By Rusty Simmons staff reporter Prior to this weekend's three non-conference games, junior catcher Jason Price said the TCU baseball team was close to being ready to make some noise in the Western Athletic Conference. This weekend, the Frogs proved they play well when the circumstances include close variables. TCU won two of the four games at the TCU Diamond by one-run margins. The Frogs swept a double header against Texas Wesleyan University Friday, 5-4 and 4-3, beat the Rams 7-2 Saturday and lost to Tarleton State University 8-5 Sunday. "It was big for us to win three of four games this weekend," sophomore shortstop Erick Macha said. "I hope we use this series to help us remember what it is like to win." In the first game against Texas Wesleyan, senior pitcher Shawn Thompson gave up a two-run home run to Pat Hannon but kept the Rams off the base paths for the majority of the first six innings. "(Thompson) had them guessing the whole game," Macha said. "He did a really good job of keeping them off balance." The Frogs' offense scored two runs in the second inning on back-to-back, run-scoring ground outs by freshman first baseman Walter Olmstead and sophomore second baseman Trey Crawford. TCU added runs in the third and sixth innings on a single by senior left fielder Mark Hamilton and a walk by junior center fielder Rudy Rivera. In the seventh inning, Thompson struggled with his control, walking the lead-off hitter, hitting the second batter and then giving up a two-run double to tie the score 4-4. TCU struggled to get bunts down the entire game, including two in the first two innings. But in the seventh inning, the inability to get a sacrifice bunt down paid off. After Hamilton singled to lead off the inning, senior designated hitter/pitcher Shaun Wooley and Price were asked to bunt. Neither could accomplish the feat, but both came through with two-strike hits. Wooley's moved Hamilton into scoring position, and Price's drove in Hamilton, representing the game-winning run. Senior catcher Brad Rogers' two-run home run pushed the Frogs past the Rams 4-3 in the second game of the double header. Rogers' homer gave TCU its first lead of the game as Texas Wesleyan grabbed an early lead. The Rams scored three runs in the first three innings, highlighted by an RBI double by A.J. Ramirez. But Hamilton retired Texas Wesleyan without scoring a run in the next three innings. Junior pitcher Chad Durham gave up only one hit in his three-inning stint, and TCU took advantage, scoring a run in the sixth inning and two in the eighth to wrap up the victory. "It was nice to see (Hamilton and Durham) throw well," Macha said. "Our pitchers are throwing good enough to win; we just have to put some runs on the board." After winning two games in their last at bat, the Frogs lost to Tarleton State in its last at bat Sunday, 8-5. Junior pitcher Chris Frazier gave up four runs in the fifth inning to allow the Texans to tie the score 4-4. TCU answered back, scoring a go-ahead run in the sixth inning. Tarleton State took advantage of an error and a misplayed fly ball in the ninth to tie the score for the second time, 5-5, and the Texans took their first lead of the game in the tenth inning, scoring three runs on four hits.
