TCU Needs 22 Innings To Beat Sam Houston St
{fshare id=5208}
FORT WORTH, Texas — Boomer White’s two-out RBI single in the top of the 22nd inning gave TCU a 3-2 win over Sam Houston State in a contest that lasted nearly seven hours.
TCU (44-15) advances to Sunday’s championship game at 7 p.m. Sam Houston State (42-18) will play Siena at 2:30 p.m. in an elimination game. The winner of that contest will face the Horned Frogs, who have now won 29 of their last 32 games.
The 22 innings was the second-longest postseason game in NCAA history and tied for the third longest overall. The game went six hours and 54 minutes.
White recorded his second game-winning hit in the opening two games of the Fort Worth Regional. His 11th-inning single Friday night gave TCU a 2-1 victory over Siena.
In the top of the 22nd, Keaton Jones led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Kyle Bacak. Cody Jones then walked. One out later, White singled to left to score Keaton Jones.
TCU closer Riley Ferrell, the seventh Horned Frogs pitcher, entered the game in the bottom of the 22nd and earned his school-record 14th save of the season.
The Bearkats threatened against Ferrell when Colt Atwood drew a leadoff walk and
was sacrificed to second by Hayden Simerly. Anthony Azar struck out swinging for the second out, before Ryan O’Hearn popped to short to end the game.
Sam Houston State nearly won the game in the 13th and 21st innings.
Carter Burgess opened the bottom of the 21st with a single and was sacrificed to second. A Shea Pierce infield single put runners on first and third. After a walk to Luke Plucheck, Travis Lee grounded into a double play to end the inning. Plucheck was out at second and was also called for interference.
TCU also held off Sam Houston State in the 13th inning. With two outs, Anthony Azar reached on an infield single. O’Hearn then connected on a ball over Cody Jones’ head in center. Shortstop Keaton Jones took Jones’ relay throw in short center and fired home to Bacak to nail Azar at the plate. It was part of Keaton Jones’ school record 11 assists in the game.
Lee opened the bottom of the 20th inning with a single and stole second. After the next two batters were retired, including Simerly’s sinking liner to left that was snagged on a diving catch by White, Lee advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Azar was walked intentionally, Brian Trieglaff relived Brian Howard and struck out O’Hearn to end the inning.
Howard, making just his ninth appearance of the season, was the fifth TCU pitcher and allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings, a career-long outing.
Trey Teakell added 6 1/3 innings on scoreless relief, scattering three hits while striking out one and not walking a batter.
The Bearkats used six pitchers. Starter Jason Simms went seven innings, surrendering five hits and one earned run. Ryan Brinley, the fourth Bearkat hurler, tossed two-hit ball over six scoreless innings. He struck out six and walked two.
TCU threatened in the top of the 17th. With one out, Bacak and Cody Jones had consecutive singles. An infield groundout by Derek Odell moved the runners to second and third. White then grounded to third to end the inning.
Sam Houston State tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a fielder’s choice RBI by Simerly.
Both teams traded runs in the first inning. With a run already in, the Bearkats had the bases loaded with one out. However, TCU starter Preston Morrison escaped further damage by inducing an inning-ending double play from Corey Toups. Burgess was ruled out at second due to interference.
Morrison allowed just one earned run on three hits in 7 1/3 innings.
With TCU as the visiting team, Cody Jones opened the game with a double down the leftfield line. After advancing to third on a groundout, Jones scored on a fielder’s choice by White.
An unearned run in the top of the sixth gave TCU a 2-1 lead. Bacak came around to score after opening the inning with a walk and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cody Jones.
