Texas goes for what seemed an unlikely sweep, before the first two games were played, now it's a real possibility. They will have for the first time an advantage in stats on the mound, in starters. Rex Hill, for TCU doesn't have the eye popping stats the first two Frog starters had, his era is a pedestrian 4.64. Kyle Johnston for Texas today has an era of 2.63, if he has command of his pitches, he is very tough, the control has been better this season. TCU can really hit, but has been stymied by Texas pitching in the first two games, the Horn bullpen hasn't allowed a run. I expect the Horned Frogs to come out spitting blood from their eyes, like their mascot can do. They are a very good team and they don't want to get swept, but Texas may have different a different idea, with their new look. This is why you play the games, this should be a good one. I will say for the third time that a low scoring game usually favors Texas, but their is some potential for more runs scored today. Wind most likely blowing out in the first afternoon contest, TCU has some real power hitters. Texas might break through agains a weaker Frog pitcher, we will see. Game today is on Fox Sports 1, which is channel 150, on Dish. If others know the channel for other carriers, then chime in. The audio should be on texassports.com. Line-ups coming up.
Kyle Johnston takes the hill for the Horns today, it's always about command with him, his stuff is very good. Wind blowing out to left, will help fly balls that way in this game. Johnston completes his prep pitches, the finale of the series starts. Leading off for TCU, as he has done in every game is Austen Wade, the right fielder, batting left handed. The overhand curve sets him down swinging, the 2-3 play completes the K, one away. Cam Warner, the second baseman, bats righty, with an out. A full count and a ground ball to third and the 5-3 is two outs. The slugging catcher is lefty hitting Evan Skoug, batting lefty, two gone. He walks, for a two out runner. Luken Baker, the big DH, bats righty, with a man on and two outs. A hit and run ground ball goes throught the vacated right side, for a single, to put two aboard. Elliot Barzilli, the leading hitter, for TCU, bats righty, with runners on the corners, two down. The runner goes from first and Skoug is caught off third, the play goes 2-5-2, for the third out, on the base running blunder. Another jam averted, Texas comes to bat.
Left handed Rex Hill, takes the mound for the Frogs, he has an era of 4.64. He has been starting due to injury of a TCU starter. Leading off for the Horns is Travis Jones, the righty hitting left fielder. A first pitch grounder to third, a 5-3 out one. Kody Clemens, bats lefty, plays short, with an out. A full count reached and a grounder up the middle gets through, for a single and the first Horn runner. Third baseman is Tres Barrera, batting righty, a man on and one down. Clemens goes and the throw is high, but the tag is made, caught stealing is two away. Clemens is down hurt, appears he took a shot to the head, by the second baseman's knee. He is up and walking off. Barrera K's, swinging through a fastball, that retires the side. One played and no runs so far.
Johnston back on the bump for the Horns, in the second. Elliot Barzilli, the third baseman back up leading off, he was left standing, when Skoug was picked off third. He bats right handed as the leading hitter, for the Frogs. A ground ball gets by Gurwitz on the right side, a lead single, the guy can flat hit. Lefty hitter, is Josh Watson, the left fielder, with a man on. A 2-1 count brings out Skip, Johnston still not commanding the zone yet. He returns to the dugout. Another grounder on the right side gets through, to put two on. First baseman is Connor Wanhanen, batting lefty, two on. A full count and another ground ball in the hole, on the right side, Gurwitz dives and has it, the 4-3 sparkler is one away, the runners move up. Righty hitting Dane Steinhagen, the centerfielder bats righty, with two on, one away. A fly ball to right, that's deep enough for a SF, the runner move to third from second. TCU leads 1-0. Nine hole hitter is the righty hitting shortstop Mason Hesse, a man on third and two down. He K's on the big breaker in the dirt, the 2-3 completes the K. It took sixteen innings, but TCU gets back on the board, they lead 1-0, bottom of two.
Sorry, but I want to bother you on something that happened yesterday. We were at the game. On the disputed pitch that may have hit the batter on the hand, this is what I could have sworn was the sequence, but I must have something wrong. On the first pitch, he attempted a bunt, and it ran right on the first base line, eventually rolling foul. Would have been a good bunt, maybe a single. Then, the second pitch seemed to hit his hand, but it was ruled--I assumed--a foul. But the count was then 1-1?? Then he bunted another foul, and then swang away. Anyway, if it didn't hit him, was it ruled that it didn't hit anything at all? Because it clearly hit bat or hand. Or, did I just get something confused?
