Holaday Blasts Frogs to 5-3 Win over BYU

Friday, May 1

Fort Worth, Texas

6:30 PM

TCU

29-13, 10-4

BYU*

24-19, 11-8

BYU

TCU

Bryan Holaday hits the game-winning home run.

Holaday Blasts Frogs to 5-3 Win over BYU

5/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 1, 2009

Final Stats | Game Two Highlights

FORT WORTH, Texas - Bryan Holaday's two-out, two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning propelled the No. 15 TCU Horned Frogs to a 5-3 victory over BYU Friday night at Lupton Stadium. The home run was the seventh of the season for the junior catcher. He finished the night with three hits and two runs scored.

As well as doing the job at the plate, Holaday made two key defensive plays, throwing out the speedy Kent Walton, who was 14-14 in stolen base attempts, in the fifth inning. In the eighth, the Cougars had a runner on first with only one and Holaday threw behind pinch-runner Jonathan Cluff, picking him off for the second out of the inning.

BYU right-hander Nathan Bunch (3-4) had done a good job keeping the Frog offense in check after coming on in the seventh, but a two-out walk to Matt Vern proved to be his undoing. Holaday connected on a 0-1 slider from Bunch, sending it sailing over the left field fence for the game-winning blast.

Eric Marshall (1-2) came on in the ninth following a two-out single by Stetson Banks. Marshall looked like he was out of the inning, but an error kept things going. With a 3-2 count, Marshall froze Steve Parker at the plate to end the inning, stranding the go-ahead run at second base.

In the 10th, the Cougars looked to have another threat brewing as Michael Bowen singled with one out. Marshall got Thomas Bills to bounce into the inning-ending double play to set up Holaday's heroics in the bottom of the inning.

The Cougars had taken the early lead for the second straight contest, scoring two unearned runs in the top of the first inning. Sean McNaughton singled on the first pitch of the game and moved to second on a bunt base hit from Banks. An errant throw on a sacrifice attempt from Kent Walton plated the first run of the game and put two runners in scoring position with nobody out. TCU starter Steven Maxwell picked up a big strikeout before allowing a sacrifice fly to Brandon Relf for a 2-0 lead.

TCU answered in the bottom of the inning, picking up a run on a one hit. Corey Steglich worked a lead-off walk and moved and came around to score on a two-out triple from Chris Ellington to cut the BYU lead in half, 2-1.

Maxwell continued to work out of jams as the Cougars failed to capitalize on numerous chances in the early innings. Through four innings of play, BYU left six runners on base.

BYU finally pushed across another run in the top of the sixth inning, taking advantage of a lead-off hit batsman. Michael Bowen stole second with nobody out, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on a Kasey Ko base hit to make it a 3-1 game. Trent Appleby got out of the jam with an inning-ending double play.

The Frog bats finally came to life with two outs in the sixth as they tied the game at three. Holaday started the rally with a base hit to right center. Jason Coats hit a fly ball that both the center fielder and right fielder lost track of. It landed safely in right and Coats raced all the way to third with an RBI triple. Matt Curry followed with a base hit to drive in the tying run. TCU looked like it would take its first lead of the night as it had runners on the corners with only one out. The Cougars went to the bullpen, calling on Bunch. He got the inning-ending double play to get out of the jam, preserving the tie.

Maxwell allowed two unearned runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. He struck out three and walked two in the no-decision. Appleby tossed 4 1/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on four hits. He walked one and struck out four.

The Frogs (29-13, 10-4) will go for the series sweep on Saturday afternoon. Game time is slated for 4 p.m.