TCU baseball nips Arkansas 5-4 as Brunson’s early doubles prove decisive
TACOMA, Wash. — TCU used timely contact and a standout relief outing to hold off a late Arkansas rally, topping the Razorbacks 5-4 Saturday night at Globe Life Field in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown. The announced crowd of 22, 384 set a single-day attendance mark for a college game at the ballpark.
Brunson’s early damage sets the tone
Center fielder Chase Brunson delivered the biggest blows for TCU, ripping RBI doubles in both the first and second innings to build a multi-run cushion. His second-inning double chased Arkansas starter Hunter Dietz and pushed TCU’s lead to 4-0 before the Razorbacks could mount a response.
TCU added an insurance run in the fourth on an RBI single that extended the advantage to 5-1. Brunson’s ability to square up velocity and drive the ball into the gaps forced Arkansas to work from behind for most of the night.
Starting struggles and a dominant relief appearance
Arkansas handed the ball to Dietz for his first career collegiate start, but the left-hander battled control issues early, issuing multiple walks and a hit batter in a short two-inning stint. Dietz struck out five batters but left after surrendering four runs, three hits and three walks.
The turning point for TCU came from its bullpen. Tate McGuire entered in the fourth inning and proceeded to retire 15 straight batters over five perfect innings, mixing his off-speed stuff and locating breaking pitches to keep Arkansas off balance. McGuire’s stretch preserved the lead and allowed TCU’s offense to try and hold on late.
On the other side, TCU’s late-inning closer soaked up the final three frames, striking out four and shutting down a Razorbacks lineup that had multiple opportunities to tie the game.
Arkansas rallies but comes up short
The Razorbacks repeatedly threatened, loading the bases in both the third and fourth innings but converting just once on a fielder’s choice for an RBI. Arkansas mounted its most substantial comeback attempt in the fifth and seventh innings: a passed ball and an RBI double cut the deficit to 5-3, and a towering solo homer into the second deck – measured at roughly 445 feet – trimmed the margin to 5-4 in the seventh.
Despite those rallies, Arkansas left a number of runners in scoring position over the final frames and could not produce the big hit that would have tied or flipped the game. Coaches from both programs credited the closers and late-inning pitching for deciding the tight contest.
The matchup doubled as one of the headline college games of the weekend, staged in front of a record-setting crowd at Globe Life Field. TCU improved to 2-0 on the young season with the win, while Arkansas fell to 1-1 in the event. The game showcased how small margins — a pair of early RBI doubles and a spotless long relief outing — can separate teams in a top-10 matchup.
Postgame, Arkansas expressed disappointment in missed opportunities with runners on base, while TCU highlighted the bullpen’s ability to change the course of the contest. For both clubs, the outing provided a clear blueprint: timely offense and shutdown relief will carry teams through tight nonconference showdowns.
