http://collegebaseball360.com/tcu-pushes-bruins-to-the-brink/ http://collegebaseball360.com/tcu-pushes-bruins-to-the-brink/#comments Sat, 26 Jun 2010 04:06:48 +0000 http://collegebaseball360.com/?p=11915

www.simplesharebuttons.com

College World Series Gameday: TCU (53-13) vs. UCLA (50-14) …

Coming into the game between UCLA and TCU, a close inspection of the team stat page in each program’s media guide revealed some interesting data.

The number six and the sixth inning would be an important run total and a pivotal inning for both teams, in determining who was going to win the epic matchup involving two programs loaded with pitching depth.

Rob Rasmussen Wwent 4.1 innings giving up 3 Runs on 6 Hits. (Photo: Chase Titleman)

UCLA has piled up some impressive statistics, most impressive (other than the 50-14 record with a program-best 22-game win streak to start the season) is the PAC-10 season strikeout record in which the Bruins logged 665 punchouts in 582 innings (10.3 ’s per 9-inning game).

Equally impressive is limiting the opponent batting average to .217 and the fact that the offense has jumped into high gear, hitting .311 in eight postseason games this month.

At 50-14 overall, the Bruins sport a 21-4 record on the road, 8-3 in 1-run games and 4-0 in extra inning affairs. Overall, the quality pitching depth has limited opponents in 2010 to 0-2 runs in 30 ballgames (UCLA is 29-1 in those games).

With all these impressive stats running rampant in the media guide, it is rather hard to find a chink in the Bruin armor.

But a closer examination reveals that the Bruins are only 9-7 when the opponent scores in the first inning, which TCU did on Friday afternoon when Taylor Featherston drove in a run on a bases-loaded walk when UCLA starter Rob Rasmussen struggled with his command.

When UCLA scores in the first inning, they are 22-3 … but they drew a blank tonight in Omaha during the opening frame. Advantage TCU!

Furthermore, when trailing after six innings UCLA is 3-11, but when leading they are 43-1. So when the Bruins began the top of the 7th inning trailing 3-1, you can bet your bottom dollar the west-coasters were in a tight fix given the few statistical numbers that have not worked in their favor this season (although they did stage a memorable late-inning rally to beat Cal State Fullerton in the Super-Regional round).

Cody Regis started the 7th inning with a drag-bunt single on the first pitch, and a pitch later Joe Giovinnazo hit a high-chop grounder to third to advance Regis (iovinnazo was out on the play). Trevor Brown entered the game to pinch-hit for Uribe, a rather odd move considering Uribe is hitting .329 on the year while Brown is hitting .296, but Coach John Savage wanted a better right-left matcup versus the taltented LHP Matt Purke (Uribe swings lefthanded).

Working the count full at 3-2, Brown drew a walk, finally running the TCU All-American Purke from the game and setting up runners at 1st and 2nd with one out.

The pitching change called upon another decision by Savage and he chose lefthanded hitter Jeff Gelalich to hit for Krill, for the same reason as the Uribe-Brown scenario as the new TCU pitcher Tyler Lockwood is a veteran righthander.

When Gelalich grounded a ball to third base, only his foot speed prevented the Frogs from turning a double play ball to get out of the inning (his speed also would come in handy two batters later).

Steve Rodriguez then walked to load the bases, which brought up leadoff hitter Niko Gallego, who hit a high chopper to third base and once again the speed of Gelalich beat the race to the bag (prolonging the inning). The Bruins had cut the lead to 3-2, but Beau Amaral struckout in a key at-bat as the Bruins left three runners on base and swam upstream against the statistics all evening long.

UCLA’s chance to defy the statistical trend faded, as the Bruins now are 5-14 and 4-15 when trailing after the 8th and 9th innings, respectively. They will need to limit TCU from scoring in the 1st inning tomorrow and likely must hold TCU to 0-5 runs to enhance their oddes at victory.

Taylor Featherston, Jerome Pena & Bryan Holaday all homered for TCU

In the bottom of the inning, Matt Curry – who hit the thrilling gamewinning grand slam versus Florida State two nights ago –  singled to right and Jantzen Witte bunted Corry to second. Hot-hitting Taylor Featherston then hit a towering home run into the leftfield bleachers to extend the lead to 5-2. An inning later, Bryan Holaday hit his 16th home run of the season (TCU’s 99th long ball of the season) to slam the door on the Bruins at 6-2.

TCU Plays Long-Ball With The Bruins …Wins it 6-2

With each team now beating the other in Bracket #1, the third and decisive game of the head-to-head series will be decided tomorrow afternoon at either 1 p.m. or 6 p.m (depending on the outcome of the Clemson – South Carolina ballgame this evening). If Clemson wins, they will clinch a championship series berth and if South Carolina wins, it forces a game-3 doubleheader tomorrow for both brackets (first game at 1:00 p.m. and the second to begin 50 minutes following the completion of TCU vs UCLA).

UCLA Postgame Comments:

Coach John Savage:

“It was one of those days. … You have to give Matt Purke and TCU a ton of credit. I thought he did a good job of pounding the zone … seemed like we were swimming upstream all day. Credit Lockwood as well. We just have to make sure there is no residue tomorrow. We will go with [Trevor] Bauer. We had a misstep today, but give a lot of credit to TCU.

“I thought Rob [Rasmussen] did fine. He had some tough luck defensively. It seemed like we couldn’t finish innings defensively.  e walked three guys in 4.1 [innings], which is uncharacteristic. They pecked away and then got some big swings late.”

On the decision to go with Clayton Claypool: “We could have gone in many directions. … Tomorrow, we have plenty of arms out of the bullpen. Bauer is one day short of a normal week. [Gerrit] Cole will be ready to go and then we have Klein, Grace and Goeddel.”

UCLA PLAYERS

Starter Rob Rasmussen: “I just tried to keep my team in the game as much as possible. I think you have to give Matt Purke a ton of credit. He did an excellent job all day.”

Shortstop Niko Gallego: “Wind was really brutal out there. … The wind was blowing pretty good, TCU had to deal the same wind, we should have handled it better, but no excuses, we should have played better defensively and handled the wind better.  [On Purke] … Not anything that he was doing,. He was pitching well, he threw a great game, he has his own rhythm and stuck to it.”

TCU Postgame Comments:

Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle: “Really good win for us, UCLA has a really great club. Matt [Purke] did a good job of making adjustments, especially with the sinker. I was nervous after the first inning, leaving the bases loaded with the catch in center field. … That was a tremendous play. [Lockwood] pitching on fumes did a great job. We survived another day.”

On the number of close calls: “On maybe the check-swing I could see arguing, but I thought he was safe at third. You can only control the things that you can control. At least for me it has to be something very grievous for us to lose our cool.

“The scary thing about UCLA is they know who they are, they are doing the same thing we talk about … maximizing their time at bat and minimizing their time on the mound. I think they are very well-coached. Bauer is a 3- or 4-pitch guy, he has a great routine, mentally strong. I’m sure he is a bulldog. My college coach coached those guys in Team USA and has always gone on and on and on about those guys. It’s not about the team that is the best, it’s about the team that plays the best.

“This is classic, this is what Omaha’s all about. [UCLA] still is in the driver’s seat because they have the extra day’s rest.We are both against the wall due to elimination. I don’t know who we are going to pitch tomorrow, but we have some options. Don’t let coach Savage fool you, they are pretty loaded over there.”

On Matt Purke’s Performance: “Sign of a good pitcher is winning when you don’t have your best stuff. He got groundball outs in hitters counts. Anyone can pitch when you have your best stuff … that’s a piece of cake. Jerome [Pena] has done a great job. He hasn’t even played infield in JC ball, it’s all about pitching and defense.“

Secon Baseman Jerome Pena: “On the home run, I was behind in the count again so I was guessing a bit and I got a good swing on it.”

