Miscues Halt TCU's Win Streak In 7-4 Loss

Saturday, March 12

Lupton Stadium

2:00 PM

TCU

9-5

Houston Baptist

1-14

Houston Baptist

TCU

Trent Appleby tossed a season-high 4 2/3 innings.

Miscues Halt TCU's Win Streak In 7-4 Loss

3/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 12, 2011

Final Stats

FORT WORTH, Texas - An error cost the TCU Horned Frogs three runs and the failure to execute on offense led to a 7-4 loss to Houston Baptist Saturday afternoon at Lupton Stadium. The loss halted a five-game winning streak for the Frogs.

Matt Purke (2-1) gave up four runs (one earned) on three hits in 3 2/3 innings of work. He walked three and struck out four. Trent Appleby surrendered two runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings with three strikeouts. Stefan Crichton was tagged with a run on four hits in 2/3 off an inning.

For the second straight game, the Huskies jumped on top. A pair of two-out walks led to the Huskies first run of the ballgame in the second inning. Ryan Bacak singled in the go-ahead run and HBU had a 1-0 lead heading to the bottom of the third inning.

Back-to-back one-out bunt singles by Kyle Von Tungeln and Brance Rivera in the third got the Frogs back in the contest. Jantzen Witte grounded out to shortstop, but with both runners on the move, Von Tungeln was able to score easily from second to tie the game at one.

The tie didn't last long as the Huskies picked up three unearned runs in the top of the fourth to open up a 4-1 lead. The Huskies first two batters reached via a walk and a hit, but Purke picked up a key out as he threw out the lead runner on a sacrifice attempt. A strikeout made it two outs and a ground ball looked to have the Frogs out of trouble, but a fielding error allowed the go-ahead run to score. David Pfunter made the error more costly as he doubled down the left field line to clear the bases.

TCU fought hard to push across a run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead in half. A Husky error on an attempt to turn a double play put Jimmy Pharr on second. Brett Johnson lined a single up the middle to plate Pharr, making it a 4-2 contest.

With one swing of the bat, Rivera made it a one-run contest as he launched his second home run of the season over the left field fence to make it a 4-3 game.

Houston Baptist got the run back in the sixth to regain a two-run lead, 5-3. A lead-off double by Kolby Arnst turned into the fifth run of the game as he scored on a ground out by Bacak.

Johnson reached on a bunt single with one out in the sixth and scored when Tanner Kalina's relay to second on a ground ball sailed into right field. When the play was over, Josh Elander was standing on third with only one out. Husky starter Stephen Nikonchik pitched out of the jam, stranding Elander at third.

The Frogs wasted another opportunity to tie the game in the seventh as they loaded the bases on three walks with only one out. The Huskies turned an inning-ending double play to maintain the one run lead, 5-4.

Houston Baptist picked up a pair of insurance runs in the ninth inning and Tyler McCarthy shut the door in the ninth to close out the game.

TCU falls to 9-5 on the season. The Frogs and the Huskies will play the rubber match Sunday afternoon beginning at 1 p.m. Steven Maxwell will take the mound for the Horned Frogs.

Game Notes:
• Matt Purke suffered his first collegiate loss, but is still a remarkable 18-1 in his career.
• Brance Rivera extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a 2-for-4 day at the plate.
• Brett Johnson tallied his first career RBI in the fourth inning.
• Jason Coats' hitting streak reached six games.
• Jerome Pena's hitting streak was pushed to 13 games with a 1-for-5 day.

TCU Infielder Taylor Featherston
On the loss:
"It is never good to lose, but they simply played a better baseball game than us. They did the things they had to do when it counted. We didn't execute the hit and run or the sacrifice bunt and that changed the game. It just didn't fall our way."

On what the team has to do better in the future:
"We have a bunch of guys that hate to lose. We will be out here tomorrow fired up and ready to get after it. We have to focus on accountability, putting yourself last so we can get things done. Everything else will take care of itself, we will be fine."