TCU Falls in Big 12 Championship Final to Arizona 2-1

Originally posted on TCU Horned Frogs on SI
By Ian Napetian | Last updated May 25, 2025 9:08 AM ET

The Arizona Wildcats came up with some magic late at Globe Life Field in Arlington to steal the Big 12 Championship Final from the TCU Horned Frogs.

Despite the Frogs leading 1-0 since the first inning, Arizona tied the ballgame in the ninth and took the lead in the 10th. For Kirk Saarloos and his squad, it will be a bitter end to the Big 12 season. But for the Horned Frogs there is much more to come with the NCAA Tournament on the horizon.

The Frogs took an early 1-0 lead in the first after Sawyer Strosnider walked and Cole Cramer doubled with one out. Setting up runners at second and third, Noah Franco scratched across the first run of the ballgame with a groundout to second.

While the Frogs got ahead early at the plate, they found success on the mound in Nate Stern, who was making his first start of the season and his 15th appearance. Stern worked around an error in the first before retiring the Wildcats in order in the second.

After a leadoff single in the third, followed by a base hit and a hit by pitch with one out that loaded the bases, Stern was relieved of his duties for the left-hander Gianluca Shinn.

Stern tossed a scoreless 2 ⅓ innings and allowed two hits and a strikeout. He lowered his season earned run average to 1.21.

Take a bow @GianlucaShinn

2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 9 batters faced pic.twitter.com/N45cjXcZU3
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) May 25, 2025

Shinn silenced the Wildcats, striking out seven of the nine batters he faced over 2 ⅔ innings. He allowed just one baserunner via the walk.

Following Shinn was the lefty Braeden Sloan who worked around a pair of baserunners in the sixth. Following an error and a hit by pitch, Sloan set down the Wildcats in order. He remained steady for the Frogs until Wildcats left fielder Andrew Cain tied the ballgame 1-1 with a leadoff homer in the ninth.

It was in the 10th that the Wildcats took a 2-1 lead after Mason White was plunked with one out. An Adonys Guzman single advanced White to third before Maddox Mihalakis flared an RBI single into shallow right-center field to give Arizona a one-run advantage.

Found some green! Cats by one! ️ pic.twitter.com/vvyLhBx9kL
— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) May 25, 2025

The Frogs had an opportunity in the bottom of the 10th after Anthony Silva reached with a one-out single, but Isaac Cadena and Sam Myers were subsequently retired.

TCU tallied just six hits and left five men on base. Sloan was dealt the loss, bringing him to a 3-4 record with a 4.03 ERA. Arizona’s Tony Pluta earned the win after pitching the ninth and the 10th innings. He improves to 2-0 on the season with a 1.35 ERA.

While the Frogs fell short of a Big 12 Championship, the NCAA Tournament and a chance to host remains on the horizon. TCU now sits at 39-18 overall and 19-11 in the Big 12 Conference.

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This article first appeared on TCU Horned Frogs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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