Things couldn't have started much worse for BYU and they never got much better on Thursday night at Miller Field as TCU scored seven runs in the top of the first on its way to an easy 16-5 win.

"We gave them too many free bases. We walked too many guys, made too many errors," said BYU coach Vance Law. "We have what we call the freebie war and we lost that big-time today."

The Cougars used the perfect formula for an early deficit when starting pitcher Jordan Muir hit the first batter, walked the second and made a fielding error on a bunt to load the bases. TCU cleanup hitter Chris Ellington crushed a double to left to score the first two runs of the game.

Two errors, one walk and two runs later, Ben Carruthers, who was batting for the second time in the inning, knocked a two-out, bases-loaded double into the left-center gap to clear the bases and cap off the seven run first.

"We gave them six outs that inning and that's not a good way to start a ballgame," Law said.

After BYU answered with a run in each of the first and third innings, the Horned Frogs continued to pour it on in the fourth. The inning started the same way as the first with a walk and a hit batter. The Horned Frogs used three doubles to bring runners around during the five-run inning in which they opened up a 12-2 lead.

The Cougars scored another run in the bottom of the fourth when Sean McNaughton drove in J.T. Musso with on of his two doubles, but McNaughton was stranded at second and BYU still trailed 12-3.

While Muir struggled early on and lasted only three innings, TCU starter Tyler Lockwood was solid in his six innings on the mound. Lockwood gave up seven hits, three runs and perhaps most importantly, only walked one batter.

Once Lockwood was replaced on the mound by Dillon Farish, the Cougars looked like they would finally get something going offensively. Steve Parker led off the seventh with a triple. Dan Vargas and Kasey Ko followed with a pair of singles. With two runners on and nobody out, Jonathan Cluff hit a grounder to second. After Kasey Ko stopped between first and second to avoid being tagged, TCU second baseman Carruthers threw to first to get Cluff. Matt Vern threw from first to second to catch Ko in a rundown and Vargas broke from third to home to try to score. Horned Frog shortstop Bryan Kervin threw Vargas out at home for a bizarre double play that ended the BYU rally.

Ko was one of the few bright spots on offense for the Cougars, as he went 4-for-5 on the day. McNaughton finished with a pair of extra-base hits, Parker went 2-for-4 with a triple and Vargas went 2-for-4 as well.

"Offensively, I think we had a decent approach at the plate," Law said.

TCU's explosive offense was led by Ellington, who went 3-for-5 with three doubles and four RBI. Carruthers finished with two doubles and four RBI.

"They swung the bats well. It's a very good team," Law said about TCU. "We certainly didn't hit our spots, I know that. You can't leave the ball over the middle of the plate at altitude and with metal bats and expect to survive."

BYU will look to rebound from the disappointing loss when the two teams meet again tonight at 7 p.m. at Miller Field.