Baseball team to face Rice in weekend series
Battle with Owls for respect, first place in WAC

By Brandon Ortiz
Skiff Staff

For senior pitcher Chris Bradshaw, the TCU baseball team’s series this weekend against Rice is more than just a battle for first place.

It is a test.

“It is a real big test for us,” he said. “Everyone is pumped. We have been doubted by everyone. We are going to prove we can play with them.”

The Horned Frogs (20-9, 11-2 Western Athletic Conference) will play game one of a three-game series against WAC leader Rice (25-6, 14-1 WAC) at 2:35 p.m. today at the TCU Diamond. Rice is ranked No. 2 in the nation by Baseball America and has won 11 straight WAC series.

Head baseball coach Lance Brown said he is not sure how the Horned Frogs would fair against the Owls.

“We haven’t been able to work out,” Brown said.

File Photo Senior designated hitter Cade Harris sprints to first base in a game this season at the TCU Diamond. The Horned Frog baseball team opens three-game series today at 2:35 p.m. at home against Rice. The series is a battle for first place in the Western Athletic Conference.

Players were more optimistic.

Sophomore first baseman Walter Olmstead said the Frogs can win the series if the team plays well.

“We are going to approach it like any other game,” Olmstead said. “It is going to be a matter of who wants it.”

It is also going to be a matter of who can score runs.

Rice has a team ERA of 2.75. The Owls are likely to start right handers Kenny Baugh (6-1, 1.42 ERA), Jon Skaggs (5-0, 2.38 ERA) and either Jonathan Gonzalez (3-1, 3.05 ERA) or Jeff Nichols (2-1, 3.93).

The Frogs will counter with Bradshaw (6-1, 2.54 ERA), junior Justin Crowder (4-2, 2.94) and either seniors Chad Durham (2-1, 4.50) or David Tombrella (4-1, 3.62).

Brown said the Frogs can’t worry about hitting and need to worry about things they have more control over — good base running, defense, bunting and fundamentals.

“That is what you can control,” Brown said. “You can’t control hitting. I think when you are off a long time, your timing is off.”
Brown said the Frogs may try to steal more often if the opportunity is right.

“We will try to get a run at a time,” Brown said. “We will do what ever we can do to get a run.”

Olmstead said the Frogs need to continue to do what they have been doing during their current seven-game winning streak — pitch well, play solid defense, move runners over and get timely hitting.

“We have been bunting the ball well, and our team defense has been good,” he said. “We need to continue that.”
And if the Frogs do that, they will pass this weekend’s test.

“For us to play well, it will give everyone the realization that we are serious,” Olmstead said.

Brandon Ortiz
b.p.ortiz@student.tcu.edu