The TCU Horned Frogs tallied their second league sweep of the season with a 7-4 extra-inning win over San Diego State Sunday afternoon. The Frogs scored four runs in the top of the 10th, highlighted by a two-run double by Joe Weik to break a 3-3 tie. Weik was 2-for-4 in the game with a home run and three RBIs.
After escaping a jam in the bottom of the ninth, the Frog bats came to life in the 10th inning as they exploded for four runs on four hits and one key intentional walk.
With one out, Jason Coats drilled a double to left center to start the rally. Josh Elander followed with double to right center that put the Frogs up 4-3. The Aztecs elected to walk Jerome Pena with two outs in the inning and Aaron Schultz made the decision hurt as he singled to drive in another run. Weik cleared the bases and made it a 7-3 game with a double to left.
The Aztecs pushed across a run in the bottom of the 10th, but Erik Miller (2-6) slammed the door, getting a big strike out and a line out to end the game.
TCU had jumped out to an early lead in the game. It strung together three one-out hits to open up a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Taylor Featherston got things going with a single through the left side and raced home from first on a double to the right center gap off the bat of Coats. Elander battled through a 2-2 count and lined a single up the middle to plate Coats with the second run of the game.
San Diego State cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second, scoring a run on three hits. With a runner on first and one out, Chris Wilson stroked a single up the middle and moved to second on the throw to third putting a pair of runners in scoring position. Brad Haynal singled to left to drive in the Aztecs first run of the game. Steven Maxwell limited the damage, getting Cody Slader to hit a shallow fly ball and Evan Potter to ground out to leave the tying run at third.
The Frogs looked poised to get the run back in the top of the third after a one-out walk to Elander. Zac Jordan followed with a double to put both runners in scoring position. The Aztecs went to the bullpen and Bryan Crabb retired the final two batters of the inning to keep it a 2-1 contest.
After allowing the lead-off batter to reach in five straight innings, the Aztecs finally made it count as they tied the game at two. Jomel Torres reached on a lead-off walk and moved to second on a balk. Wilson came through with a double to left center to drive in the tying run.
Crabb had silenced the Frog bats the first time through the order, but didn’t fare so well the second time. Weik led off the seventh inning with a long home run to left field that put the Frogs back on top, 3-2.
The Aztecs bounced back to tie the game in the bottom of the frame. Cody Smith singled with one out and was standing at third when Torres lined a two-out single up the middle that tied the game at three.
Steven Maxwell tossed six innings in the no-decision. He allowed two runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out three. Trent Appleby allowed a run on three hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings of work.
TCU improves to 25-11 overall and 10-2 in league play. The Frogs will wrap up a five-game road trip Tuesday night in College Station when they will take on nationally-ranked Texas A&M. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m.
Game Notes:
* Jason Coats pushed his hitting streak to 16 games.
* Jantzen Witte has extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
* Steven Maxwell tallied a pair of pick-offs. He now has three on the season.
* Zac Jordan made just his fourth start in right this season.
* Joe Weik’s home run was his first since April 1 against Air Force.
* Brance Rivera’s streak of 54 straight games started came to an end.
* TCU improves to 1-1 in extra inning games this season and 18-8 under head coach Jim Schlossnagle.