TCU vs. Texas Game 2

[NBHorn7]

The second game of the series finds Texas in need of win to not drop the series and out of first place in the conference.

It won't be easy against a pitcher in junior right hander Preston Morrison who has a lower era than Finnigan. He is 4-3 and 1.80.

Texas counters with junior lefty Dillon Peters at 5-2 and 2.70.

 

[NBHorn7]

Cody Jones is again in centerfield for the Frogs and their lead off hitter as the second game of the series starts.

He bats right as a switch hitter against Peters, the left hander for the Horns.

The weather is much better than last night and hopefully it's an omen for Texas for a brighter result in this game.

Jones steps now against Peters and he starts the game by swinging and missing at a high and outside fast ball for one down.

Third baseman Derek Odell bats lefty against Peters and he rolls one out to Marlow and the 4-3 is out two.

Boomer White, in left field bats right handed with two away.
He lines one to center for the first hit of the game.

The first baseman Kevin Crohn bats righty with a runner at first.
He bloops a single again to center to put two aboard.

Jerrick Suiter, the DH bats right handed with runners at first and second with two away as TCU has a threat.

He drives a ground ball by Hinojosa for third straight single that scores a run.

TCU leads 1-0.

Right fielder, Dylan Fitzgerald bats as TCU attempts to play add on.

He K's swinging to retire the side.

TCU jumps out on top 1-0 as Texas comes to bat.

 

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Preston Morrison, the right hander for TCU with a low era faces Marlow leading off for Texas.

Brooks steps in from the left side and a fly ball to left center is hauled in for one away.

Johnson bats second from the right side.
He grounds one up the middle and the second baseman fields on the shortstop side of second.
HIs throw is late and it's an infield single for Texas's first base runner.

Payton bats with one on and one down.
The count as it often does with Payton runs full.
He walks and that puts two on and extends his long consecutive on base streak.

Barrera steps in right handed with two one and one down as Texas looks to answer the TCU with their first score of the series.

Another full count is reached and he K's swinging on a slow curve that was low and outside for two away.

Shaw steps in left handed as he needs a two out hit to tie the game or give Texas the lead.
He grounds out to first as the first baseman takes it to the bag to retire the side and end the threat.

One played and TCU leads 1-0.

 

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Keaton Jones the TCU shortstop leads off the second against Peters batting righty.

He K's swinging on a check swing in the dirt and the 2-3 put out is one down.

Garrett Crain at second bats righty with one down.
He lines a smash that Gurwitz snags for two away.

Kyle Bacac, the catcher hit one of the fists that falls in for a single over first base.

Cody Jones is the top of the order with one on and two down.
He grounds toward the hole on the right side and Marlow dives and comes up with it and right's the ship to make the throw in time to get the out and retire the side.

Bottom of the second comes with TCU leading 1-0.

 

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Morrison faces Hinojosa to start the Texas second.

He drives one to fairly deep left field, but not deep enough as it's caught for one away.

Clemens bats with one down.
The left hander grounds one up the middle that hits the shortstop's knee and bounds into right field for an error.

Montalbano is the DH tonight as Carter is still having side pains.

He bats righty with one on and one down and he is quickly down as he K's swinging on a low curve for two away.

Gurwitz in the nine hole bats righty and grounds one into the hole at short and the shortstop has it and his long throw is in time to retire the side.

Two innings gone and it's TCU 1-0.

 

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Peters out for the third faces Odell batting left handed.

He lines one out to Johnson for out one.

White grounds the first pitch to Marlow for two down.

Crohn bats with two down and the bases clear.
He walks on four pitches as TCU in every inning so far has put base runners on after two lead outs.

Siuiter flies out to center and that ends the inning.

Bottom of three on the way with TCU in front 1-0.

 

[NBHorn7]

Morrison faces the top of the order in the Texas third.

Marlow grounds out to second on the first pitch for one down.

Johnson up has the one Texas hit, but this time he pops up on the first pitch to short for two away.

Payton bats once more with two down.
Once again the count goes full to Mark.
Then he lines one to right that is caught to retire the side in order.

Three in the books and it's TCU ahead 1-0.

 

[NBHorn7]

The fourth starts with Peters up against Fitzgerald leading off for the Frogs.

It's lefty on lefty and Fitzgerald lines one over Marlow for a lead single.

Keaton Jones bats and looks to bunt him over.
He can't get it down and then the count runs full.
He walks to put two on and no outs.

Crain comes up and the bunt is also coming again.
After one attempt he swings away and grounds a single to left to load the bases.

Bacac bats with no outs and the bases full of Frogs.

Texas plays at double play depth in the infield.
A ground ball to third and Gurwitz comes home for the 5-2 force for one away.

