GoFrogs: Offensive Explosion Leads TCU To Win

FORT WORTH – An eight-run sixth inning helped No. 13 TCU break open a one-run ballgame and the Horned Frogs cruised to a 17-3 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Wednesday night at Lupton Stadium.

The Rundown
TCU found itself facing a three-run deficit after the top of the first, but the Frogs were able to push across two runs in the bottom of the frame to pull within one, 3-2. Cam Warner stole home and Josh Watson doubled home the second run in the inning.

A costly two-out error by the Golden Lions in the second put the Frogs in front 4-3 as Ryan Johnson and Connor Wanhanen came around to score on the miscue.

TCU broke the game open with an eight-run sixth. Mason Hesse doubled home Elliott Barzilli with the first run of the frame. Another two-out error by UAPB plated two more runs for a 7-3 lead. Watson tripled home two runs and Barzilli punctuated the inning with a three-run home run to make it a 12-3 game.

Five more runs crossed the plate in the eighth. The big hits came courtesy of a two-run single from Michael Landestoy and an RBI-double from Trent Franson.

On the mound, Devon Roedahl made his collegiate debut in a starting role. He earned the win with three innings of work. Dalton Hortonpitched two scoreless frames, while Ryan Burnett, Sean Wymer, Mitch Sewald and Dalton Brown each tossed scoreless frames.

Stat of the Game
4 – Elliott Barzilli has posted at least two hits in each of the first four games, including a career-high four-hit game tonight. He is 11-for-16 to start the season.

Quotes of the Game
Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle
“We started swinging the bat well in the middle innings and we had balls fall. The guys who pitched did fine. We had hoped to see more from some of them. For most of the guys, it was their first time throwing in college or in a Division I game. We knocked the rust off that and hopefully next time out they’ll be fine.”

“Devon Roedahl kept throwing strikes and giving us a chance to play defense. He showed composure for a guy making his first college start.”

“I thought our at-bats were good tonight. Obviously, (Josh) Watson and (Elliott) Barzilli are seeing the ball well. I’m glad to see Dane (Steinhagen) get a couple of hits.”

Notes
• TCU notched double-digit hits for the third time this season.
• TCU scored 17 runs for the first time since defeating Kansas State 21-7 on May 4, 2014.
• Trent Franson, Devon Roedahl, Dalton Horton, Sean Wymer and Mitch Sewald all made their TCU debuts in the game.
• Trent Franson and Michael Landestoy each collected their first collegiate hits.
• Connor Wanhanen stretched his hitting streak to 11 games, the longest streak of his career. He carried a seven-game hitting streak into the season.
• Elliott Barzilli has four multi-hit games this season and 19 in his career.
• Dane Steinhagen tallied his second multi-hit game of the season and the 20th of his career.
• Josh Watson notched his second career multi-hit game and the first multiple-RBI game of his career.
• Evan Skoug, Connor Wanhanen and Elliott Barzilli have hit safely in all four games this season.

Next Up
With the win, TCU improves to 3-1 on the season. TCU will hit the road for the first time this season as it heads south to Houston to take part in the Shriner’s Hospital College Classic at Minute Maid Park. First up for the Frogs will be nationally-ranked La.-Lafayette at 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ROOT Sports SW (in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico) and MLB Network (with blackout restrictions).