Hill will work the second for the Frogs, with the lead. Patrick Mathis leads off batting left handed, he plays right field, for the Horns. Texas finds the right side ground ball groove, it goes through for a lead single. Kacy Clemens, the first baseman, bats lefty, with a man on. He squares and lays it down, the 1-3 sac is good. The righty hitting DH is Kaleb Denny, with a man on second, one gone. A pitch in the dirt and Mathis goes, the wild pitch is recorded, as Mathis beats the throw. Now a ground ball can score the run. It's a ground ball, but it gets through the middle, for a single. Game tied 1-1. Catcher Michael Cantu bats righty, one on, one in, and one out. He is still really fighting it, at the plate. Another ground ball, another single, up the middle, to put two on. He needed that. Coach out for a visit, this guy is vulnerable, doesn't throw hard. Second baseman is Zane Gurwitz, batting righty, with two aboard, one down. He bunts and the pitcher has it and throws it away at first, yet another TCU error, it's an E-1 and a single, to give Texas the lead. Texas leads 2-1 Ty Rand bats righty, two on and one down. Big opportunity here with runners at second and third, the infield back, for a big inning. He K's on a low change at his shoetops, two down. Top of the order and is Jones batting righty, with two on at second and third and two gone. Takes a big two out hit to double the UT total now. The count worked full and he walks on a pitch ruled just low, he hasn't called that pitch all day, the walk loads the bases. Head coach out, he wants a righty. Pitching change.
The pitch was ruled a ball, it hit his forarm actually, but the ump said he leaned into it, so just a called ball.
The new pitcher is a righty, Brian Trieglaff. He faces Kacy Clemens batting lefty, the bases loaded, with two outs. Big moment in this game, as Texas could really widen the lead. He walks on four pitches, another run. Texas leads 3-1. Barrera bats righty, with the bases loaded and two down. Another shot to really break it open. A ground ball to short goes the short way 5-4, to end the inning. Texas uses singles, more TCU bad fielding and wildness to plate three and take the lead 3-1, after two.
I just don't know baseball rules very well in some details. I would have thought that if you leaned into a pitch to get hit deliberately it would be a strike or an out or something. But, it's a ball. So now I know! So, if the pitch were going to be a strike if it went through, and you leaned in to get hit deliberately, would that be a strike? Thanks!
Johnston comes out for the third, with the lead. He goes to pitching out of the stretch, for more command of his pitches, no windup Leading off for TCU is lefty hitter Wade, at the top of the order. He grounds to third, the 5-3 is one away. Warner bats righty, with an out. A high fast ball is driven on a line down the line in left, for a double. Lefty hitting and dangerous hitter is Skoug, with a man on and one out. Another full count, this ump has a small zone. He walks again to put two on. Baker the big TCU slugger bats righty, with two on and one out. A 1-0 count, Skip out, but a righty up, I think he stays in. He does and a ground ball up the middle is a single, to score a run. Texas leads 3-2. Barzillie bats righty, with still two on and one down. A really tough out. A full count again and another ground single through the right side, for another Barzilli hit, that loads the bases. Skip out and Johnston didn't have the command today. Pitching change.
To clear up the question you asked, if the the ump said the pitch was in the strike zone, he would have called it a strike. He ruled it a ball out of the zone, but the batter he ruled leaned into the pitch, not making any attempt to get out of the way, thus a ball and he stays in the box.
Travis Duke comes in to pitch for the Horns, the senior lefty. He faces Watson a switch hitter now batting righty, the bases loaded and one out. A fly ball to right and there could be a play at the plate, it's well wide and the SF ties the game. Game tied 3-3. Runners on the corners for lefty hitting Wanhanen, two on and two down. Runer at second tagged and went to third on the SF. A fly ball down the line in left will end the inning. TCU strikes back on a walk and single and a SF, to tie the game 3-3, bottom of three.
Trieglaff stays on in the third, for the Frogs. Mathis leads off batting lefty, for Texas. He flies to left and the wind carries it to the track, but one away. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with an out. He rolls the first pitch to second, for a very quick 4-3 second out. The Horns DH is Denny, batting righty, with two gone. Yet another full count pitch and a liner to center will set the side down in order. Three played and the score tied 3-3, three's are wild.
