TCU
15-9, 3-3
San Diego State*
18-9, 6-3
Aztecs Hand TCU Heartbreaking Loss Sunday
3/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 29, 2009
FORT WORTH, Texas - A brilliant pitching performance by the TCU Horned Frogs' Kyle Winkler was overshadowed by a furious ninth-inning rally by San Diego State as it rallied with two runs to defeat the Frogs 2-1 Sunday afternoon. Winkler tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings in the no-decision, while the Frogs only mustered one run on four hits.In seven of the eight innings Winkler pitched, the Aztecs had runners on base, but each time he was able to work out of the jam, stranding five runners through seven. The Aztecs biggest threat came in the third inning as they had two on with only one out. A terrific play by Ben Carruthers started an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to keep the game scoreless.
On the flip side, Aztec starter Tyler Lavigne matched Winkler pitch-for-pitch, holding the Frogs' offense at bay. Twice the Frogs got the lead-off man on and both times, Lavigne got out of the jams. After Hunt Woodruff was hit-by-the pitch, Lavigne set down the next seven batters he faced.
The Frogs were finally able to break through in the fifth inning as they got a big two-out hit off the bat of Corey Steglich. Jason Coats blasted the first pitch he saw up the middle for a one-out base hit. A wild pitch moved him to second and a Woodruff ground out pushed him to third. Steglich battled and got a seeing-out single to sneak through the middle of the field for a 1-0 TCU lead.
San Diego State had something brewing in the seventh as Jomel Torres worked a one-out walk. Coats tracked down a line drive off the bat of Ryan O'Sullivan at the warning track for the second out and with a 2-2 count on Josh Chasse, Winkler picked off the pinch runner, Zach Babitt, to end the inning.
Another Aztec push in the eighth went by the wayside as they left the bases loaded. With two on and two out, the Frogs went to the bullpen, calling on Eric Marshall. After walking the first man he faced, he got Chris Wilson to bounce out to second to end the inning with no damage.
TCU looked to have a rally started in the bottom of the frame with two on and only one out, but a pick-off squelched the rally, setting up the Aztecs come-from-behind ninth inning.
Mitch Blackburn led off the ninth with a single to center. With Blackburn standing on second with one out, O'Sullivan drove a ball up the middle. A diving stop by Carruthers looked like it would end with just runners on the corner's, but an errant throw allowed the tying run to score and O'Sullivan to move to second. After a ground out moved O'Sullivan to third, Colwell took advantage of an infield playing back to drive in the eventual game-winner as he dropped a bunt down the third base line.
Addison Reed pitched a perfect ninth to lock down the win.
Winkler allowed just five hits, walked three and struck out three in the no-decision. Marshall (0-2) took the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with one walk in 1 1/3 innings of work.
The Frogs (15-9, 3-3) will host UT-Arlington on Wednesday night at Lupton Stadium. Game time is slated for 6:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: LEARY, Andrew (1-1)
L: Marshall, Eric (0-2)
S: REED, Addison (8)
Batting:
RBI: COLWELL, Pat 1
SH: GUST, Easton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BLACKBURN, Mitch 1 ; O'SULLIVAN, Ryan 1
PO: BABITT, Zach 1
Batting:
RBI: Steglich, Corey 1
SH: Steglich, Corey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Coats, Jason 1
HBP: Carruthers, Ben 1 ; Woodruff, Hunt 1
PO: Rivera, Brance 1
