Arizona scored the first run of the game on Sunday, but TCU plated nine of the next 10 on their way to a 13-6 win at Hi-Corbett Field. After TCU extended the lead to 10-3, Arizona scored three in the seventh inning to get back into the game. TCU responded with three in the ninth inning to put the game away.
TCU took the lead for good with a double by ninth-place hitter Colton Griffin that scored Isaac Cadena and Cole Traeger. Griffin finished with three doubles in four at-bats with a run scored and four runs batted in. Leadoff batter Karson Bowen had three hits in six at-bats and five RBIs.
Freshman Smith Bailey had his second consecutive poor start. Bailey pitched five innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits with three walks and one strikeout. That is a week after allowing six earned runs in his worst start of the season in a loss at Texas Tech.
Five of the seven pitchers for Arizona allowed runs on Sunday. Michael Hilker Jr. and Garrett Hicks each allowed three runs in a combined 1.2 innings. The normally reliable Arizona had one of its worst outings this season. Maddox Mihalakis led Arizona offensively with two hits in four at-bats with a run scored and two RBIs.
Bailey dropped to 1-3 with the loss. Mason Brassfield allowed three earned runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 5.1 innings to improve to 5-1. Eleven players had hits for TCU on Sunday. Cadena and Anthony Silva joined Bowen and Griffin with multiple hits for TCU.
Arizona fell to 33-19 overall and 15-9 in the Big XII tied with Kansas and TCU for third place in the Big XII. West Virginia leads the Big XII at 18-4. Arizona State is in second place at 16-8. Arizona plays its last midweek game this season at Grand Canyon on Tuesday before playing its final three 2025 home games versus Utah next weekend.