Duke will stay in for the fourth frame for the Frogs. Leading off is the righty hitting Steinhagen, for TCU. He walks, for a lead runner. Bottom of the order is Hesse, batting righty, one on. He is up to bunt and squares and bunts to third, another error saved by Clemens, at first on a low throw scooped, the 5-3 sac is recorded. Wade comes up again, the top of the order with a man on,one down Another full count and he walks, to put two on. Warner bats righty, with two one, one out. Another ground single to right, the single will give the Frogs the lead, runner goes to third, the batter goes to second on the throw. The throw should have been cut off, after Mathis bobbled the ball in right. TCU leads 4-3. Skoug bats lefty, with two on and one out. Another big moment, a good hitter can give TCU an expanded lead. He blows a high fast ball by him, for a K, two gone, a big out. Skip out and a righty is summoneded. Pitching change.
Freshman righty Nolan Kinghan is in for Texas to pitch. He faces the big righty hitting Baker, in a big spot. Two on and two down. A fly ball gets him, to retire the side. Duke wasn't sharp today either, so the first run of the series given up by the Texas bullpen, gives TCU a 4-3 lead, bottom of four.
Triegleaff still in the game for the Frogs in the Texas fourth. It's a different kind of game today, thought it might be. Leading off for the Horns is righty hitting Cantu. He has a hit today. This time he swings and misses, on a check swing, the K is one gone. Gurwitz bats righty, with one down. A foul pop on the right side is two away. The righty hitting Rand, bats at the bottom of the order, two gone. He walks on four pitches, the very tight zone this ump has, has helped make this a different kind of game. Jones bats righty, the top of the order back, one on and two down. Rand a threat to go, with two stolen bases in the series, he can really run. He goes and a throw pops out of the cather's mitt, another stolen base for him. So a two out hit can tie the game, with great speed now in scoring position. A ground ball to third will strand him, as the 5-3 out will end the frame. Four played and TCU leads 4-3.
Kingham back to the hill for Texas in the fifth, after getting a big out in the fourth. Leading off for TCU is ever dangerous Barzilli batting righty, he is the Frogs leading hitter and has shown why. As always it seems and scalded drive by Barrera, is Barzilli's third hit of the game. Watson bats lefty, with a man on. A pitch in the dirt, gets away, the wild pitch moves the runner to sencond. A ground ball to first goes 3-1 and the runner to third. TCU is starting to execute now. Lefty hitting Wanhanen bats, with a runner on third, one out. Infield comes in. A ground ball back to the mound, the runner at third is hung up, the 1-2-5 is a big second out, Wanhanen winds up on second. Steinhagen bats righty, now two outs and a man on second. Runner goes and Cantu throws wildly to third and that lets the runner score, on a stolen base and the E-2, very costly. TCU leads 5-3. Steinhagen K's swinging on the next pitch, to end the inning. So an unearned run will give TCU a 5-3 lead, halfway through the final game of the series.
Trieglaff stays on for the fifth, for the Frogs. Kody Clemens leads off batting lefty, for the Horns. He lines a shot by the first baseman and down the right field line, for a lead double. Barrera bats righty, with a man on second. The full count again and a high drive to left, the wind has it and it just clears, a two run homer to tie the game. Game tied 5-5. Coach out and it brings a pitching change.
The next hurler for the Frogs is lefty, Ryan Burnett. He faces Mathis, batting lefty, with two runs in. He K's swinging on a high heater, one down. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with one away. He lines a single to center on a hop, for another runner. The DH is righty hitting Denny, with a man on and one out. Clemens goes and he is out by a mile at second, caught stealing, two down. That was odd, he is not a base stealer, maybe a missed sign. Denny K's swinging to end the frame. Texas ties it on the Barrera bomb, 5-5, after five, it's another close battle today, just a different kind of battle.
Kingham goes another inning for the Horns, as the sixth starts. He has held TCU down some since coming in, the only run unearned. Leading off is righty hitter Hesse, at the bottom of the order. He drives a fly ball to the gap and the wind has it and Jones kind of just kept drifting and it goes over his head, might have had it, but it's a double. Wade bats lefty, at the top of the order, a man on. He fouls off a bunt, then lines a single to left center, a bad high throw over the cut off man, the run scores and Wade goes to second. TCU leads 6-5. Skip out and another pitching change.
