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Kirk Saarloos recalls special gesture TCU's Karson Bowen made to honor Saarloos' late father

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby:Grant Grubbs•06/18/23•

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Photo by Ben Ludeman/Texas Rangers/Getty Images

Some things are bigger than baseball. TCU head coach Kirk Saarloos gave the nation a great perspective on the issue as the Horned Frogs faced off against Virginia on Sunday.

During the top of the fourth inning, Saarloos reflected on the kindness of freshman catcher Karson Bowen. The type of kindness that you never forget.

“He’s one of the most thoughtful 18-year-olds I’ve been around — really throw the age out the window. We lost my dad a couple of years back, and we were playing in the Big 12 championship, and on his birthday, and we happened to win that ballgame, and Karson caught the last pitch to strike out and put it in his back pocket and held on to it, and he didn’t know what he was gonna do with it,” Saarloos said.

“Then, after one of the Super Regional, we’re celebrating on the field, and my mom’s down there and, he walked over to my mom and said, ‘Hey, this is the Big 12 Championship ball. And I want to give it to you because of your husband, and it’s his legacy that he’s left, and I know it was his birthday,’ and obviously that brought tears to my mom’s eyes, and she walked over to me and said. ‘You won’t believe what Karson just did.’ And to be honest with you, I’m really not surprised.”

In his first collegiate season, Bowen has solidified himself as TCU’s starting catcher. Not only is Bowen a lifesaver behind the plate, but he carries a hot bat, too. The 5-foot-11 freshman is batting .358 this season.

Moreover, Bowen has 46 RBIs despite only hitting six home runs this season. The former Rawlings Gold Glove winner has been pivotal in the Horned Frogs’ postseason run. Bowen has 11 hits through six games in the NCAA Tournament, including a double against Oral Roberts in the first game of the College World Series.

Saarloos believes Bowen deserves every bit of success he’s found.

“The kid is as good as it gets. There’s nothing better than watching somebody with a great heart off the field deserve all the accolades and things that he’s getting on the field.”

As of this report, TCU is locked in battle with the Virginia Cavaliers in an Elimination Game in the College World Series. The Horned Frogs lead 2-1 going into the top of the sixth inning. The game is on ESPN.