FORT WORTH, Texas — Santa Clara baseball dropped a 1-0 decision to No. 6 TCU at Lupton Stadium Sunday in Game 1 of a doubleheader, and had Game 2 suspended due to lightning with two outs in the top of the ninth inning and a 6-1 Horned Frogs lead. Game 2 will resume Sunday at 12:30 p.m. CDT (10:30 a.m. PDT) Sunday, with the series finale to follow 20 minutes later.
Game 1: Horned Frogs Shut out Broncos 1-0
Reece Karalus made his first start of the season and first start since Feb. 18, 2014 for the Broncos (16-20) in Saturday's doubleheader opener. Karalus (L, 1-4), who has served mostly as Santa Clara's closer in the last two seasons, allowed an earned run on six hits with no walks and a strikeout. TCU starter Preston Morrison (W, 8-1) threw 6.0+ shutout innings, allowing four hits alongside six strikeouts.
The Horned Frogs (28-8) used three straight one-out singles, capped by an RBI effort from Dane Steinhagen, to drive in the game's only run in the fourth inning. Karalus faced one batter above the minimum through the first three innings for the Broncos. Jason Seever kept the deficit at one run with 3.0 shutout innings out of the bullpen, allowing only two hits and a walk.
Santa Clara put two baserunners aboard with no outs in the both the seventh and ninth innings of Game 1. Stevie Berman hit the first pitch of the seventh to right field for a double and T.J. Braff was hit by a full count pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs against Morrison. The Horned Frogs went to the bullpen for Trey Teakell, who struck out three straight Broncos to hold Santa Clara scoreless.
Facing Horned Frog Closer Riley Ferrell in the ninth, Jose Vizcaino, Jr. and Stevie Berman led off the inning with a pair of walks to put the potential game-tying run at second and go-ahead run at first with no outs. Braff fouled out to third base on a bunt attempt before pinch hitters C.J. Jacobe and Kyle Czaplak struck out swinging against Ferrell (S, 10) to end the game.
Berman reached base twice with a single and a walk while Joe Becht recorded two singles out of the No. 9 spot in the lineup. Cody Jones, Connor Wanhanen and Nolan Brown each hit safely twice for the Horned Frogs.
Game 2: TCU Leads 6-1; Game Suspended in Ninth, to Resume Sunday
The Horned Frogs plated six runs in the first three innings — including four runs in the second — against Bronco starting pitcher Eric Lex. Evan Skoug hit an RBI double in the first to put TCU ahead 1-0. Garrett Crain and Jeremie Fagnan each posted RBI singles before a two-out, two-run triple from Wanhanen in the second. Crain drove in a run to make the score 6-0 on a fielder's choice with one out in the third.
Lex allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits with two walks and a strikeout. Max Kuhns pitched 3.2 shutout innings, allowing only a one-out single to Connor Beck, the second batter he faced in the fifth inning. TCU starting pitcher Mitchell Traver threw 5.0+ shutout innings, giving up one hit with three walks and six strikeouts.
Evan Haberle led off the sixth with a five-pitch walk and Meylan singled to put runners on first and second. TCU's Brian Trieglaff entered the game and retired three straight batters to keep the score 6-0. Braff was up at the plate with two outs and a 1-1 count in the ninth when the Lupton Stadium lightning detector went off, sending the game into a delay.
Doubleheader Notes: First pitch of Game 1 was at 12:03 p.m. CDT … time of game was 2:38 p.m. CDT … first pitch of Game 2 was at 4:04 p.m. CDT.
