TCU
Texas A&M Corpus Christi
TCU Completes Sweep with 10-7 Victory
4/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 22, 2009
FORT WORTH, Texas - The No. 16 TCU Horned Frogs raced out to an early lead then had to hold on for the 10-7 victory to complete the sweep of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Wednesday afternoon. Bryan Holaday broke open a tight game with a two-run double in the eighth and Eric Marshall closed the door with a perfect ninth. Chris Ellington led all hitters with three hits and three RBIs.Corey Steglich got things going for the Frogs in the bottom of the first with a lead-off single and a stolen base. After a walk to Taylor Featherston, Matt Carpenter dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Ellington delivered a base hit up the middle to put the Frogs up 2-0.
The Islanders battled back to tie the game in the top of the second. Two doubles to open the inning translated into two runs. Ernie Olivarez singled in the first run of the game and Jacob Perales scored on an errant throw on an attempted double play ball to tie the game.
A costly error to open the inning by the Islanders put the Frogs back in front. Matt Curry reached when the left field dropped a fly ball and scored on a Jason Coats single. Heads up base running put Coats on second and he eventually scored on a ground out off the bat of Steglich to put the Frogs up 4-2.
The Frogs added three runs to their lead in the third as the Islander defense again had problems. Carpenter was hit by the pitch to open the inning. After he stole second, Ellington reached on a hustle double and an errant throw by the first baseman allowed Carpenter to score from third. With one out, Relly Mercurio hit the ball right at the pitcher, but he couldn't get a handle on it and threw it away, allowing Ellington to score and Mercurio to reach third. Coats came through with another RBI single to put the Frogs up 7-2.
An infield single off the bat of Featherston in the fourth got the Frogs rolling again. He stole the Frogs' fourth base of the game and scored on a one-out single from Ellington. The Frogs would load the bases, but Islander reliever Trevor Foss came on to record the final out of the inning.
The Islanders got themselves back in the game with a four-run sixth inning to cut the deficit to 8-6. Stephen Flora started the rally with a lead-off double and scored on a bases loaded walk to Brycen Bell. Pinch hitter Omar Garcia drove in another run with a base hit and Jacob Perez came through with a two-out, two-run, pinch-hit single. Kaleb Merck worked out of the jam, getting Martin Parra to ground out to end the inning.
In the seventh, the Islanders inched even closer, pulling within one, 8-7, as they picked up another two-out run. Justin Greiner singled with one out and scored on an Olivarez double.
The Islanders threatened to tie the game in the eighth, but Eric Marshall came on to shut the door, getting Flora to ground out with runners on the corners to end the inning.
The Frogs got some breathing room in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out, bases loaded double from Holaday. Brett Medlin singled with one out and moved to second on Matt Vern's third walk of the afternoon. Zac Jordan was hit by a two-out pitch to load the bases. Holaday drove the ball down the left-field line for a two-run double to make it a 10-7 contest.
Steven Maxwell (3-2) allowed two runs on four hits in two innings of work to go along with three strikeouts. Taylor Cragin pitched two scoreless frames followed by a scoreless inning of work from Trent Appleby. Merck surrendered just one run on five hits in 2 1/3 innings with three strikeouts. Marshall picked up his fourth save of the year, allowing just one hit in 1 1/3 innings of work.
The Frogs improve to 25-11 on the season. They hit the road for the third straight weekend for a key, three-game series at No. 19 San Diego State. First pitch for Friday's series-opener is slated for 8 p.m. (CST). The game will air nationally on The Mtn. Pregame show will begin at 7:30 (CST). Sean Hoelscher is expected to get the start and face the Aztecs Stephen Strasburg.