Cody Jones up at the top of the order and the bases still loaded as the infield is still at double play depth for the speedster.

A flair to left and Gurwitz saves two runs with a diving catch over his shoulder. That's a really nice play for out two.

Peters faces Odell with two down and has a chance to get out of the inning unscathed after the defensive gem.

The count runs full and the merry-go-round starts on the pitch.
He K's swinging on a high fast ball to end the inning and the threat.

You can remember this inning if Texas can break through in the game and score.

To the bottom of the fourth and TCU leads 1-0.

 

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Morrison starts the fourth on the mound against Barrera.

He steps in right handed and grounds out to third for one away.

Shaw bats left handed with one away.
He bunts and the catcher picks it up as it didn't get far enough from the plate, his throw 2-3 is two down.

Hinojosa bats with nobody on and two away.
He waits back on a slow curve and gets the barrel of he bat on it and sends it into center for a single.

Clemens, from the left side bats with two down and Hinojosa at first.
He grounds one by the second baseman and on into center for another single.

Hinojosa goes to third and it's runners on the corners.
This brings a visit from the pitching coach.

Montalban at DH needs a two out hit to tie things.
He has not looked good at all against Morrison so far tonight.
He agains K's swinging not looking good to end the inning and the Texas threat.

Four are gone now and TCU leads 1-0.

 

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The fifth begins as Peters toes the rubber and faces White batting right handed.

He flies one to Paytona and he backs up a few steps and makes the catch for one away.

Crohn bats righty with one down.
He lines one by Gurwitza and down the left field line for a double.

Suiter bats and Peters pitch count is getting high.at 78 in the fifth and more to come.
A fly ball to center is an easy out two.
Hate to disagree with Moreland, but the reason Shaw dropped the foul fly before the out was that he overan it and it hit in the heel of his glove. He was dropping it before he hit the rail.

Anyway Fitzgerald bats with two down and Crohn on second with not good wheels.
He K's swinging on a high fast ball to retire the side.

Halway through the game and the series and Texas is scoreless. That's why they trail the series and this game 1-0.

 

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Morrison starts the fifth against Gurwitz batting righty.

He lofts one to left and it's caught for one down.

Marlow up again at the top of the order.
He takes a curve that catches the plate and it's a K looking for two down.

Johnson up and he needs another big jolt to tie the game.
Instead he swings at a lown and away curve that goes as a K to retire the side in order.

Five innings gone and TCU ahead 1-0.

 

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The sixth begins with Peters up on the mound to face Keaton Jones.

The count runs full a lazy fly to Payton in center is one down.

Crain bats right handed with one down.
He K's swinging on high heat for two away.

Bacac bats with two down and the bases clean.
A 2-0 count sends Skip to the mound and he may be buying time for the pen as Peters nears his 100th pitch.

A line smash is caught on the jump and snag by Hinojosa.
That retires the side and sends us to the bottom of the sixth.

TCU leads still 1-0.

 

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Payton leads off the sixth for the Horns against Morrison.

He lines one right at the left fielder for one away.

Barrera bats righty with one down.
A ground ball toward the hole on the left side is cut off by the third baseman and his throw goes 5-3 for two away.

Shaw bats with two down and rolls one to first to end the inning as Texas goes in order again.

Six innings played so far and TCU on top 1-0.

 

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Peters comes out once more in the seventh and he faces the top of the TCU order.

Cody Jones bats right handed against Dillon and he chops one to Hinojosa and he bobbles it and the throw is late.
It's ruled a hit and lead man is on.

Odell bats from the left side and he looks to bunt.
He can't get it down and then K's swinging for one down.

White bats with one on and one down.
A 2-1 count and here comes Skip again.

He leaves him in and White is back in the box.
He flies out to right and there are two away.

This brings the big man Crohn and that is all for Peters.

 

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Chad Hollingsworth comes in for the second time in the series.

He faces Crohn with two outs one one on.

He drives one to deep left field and Johnson can't find the ball and it drops at his feet and a run scores and it's a triple.

That makes it 2-0 TCU.

Suiter bats with two down and Crohn at third.

He flies one to Payton to end the inning.

Stretch time and now a TCU 2-0 lead.

 

[NBHorn7]

Morrison faces Hinojosa as the Texas seventh starts.

He rips a single by the third baseman for a lead runner.

Clemens is up and he is sqaring to bunt and can't get it down.
So now the count goes full and it's a big pitch for Texas.
The pitch is outside and the appeal is made and it's a close call that goes the Horns way.

It's good he didn't get the bunt down now.

So now Felts is up as he takes over the DH role for Montalbano who had a bad night to say the least against Morrison.

He squares as expected and fouls off two attempts.
So now swinging away and the count runs full again.
Another huge pitch is made and a slider is right down the middle for a called strike three for one away.

