TCU Opens Campaign With Victory

Friday, February 17

Fort Worth, Texas

6:30 PM

TCU

1-0

Penn State

0-1

Penn State

TCU

TCU Opens Campaign With Victory

2/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 17, 2017

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

FORT WORTH -- No. 1 TCU made the most of its opportunities in securing a 6-3 season-opening victory over Penn State in front of 5,812 fans Friday night at Lupton Stadium.

The Rundown
TCU used a trio of two-run innings to hold off a late charge by Penn State to notch its first win of the season. On the mound, Jared Janczak (1-0) was masterful through six innings, facing the minimum of 18 batters. The lone base runner he allowed was thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple. He finished the night allowing just two hits, three runs (two earned), one walk and six strikeouts.

Josh Watson became the game's first base runner with a one-out walk in the second. Nolan Brown followed with a double to left field. The throw back to the infield skipped away, allowing Watson to score for a 1-0 lead. Cam Warner bounced out to first base to push the lead to two.

TCU added two more runs in the fourth without the benefit of a hit. The first two batters reached on a strikeout/wild pitch and a walk. With the bases loaded and one out, Warner beat out a potential double play ball to drive in his second run of the game. A passed ball allowed Luken Baker to score for a 4-0 lead.

Connor Wanhanen came up huge in the sixth as TCU pushed its lead to 6-0. With the bases loaded and two out, the junior laced a single into center field to drive in two runs.

Penn State broke through in the seventh as it loaded the bases with nobody out. All three came around to score, but Sean Wymer did a good job to limit the damage with a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to keep it a 6-3 ballgame.

The combination of Wymer and Durbin aFeltman set down the final seven batters to close out the victory.

Stat of the Game
8 -- TCU earned eight free passes in the game, five of which came around to score.

Notes:
• TCU improved to 9-6 in home openers at Lupton Stadium.
• TCU moved to 9-5 in season-openers under the guidance of head coach Jim Schlossnagle.
• TCU opened the season at home for the fifth straight season and the 11th time under Schlossnagle.
• Tonight's attendance of 5,812 was the eighth-largest crowd in stadium history and the fifth-largest regular-season crowd.
• TCU pitchers combined to strike out 10 batters.
• Nolan Brown made his return to the starting lineup after an injury sidelined him in 2016. His last hit was on June 18, 2015 against LSU in the College World Series.
• Josh Watson has now reached base in 14 straight games dating back to last season.
• Connor Wanhanen picked up his first multi-RBI game of the season and the 19th of his career.
• Cam Warner tallied his first multi-RBI game of the year and the 11th of his career.
• Durbin Feltman picked up his 10th career save.

Next Up:
TCU (1-0) and Penn State will square off in Game 2 of the series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Lupton Stadium. Brian Howard will take the mound for the Frogs and face the Nittany Lions' Taylor Lehman.