By Rusty Simmons staff reporter The TCU and Rice baseball teams split more than victories in the two-game Western Athletic Conference meeting this weekend at Reckling Park in Houston. The squads also split weekly WAC honors as junior pitcher Chris Bradshaw earned pitcher of the week, and Rice's Eric Arnold garnered player of the week. Bradshaw threw eight innings without giving up a run, while striking out eight batters in a 3-0 TCU win Friday. Arnold hit two home runs and drove in five runs in Saturday's 12-3 Rice victory. In game one, Bradshaw, the team's No. 2 starter, acted as TCU's ace because the Frogs' No. 1 starter, senior Shawn Thompson, pitched Tuesday against Texas Tech. Bradshaw lived up to the role, allowing only four hits while collecting his third win of the season. Senior catcher Brad Rogers, who caught Bradshaw's shutout, said it was one of Bradshaw's best performances of the season. "He kept his poise the whole game," Rogers said. "He kept it close until we could score some runs, and he was the reason why we won the game." TCU scored two runs in the fourth inning on two hits. After senior left fielder/pitcher Mark Hamilton opened the inning with a single and stole second base, junior catcher/outfielder Jason Price walked to put two runners on base. Junior designated hitter/outfielder Tom Bates took advantage of the situation, driving in a run on a fielder's choice. Two batters later, junior center fielder Marshall Wilson drove in Price with a sacrifice fly to right field. None of TCU's three runs came on hits, and senior third baseman Levi Groomer said it was an indication of the Frogs' new style of play. "In the past we could rely on two or three guys to be in double digits in home runs," he said. "We still have guys who can hit it out, but not as consistently. Now we are focusing on picking up a run or two when we can." The Frogs added their third and final run in the seventh inning, when sophomore shortstop Erick Macha drove in Groomer on a fielder's choice. Groomer doubled with one out in the inning and, along with Bates, picked up two hits in the game. The three-run lead was enough for junior pitcher David Tombrella as he came on to pitch in the final inning. Tombrella allowed no runs on one hit and picked up his first save of the season. TCU players said the Frogs' intensity was at a peak the entire game. "We have success when we play harder than the other team," Rogers said. "If we give 110 percent and the other team only gives 100 percent, then we come out on top." After Bradshaw shined in the first game, Arnold took center stage in game two. Arnold hit two home runs a game for the third time last week as his five RBIs led the Owls to the win. Both of Arnold's home runs against TCU came in the fourth inning against Hamilton. Rice's Tony Adler and John Lukin each added RBI singles in the fourth as the Owls scored nine runs in the inning. TCU pitchers could not stop Rice's offense in the middle three innings, as Hamilton, junior Stan Newton and junior Josh Gardner allowed the Owls to build a 12-1 lead between the fourth and sixth innings. Groomer said Rice took a different approach at the plate in the second game. "For the first three innings, Hamilton kept them guessing at the plate," he said. "But they were able to make adjustments that allowed them to sit on Hamilton's fastball and get base hits. In the first game, they never did adjust to what Bradshaw was throwing." The Frogs scored twice on four hits in the seventh inning, but never got within nine runs after that inning. TCU left 10 runners on base in the game. The weekend finale was postponed due to rain, and it will be made up when Rice comes to Fort Worth May 19 to 21. Rice and TCU will play a doubleheader May 20 at the TCU Diamond. "The first game was a good win for us, and the second game boosted Rice's confidence," Groomer said. "After game two, they could say the first game was a fluke. Missing the third game hurts because we did not get the chance to show them that we were the better team."