So Gurwitz bats in the nine hole with one down and two on at first and second.
He K's swinging and it's two down.

Marlow bats with two down and lifts a fly ball to left that the left fielder tracks down to retire the side.

Texas can't buy a run in this game and the series after seven.

So TCU leads 2-0.

 

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Cooper takes over on the hill as the eighth begins.

He faces Fitzgerald batting left handed leading off for TCU.
A full count pitch is lifted foul on the left side and Johnson makes the catch for one away.

Keaton Jones bats right handed with one away.
A slow curve is taken on the outside corner and it's K for two down.

Crain bats with two down lefty.
he pops up on the right side and Marlow catches it to retire the side.

Bottom of eight and TCU as it has all series leads. It's a 2-0 count at present.

 

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Morrison looking to match Finnigan's effort last night looks to go eight scoreless inning of work.

He faces Johnson from the right side.
He is over 100 pitches and any trouble could bring the fireballer closer Ferrell.

He walks and here comes the coacha and tha is all for Morrison.

TCU brings in a lefty to face Payton and it's Alex Young, who is scheduled to be the starter tomorrow.

He may be in just to face Payton, then Ferrell.

So Payton steps in as the tying run and he is hitless on the night, but has a walk.

He hits Payton on the first pitch to put the tying runs on.

So Barrera comes up with two on and no outs and will he bunt?

He squares and takes a strike. Then he takes a ball not squaring. He swings and fouls it off.

So he is swinging or not as he takes a curve for a K for one away.

This brings Shaw up with one down and two on.
He lifts a fly ball to left for two away.

So it's up to HInojosa or Texas for the second inning will have put the first two men on and not scored.

With Hinojosa up the Frogs go to their right handed closer.

 

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So the hard throwing closer Riley Ferrel comes in looking to close out the inning and the second game like he did the first.

He faces Hinojosa with runners on first and second and two down.

A line drive is caught on a dive by the second baseman to end the inning and threat.

That is kind of dagger right there.

Eight innings played and TCU leads 2-0.

 

[NBHorn7]

The ninth is here and Cooper is back out to face Bacac at the bottom of the order.

He bats right handed and a 2-0 count brings out Skip to say in kind way to throw strikes against the nine hole hitter.

He throws a couple before he slaps a fly ball to Shaw in right for one down.

Cody Jones is the top of the order and he now bats lefty against the right hander.
He also flies to Shaw and he makes the play for two down.

Odell bats left handed with two down and grouns to Clemens and he takes it to the bag for a 3U to retire the side in order.

We go to the bottom of the ninth and Texas has to score to have a chance in this one as TCU leads 2-0.

 

[NBHorn7]

Ferrell goes for his second save of the series and another shutout.

He faces Clemens as the their half of the ninth starts.
He just blows one by Clemens for a swinging K and one out.

Felts bats righty and he pops out foul to the first baseman for two down.

That leaves it to Gurwitz to keep it alive.
He takes a curve right down the middle to end the game.

Another day and another shutout means TCU takes the series by winning this one 2-0.

It's hard to win if you don't score and after 18 innings of baseball Texas has not scored.

Somebody has been scoring on these guys because they are not exactly a rolling ball of butcher knives on the season.

They have had trouble scoring runs and they didn't score a ton so far either.

Texas falls from first place and tomorrows game becomes kind of pivotal I believe now.

Texas needs to find a way to get some runs and get a win tomorrow.

 

[Pericles]

Hi NBHorn7,

Thanks once again for your recaps of each inning.

As usual, I was at the game on Saturday night.

In addition to Texas not being able to hit the starter's mid-90s fastball, they couldn't hit his curve ball and looked hapless against TCU's incredibly talented closer.

Four hits in nine innings isn't going to win many ball games, and in two critical situations with men on base and nobody out, Texas couldn't get the bunt down. Those two missed bunt opportunities may have cost them the game.

It's still a good team, maybe even a superior team with its pitching and defense (there were several amazing defensive plays on Saturday night by Texas, and Gurwitz's was one of the best I've ever seen), but TCU is exposing once again that this isn't an excellent hitting team.

It was interesting in his post-game comments that Augie said that Ben Johnson took his eye off the ball in the 7th (in an attempt to find the left field wall) and then couldn't relocate the ball. The run that Ben's miscue allowed, as it turned out, wasn't the deciding factor since that run was ultimately meaningless because Texas couldn't even score one.

It will certainly be interesting to see if this team in the post-season, against good pitching, can hit well enough to win games. Right now, it looks like they can't.

TCU, coming into the Texas series, had a 2.69 team ERA and Texas had one of 2.11, but in the first two games, TCU certainly out-hit and out-pitched Texas -- and did it at the Disch.