By Rusty Simmons staff reporter A three-run home run by junior right fielder Tom Bates capped a five-run fifth inning as TCU beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders 14-4 Tuesday at the TCU Diamond. "I'm seeing the ball really well right now, things are falling in and everything is just going right for me," said Bates, who is hitting .500. "But it is more important that the team had a good game. When you put it on a good team, it develops confidence." When the Frogs (4-6) fell behind 1-0 early to the Raiders (6-3), head coach Lance Brown said he was not confident in the team's offense. "When we got the bases loaded in the first inning and didn't score, I thought we were in trouble," he said. But TCU did not miss many opportunities to score after the initial inning, leaving only four runners stranded over the next seven innings. Back-to-back two-run hits by freshman left fielder Greg Bratton and Bates highlighted a fourth inning where the Frogs used three hits to score four runs. TCU added two more runs in the third inning on three consecutive hits to go up 6-1. Junior catcher/outfielder Jason Price's double drove in two of his three RBIs on the day. While TCU was putting runs on the offensive side of the board, senior pitcher Shawn Thompson (1-0) was shutting down Texas Tech's offense. After giving up a run in the second inning, Thompson gave up only two hits and no runs over the next four innings.
The best defense for the Frogs, however, may have been a good offense as Thompson said the pressure is taken off of the pitcher when the offense is scoring runs. TCU continued to stretch its lead over the next three plate appearances, scoring a combined eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Freshman shortstop Ramon Moses drove in a run on a single before Bates' fifth-inning home run. Brown said Bates' swing is the best on the team right now. "Bates has been so clutch for us this season," he said. "He's hit right- and left-handed pitchers equally well. He's been able to stay right in the middle of the order all year, and he has been our most consistent hitter since the beginning of the season." Moses and Price added another RBI each in the sixth inning, where the Frogs extended their lead to 14-1. Junior pitcher Chris Bradshaw relieved Thompson in the seventh inning, but Bates said Thompson had a huge impact on the team. "Shawn is going to have to be a major contributor for us," he said. "He is going to have to accept a leadership role on this team." Bradshaw pitched two innings, giving up three runs on three hits, leaving the game with a 14-4 lead. Junior pitcher David Tombrella closed the game pitching a hitless ninth inning. The Frogs return to action against Baylor at 2:05 p.m. Friday at the TCU Diamond. TCU plays the Bears two more times in Waco over the weekend.
Rusty Simmons
By Chris Gibson staff reporter The TCU men's and women's track teams had another record-breaking weekend competing at the Tyson Invitational track meet in Fayetteville, Ark. The TCU men went into the meet tied for No. 11 in the nation with Alabama. Facing competition from several collegiate programs, including Arkansas, Stanford, Clemson, UCLA, Houston and SMU, the Horned Frogs broke four school records.Coach Monte Stratton said he hopes his team will again move up in the rankings. "Our team really ran well this weekend," he said. "I don't know if it was the caliber of competition, the top notch facility or just that our runners were ready to go, but we ran some of our best times of the year. I wouldn't be surprised if we moved up two or three spots (in the Trackwire 25), but those rankings don't really matter much in the long run." Leading the way for the Frogs was junior Kim Collins who won the 60-meter dash for the third week in a row. Along with Collins, TCU took five of the first six places in the 60-meter. Junior Lindel Frater placed second (6.64), junior Darvis Patton was fourth (6.73) and sophomoreKendrick Campbell (6.82) and senior Ricardo Williams (6.89) rounded out the fifth and sixth spots. Clemson's Shawn Crawford placed third (6.69). "Our sprinters did well as always," Stratton said. "It is the part of the season where everyone in the country is beginning to run well. We put up some of our best times of the year which tells me that we are on the right pace to peak for nationals." TCU also placed three runners in the top four spots in the 200-meter dash. Collins placed second (20.75), breaking the previous TCU indoor record of 20.88 seconds held by Brashant Carter. Frater finished behind Collins in third (21.30), and Williams was fourth (21.42). Clemson's Crawford took the top spot in 20.62 seconds. Collins already owns a provisional qualifying mark in the event, running a 21.43 two weeks ago in Houston. A TCU indoor record fell both in the men's and women's 400-meter. Junior Roy Williams won the event in 46.63 seconds, eclipsing the existing record of 46.67 seconds set by Tony Allen in 1986. Senior Dywana Crudup shaved 1.06 seconds off her own record, finishing fourth (54.32), becoming TCU's first female athlete to qualify for nationals. "I felt pretty good coming into the meet," Crudup said. "I'm really glad that my time will get me into nationals, but I still think I've got some more in me." Junior Heather Hanchack also placed in the women's event, claiming the eighth spot (55.30), while senior Johnny L. Collins II placed sixth on the men's side (47.81). The men's 400-meter runners combined to take the victory in the 4x400-meter relay event. The team of Roy Williams, junior Anthony Amantine, sophomore LaTarence Dunbar and Johnny L. Collins II crossed in 3:07:23, automatically qualifying them for the NCAA Championships. The quartet finished in front of Arkansas (3:09:52), Georgetown (3:10:28), Houston (3:12:04) and SMU (3:13:83). "We've been training hard all season, and I think we had a good week of practice," Roy Williams said. "I think we all had our legs under us, and the facility was great. We're all excited about qualifying for nationals." Dunbar is also the owner of a new indoor record. By finishing second in the 60-meter high hurdles (7.88), Dunbar was able to shave .13 seconds off the existing TCU record. Dunbar's time was also a provisional qualifier for the NCAA meet. The performances of Dunbar and Kim Collins earned them spots in the invitational portion of the meet. Dunbar placed fifth (8.01) in the 60-meter high hurdles. Kim Collins placed fourth (6.67) in a 60-meter field, including former TCU runner Jon Drummond who won the race with a time of 6.53 seconds. The Frogs take next weekend off, resuming action Feb. 25 and 26 for the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Championships at the University of Houston.
