Ending the Red Scare
By Danny Gillham
Skiff Staff

As players from the baseball team entered the clubhouse of Lupton Stadium Wednesday, a simple sheet of paper on the bulletin board grabbed their attention.

The paper stated the last 10 games the team has played against Texas Tech — all losses. The 10th came Tuesday, in a 15-11 loss in Lubbock.

In fact, the Frogs (6-3) last win over the Red Raiders (9-2) was March 28, 2000, when TCU won 7-5 in Lubbock.

The Frogs will have their chance however to rid themselves of the red and black thorn in their side with a three-game series this weekend at Lupton Stadium.

Game one is 6:30 p.m. Friday. The series will continue 3:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

“Enough is enough,” said senior third basemen Mike Settle on the Frogs losing streak to Texas Tech. “It has been since my sophomore year this has been going on.”

The general trend in the matchups is Texas Tech jumps ahead, and TCU responds — only to fall short in the end. Junior pitcher Clayton Jerome said it’s time to turn the tables.

“Getting ahead, staying ahead and putting the pressure on them to make plays is important,” Jerome said. “It seems every time we go out there and get the lead, we seem to put (a team) away easier.”

Head coach Lance Brown said the streak has now become a mental challenge, but not because the Frogs don’t think they can win.

“I think what makes (this series) more difficult is that Tech sincerely believes they are going to win every time they meet us,” Brown said. “So anytime there is a close game, they have the total confidence that some way they are going to pull out a win. A lot of times you play teams that are hoping they can beat you, and you own the edge. They don’t think that way.”

To win the series, the injury-riddled Frogs may have to do so without some of their best players. Brown said senior outfielder Terry Trofholz and senior second basement Will Lewis are doubtful, while senior first basemen Jared Lundeen is out.

Junior Tim McGough, the Frogs’ third starting pitcher, will also more than likely not go, and his replacement would be Ryan Weems.

Jerome, who will take the mound for TCU Friday, said its important for the team to get that first win Friday night.

“The Friday game sets the tone for the entire weekend,” Jerome said. “If you go out there Friday and get a win, that puts you in good position to win Saturday and Sunday.”

Friday night’s game also marks the first night game ever at TCU. All of the bleacher seats are already sold.

Settle said the win, and the series, would go a long way in impressing the crowd.

“We need this series,” Settle said. “We think its going to determine how we are perceived as a team this year, because there is going to be a lot of people at the games. We need to perform for them, so they will want to come back and see us again.”

Danny Gillham