TCU Handles Wright State, Moves on in Winners Bracket

NCAA Fort Worth Regional, Game 2

Final Score: TCU 6, Wright State 3

A three run home run by Wright State's Casey McGrew kept things interesting on Friday night under the lights at Lupton Stadium, but the home-town, top-seeded Horned Frogs were able to prevail in their NCAA Regional opening round game. The fourth-seeded Raiders led the game 3-1 at one point, but TCU was able to match and better WSU's run production to clinch the win. 

The Horned Frogs will now move on to play the Beavers in tomorrow's 5 PM PT game. 

While the Horned Frogs deserve credit for winning the game, Wright State gave TCU a lot of freebies. WSU's starter, Ryan Ostrosky, gave up four walks in the first inning--the only inning in which he recorded outs. He walked the first three batters of the game before drawing a double-play that allowed the Raiders to escape the first inning and give up just one run. 

When Ostrosky took the mound in the second, he promptly hit Chris Ellington, then walked Jason Coasts. That would prove to be the end of Ostrosky's line. 

Wright State handed out ten walks in the game, compared to just four strikeouts-- a ratio that coaches would like to have the opposite way. A decent strikeout to walk ratio is considered to be 3.0, and the Raiders had a ratio of .4 against the Horned Frogs. Add in the 4 hit batsmen by WSU pitchers, and you have a 14:4 freebie to strikeout ratio. Not good. 

TCU right fielder Chris Ellington would go 3-for-3 in the game, scoring a run in the third inning. Jeff Coats, the left fielder, went 2-for-3, and four other players picked up a hit. The first three men in TCU's lineup were all hitless, as the four through nine batters were the only ones to get hits. 

Wright State will now play Texas A&M at 12 PM PT at Lupton Stadium, while the Horned Frogs move on to play Oregon State tonight at 5 PM PT. 

--Jake (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)