TicketsBig Inning Buries Bearcats At TCU
UC drops series opener, 13-2
Contact: Shawn Sell
4/9/2004
Steve Pickerell hit his fourth homer of the week in Friday night's loss at TCU. |
FORT WORTH, Texas---TCU exploded for six third inning runs and three pitchers limited Cincinnati to a season-low three hits as the Horned Frogs rolled to a 13-2 win in Conference USA baseball action on Friday night at Lupton Stadium.
The Bearcats? offensive highlights were limited to Steve Pickerell?s eighth home run of the year and an Aaron Moll RBI groundout. TCU got six RBI on a 3-for-4 hitting performance by Chris Neuman. Shelby Ford drove in three runs, while Bo Cogbill had two RBI. TCU improves to 18-13 on the year and 6-4 in C-USA play, while the Bearcats fall to 5-24 and 1-9 in league play.
The Frogs exploded in the third inning, ripping UC starter Chase Lampl (0-2) for six runs on four hits. All nine TCU hitters batted in the inning, with Ford coming up with the first big hit of the inning, a bases clearing triple that made it 3-0. Cogbill followed with a two-run double and two batters after a Neuman sacrifice fly, J.J. Estrada rounded out the inning?s scoring with a solo home run to left.
After Pickerell homered with two out in the top of the fourth, things didn?t get any better for UC in the bottom half of the inning. Neuman again came up huge clearing the bases with a double to right center with two outs that, at the conclusion of the inning, spelled the end of the day for Lampl.
UC got on the board again in the seventh putting runners on second and third with nobody out. Pickerell started the inning with a walk and Jon DeLuca followed with a double down the left field line. After a Bearcat out, Moll grounded out to first to plate Pickerell.
Kyle Markle took the mound in Lampl?s place and for the first three innings, held TCU without a hit. But the Frogs got to Markle in the eighth, scoring their final four runs of the game. Cogbill started the scoring with an RBI double and Neuman once again burned the Bearcats with a two-run double. Austin Adams? RBI single wrapped up the day?s scoring.
Eugene Espineli earned the win for TCU, improving to 4-3 on the year. The senior southpaw left after 6.2 innings, allowing just two runs on three hits, with three walks and five strikeouts. Lampl took the loss, getting roughed up for nine runs on seven hits, with three walks and three strikeouts in four innings.
UC will try to get back on track tomorrow with game two of the series, beginning at 3 p.m. CT. Eric Eckman gets his second career start for UC, facing last season?s C-USA Pitcher of the Year, Clayton Jerome.