The TCU Frogs need to work on hitting and swinging the bat better if they want to win more games, junior left field Chad Huffman said.”We have to work on the little things,” Huffman said. “We have to start getting our bunts down, getting hits in clutch situations.that’s just got to come.”
Huffman, who came into Sunday’s game with a batting average of .343, recorded a double for the Frogs in the seventh inning in TCU’s 5-3 loss to UCF (16-11).
Huffman also said the team needs to find a way to “get the job done.”
“We need to figure out a way to win, and we’re not doing that now,” Huffman said.
The first two runs of the game came during the fifth inning when UCF sophomore center fielder Tyson Auer blasted a triple to right field, earning two RBIs.
When the Frogs (12-14) stepped up to the plate in the same inning, sophomore shortstop Bryan Kervin hit a line drive to center, bringing in junior first baseman Steven Trout to put TCU on the board.
TCU then tied the game when Trout knocked a bouncing grounder to second, allowing junior centerfielder Keith Conlon to score for the Frogs.
The score remained tied until the top of the ninth inning when UCF freshman short stop Eric Kallstrom powered one in the air to center field, bringing in freshman pinch hitter Ryan Williams for the lead. Williams collided with TCU sophomore catcher Andrew Walker, forcing Walker to leave the game with an injury.
The Frogs then tied the score again in the bottom of the ninth as Kervin got his second RBI of the day when he rifled a grounder to right field and Trout came in for the run.
The Frogs’ rallying was brought to an end in the extra inning as TCU made four pitching changes. The Golden Knights got their first run off senior pitcher Shawn Ferguson when a runner at third was allowed to come home due to a balk. UCF freshman right fielder Dave DiNatale then put his team up by two with his single that brought in freshman first baseman Kiko Vazquez.
TCU was unable to make a comeback, as it went three up, three down in the bottom of the tenth.
Sophomore starting pitcher Sam Demel, who played the first eight innings for the Frogs, said the team needs to work on putting every aspect of the game together, specifically hitting, pitching and defense.
“We need to put everything together in the same game,” Demel said. “It will come together. We keep saying it. We just have to make it happen.”
Demel also said that he expects the Frogs to make the turnaround in the near future.
“You never know what it’s going to be or when it’s going to be here,” he said. “One day a light’s just going to go off in everybody’s head and we’re just going to take off.”
Head coach Jim Schlossnagle said he did not want to comment after the game.