Rusty Simmons
By Chris Ray Skiff staff The No. 24-ranked TCU women's tennis team dropped a tough match to Western Athletic Conference foe No. 40-ranked Tulsa Friday. The Frogs picked up two doubles wins en route to winning the doubles point, but dropped four of six singles matches to Tulsa, who improved to 13-4 on the season. The Frogs picked up wins from sophomore Leoni Weirich and freshman Debbie
Bell in singles action. Playing out of the No. 6 position, Bell defeated Kerry-Lea Glass, 7-5, 6-2 in straight sets. Bell notched her 16th win on the year, improving to 16-9 and 8-7 in dual match play. Bell also picked up her second win against WAC opponents, improving to 2-1. "If we can just stay healthy and stay focused, the team will come around and perform at the right time, WAC tourney time," said head coach Roland Ingram. TCU's two ranked singles players suffered upsets in the match. No. 44-ranked freshman Dorrit Huppes was beaten by Bianca Posada 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a three-match marathon. Huppes drops to 25-5 on the season and 14-3 in dual match play. She suffered her first loss to a WAC opponent, falling to 2-1. At the No. 2 spot, No. 75-ranked senior Lucie Dvorakova, suffered a straight set loss to Aleksandra Dvrska, 6-4, 6-1. Dvorakova drops to 23-8 on the season and 14-4 in dual match play. She also was beaten for the second time by a WAC opponent, dropping her WAC record to 1-2. The bright spot for the Frogs was the doubles matches, where the Frogs took two of three matches on the day. The "Euro Duo" of Dvorakova and senior Daria Zoldakova defeated the team of Despain and Sedivec 8-4. The duo is ranked No. 2 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls. The two improved to 24-2 on the year and a perfect 9-0 in dual match action. The tandem also keeps its WAC record spotless at 2-0. "The girls are a point to count on," Ingram said. "They have performed and are the best I have seen in my career." Ingram said he is impressed with the poise the duo has shown in matches. "They aren't breaking under the pressure," Ingram said. "They have something everyone else wants, and they know that. They are keeping their heads and playing to win every time." The Frogs also picked up a win from the team of Huppes and Bell, defeating the team of Poveda and Glass 8-5. Huppes and Bell improve to 12-6 on the season and 9-3 in dual-match play. They also move to 2-1 in WAC play. The Frogs suffered only their fourth loss of the season, moving to 14-4 on the year and 2-1 in WAC play. The Frogs will be on the road taking on Tulane on Saturday and New Orleans Sunday. The Frogs start this four-match road trip in preparation for the WAC tournament April 28 to 30 in Fort Worth.
Chris Ray
By Chris Ray Skiff staff Head coach Michael Center said that the No. 15-ranked men's tennis team has yet to reach its potential. If the win over the Virginia Tech Hokies on Friday was not the Frogs' best, the Western Athletic Conference tournament should be interesting to watch, he said. The Frogs sent the Hokies packing with a 7-0 shutout, winning all six singles matches and all three doubles matches. The Frogs took the six singles matches in straight sets, not allowing an opponent to gain over four points in a set. With the win, the Frogs improve to 13-3 on the season and are riding a two-match winning streak with the wins over Arkansas-Little Rock and Virginia Tech. The Hokies drop to 11-12 on the season. "Virginia Tech was a final 16 team last season, and this was a big win," Center said. "This team hasn't shown its true colors just yet, look for some real sparks as the season winds down." Junior All-American Esteban Carril, ranked No. 8 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls, beat Tech's Davor Duplijnk 6-3, 6-4, after missing his previous match against Arkansas-Little Rock because of illness. Carril improves to 21-4 on the season and 11-2 in dual match play. Junior Trace Fielding defeated Virginia Tech's Gerard Baynham 6-2, 6-4, in straight sets. Fielding improves to 21-9 overall and 11-5 in dual match action. Playing at the No. 3 singles spot, No. 91-ranked junior Scott Eddins defeated Michael Kurz, 6-1, 6-3. Eddins moves to 24-9 on the season and 11-3 in dual match play. Rounding out singles action, No. 73-ranked junior Petr Koula defeated Saber Kudiri 6-3, 6-4. Koula improves to 22-9 on the season and holds a dual-match record of 8-5. In doubles action, the No. 36-ranked duo of Eddins and Haney defeated the team of Baynham and Andrew 8-4. Eddins and Haney improve to 15-7 on the year and 8-6 in dual-match action. This marks the third straight win for the duo at the No. 2 doubles spot. The tandem of Carril and Fielding, playing at the No. 1 doubles spot, improved to 11-5 on the season and 10-4 in dual-match play, defeating the team of Duplijak and Kudiri 8-5. Rounding out doubles action, the team of Gordon and junior Sebastian Iannariello defeated Terzinchie and Bruner 8-6. They improve to 12-4 on the season. "The rest of the season will tell all for us," Center said. "We are heating up at the right time of the season, and the best is yet to come." The Frogs face the Rice Owls Saturday at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
Chris Ray |
Weirich, playing out of the
No. 4 singles spot, defeated Jana Scdivec 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, in a three-set
match. Weirich improves to 20-5 on the season and 13-4 in dual match play.
Weirich also improves to 2-1 against WAC opponents. | The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |