Hot bats of Huffman, Neuman lead TCU to extra-inning win
Frogs win in a four-hour, 10-inning marathon

By Brent Yarina
Sports Editor

Chad Huffman had a game he’ll never forget Thursday night.

The freshman designated hitter made quite the first impression for himself in his collegiate baseball debut, leading the Frogs to a 13-12 extra-inning victory over Dallas Baptist University at Lupton Stadium.

In his first game, Huffman went 3 for 4 with two walks, including a 2-run home run to left-center field in his first ever plate appearance.

Huffman reached base five out of the six times he went to the plate, driving in two runs.
Senior first baseman Chris Neuman provided the Frogs with a second reliable offensive threat, going 3 for 6 and driving in three runs on the night.

Together the two, along with senior left fielder Sean Stephens, who also added a 2-run home run of his own, helped give head coach Jim Schlossnagle his first victory at TCU.
Senior pitcher Robbie Findlay started the game for the Frogs, lasting only three innings on 59 total pitches. Findlay allowed eight hits and one walk, while letting six earned runs cross the plate.

The two teams lit up the scoreboard all night, in a game that lasted four hours and eight minutes, combining for 25 runs and 30 hits. Both teams committed two errors.

Dallas Baptist took an early lead in the game at 6-3 after the third, but the Frogs battled back with eight runs in the next three innings, giving TCU an 11-9 lead heading into the eighth inning.

Junior catcher Ned Yost, the son of Milwaukee Brewers’ manager Ned Yost, carried the Dallas Baptist offense with three hits and three RBI, including a home run.

The Patriots’ top four hitters in the lineup presented constant problems for the Frogs’ pitchers, combining to go 9 for 17, driving in five runs and scoring six runs.

Aside from the Frogs’ big three offensive players Thursday night, senior second baseman Ramon Moses was forced to carry the lower-third of the TCU lineup. Moses went 3 for 4, scoring two runs, while the rest of the lower portion of the lineup went 1 for 7.

The Frogs’ bullpen struggled in their seven collective innings. The bullpen allowed a total of six runs on eight hits and seven walks.

Texas transfer Eugene Espineli pitched 3 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for the Frogs. His first inning in relief of junior pitcher Andrew Allar, who pitched 1 1/3 innings and gave up two hits, went well, as he struck out the only two batters he faced, leaving the two runners on base that he inherited.

Sophomore pitcher Zach Duncan took the mound in the bottom of the ninth to close the game out, but he struggled to find much control with his pitches.

As a result, the Patriots were allowed back into the game behind a dramatic three-run ninth inning, forcing extra innings.

In the bottom of the 10th inning, however, the Frogs loaded the bases with no outs.

A trip to the mound from the DBU pitching coach ensued, and the game would be sealed when Moses stepped to the plate.

Moses ended the game with a line-drive sacrifice fly to left field.

The Frogs play the second game of their three game series against the Patriots 3 p.m today at Lupton Stadium.