The TCU baseball team avoided the shutout but couldn’t escape the loss.

TCU's Josh Elander went 3-for-3 at the plate and hit a solo home run to right field, but it wasn’t enough, as the Frogs fell to Oklahoma State 4-3 Friday night at Lupton Stadium.

The loss was TCU’s fourth in a row and dropped the Frogs to 2-6 on the season. TCU has not lost four in a row since May 2004. The Frogs were held scoreless in a 1-0 loss to Texas State Tuesday night.

TCU got on the board Friday night and even had several chances in the late innings to tie the game.

But the offense couldn’t capitalize.

Elander tripled off the centerfield wall in the bottom of the eighth inning and scored on the next at-bat when Zac Jordan hit a sac fly to center.

After Derek Odell struck out, Jerrick Suiter reached on an infield single, putting the tying run on and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate in Davy Wright.

Wright, who went 2-for-4 in the game, went down swinging.

TCU relief pitcher Kevin Allen would hold the Cowboys in the top half of the ninth, giving the Frogs one last chance to tie the game.

They couldn’t take advantage of it.

Kyle Von Tungeln drew a two-out walk, but Jason Coats couldn’t advance him further, striking out to end the game.

Oklahoma State’s Andrew Heaney threw 6 and 2/3 innings, striking out nine and giving up only two runs to earn the victory.

TCU Andrew Mitchell’s night was much more short lived.

Mitchell (0-2, 5.27 ERA) struck out four batters in just 2 and 2 /3 innings of work.

Right-hander Nick Frey threw 3 and 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Mitchell. Justin Scharf and Allen, who both tossed 1 and 1/3 innings, held Oklahoma State scoreless the rest of the game.

TCU will be back in action Saturday for the second game of its three-game series with the Cowboys. First pitch is scheduled for  2 p.m.