March 26, 2009

Final Stats

WACO, Texas - The No. 16 TCU Horned Frogs kept the game close until a nine-run sixth by No. 8 Baylor broke the game open as the Frogs dropped a 15-4 decision Thursday night at Baylor Ballpark. TCU's bats came alive late as it put up four runs in the final three innings. Brance Rivera had two hits and drove in two runs off the bench to lead the Frogs.

Baylor wasted no time getting on the board as Shaver Hansen gave the Bears the early 2-0 lead with a home run to right field. TCU starter Steven Maxwell (2-2) settled down and struck out the final two batters of the inning.

Facing a plethora of Bear pitchers, the Frogs struggled to get their bats going. TCU's first hit in the game didn't come until the fourth inning when Chris Ellington drove a single to center field. Matt Curry followed with a sharply hit ball through the left side, but that was all they would get as Jon Ringenberg worked out of the jam with a strikeout to end the inning.

Maxwell held the Bears in check as the defense got him out of a few jams. A one-out single in the second was erased by Bryan Holaday as he threw him out trying to steal second. In the third and fourth innings, the Frogs turned inning-ending double plays.

The Bears broke through again in the fifth, taking a 3-0 lead. Greg Glime sacrificed home Ben Booker, who had led off the inning with a double.

A disastrous sixth inning for the Frogs saw the Bears score nine runs on six hits as they broke open a tight game, taking a 12-0 lead. The first five batters in the inning reached and all scored as 13 men came to the plate in the inning.

TCU finally got on the scoreboard in the seventh inning, scoring a run on a hit. Hunt Woodruff led off with a pinch-hit single and moved to second on a walk to Aaron Schultz. A wild pitch with one out advanced both runners 90 feet and Jimmie Pharr delivered a sacrifice fly to deep left field.

Baylor continued to score, picking up a run in the seventh and two more in the eight to account for their 15 runs.

The Frogs manufactured another run in the top of the eighth inning. Rivera led off the inning with a base hit up the middle. He moved to third with one out and this time Brett Medlin came through with the sacrifice fly to right field.

Two more Frogs crossed the plate in the top of the ninth on Rivera's second single of the game. Matt Vern and Jimmie Pharr tallied one out singles, moved up 90 feet on a ground out before scoring on Rivera's hit.

Maxwell took the loss as he allowed three runs on six hits in five innings of work. He struck out three and walked one.

The Frogs (14-7) return to conference play Friday night as they host the San Diego State Aztecs for a three-game series. Friday's series opener is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Lupton Stadium. Tyler Lockwood will start for the Frogs and face the Aztecs Stephen Strasburg.