MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – No. 5 TCU rallied for an 8-2 win over West Virginia Friday night in Morgantown. The Horned Frogs are now alone at the top of the Big 12 standings with a 13-3 conference record. Gray Rodgers led the Frogs offensively with a three hit, three RBI contest.
West Virginia scored a first inning run and Mountaineer starter Jackson Wolf held the Horned Frogs hitless through four innings. But a lead-off walk to Hunter Wolfe in the fifth got the Frogs going.
With runners on the corners and one out, Luke Boyers looped a single into right to tie the game at one. Tommy Sacco lined a two run single up the middle for a 3-1 advantage.
West Virginia got a run back in the bottom of the inning, helped along by a trio of walks that loaded the bases with only one out. With a run in and the bases still loaded, Drew Hill got Mikey Kluska to ground into an inning-ending double play.
It was all Frogs from there. Rodgers singled in a run in the sixth to restore TCU’s two-run advantage, 4-2. He scored in the eighth on a Phillip Sikes triple for a 5-2 lead.
A two out rally in the ninth led to three runs and a comfortable 8-2 lead. With Gene Wood and Hunter Wolfe on, Rodgers lined a double into left to drive in both runners. He scored easily on Sikes’ second hit of the game.
Russell Smith made his return to the mound. He allowed two runs on four hits, walked three and struck out three in 4 1/3 innings. Hill (2-0) was outstanding in tossing a season-high 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. He surrendered two hits, walked one and struck out five.
Stat of the Game:
10 – Drew Hill retired the last 10 batters he faced in the game, picking up the win in relief.
Notes:
- TCU has stolen multiple bases in 20 games this year.
- TCU outhit its opponent for the 28thtime this season.
- TCU tallied double digit hits for the 25thtime this season.
- TCU played errorless baseball for the 21st time this season.
- Brayden Taylor has reached base safely in 20 straight.
- Taylor stretched his hitting streak to 11 games.
- Zach Humphreys has reached safely in 13 straight.
- Humphreys stretched his hitting streak to six games.
- Gray Rodgers has reached safely in 13 straight games.
- Rodgers tallied his ninth multi-hit game of the year and the 16thof his career.
- Rodgers recorded his eighth multi-RBI game of the season and the 11thof his career.
- Phillip Sikes has reached safely in 30 straight contests.
- Sikes notched his 18thmulti-hit game of the year and the 20th of his career.
- Sikes tallied his 14th multi-RBI game of the season and the 15th of his career.
- Luke Boyers recorded his eighth career multi-hit game of the season.
- Tommy Sacco posted his fourth multi-RBI game of the season and the seventh of his career.
Next Up:
With the victory, the Horned Frogs improve to 31-10 on the season and 13-3 in Big 12 play. TCU and West Virginia will square off in Game 2 of the series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Austin Krob will get the start for the Horned Frogs. The game will be televised on ESPNU.