The TCU Horned Frogs faced one of the biggest challenges of the season on Tuesday night as the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners came to Lupton Stadium for a one game series. The Horned Frogs came into the game after winning a hard series against Sand Diego State, taking two of three from the Aztecs. The Sooners gave up a three game sweep to Texas this weekend, and were looking to break their losing streak on Tuesday. Oklahoma took the game 4-2.
Senior Paul Garrish started off on the mound for the Horned Frogs, but got behind early after allowing an RBI double and an RBI single , and the Frogs were down 2-0. Oklahoma freshman Drew Verhagen was pulled in the first after allowing two straight walks. Senior Jeremy Erbin came in and got out of the jam, allowing only one run in the bottom of the second.
The bats for both teams calmed down in the third and fourth innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Jason Coates smoked a liner to right field, but the inning ended when TCU catcher Bryan Holliday was called out at a close play at the plate, and the Frogs remained down 2-1.
A fierce wind with gusts up to 27 mph from the south dictated much of the play, pushing fair balls foul, and routine pop flies into challenging plays. After allowing a single by Sooner 3B Buchele in the top of the sixth, Garrish gave up a wind-aided RBI single to RF Cody Reine.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Frogs trailed the Sooners 3-1. SS Taylor Featherston tripled, setting up an RBI single for Josh Elander, making the score 3-2 in favor of the Sooners.
Garrish was pulled in the seventh, after giving up three runs on six hits with six strikeouts in six and a third innings. Junior Trent Appleby gave up one run on two hits in the last two and a third innings. In the bottom of the eighth, junior Duke Ryan came in relief for the Sooners, and pitched one and a third scoreless innings.
The Frogs’ offense left nine runners on base on seven hits. The Sooners pulled out the victory, with three runs on nine hits.
Oklahoma’s bullpen is now 11-0 on the season. Josh Eben was awarded the win for Oklahoma, and Gerrish got the loss, the first by a TCU starter this season. TCU fell to a 20-7 record with last night’s loss.
Next up the for the Frogs is a three game series in Houston this weekend.