Rusty Simmons
By Chris Gibson staff reporter Although TCU men's and women's track and field teams both posted fourth-place finishes last weekend at the LSU Quadrangular, head coach Monte Stratton said it was still an excellent opening meet. The meet signaled the opening of the 2000 outdoor track and field season for the Horned Frogs, and team members and coaches alike said they hope it is a sign of what is to come. "It was probably the best opening meet that we've had in my four years here at TCU," Stratton said. "The overall performance of our team, plus some really top performances by individuals, are what made the meet so great for us. It is just really nice to get around the track and run so fast this early in the season." Leading the way on the men's side were the sprinters. Senior Lindel Frater ran to a first-place finish in the 100-meter dash (10.17) followed closely by junior Kim Collins (10.20) in second. Both runners captured preliminary qualifying marks for the NCAA Outdoor Championships to be held in June. The Horned Frogs had the top three times in the 200-meter dash. Junior Darvis Patton broke the tape first (20.84) followed by senior Ricardo Williams (21.17) in the first heat, and junior Anthony Amantine won the second heat (21.21). Junior Roy Williams placed third in the 400-meter dash, and senior Johnny L. Collins II placed fifth. In the women's 200-meter, freshmen Chanel Hewitt finished fifth (24.55), and Tiffany Starts was sixth (24.78). Senior Dywana Crudup sprinted to a third-place finish (54.20) in the 400-meter dash, just .13 off her TCU record in that event. The women's 4x100-meter team of sophomore Chaunte Baldwin, Hewitt, Starts and Crudup finished a close second (45.32) behind LSU. "The women really did a great job," Stratton said. "They had a better meet than anyone anticipated and posted an exceptionally fast time for this early in the season." The men also got off to a fast start by winning the 4x100-meter relay. The Frogs ran a time of 39.02, which Stratton said is surprising, considering this is the first time for them to run that event at a meet this year. The 4x100-meter relay is only run during the outdoor season. The team of Frater, Ricardo Williams, Patton and Collins led from the start and solidified an NCAA qualifying mark for TCU. "We haven't had any fall off from our indoor success," Roy Williams said. "We are working harder than before, and you can just tell that we want it. We beat all the teams that were at the national indoor meet a few weeks ago." Williams also said the overall team attitude is positive. "I felt real good about the meet," Williams said. "Everyone did really well, and we are just looking forward to practicing harder and doing even better." The women's long-distance events are one of the keys Stratton said his team will be relying on this season. Sophomore Katie Singleton helped out that cause by winning the 5,000 meters (17:33:69), only a second off of her career best. Senior Alison Harvey and freshman Shannon McKinney finished fifth and sixth respectively. The biggest victory for the men may not have been a sprinting event but in the long jump. Patton set a new TCU record, jumping 25 feet, nine inches. His performance broke Carl Mill's 31-year-old school record in that event, giving him a preliminary qualifying mark for nationals. "(Patton) is just an all-around athlete," Williams said. "He can do it all - run, jump - and the best thing about it is he will only get better." The TCU track team continues action this weekend at the Southwestern Invitational at Clark Stadium in Fort Worth.
Chris Gibson
By Chris Ray Skiff staff The TCU women's tennis team asserted its No. 23 Intercollegiate Tennis Association ranking with wins over the No. 25-ranked Washington Huskies, 6-3, and the Texas-El Paso Miners, 7-2, in the Fifth Annual UTEP Spring Shoot-out. With the two wins, the Frogs extend their winning streak to a season-high seven matches and look to climb in the ITA polls. "We are getting down to tournament time, and if we can stay healthy and compete as we know we can, there is no limit to where the team can go," said head coach Roland Ingram. In the win over Washington, TCU won the top four singles matches and two of three doubles matches en route to taking the doubles point. No. 1 seed senior Lucie Dvorakova defeated Washington's Kristina Kraszewski in straight sets, 7-5, 7-6. Dvorakova moves to 3-1 against ranked opponents on the season. Freshman Dorrit Huppes, ranked No. 66 in the nation, defeated Ilona Kordonskaya of Washington, 6-1, 7-6, extending her current match winning streak to 12 matches dating back to early February. "Dorrit has been playing very, very well, and she will be one that we look to secure the win down the stretch as we try to capture the Western Athletic Conference title in April," Ingram said.