Starter Matt Purke: “This place is an adventure on its own. We’ve been told to expect the unexpected here. Something on the boxscore that you were interested in: I came in looking at the ERA, hoping I could get down under the three, yes, it was today’s game was like the game I had versus Arizona in the regional. Guys took a long time to get to the plate … you can’t get rattled by that. Sooner or later, I was going to get them out and they could take their time on the bench.”

On UCLA’s patience: “Best I could compare them to is Texas in terms of patience, they really like getting the first guy on and doing some hit-and-runs or steals. You you have to focus on getting ahead and keeping them off base. [13 groundball outs]:  These guys play phenomenal behind me.  Jerome joked with me during the FSU game that he didn’t get a ground ball. So he wanted one today”

Shortstop Taylor Featherston: “I feel like every one of my at-bats have come with two strikes, so I am kind of getting used to it.”



www.simplesharebuttons.com

]]> http://collegebaseball360.com/tcu-pushes-bruins-to-the-brink/feed/ 0

In the latest update of CB360’s exclusive Senior Class Salute, we take a look at a TCU baseball program that has accumulated one of the nation’s highest victory totals over the past four seasons (184-64; .742). The Horned Frogs today will be playing Florida State for the second time at the College World Series, with FSU (196-64; .754) also ranking among the winningest programs from 2007-10. (front page photo of Tyler Lockwood courtesy of TCU)

LOCKWOOD ranks as one of the more versatile and valuable pitchers at the 2010 College World Series, as a former starter who shifted into a relief/closer role this season (following the arrival of 1st-round talent Matt Purke). The 6-foot, 170-pound Lockwood has crafted a 1.97 ERA in 26 relief appearances this season, with 7 saves, a 6-2 record, nearly twice as many strikeouts as walks (36/17), and 6.1 more innings pitched than hits allowed (59.1/53). The Kempner High School product has help opposing hitters to a .239 batting avg., with his solid control numbers including only 5 hit batters and a single wild pitch.

Over the course of his stellar four-year career, Lockwood has compiled a 3.32 ERA and 22-8 record in 86 appearances (23 starts), with nearly a 3-to-1 career K-to-walk ratio (194/67) and 290 his allowed in 290.1 innings (30 HB, 12 WP, 7 SV).

MARSHALL – a 5th-year senior – played sparingly in 2006 and ’07 (1.1 innings each season) before making 53 relief appearances over the past three seasons. His career numbers with the Horned Frogs include a 4.00 ERA, 5-2 record and 10 saves, plus 56 strikeouts, 30 walks and 67 hits allowed in 72 innings (9 HB, 4 WP). The 6-foot-3, 140-pound veteran was TCU’s closer in 2009 (prior to Lockwood’s shift in role), with Marshall’s stellar 2009 season including a 1.48 ERA and 9 saves in 24 appearances (2-2, 20 K, 4 BB, 22 H, 30.1 IP).

MAXWELL – who has a 5th-year of eligibility (after making only three appearances in 2008) – has combined with the dominant lefthander Purke and sophomore RHP Kyle Winkler to form one of the nation’s top 3-man rotations this season. His strong 2010 season has included a 2.41 ERA and 11-2 record in 17 starts, with 89 strikeouts, only 34 walks and 83 hits allowed in 100.2 innings.

The three-headed monster of Maxwell-Purke-Winkler has combined for a 28-4 record and 2.89 ERA spanning 54 appearances (52 starts) and 327.1 innings during the 2010 season. The trio has amassed a 3.2-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (321/102) and has thrown 48 more innings than hits allowed (280). Opposing hitters have combined to hit only .280 vs. the TCU 3-man rotation this season.

In his four seasons at TCU, the 6-0/180-pound Maxwell has gone 16-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 47 appearances (31 starts … 150 K, 55 BB, 170 H, 14 HB, 8 WP in 178 innings).