Chris Gibson
By Victor Drabicky staff reporter While the crowd was busy filing out of Ladd-Peebles Stadium following the inaugural Mobile Alabama Bowl in December, the TCU football team was busy celebrating its second consecutive bowl victory on the field. However, the celebration was especially poignant for three Horned Frog players. Seniors Patrick Batteaux, Royce Huffman and Mike Scarborough lingered on the field after the crowd had gone to celebrate something that started almost 14 years before the Mobile Bowl was even conceived. Huffman and Scarborough began playing little league sports together in Missouri City, Texas. "(Huffman) and I grew up together," Scarborough said. "We were either on the same little league team, or we were playing against each other." Huffman said the three have played football together since fourth grade. "Because we were spending so much time together, our families have become real close friends," he said. Scarborough said having such close-knit families helped him when times were hard. "I have spent entire summers with the Huffman family," Scarborough said. "Our families try to get together to go to the lake or even just to have dinner and relax." Due to an adjustment of district lines, Batteaux switched high schools and joined Huffman and Scarborough at Elkins High School their sophomore year. The trio of football stars was complete. Batteaux said he was thankful for the chance to play football with Huffman and Scarborough. "They really helped me develop throughout high school, and we got to hang out and become friends," Batteaux said. Upon high school graduation, the trio was once again broken up. Batteaux and Huffman came to TCU, and Scarborough joined the University of Texas football program. Huffman said he stayed in contact with Scarborough despite the fact that the two were at different schools. "I talked to him almost every week," Huffman said. "I kept trying to get him to transfer up here to play because I knew he wasn't happy in Austin." Scarborough finally surrendered to Huffman's efforts after a tumultuous sophomore year at UT. "I got into a little trouble with the media while I was down there and just got tired of some of the players' attitudes," Scarborough said. "I just knew it was time for me to find a new place to play football." Huffman said he was excited about the prospect of playing with Scarborough again. "When I found out he was looking to transfer, I arranged some tours and that sort of thing for him," Huffman said. "I had been trying for a while to get him to transfer from UT. Now, I finally got him to come up here." Batteaux said with Scarborough rejoining him and Huffman, a balance they discovered in high school was restored. "All of us have really different personalities," Batteaux said. "(Scarborough) is really vocal and has an aggressive nature, but I'm very laid-back and calm. (Huffman) is almost like the mediator between Scarborough and me." Despite their personality differences, the three have remained close friends throughout high school and college. "The fact that we have a lot of common friends and hang out in the same places back home helped our friendship," Batteaux said. Batteaux is training at the Dallas Cowboys' facility at Valley Ranch while finishing his degree at TCU in hopes he will be drafted into the NFL when he graduates. Huffman plans to leave for spring training at the Houston Astros farm league in early March. Scarborough is training in Colorado Springs. Huffman said he wants to stay in contact with Batteaux and Scarborough even though they won't be seeing each other often. "I am leaving for Florida in a couple of weeks, but I don't want to lose touch with the guys," Huffman said. "We have been through good and bad times, wins and loses and even injuries. I'm happy we have been able to stay close and that our families have been close, too." Huffman said he is glad his last memories of playing with his friends were those at the Mobile Bowl. "I remember standing on the field and taking pictures with the guys," Huffman said. "We had something come to an end that can never be again. I just wanted to thank them for all of the memories we had, and for all we will have."
Victor Drabicky
By Chris Ray Skiff staff The TCU women's tennis team, ranked No. 42 in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association , looks at Thursday's match-up with the Oklahoma Sooners as a character builder. The women go into their match with OU without senior Daria Zoldakova, who is suffering from a shoulder injury. She is part of the No. 18 ranked doubles team with fellow Frog netter Lucie Dvorakova. Zoldakova is also the Frogs' second-ranked singles player. Zoldakova looks to return next week against Baylor. "I would like to play, but I am very proud of the team doing so well while I am out," Zoldakova said. The Lady Frogs are coming off a split this weekend, beating Houston 8-1 and losing to Northwestern 8-1. They carry a 3-1 record this season into the match-up with the Lady Sooners. "TCU and Oklahoma have a history dating all the way back to the old Southwest Conference, and nothing has changed," head coach Roland Ingram said. This match marks the first of two non-conference matches this week for the Frogs, as they match up against Lamar at 2 p.m. Friday. The Lady Frogs look to strengthen their skills before the Western Athletic Conference tournament April 28 through 30 in Fort Worth. Ingram, in his 16th year with TCU, said he knows that if he can keep the team healthy, the Frogs control their own destiny. "We are missing close shots and losing close matches," Ingram said. "If we can improve on that, the future is bright." The Frogs take to the net against OU at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. TCU plays host to Lamar University at 2 p.m. Friday in another non-conference match.
Chris Ray |
"When I keep the ball and let my defense help, I get
good results," Thompson said. "The defense did a really good
job today."| The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |