June 6, 2009
Final Stats
AUSTIN, Texas - Despite hitting three home runs, the No. 10 TCU Horned Frogs came up short in a 10-4 loss to No. 4 Texas in the first game of the NCAA Super Regionals.
Taylor Featherston,
Matt Carpenter and
Matt Vern each tallied a home run to account for all four of the Frogs runs.
The Frogs got off to a good start in the game as Featherston gave the Frogs an early 1-0 lead with a one-out home run, his fifth of the year, in the first inning.
The Longhorns had an answer as they took advantage of a struggling Kyle Winkler. Michael Torres singled to lead off the inning and moved to second on a walk to Travis Tucker. Brandon Belt laid down the first of seven sacrifice bunts and Kevin Keyes put the Horns on top with a two-run double.
Texas' lead grew in the second on Torres first of two home runs in the game. The solo shot came with two out in the inning to give the Longhorns a 3-1 lead.
After a scoreless third inning, Carpenter connected on a lead-off home run, his 10th of the year, to make it a 3-2 contest.
Longhorn starter Chance Ruffin did a good job limiting the base runners after a 23-pitch first inning that saw five Frogs come to the plate. Over the course of the next four innings, he faced just one batter over the minimum.
In the fourth, the Longhorns pushed their lead back out to two after taking advantage of a lead-off hit by Preston Clark. Three straight sacrifices followed, one of which the Frogs couldn't field cleanly and the Horns had a 4-2 lead.
TCU finally got a base runner in the sixth with two out. Carpenter broke a string of eight straight retired by Ruffin and Vern tied the game with a two-run shot off the scoreboard in left center field. The blast was his 16th of the season.
The tie would not last as Texas got the two runs back in the bottom of the inning. A lead-off walk proved to be the down fall. Connor Rowe put the Horns back on top with a one-out single and Tucker doubled him home for a 6-4 lead.
Four more runs crossed the plate in the seventh for the Horns as they broke the game open. The big blast came on a three-run home run by Torres that made it a 10-4 game.
Ruffin completed the game for Texas as he pitched around two singles in the ninth to improve to 10-2 on the season.
Winkler suffered his first loss of the season. The freshman gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits. He walked three and struck out two.
The Frogs fall to 39-17 on the season. They face an elimination game on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk field. The game will air live on ESPN.