The 28 teams on the list of winning programs from 2007-10 include six from the ACC, five SEC, plus three Big 12 programs and three from Conference USA, along with two each from the BIG EAST and Big West, and one each from the Atlantic-10, Big South, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, Pacific-10, Southern Conf. and the Summit League.

Three teams on this list – Wichita State (#15), Charlote (#18) and East Carolina (#20) – failed to reach the 2010 NCAAs.

There have been 76 different teams over the past four years (2007-10) that have posted at least one season with 40-plus wins.

Winningest Senior Classes in 2010 College Baseball Season (2007-10)
(through June 22 games at the 2010 College World Series)
(research courtesy of CollegeBaseball360.com; please credit accordingly)
* – 2010 College World Series teams

TCU Next Faces Florida State At CWS

Kyle Winkler fanned 6 in 7 1/3 IP Sunday to help TCU upend Texas.

2-1 to make the first trip to the College World Series in program history.  The Longhorns entered the nation with the best ERA in the nation, but TCU managed to win games one and three of the series by giving-up just a run in each game.  Texas notched its only win by a 14-1 margin on Saturday.

While TCU is making its first CWS appearance, Texas has the most trips to Omaha of any other program with 33.

By clicking the “Austin Super Regional” link above this page will expand to fully support the table below.

CLICK HERE for our Super Regional Central page where you will find links to other Super Regionals.

Best two of three series (All Times Eastern)

Gm 1 – Friday - FINAL: TCU 3, Texas 1 | Final Stats
TCU Recap | UT Recap * TCU leads series 1-0
* HIGHLIGHT:  Fr. Matt Purke 11 Ks, improves to 14-0

Gm 2 – Saturday – FINAL: Texas 14, TCU 1 |  Final Stats
TCU Recap | TX Recap Series Tied (1-1)  Series Notes
* HIGHLIGHTS: Taylor Jungmann 9 K in 8 1/3 IP
Tant Shepherd (4-5) HR, 3 RBIs

EXCLUSIVE postgame video interviews.

Gm 3 -Sunday FINAL: TCU 4, Texas 1 |  Final Stats
TCU Recap | TX Recap
Series Notes
* TCU wins series (2-1)

CB360 Podcast with TCU catcher Bryan Holaday

The Skinny

Texas: (#2 National Seed) A year after finishing as the runner-up at Omaha not much has changed for Augie Garrido’s Longhorns.  There was no signature 25-inning Regional game this year, but Texas still swept through the Austin Regional with wins over Rider, Louisiana-Lafayette and Rice by outscoring those three 19-3.  That 3-0 stretch followed three losses at the Big 12 Tournament, which was the team’s only 3-game losing streak this year.

The Longhorns lead the nation in both ERA (2.44) and fielding percentage (.980).  Closer Chance Ruffin leads the nation with a 0.73 ERA.  He has 14 saves and a 6-1 record in 36 appearances.  Taylor Jungmann (7-3, 2.10), Cole Green (11-1, 2.63) and Brandon Workman (12-1, 3.43) are nearly unrivaled as a weekend rotation, but the rotation they’ll see this weekend will give them a run for their money.

Texas is batting just .289 heading into the weekend, but Russell Moldenhauer’s .341 average leads six regulars who are hitting .305 or better.  The home run total (79) is up from a year ago, but small ball is still in play.  Texas ranks 4th in the nation with 72 sac bunts, with Brandon Loy’s 16 sac bunts tied for 6th nationally.  The Longhorns set an NCAA single game record with seven sac bunts in a Super Regional game vs. TCU last year.

TCU: TCU has hosted Regionals the last two years going a combined 6-0 in the process.  This is the second straight and overall Super Regional appearance for Jim Schlossnagle and the Horned Frogs.  TCU was in the conversation for one of the top eight national seeds, but finds itself at #2 national seed Texas for Super Regional play for a second straight year.

