May 15, 2009

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The No. 14 TCU Horned Frogs moved a win closer to clinching the MWC regular season title with a 10-4 victory over UNLV Thursday night. The Frogs got home runs from Matt Vern, Matt Carpenter and Bryan Holaday to lead the offensive attack and Paul Gerrish pitched six strong innings.

The Rebels staked themselves to an early 2-0 lead after two innings on a pair of two-out solo home runs from Ryan Thornton and Bryan Resnick.

TCU finally got on the board in the top of the third, scoring a run on one hit. Jason Coats led off the inning with a base hit and moved to second on a wild pitch from Rebel starter Tanner Peters. A walk to Jimmie Pharr followed by Aaron Schultz taking a pitch off the arm loaded the bases. Corey Steglich cut the deficit in half with a sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 game.

A three-run fourth inning put the Frogs in front. Vern worked a one-out walk and Holaday was hit by the pitch to put two on. Coats connected for his 10th double of the year, driving the ball to the right-center gap, scoring both runners. Heads up base running put Coats on third as he moved up on the throw trying to get Holaday at home. Schultz added to the Frog lead with a two-out single up the middle for a 4-2 Frog lead.

Carpenter hit a long solo home run with one out in the fifth to extend the Frog lead to 5-2.

While the Frogs were scoring runs, TCU starter Gerrish did the job on the mound. After allowing the two solo home runs, Gerrish settled in. He pitched around a lead-off double in the third and a lead-off single in the fifth to hold the Rebels at bay. Following a hit-batter in the fifth, he retired the next five batters he faced to get into the seventh inning.

TCU broke the game open in the seventh with a three-run inning. A lead-off error by the third baseman led to the big inning. Rebel reliever Michael Goodman looked like he would pitch around the error after getting a double play ball, but a two-out run scoring single by Vern pushed the Frog lead to four, 6-2. After a balk and a wild pitch, Holaday connected for his 10th home run of the season, a two-run shot that made it an 8-2 game.

UNLV looked poised to get back in the game as they loaded the bases on two walks and a base hit with only one out. Tyelr Lockwood came on in relief of Gerrish and did the job, getting Thornton to ground into the inning-ending double play.

Corey Steglich worked a two-out walk in the eighth to keep the inning alive, producing another Horned Frog run. Steglich promptly stole second, the Frogs third stolen base of the night, and scored on a base hit from Taylor Featherston to make it a 9-2 ballgame.

The Rebels tried to creep closer after a lead-off home run by Jesse Wight in the eighth inning. Two consecutive hits followed, but Lockwood again induced the double play ball to put a damper on the threat. A two-out error allowed the Rebels fourth run of the game to score, but another ground ball ended the inning.

Vern got one of the runs back to lead off the ninth inning with a solo home run, his 13th of the year. Lockwood worked around a two-out hit to nail down the victory.

Gerrish improved to 5-1 on the season after going 6 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs on six hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Lockwood tossed 2 2/3 innings, surrendering two runs (one earned) on four hits.

The Frogs improve to 33-14 on the season and 13-5 in conference play. They will take on the Rebels in game two of the series Friday night. First pitch is slated for 9 p.m. (CST).