in the fourth, would settle in and shut out the Horned Frogs the rest of the way, as the junior righty worked three-plus innings.
With DBU on top 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth, the Patriots' Daniel Salters reached on an error by TCU. With the infield drawn on the misplayed ball, Drew Turbin came in to score from third. Salters would strike again in the seventh for DBU, as he smashed a two-out double down the right field line, plating two runs and pushing the Patriots lead to 6-1.
TCU mounted a comeback in the eighth, striking for three runs off DBU reliever Chance Adams. With the bases loaded and two out, Koch pulled the Patriots out of the jam as he struck out Connor Wanhanen on an 0-2 pitch to preserve a 6-4 lead.
Koch would come back in the ninth inning to strike out the side, fanning Elliott Barzili with a runner at first for the final out. With the win, DBU snaps a three-game skid against the Horned Frogs.
