Working Together, TCU beats Texas Tech 8-6
TCU took another game from Texas Tech Saturday night with an 8-6 victory.
Here’s a recap of the night’s events:
Tonight’s Game.
The Horned Frogs came out strong with senior right fielder Brance Rivera’s triple to right center. He was followed up by sophomore third baseman Jantzen Witte’s single to score. Junior left fielder Jason Coats kept up his recent hitting streak with a double to left center. Senior catcher Jimmie Pharr’s hit flew out to left field but managed to score Witte.
In the second inning TCU manufactured sophomore designated hitter Josh Elander’s single to left field with senior first basemen Joe Weik’s sacrifice bunt and Witte’s single to left.
The third brought up junior shortstop Taylor Featherston with a single to the right side. Featherston worked ahead by stealing second and then scoring off of Coats single up the middle. The Horned Frogs still left two men on base at the end of the inning though.
The fourth proved to be another inning in which TCU played their game even with a change in the Red Raiders pitching staff. Weik doubled to score off of Witte’s grounder to shortstop. Rivera also scored off of Featherston’s single up the middle after hitting a to the pitcher. Once again, the Horned Frogs left two men on base.
After going three up three down for the first three innings, the Red Raiders stuck their heels in and proved they know how to be patient with both freshmen DH David Paiz and sophomore center fielder Barnett Barnes walking. Paiz and Barnes both advanced a base on a wild pitch but remained there with senior second baseman Nick Popescu’s strikeout.
The fifth inning would be a major turning point in the game for both teams. The Horned Frogs went three up three down for the first time in the game and the Red Raiders showed their aggressiveness as a ball club.
This extensive inning started off with a single, a double, and a walk to load the bases with no outs. Then TCU walked two more runners and hit another before making a change in the pitching staff with the score 6-2.
The switch from senior Steven Maxwell to senior Trent Appleby with no outs proved not to be the best move for TCU. Appleby hit the junior short stop Kelby Tomlinson before Paiz hit a single to left, giving the Red Raiders another run.
A wild pitch advanced and scored another runner. Appleby then retired one runner with a strikeout and another with a grounder back to the pitcher. After two more walks by the Horned Frogs, the pitching staff was switched again.
Freshman Stefan Crichton came in for Appleby and finished the inning by putting Paiz out at home.
The Horned Frogs went three up three down in the top of the 6th. They were followed by the two up two down, one walk and a stolen base start in the bottom of the 6th. TCU ended the 6th after putting Tomlinson out at first.
TCU manufactured a run in the top of the 7th with a single by senior second baseman Jerome Pena, Pharr’s double, and junior center fielder Aaron Schultz’s sacrifice bunt. The action continued with Elander’s single to right field to score Pharr.
While the rest of the game was scoreless for either team, TCU had a fielder error in the bottom of the 7th that was rescued by fly out to center. The Frogs switched pitching one final time to junior Erik Miller. The Frogs hit a double play and a strikeout in the bottom of the ninth to finish the game.
The Horned Frogs continually played the small ball and worked ahead to make runs happen in 5/9 innings. They still left nine men on base with 16 hits.
The Red Raiders had three double plays, impressive work. They were held to just five hits.
Tomorrow’s Game.
The Red Raiders will have to step their hitting if they hope to be competitive against the sophomore LHP Matt Purke. Purke hasn’t been seen since the season opener against Kansas University.
The Horned Frogs shouldn’t sit back and rely on Purke though. They did much better to continually work and make the runs happen. TCU will be facing sophomore RHP Jamen Parten. Parten is 1-o for the season.
Witte came back tonight going 3-5 with three RBI’s and a run. Rivera, Featherston and Pena have all kept up their hitting streaks. Elander’s return after sitting out the past seven games with an injury turned out to be beneficial to the Horned Frogs as he went 2/5 with a RBI and a run.
If TCU wants to sweep the series they will need to continue to be satisfied with base hits. By working together they will see the same successes. The Red Raiders proved they know the meaning of patience and will be dangerous tomorrow if given the chance.