TCU’s winning streak was stretched to 10 games after home runs from Elliott Barzilli and Luken Baker led the Horned Frogs to a 9-2 win over Murray State.
In the top of the second, Murray State reached on a fielding error by Cam Warner and a sac fly brought in the first run of the game for the Racers. With two outs and Nolan Brown at first, Barzilli swung on a 2-2 pitch and smacked a two-run homer to left field.
“It gives me a lot [of confidence]. You can’t look at averages as who I am,” Barzilli said. “Baseball is full on confidence, so you just have to go out there acting like you’re hitting .500.”
A two-out base hit from Evan Skoug brought in Connor Wanhanen in the bottom of the third. Immediately after and with Skoug on, Luken Baker homered off the scoreboard to give the Frogs a comfortable 5-1 lead.
Murray State threatened in the fourth, but only managed one unearned run on a bases-loaded walk from starting pitcher Jared Janczak. With bases loaded and one out, TCU’s defense demonstrated their skills with a double play from Warner to Ryan Merrill to Wanhanen.
“When these pitchers are pitching really well you gotta do everything you can to keep it a tight game for them,” Barzilli said talking about the team’s defense.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Frogs added two more runs to their lead when a walk between two hit-by-pitches loaded the bases with two outs. Warner singled to left field, bringing home Wanhanen and Brown. Warner extended his hitting streak to 13 games with the hit.
One inning later, a failed pickoff attempt put Josh Watson in scoring position in the seventh with one out. Brown was hit by a pitch for the second time tonight to bring Barzilli up to the plate. Barzilli hit a shot to right field and Watson scored. Merrill reached first on a fielding error by the first baseman as Brown trotted home giving the Frogs their final 9-2 lead.
TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle commended Barzilli on going 2-for-4 with three RBI’s.
“It was good to see Elliott going foul line to foul line,” Schlossnagle said.
Jared Janczak (6-0) allowed two unearned runs on five hits. Janczak only walked two and struck out seven in seven innings. Freshman Charles King pitched the final two innings of the game and retired the six batters he faced.
“I thought Jared was way out of the rhythm and not his normal self early in the game,” Coach Schlossnagle said. “After about the fourth inning, he caught his pace and got back to who he was.”
TCU’s win streak is its longest since winning 13 straight from April 15-May 9, 2014. It’s the fifth time under Jim Schlossnagle that TCU has had a double-digit winning streak.
“Don’t pay attention to that,” Coach Schlossnagle said when asked about to winning streak. “Just pay attention to how we’re playing relative to our potential.”
TCU improved to 24-5 overall after Friday night’s win. Frogs fans will be able to see the potential again as the series against Murray State continues Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. with Nick Lodolo on the mound. The game will be televised on FSSW.
