TCU Baseball Loses At USC
{fshare id=3783}
LOS ANGELES – An eight-run fifth inning was all USC needed to erase TCU’s 2-0 lead and helped the Trojans tie the series with a 9-3 win. Keaton Jones and Derek Odell each tallied a pair of hits in the loss.
Brandon Finnegan (0-7) surrendered four runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. He walked three, struck out three and hit a batter. Justin Scharf was touched for a trio of runs on three hits. Travis Evans was touched for an unearned run on two hits in 2/3 of an inning. Stefan Crichton allowed a run on two hits in three innings of work. He struck out two.
Odell battled through a 12-pitch at-bat before coming up with a lead-off single in the second. Kevin Cron worked a one-out walk to put two on. The big play in the inning was Kyle Bacak beating out a potential double play ball to third, keeping the inning alive for Keaton Jones. The sophomore delivered with a base hit to right, giving TCU a 1-0 lead.
TCU tacked on another two-out run in the fifth inning to open up a 2-0 lead. Keaton Jones lined a single up the middle. The Frogs put the hit and run on, helping TCU stay out of double play on a grounder off the bat of Cody Jones. Boomer White followed with another single up the middle to drive in Jones for the second run of the game.
USC came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning as it sent 12 men to the plate to open up an 8-2 lead. Garrett Swick started the inning with a base hit to left. Three batters later, the bases
were loaded with only one out. Dante Flores was plunked on the leg to drive in the first run of the inning. Four straight hits and a sacrifice drove in six more runs and USC had a 7-2 lead. An error kept the inning alive and the Trojans made it count as they added the eighth run of the frame.
The Frogs collected their third two-out run of the game in the seventh to close the gap to five, 8-3. Keaton Jones drew a one-out walk and Boomer White smoked an opposite field triple to drive in Jones.
A pair of doubles by Kevin Swick and Adam Landecker helped the Trojans restore the six-run lead, 9-3.
TCU falls to 22-24 on the season. The Horned Frogs will attempt to get the series win on Saturday afternoon. First pitch at Dedeaux Field is set for 2 (CST). Andrew Mitchell will toe the rubber for the Frogs.
