April 17, 2011
SAN DIEGO - TCU scored four times in the top of the 10th inning to complete a three-game series sweep of San Diego State with a 7-4 victory over the Aztecs Sunday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The loss was the fifth straight for SDSU (11-25, 5-7 MWC) while the ninth-ranked Horned Frogs improved to 25-11 (10-2 MWC).
San Diego State had at least one runner on base in every inning, but its inability to get clutch hits would waste a stellar pitching performance by sophomore right-hander Bryan Crabb. On the afternoon, the Aztecs were only 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base.
SDSU found itself behind early for the third game of the weekend as TCU scored two runs in the opening frame to take a quick 2-0 lead. The Aztecs cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Brad Haynal and had runners at second and third with one out, but could do no further damage.
In the top of the third TCU put men on second and third with one out to end the afternoon for Aztec starter Ethan Miller. Crabb came on in relief and retired to the next two batters to end the threat. Crabb went on to shut out the Horned Frog from the third through sixth frames allowing a lone base runner on a hit by pitch.
Over that time the Aztec spurned a couple scoring opportunities to take control of the game. In the fourth they put the leadoff man on second, but could not advance him. In the fifth they had a runner on second with one out, but came up empty once again.
San Diego State finally tied the contest at 2-2 with a marker in the sixth as Jomel Torres led off with a walk, advanced to second on a balk and scored on Chris Wilson's double to left center. It was the second of three hits on the day for Wilson, who also scored once.
TCU first baseman Joe Weik finally broke through against Crabb as he led off the top of the seventh with a home run to give his team a 3-2 lead. But San Diego State wasted little time in re-tying the game with a run in the bottom of the inning when Jomel Torres singled home Cody Smith, who had led off with a single up the middle.
Crabb shut down the Horned Frogs in the eighth and ninth, but tired in the 10th as his pitch count neared the 100 mark. As a result TCU rallied for four runs on four hits. Although his final line would show 7.1 innings pitched with five runs allowed on seven hits and eight strikeouts, Crabb did all he could to keep the Aztecs in the game while waiting for some offensive support that did not materialize. He would take the loss to fall to 1-4 on the season.
TCU reliever Erik Miller was the beneficiary of his team's late rally as he was credited with the win to improve to 2-6. He did allow SDSU a run in the bottom of the 10th on an RBI double by Haynal before getting the final two outs to close out the contest.
Haynal finished with a pair of hits on the day with two runs batted in while teammates Cody Smith and Jomel Torres both recorded two singles and scored once.
Up next for the Aztecs is a non-conference contest on Tuesday, April 19, as they travel north to face 12th-ranked UCLA at 6:00 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.