Feb. 18, 2017
No. 1 | |
| 1 | 12 |
| Lupton Field | Fort Worth, Texas | 5,507 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| VIDEO: Postgame Comments |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
FORT WORTH, Texas ââ'¬" Penn State got on the scoreboard first but No. 1 TCU did all of the scoring after as the Horned Frogs defeated the Nittany Lions, 12-1, in non-conference baseball action Saturday afternoon in Lupton Stadium.
The teams will conclude the series starting Sunday at Noon ET. First pitch has been moved up one hour from the originally scheduled time due to the threat of inclement weather. The game will still be televised on FSSW+, but will be on tape delay beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Mobile users will also be able to tune in on the FOX Sports Go app.
Centerfielder Nolan Brown paced TCU (2-0) offensively, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs, a double and two runs scored, while third baseman Elliot Barzilli went 3-for-4 with two runs and a home run. The Horned Frogs also took advantage of five walks and two hit batsmen while only yielding one walk.
Penn State (0-2) struck first in the contest with a run in the first inning. With two outs in the frame, second baseman Conlin Hughes (Holly Springs, N.C.) singled through the left side, and he scored when catcher Willie Burger (Lancaster, Pa.) followed with a double to the right gap that Brown was unable to haul in diving on the warning track. However, RHP Brian Howard (1-0) was perfect for TCU after the inning until yielding another single through the left side to Hughes in the sixth. He allowed just the one run on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts in six innings of work.
Hughes led Penn State at the plate, with two of the Nittany Lions' five hits on the afternoon.
TCU went in front the second inning, chasing LHP Taylor Lehman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) (0-1) after 1 1/3. Lehman surrendered a walk and single to start the frame, and both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and then scored on a single to right field by Brown. Right fielder Austen Wade added an RBI-single for a 3-1 lead before RHP Nick Distasio (Oley, Pa.) took over and struck out both batters he faced.
Left fielder Josh Watson and catcher Zach Humphries both hit sacrifice flies in the third for a 5-1 lead, and then TCU broke it open in the fourth with six runs. Brown and shortstop Mason Hesse both had two-RBI hits. Barzilli homered to lead off the fifth for a 12-1 margin.
The home run would be the only significant blemish for Penn State RHP Schuyler Bates (Ossining, N.Y.), as he worked two scoreless frames and struck out one. Redshirt freshman RHP Eric Mock (Shillington, Pa.) made his collegiate debut and worked around a pair of walks and struck out one to finish the game for the Nittany Lions.