TCU Dominates In Series-Opening Win Over Air Force
FORT WORTH, Texas – Kyle Winkler dominated for seven innings and the TCU Horned Frogs scored often en route to a 10-2 victory Friday night at Lupton Stadium. Joe Weik led the Frogs offensively with a pair of hits, including a home run and three RBIs.
Winkler (5-1) was outstanding in the victory. He allowed a run on four hits, walked one, hit a batter and fanned a career-high 15. Kyle Starratt surrendered a run on two hits and one walk. Tyler Duffie pitched around a pair of walks with in his lone inning of work. The redshirt freshman struck out two.
TCU pushed across a run in the first inning to take the early 1-0 lead. Aaron Schultz smoked a one-out single to start the rally. Taylor Featherston followed with a walk and Jason Coats loaded the bases with an infield single. Jantzen Witte drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI ground out.
Brance Rivera led off the third inning with a home run to left center to pad the Frog lead. Featherston kept the inning going as he lined a single to right center with one out. Two errant pick-off throws allowed Featherston to score from first to give the Frogs a 3-0 lead.
The Frogs tacked on a pair of runs in the fourth inning to open up a 5-0 lead. Zac Jordan singled with
one out and scored on a long home run off the bat of Weik.
A hit-by-pitch in the fifth inning broke up Winkler’s string of 13 straight retired and started a two-out rally for the Falcons. Parker Mayo broke up the no-hitter with a base hit through the left side. Matt Thorne drove in the Falcons first run of the game with a double to left field, making it a 5-1 contest.
TCU got the run back in the bottom of the frame to regain its five-run lead. Coats doubled with two-outs and scored on a base hit off the bat of Witte.
Air Force threatened to dent the scoreboard in the top of the sixth as they had two in scoring position with only one out. Back-to-back strikeouts from Winkler ended the frame without allowing a run to cross the plate.
Another run crossed the plate for the Frogs in the sixth inning as TCU extended its lead to 7-1. Weik drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Rivera singled to left and Schultz walked to load the bases. Featherston smoked a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Weik.
Three more runs crossed the plate for the Frogs in the seventh as the lead grew to nine, 10-1. Weik tallied his third RBI of the night as he doubled to left, scoring Jerome Pena from first base. Jimmie Pharr launched his first home run of the season to cap the Frogs’ scoring.
Air Force tacked on a run in the top of the eighth on a pair of hits, but a nifty turn on a double play by Pena and Featherston minimized the damage.
TCU improves to 16-9 on the season and 3-1 in conference play. Game two of the series is set for Saturday afternoon. Matt Purke will toe the rubber for the Frogs and face the Falcons Sean Carley. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.