The freshman right hander is Chase Shugart, the fourth pitcher for the Horns and he has now pitched in every game of the series. He faces righty hitting Warner, with a man on second. A ground ball to short, the 6-3 is one away, the runner has to hold. So here is Skoug batting lefty, with on one and one out. They will put him on, to put two on, set up the double play. The big slugger is righty, hitting Baker, with two on and one away. He fists one to right and it falls, for a single, then Mathis misplays it, the ball by him, a single and an error on Mathis. Now they call it a double, but the runner had held up. Either way it should be an error, now they change the scoring again, it's a single and an error, said that righty away, don't know what they are looking at. TCU leads 7-5. Barzilli up and he will be put on, rightly so. Bases loaded for Watson, batting lefty, bases loaded and one down. A chopper over Shugart and Clemens has only one play to first, the 6-3 is two gone, the run scores. TCU leads 8-5. Wanhanen bats lefty, with two on and two gone. He K's swinging on the curve, to end the inning. Frogs take the lead back on hits, not always hard hit, and the error, to score three. TCU leads 8-5, bottom of the sixth
Barnett stays in to pitch the sixth for the Frogs. Leading off for the Horns is Cantu, batting righty. He grounds a single through the left side of the infield, a lead runner. Gurwitz bats righty, with a man on. A high fast ball is lined to center, for another single, to put two on. Rand up batting righty, two on, he bats in the nine hole. He bunts and the sac goes 2-3, one out. Top of the order is Jones batting righty, one gone and two aboard. Infield back, need some contact to lessen the lead. He can't check his swing on a curve ball, the K is two gone. Kody Clemens bats lefty, two on and two down. He is 2-2, but need another hit now to score the runs. He pops up and the third baseman has it and that retires the side. Texas puts the first two men on, but doesn't score, that is a killer. TCU leads 8-5, after six gone.
Shugart stays in for the seventh. TCU leads off with Steinhagen, batting righty. A fly ball to right is one down. Hesse bats righty, with one away. A grounder to second is a 4-3 second out. Top of the order back again in Wade, batting lefty, with two down. He slaps a grounder by Barrera, down the line and Jones has it, but his throw is just late at second, a double. Warner bats righty, with a man on second, two outs. A fly ball to shallow right and Clemens backs and has it, to end the frame. Stretch time in Austin, TCU leads the finale 8-5.
Burnett comes out another time for the Frogs, in the seventh. Leading off for the Horns is Barrera, batting righty. He has another homer today. A four pitch walk, is a lead runner, the tight zone is consistent. Mathis bats lefty, with a man on. He K's swinging on a heater, one down. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with a man on and one out. A grounder to short is a 6-4 force, the relay is just late at first, two gone. The DH is Denny, batting righty, one on and two away. Another full count and the runner is off and he walks, to put two on. Here comes the coach and another pitching change.
The fourth pitcher of the game for TCU is right hander, Preston Guillory, a sidewinder. He is in to face righty hitter Cantu, with two on and two down. But now Bret Boswell will pinch hit. Tate Shaw is in to run for Denny, at first. A passed ball off the catcher's mitt, will move the runners up. Now a hit can plate two again, just like the last at bat, for Texas. A fly ball will end the threat. Texas strands two runners again and it's the difference in the game, as TCU leads 8-5, after seven played.
Freshman lefty Nick Kennedy comes in for the Horns, to pitch the eighth. He is in to face the lefty slugger Skoug, who will lead off, for TCU. He walks for the fourth time, a lead runner. Skip out and a righty is needed to face Baker. Pitching change.
Freshman righty is Blake Wellman into the game for Texas. He will face the big righty hitting Baker, with a man on. A slow chopper to second and Gurwitz can't get it out of his glove and it goes as a 4-6, one down, chance maybe for the double play. Righty hitting Barzilli, with three hits today, bats righty, with one on and one down. Yet another full count and then Wellman picks off Baker at first, the second man picked off first in the series for TCU. The 1-3 is two outs. Barzilli walks, just can't get him out today. One on and two outs for lefty hitting Watson. He swings at a curve in the dirt, then the tag by Cantu, the 2U putout records the K, side down. Bottom of eight and TCU still leads 8-5.