Picking up the final singles win on the match, sophomore Leoni Weirich defeated Colleen Gray of Washington, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. Weirich helped the Frogs capture the fourth and final point in the singles competition. TCU's senior Jessika Kjellgren and freshman Debbie Bell both lost three-set matches. Kjellgren was beaten 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, by Washington's Zeta Wagner, and Bell was beaten in a marathon match, 7-6, 6-3, 6-3. In doubles action, the No.-9 ranked "Euro Duo," Zoldakova and Dvorakova, beat Washington's Kraszewski and Peggy Wu, 8-3. The Frogs moved to 14-3 on the season and 2-0 against WAC opponents with a win over UTEP Sunday. TCU took four of six singles matches in the win and captured all three doubles matches, taking the doubles point. The Frogs were led on the court by Dvorakova, who defeated Jana Perkova of UTEP 6-4, 6-4. With the win, Dvorakova improves to 23-7 on the year and 14-3 at the No. 1 singles position. Huppes ended her singles match winning streak at 12 games at the hands of UTEP's Tanja Magoc, 7-5, 6-2. Huppes drops to 14-2 in dual match play. Weirich defeated Elizabeth Stone of UTEP, 6-4, 6-3, at the No. 3 singles spot. At the No. 4 spot, Zoldakova upended Ana Brnas, 6-3, 6-1, in straight sets. Kjellgren, playing out of the No. 5 spot, picked up the fourth and final win in singles matches for the Frogs. Bell suffered a come-from-behind loss to Elisa Bjorklund, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6. In doubles action, the Frogs captured all three matches, taking the doubles point. Zoldakova and Dvorakova notched another win, defeating Perkova and Magoc of UTEP, 8-3. Huppes and Bell beat the team of Brnas and Madjarova of UTEP, 8-1. The duo of Bell and Huppes picked up the second doubles win, ensuring a victory in the doubles competition. Weirich and senior Stacey Sabala picked up the third doubles win of the day, defeating the team of Stone and Bjorklund, 8-5. The women host No. 40 Tulsa Golden Hurricane 2 p.m. Friday at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
Chris Ray
By Chris Ray Skiff staff When the men's tennis team stepped on the court against the No. 5 Duke Blue Devils, they wanted to gauge themselves against one of the nation's best. Though they didn't walk away with a win, they learned a lot in defeat, some team members said. The Frogs, ranked No. 16, lost to the Blue Devils, 5-2, Saturday at the Duke Tennis Stadium. Despite losing five of six singles matches, the players said the match was close throughout. The Frogs picked up their lone singles win as junior All-American Esteban Carril, ranked No. 4 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, defeated Duke's Ramsey Smith, ranked No. 18 in the ITA, 6-4, 6-4. With the win, Carril improves to 20-4 on the season and 10-2 in dual-match play. "We played well (Saturday), but we just didn't really get things going in singles play," tennis head coach Michael Center said. "This was a good way to test ourselves against a good team, but we were in it to win." The Frogs began the match by capturing the doubles point at the No. 2 and 3 doubles spots. The No. 3-ranked doubles tandem ofSmith and Doug Root of Duke defeated No. 33-ranked tandem of redshirt freshman Jimmy Haney and junior Scott Eddins, 8-3. In the No. 2 doubles position, juniors Trace Fielding and Carril up-ended Duke's Andres Pedroso and Pedro Escudero, 8-5. With the doubles point on the line, freshman Antonio Gordon and junior Sebastian Iannariello came through with a win over the team of Jones and Rueger of Duke, 8-4. The Frogs secured the doubles win and looked in position to strike in singles play. In singles action ,with Carril taking the lone win, the rest of the Frogs lost tough-fought matches. Fielding lost to Duke's Root, 6-2, 7-6 in straight sets. Duke's Pedroso, ranked No. 51 in the ITA, downed No. 94-ranked Eddins, 6-7, 6-3, 7-5. Gordon lost to Joel Spicher, 7-5, 6-3. Gordon is ranked No. 75 in the latest ITA poll. No. 74-ranked junior Petr Koula lost to No. 79-ranked Marko Cerenko, 6-3, 7-6 (3). In the final match, Haney was defeated by Yorke Allen of Duke, 7-6, 6-4. The Frogs fall to 11-3 on the season with all three losses coming to teams ranked in the top 11. Baylor was ranked No.11, Pepperdine No. 5 and Duke. TCU returns home to face Arkansas Little-Rock at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
Chris Ray |
Senior Daria Zoldakova, playing out of the No. 3 singles
spot, upset No. 78-ranked Zuzana Stunova in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5. Zoldakova,
currently ranked No. 93 in the ITA, may make a move in the polls with the
win. | The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |