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Frogs hang on for 6-3 victory over Utah
May 3, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - The bats were alive early for the Frogs, who won the second game of the three game series against Mountain West Conference foe Utah, by a score of 6-3 Saturday afternoon at Lupton Stadium. Sean Hoelscher recorded his sixth win of the season, tying a career-high with eight punch outs. A four-run third inning proved to be the difference in the game. The Horned Frogs scored the first run in the bottom of the second inning on a single by Bryan Holaday. Matt Carpenter walked to set up the go-ahead run and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He scored easily on Holaday's single to right for a 1-0 TCU lead. The Frogs opened up the game in the bottom of the third inning, scoring five runs on just three hits. Bryan Kervin doubled to deep right-center scoring Ben Carruthers from first base. Clint Arnold followed with a fly ball to shallow right field for a single, advancing Kervin to third. With one out, the Frogs loaded the bases on a walk to Chris Ellington. Carpenter followed with a deep smash off the center field fence, plating Kervin and Arnold to give the Frogs a 4-0 lead. Chris Ellington added a run, scoring on a Steve Ellington sacrifice fly to shallow right field. Utah cracked the scoreboard with its first run of the game on a Cody Guymon home run over the left field fence in the fourth inning. Hoelscher answered back, striking out the next batter. With two outs, Hoelscher put runners on first and second with a single to shortstop and a hit batter, but froze Cooper Blanc looking to end the inning without any further damage. Hoelscher had a shaky sixth after allowing a double to the left field warning track and then walking the next batter, but again he was able to battle back and hold the Utes scoreless. He escaped the inning, getting Blanc to ground out to first. With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Hoelscher gave way to the bullpen to finish out the contest. In 6 2/3 innings, the freshman right-hander gave up just three hits, allowed two runs, walked three and struck out eight. Utah loaded the bases with two two-out singles, but Derek VerHagen took the mound and got Dustin Hennis to ground out sharply to Kervin at short to end the inning. The Utes rallied in eighth inning putting runners on first and second with one out. VerHagen walked the next batter to load the bases. With the bases juiced, senior right-handed pitcher, Dillon Farish took the mound to clean up the mess. He retired the lone batter he faced on a sacrifice fly to center, making it a 6-3 contest. Following the out, the Frogs called on closer Andrew Cashner to finish the game. The junior struck out Corey Shimada to halt the Utah rally. Cashner closed out the game striking out three of the last four batters, solidifying the win for the Frogs and giving Cashner his seventh save of the season. TCU improves to 32-16 overall and 15-5 in league play. The series finale is slated for 1 p.m. tomorrow afternoon as the Frogs will go for their fourth conference series sweep. Greg Holle will get the call for the Frogs and face Utah's John James.
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