Kirk Saarloos reacts to Big 12 Tournament matchup vs. Oklahoma through five innings

After defeating No. 4 seed West Virginia 5-2 in their first game of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday, a tall task stood in front of the TCU Horned Frogs. As they take on top-seeded, regular season conference champion Oklahoma on Wednesday at Globe Life Field.

The Sooners broke the game’s tie with two runs in the fourth inning to take a 2-0 lead over the Horned Frogs, and following the inning, TCU head coach Kirk Saarloos reflected on the inning and the overall performance of his team.

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“They did a good job putting good swings on some centered baseballs and Payton (Tolle) just fell behind in a couple at-bats, and that’s what Oklahoma’s done really all year,” Saarloos said. “I think they hit .325 in conference play and .315 overall, so it’s a very long lineup, it’s a very deep lineup and I mean when’s the last time you’ve seen four switch hitters in one nine-man lineup?”

TCU’s ace Payton Tolle got off to a solid start on the mound before Oklahoma’s scoring burst. Striking out five batters and allowing zero hits or runs through the first three innings of action. Also facing some adversity after being struck in the face with a ball thrown by teammate Brody Green following an out in the first inning.

“He’s just got a little mouse under his eye. We got our version of Mickey with Danny Wheat in the dugout so he’ll be fine,” Saarloos said referencing Rocky. “It just makes him look even tougher.”

Tolle toughed it out and continues to apply ice to his face in the dugout throughout the game. But Oklahoma’s opposing pitcher Braden Davis has made things very tough on TCU’s hitters, striking out seven batters through five innings and allowing just one hit in his shoutout performance.

“Man he’s been pretty good, I mean the changeup to the righty’s like that. We’re not picking up. It’s kind of just a straight change from the side, that’s what it looks like, I don’t know what it looks like from TV. But it’s coming out of the same window and kind of the same trajectory as his fastball and we are obviously not picking it up,” Saarloos said as he watched Davis throw a strike. “We gotta be able to stay late and not worry about getting jammed, because right now being ahead of the changeup and being late on the fastball’s not a good combination.”

TCU gave up two more runs in the sixth inning thanks to home runs on back to back pitchers from the Sooners. As they’ll look to battle back late in the game against the top-seeded conference champions.