FORT WORTH, Texas. — The marquee Friday match-up between No. 1 TCU and No. 3 LSU lived up to its billing Friday in Game 3 of the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park. The Tigers struck early, but a five-run second propelled the Horned Frogs to a 9-6 victory.
BALLGAME! TCU improves to 8-1 with a 9-6 win over #3 LSU on Friday night. Howard (2-1) w/ the win; King w/ the save (1). #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/jKZ3whSTEr
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) March 4, 2017
Playing the role of visitors for just the second time this season, the Horned Frogs jumped out to an early lead in the first. With runners on the corners and two out, Josh Watson bounced a double down the right field line for a 1-0 lead.
LSU responded in the bottom of the frame, sending all nine batters to the plate and scoring four times to take a 4-1 lead. Jake Slaughter made it a 3-1 ballgame with a bases-loaded two-run single. A double from Jordan Romero capped the scoring.
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TCU wasted little time regaining the advantage. A pair of walks brought Austen Wadeto the plate as the tying run. He launched his third home run of the season into the right field seats for a 4-4 game. Three batters later with Evan Skoug on first, Luken Baker blasted his fourth home run of the season to left for a 6-4 advantage.
#BAKERBOMBS His fourth of the year gives TCU a 6-4 lead and chases Alex Lange from the game. #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/4TwmUtvJhs
— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) March 4, 2017
The combination of Brian Howard (2-1) and Charles King settled in and held the Tigers in check the remainder of the game. Howard allowed just four base runners over the next four innings before giving way to King, who pitched the final four innings.
TCU added single runs in the fifth, sixth and ninth to extend its lead to 9-4 heading into the ninth. Cam Warner and Skoug picked up a two-out hit each to drive in the fifth- and sixth-inning runs. In the ninth, Baker doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an errant throw.
LSU didn’t go quietly, as it pushed across a pair of unearned runs in the ninth. King was able to retire the final two batters of the inning without further damage for his first career save.
Stat of the game
5: TCU scored five times in the second inning and never looked back en route to the win. It’s the 19th time this season the Horned Frogs have scored multiple runs in an inning.
