Big sixth propels TCU to fifth straight win

Saturday, May 10

Fort Worth, Texas

6:30 PM

TCU

34-16

Texas-Pan American

18-32

UT-Pan American

TCU

Andrew Cashner won his eighth game of the season.

Big sixth propels TCU to fifth straight win

5/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 10, 2008

Final Stats

FORT WORTH, Texas - Trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the TCU Horned Frogs put up a four spot and held on for the 4-3 win over UT-Pan American Saturday night at Lupton Stadium. A costly error by the Broncs second baseman led to two unearned runs in the inning. A Clint Arnold steal of home proved to be the game-winning run. The Frogs managed just three hits, but were issued five walks in the contest. Andrew Cashner tossed four innings of relief to earn his eight win of the season.

The game was a pitcher's duel for the first five innings with neither team giving an inch. Tyler Lockwood limited the Broncs to just three hits and stranded three base runners in five innings, while UTPA starter Shane Janecka held the Frogs to just a bunt single and a walk.

UT-Pan American broke through first with a two-run top of the second inning. Three straight base hits to open the inning put the Frogs in a tight spot. Jordan Rutenberg battled Lockwood through a 12-pitch at-bat and it looked like the Frogs had won the war when he hit a grounder right to Bryan Kervin at short. However, his throw home to cut down Roly Gonzalez bounced and he was safe with the first run of the game.

TCU called on its bullpen and brought in Cashner. He did his job, retiring all three batters he faced. A second run did cross the plate on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan Vest to make it a 2-0 contest.

Back-to-back walks by Janecka in the bottom of the frame to Hunt Woodruff and Matt Vern helped the Frogs turn the deficit into a lead. The Broncs looked like they would be able to limit the damage as Ben Carruthers hit the ball right at the second baseman for what could have been a double play. But second baseman Jose Mendoza's throw to second sailed over the shortstops head and all runners were safe, while Woodruff crossed home plate to cut the lead in half.

Kervin tied the game with a ground ball to second for the first out of the inning, driving in Vern from third. Arnold gave the Frogs the lead with a double to deep left field and he moved to third on an infield single from Chris Ellington.

With two outs and Matt Carpenter at the plate, Arnold broke for home on a straight steal and slid in under the tag from Broncs' catcher Nick Spears for a 4-2 TCU lead after six innings.

Cashner worked a perfect seventh inning before hitting Bonham Hough to open the eighth inning. Hough stole second and scored on a two-out base hit to right off the bat of Vest to pull the Broncs within one, but Cashner settled down and retired the final four batters of the game to seal the victory.

Lockwood tossed five innings in the no decision. He allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits with a walk and three punch outs. Cashner (8-3) went four innings, allowing a run on one hit with no walks and four strikeouts.

The TCU baseball team will pay tribute to all moms in attendance at Sunday's contest and wear pink jerseys in support of Breast Cancer Research. The jerseys will be sold for $60 with $15 of each purchase going to Komen for the Cure - Tarrant County Chapter. Fans wishing to place orders for jerseys will also have the option of doing so.

The Frogs, winners of five straight contests, improve to 34-16 on the season. They return to the diamond on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Sean Hoelscher will take the mound for the Frogs.