While pitching is the biggest strength of the Longhorns, TCU’s staff gives them a run for their money.  Starters Matt Purke (Louisville Slugger National Freshman of the Year), Kyle Winkler and Steven Maxwell are a combined 35-2 with 293 strikeouts and just 88 walks.  Meanwhile, Kaleb Merck (2-1, 1.08) and Tyler Lockwood (6-2, 2.06) have combined for eight save in 43 relief outings.

Jason Coats leads the TCU offense with a .377 avg. and 65 RBIs, Matt Curry has 17 HR and a team-best 12 SB and catcher Bryan Holaday (podcast above)  provides the leadership to go along with his 12 HR.

The Question:  Will anyone score any runs?

Austin Super Regional

A Look Around The Country At Saturday’s NCAA Action

• The hitting streak continues, but the season is over.  Garrett Wittels extended his hitting streak to 56 games in Florida International’s 15-9 loss to Dartmouth.  The loss eliminated FIU from the Coral Gables Regional.  That means Wittels will begin the 2011 season needing hits in his first two games to tie Robin Ventura for the all-time Division One record hit streak.
  

  Garrett Wittels (FIU photo)

• ““Teams are gonna know what to anticipate.  He likes to drive the ball away.  Look for some teams to try to different things next season.  Try busting him hard inside.  Nobody tried to do that.  We know he can push the ball into right center field, but can he turn on the ball?  I think that’s gonna be the test.”  That’s what ESPNU studio analyst Jay Walker had to say about Wittels and how other teams might approach him next year.  So let me get this straight…Wittels batted .409 this season, hit safely in 56 games, smacked 20 doubles, and came to the plate 237 times, but nobody ever challenged him inside once and he never once turned on the ball?  Great analysis Jay (I hope the sarcasm is detected)!  Anyone who hits in 56 straight and bats .400 over the course of the season is going to do it by going to all fields.  More great analysis by someone we’ve never heard of who probably saw all of eight of Wittels’ at-bats this season.
• Dartmouth clean-up batter Jason Brooks was 2-for-5 in the win over FIU with a grand slam and a total of 6 RBIs.  The win was the first for Dartmouth in the NCAA Tournament since 1987 and the first for the Ivy League since Princeton won a game in 2004.
• Not to be outdone, Illinois State got its first NCAA win in 34 years by downing St. Louis 8-3 in the Louisville Regional elimination game.  Kevin Tokarski homered and drove-in four.
  

  Anthony Rendon (Rice photo)

• Anthony Rendon jacked 3 HR and totaled 7 RBIs to lead Rice to a resounding 19-1 elimination game win over Rider at the Austin Regional.  With the Owls leading 11-0 Wayne Graham lifted starter Taylor Wall after 3 2/3 hitless innings.
• Southern Mississippi’s Taylor Walker was 4-for-4 with a home runs, 4 runs and 4 RBIs in an Auburn Regional elimination win over Jacksonville State.
• Matt Weisinger hit two of St. John’s‘ four home runs in Charlottesville to help the Red Storm eliminate VCU 8-6.
• Baylor beat Lamar 6-5 in Ft. Worth.  Logan Vick had his 29th extra base hit to set a freshman school record.
• Florida Atlantic had a season-high 18 hits to eliminate Bethune-Cookman with a 12-6 win in Gainesville.
• Buddy Sosnoskie belted two HR with 6 RBIs to help Virginia Tech beat Bucknell 16-7.
• Stony Brook eliminated North Carolina State with a 6-2 win in Myrtle Beach.  Sophomore Tyler Johnson (10-3) set a new Seawolves single-season record for wins.  Johnson notched 10 Ks in 8 IP.
• Tyler Garwal hit a walk-off home run to keep Oral Roberts‘ season going with a 9-8 win over Cal in Norman.  The Golden Eagles hit 4 HR and won despite walking 9 batters.
• Francis Larson hit his 25th career home run to help UC Irvine beat Kent State 19-9 in the L.A. elimination game.  Larson has now hit the most home runs in Anteater history.
  

