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Baseball
team battles lights in 5-3 loss at UTA When the sun disappeared Tuesday in Arlington, so did the Frogs offense. The TCU baseball team, which regularly plays in the daytime because of the TCU Diamond’s lack of lights, struck out 11 times and managed just three hits after the sun set during a 5-3 loss to Texas-Arlington. The Frogs (13-9) struck out 13 times overall. Texas-Arlington (16-4) was playing the second game of a doubleheader after playing 10 innings in its first game against Iowa State. Senior left fielder Tom Bates said the Frogs plate discipline was inexcusable. “(Playing under the lights) is a difficult adjustment but there is no reason for 11 strike outs,” Bates said. “It was poor pitch selection. We were not very smart. I am not one for excuses.” Junior shortstop Erick Macha said hitters were having trouble seeing the spin on the baseball.
“It is no excuse,” Macha said. “(The other team has) to play in the lights, too.” The Frogs got off to a good start while playing in the sunshine. Senior pitcher Chad Durham held Texas-Arlington scoreless through the first four innings, allowing three hits, striking out four and walking two. In the top of the first inning, with Mavericks starter Michael Snapp behind in the count after a first-pitch ball, Bates said he had a feeling the pitcher would come back with another fastball. He hit the next pitch, a fastball, for a home run. The Frogs added another run in the third when sophomore first baseman Walter Olmstead scored on Macha’s sacrifice fly. Through the top of the fifth inning, the Frogs led 2-0. But things fell apart in the bottom half of the fifth. With two on and one out, Mavericks shortstop K.J. Hendricks singled up the middle to knock in a run. Right fielder Jason Severson followed with a single of his own to drive in another run. Texas-Arlington successfully pulled off a double steal, and the Mavericks had runners at second and third with only one out. Durham threw a wild pitch to score Hendricks and allowed Severson to move over to third base. Third baseman Daniel Ortmeier hit a sacrifice fly to score Severson for the fourth run of the inning. Durham pitched six innings, allowed four earned runs on six hits and walked five. The lights caused problems for the Frogs in the sixth inning when sophomore third baseman Mike Settle and Macha lost a fly ball in the lights, allowing left fielder Junior Ramirez to reach first base. “We both lost it,” Macha said. “By the time Settle said he couldn’t see it, it had already hit the ground.” The Mavericks added one more run in the eighth inning to extend their lead to 5-2. The Frogs still had a chance to tie the game in the ninth. Bates started the inning off with a single, but senior catcher Jason Price hit into a double play. Settle followed with a home run, but pinch-hitter Justin Crowder flied out to center field to end the game. Barring rain, the Frogs are scheduled to play Iowa State at 2:35 p.m. today at the TCU Diamond.
Brandon Ortiz |
