OMAHA, Neb. — Unable to rally from an early deficit, Texas A&M fell to TCU, 4-1,
on Tuesday afternoon and was eliminated from the College World Series. The loss marked the third consecutive year the Aggies (41-23) had their season ended by TCU (48-17).
Starting pitcher Stephen Kolek (4-5) struggled from the outset and allowed four runs in 2.2 innings. Trailing
1-0 in the third, Kolek allowed a lead-off home run to Ryan Merrill,
hit a batter, gave up a run-scoring Evan Skoug double and a run-scoring
single to Elliott Barzilli in a three-run rally.
Kaylor Chafin
came on in relief and pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, but A&M could
not seriously threaten TCU starting pitcher Brian Howard (12-3), who
struck out 12. Austin Homan led off the sixth with a single, went
to third on Cole Bedford’s double and scored on a Braden Shewmake
ground out to score the Aggies’ only run.
Howard exited the game when George Janca led off the eighth with a double to deep center field. However, Sean Wymer came on to retire all six batters he faced.
The Aggies struggled mightily against TCU starting pitcher Brian Howard, who struck out 12 and allowed five hits and one run in seven innings.
At
the plate: The Aggies struggled mightily against TCU starting pitcher
Brian Howard, who struck out 12 and allowed five hits and one run in seven
innings. Cole Bedford, Braden Shewmake and George Janca all had doubles.
However, Shewmake got the only RBI on a ground out to second on which
Austin Homan scored.
On the mound: Kaylor Chafin relieved starter
Stephen Kolek in the third inning with TCU leading, 4-0. The Horned
Frogs were looking to add to their total with runners at the corners.
Instead, Chafin induced Connor Wanhanen to ground out to second baseman
Braden Shewmake. Chafin then pitched five consecutive scoreless innings
to at least give the Aggies a chance to get back in contention. Kolen
gave up just three hits and struck out six.
In the field:
Shortstop Austin Homan made two nice fielding plays on the run to get
outs in the third inning. He also made two put-outs in the fifth. His
best play came in the fourth when TCU’s Josh Watson tried to advance to
third base on Ryan Merrill’s fly ball to right. Homan took the throw
from Blake Kopetsky and made the relay throw to third baseman George
Janca in time to throw out Watson for a double play.
Turning
point: TCU No. 9 hitter Ryan Merrill led off the third inning with a
home run. That was the first strike in three-run inning that staked the
Horned Frogs to a 4-0 lead. That was more than enough run support for
pitcher Brian Howard.
Good/bad move: Coach Rob Childress resisted
some calls to bench Homan, who had been mired in a 1-for-29 slump.
Childress was rewarded for staying with his senior shortstop. Homan
turned in a strong defensive showing in the field. He also delivered a
lead-off single in the sixth and eventually scored the Aggies' only run.
Play was delayed because a squirrel got on the field and eluded the grounds crew as they chased him on the warning track near the third base dugout.
Did
you see that?: For some squirrelly reason, action was delayed a few
minutes between the fourth and fifth innings. That’s because a squirrel
got on the field and eluded the grounds crew as they chased him on the
warning track near the third base dugout. The squirrel hid behind the
tarp and didn’t reappear, so the game resumed.
Scoring summary
First inning: A&M:
(vs. pitcher Brian Howard): Nick Choruby K (swinging); Cole Bedford K
(looking); Braden Shewmake doubles to LCF gap; Hunter Coleman K
(swinging);
TCU: (vs. pitcher Stephen Kolek): Austen Wade BB; Zach
Humphreys BB, Wade to second; Evan Skoug K (swinging); Cam Warner K
(swinging), Wade out stealing 2-5.
Texas A&M 0, TCU 0Second inning: A&M: Blake Kopetsky K (swinging); Walker Pennington K (swinging); Joel Davis K (swinging).
TCU: Nolan Brown 2B down LF line; Elliott Barzilli 6-3, Brown to third; Connor Wanhanen 6-3, Brown scores; Josh Watson L-5.
TCU 1, Texas A&M 0Third inning: A&M: George Janca 6-3; Austin Homan P-5 (foul ground); Choruby 4-3.
TCU:
Ryan Merrill HR; Wade 3-1; Humphreys HBP; Skoug RBI double to CF,
Humphreys scored; Warner 5-3; Brown reaches E-4, Skoug to third;
Barzilli RBI single to RF, Skoug scores, Brown to third. (NEW PITCHER:
Kaylor Chafin): Wanhanen 4-3.
TCU 4, Texas A&M 0Fourth inning: A&M: Bedford P-3 (foul); Shewmake K (swinging); Coleman singles to LF; Kopetsky F-7.
TCU: Watson singles to RF; Watson steals second; Merrill F-9, Watson out trying to advance 9-6-5; Wade K (swinging).
TCU 4, Texas A&M 0Fifth inning: A&M: Pennington K (swinging); Davis K (swinging); Janca F-9.
TCU: Humphreys 6-3; Skoug K (swinging); Warner 6-3.
TCU 4, Texas A&M 0Sixth inning: A&M:
Homan singles to LF; Choruby K (swinging); Bedford doubles down LF
line, Homan to third; Shewmake 4-3, Homan scores, Bedford to third;
Coleman K (swinging).
TCU: Brown L-4; Barzilli singles to LF; Wanhanen singles to RF, Barzilli to second; Watson F-8; Merrill K (swinging).
TCU 4, Texas A&M 1Seventh inning: A&M: Kopetsky F-8; Pennington K (swinging); Pinch hitter Baine Schoenvogel 6-3.
TCU: Wade grounded 3-unassisted; Humphreys K (swinging); Skoug K (swinging).
TCU 4, Texas A&M 1Eighth inning: A&M:
Janca doubles to CF; (NEW PITCHER: SEAN WYMER): Pinch Hitter Jorge
Gutierrez K (looking); Choruby 1-3; Bedford K (swinging).
TCU: Warner K (swinging); Brown 6-3; Barzilli 5-3.
TCU 4, Texas A&M 1Ninth inning: A&M: Shewmake 3-1; Coleman 5-3; Kopetsky 6-3.
Final: TCU 4, Texas A&M 1