  Neil Holland (UofL photo)

• Louisville’s 7-1 win over Vanderbilt set a program record with the 50th win of the season for the Cardinals.  Neil Holland got his 17th save with 3 shutout innings of one hit ball.
• How confident was Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell that his team could start Regional play 2-0?  Cardinal ace Thomas Royse (9-1, 2.91 ERA) did not start either of his team’s first two games.  He’ll start Sunday, which is the final game of McDonnell’s 3-game suspension.
• Mike Olt is UConn’s all-time home run (44) and RBI (177) leader after belting two long balls with a career-best 8 RBIs as the Huskies routed Central Connecticut State 25-5.  UConn now faces Oregon, which lost 6-4  to Florida State.
• Rain and lightening caused two hours and 28 minutes of delay, but Miami cruised to a 14-1 win over Texas A&M.  Hurricane 1B Scott Lawson was 4-for-6 with 3 HR and 6 RBIs.
• Danny Hultzen gave-up 6 earned runs in 6 IP, but still improved to 10-1 as Virginia beat Ole Miss. 13-7.  The Cavaliers tied a school record with their 49th win.
• Mike Ferraro was 4-for-6 with a home run, two doubles and 6 RBIs to lead San Diego to a resounding 22-1 elimination game win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Tempe.
• Here’s a lesson to the kids at home: ALWAYS RUN IT OUT.  Stanford’s Colin Walsh hit a fairly routine fly ball to left field, but Cal State Fullerton’s Casey Watkins dropped it.  Walsh motored all the way to third on the play and scored on a single by Stephen Piscotty.  The Titans still won 6-5 thanks to a pair of 2-run home runs by Christian Colon.
• Stanford goes 0-2 at the Fullerton Regional.  It’s just the second time Stanford has gone two and out in Regional play.  The last time it happened was in 1994 in Austin, TX.
• There were a total of seven upsets on Saturday.  Five #4 seeds won, with three of those wins vs. #2 seeds.  Two #1 seeds lost to #2 seeds.
• Minnesota is the Cinderella of the Regionals so far.  The fourth-seeded Golden Gophers downed #3 New Mexico 6-4 in 10 innings the Fullerton winner’s bracket game to go to 2-0.
• Scott Matyas struckout 8 in three scoreless, hitless innings of relief to improve to 5-1.
• Eight of Saturday’s Regional games were decided by double digits.
• Citadel’s 1-3 batters combined to go just 2-for-12 in their 9-4 loss to South Carolina.  The Gamecocks used a 5-run 7th inning to take the win.
• Starting pitchers Blake Cooper (11-1) of South Carolina and Asher Wojciechowski (12-3) of The Citadel combined for 23 strikeouts and just 4 walks.
  

  Trevor Bauer (UCLA photo)

• Trevor Bauer had 11 strikeouts to lead UCLA to a 6-3 win over defending national champion LSU in the L.A. winner’s bracket game.  Anthony Ranaudo had 10 Ks in the loss.
• The Bruins (45-13) tied a program record for most wins in one season.  It equals the win total from the Bruins’ 1997 team (45-19-1), which was the last UCLA program to go to the College World Series.
• Junior Casey Harman tossed the first complete game of his career to help #2 seed Clemson topple #1 Auburn 5-2  in Auburn.  Harman scattered five hits with 8 strikeouts.
• Arizona State’s Seth Blair is 12-0 after giving-up just a run in 7 IP as the overall #1 seeded Sun Devils rolled Hawaii 12-1.
• Joe Weik smacked two home runs and had a career-high 6 RBIs to help TCU down Arizona 11-5.  The Horned Frogs improve to 48-11 to tie the school record for wins in a season.
• TCU pitchers Matt Purke (13-0) and Tyler Lockwood combined for 10 strikeouts, making TCU 21-0 when its pitchers have at least 10 Ks in a game.