FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
DALLAS, Texas – The TCU Horned Frogs scored six unanswered runs to erase an early 4-0 deficit to defeat the Dallas Baptist Patriots Monday night at Patriot Field. The victory is the fourth straight for the Frogs and the 13th in the month of April. With the win, TCU swept the three-game series with Dallas Baptist this season. Bryan Holaday was the offensive star for the Frogs three hits and four RBI, including his first home run of the season.
The Patriots came out swinging in the bottom of the first inning as they jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Ryan Enos led off with a double and moved to third on a throwing error. Ryan Goins put DBU up 1-0 with a safety squeeze. After a single and a hit-by-pitch put two on with only the one out, Nick Santos came through with a two-run double to extend its lead to 3-0.
Dallas Baptist added to its lead with three straight hits to open the second inning. With two on and nobody, Trent Appleby came on and retired the next three batters to limit the damage and keep the Frog deficit to four runs.
After numerous opportunities to score runs, the Frogs were finally able to crack the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning. Chris Ellington got things rolling with a two-out double down the left field line. Steve Ellington drew a four-pitch walk and Holaday battled a 1-2 count and came away with an RBI single up the middle to cut into the DBU lead. Second baseman Ryan Goins made a diving stop on a ball hit by Matt Carpenter to get the Patriots out of the jam.
TCU was finally able to put together a big inning to get the game tied at four. The Frogs had had runners on in every inning but couldn’t string hits together until the seventh inning.
Clint Arnold roped a single to center to start the inning. Steve Ellington reached on a bunt single and Arnold was able to move on an errant throw by the third baseman. With one swing of the bat, Holaday tied the game as he launched the Wayne Dowling offering over the left center field fence for his first home run of the season.
Appleby was masterful for the Frogs as he silenced the Patriot bats. He tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings of three hit ball. He didn’t walk anybody and struck out one. He was cruising in the seventh inning when he was hit by a line drive. The freshman hung with the ball and threw out the runner before falling to the ground. He walked off the pain and stayed in to face one batter before giving way to Eric Marshall (3-0) to finish the inning.
The comeback was completed in the top of the eighth inning as the Frogs struck for two runs without the benefit of a hit. DBU reliever Tyson Bagley struggled with is control as he issued three walks, hit a batter and tossed two wild pitches. With the bases loaded, Steve Ellington gave the Frogs the lead with a sacrifice fly and Arnold scored on a passed ball.
Andrew Cashner came on in the eighth with a runner on first and no outs. After surrendering a walk to put two on with no outs, he retired the next three batters to get out of the inning. He worked around a two-out double in the ninth to shut the door on the Patriots for his fifth save of the season.
The Frogs improve to 27-13 overall. They will hit the diamond again on Tuesday night as they head north to Norman, Okla. for a rematch with Oklahoma. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.
