COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Luken Baker hit his fifth home run in nine games, Jared Janczak went a career-best 7 2/3 innings, and TCU beat Texas A&M 8-2 in the opening game of the College Station Super Regional on Friday night.
Baker gave TCU a 5-2 lead with his third-inning homer. He scored again in the fifth, advancing from second on a wild pitch, and Ryan Merrill's double later in the inning scored two more.
The Horned Frogs (46-15) held on to move one win from a third straight College World Series berth. The No. 4 seed Aggies (48-15) were eliminated by TCU in last season's super regional.
TCU took the early lead, scoring two in the top of the first. Texas A&M answered with Michael Barash's two-run double in the bottom of the frame.
Janczak (7-3) kept the Aggies scoreless for the rest of his outing, allowing six hits in earning the victory.