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Late rallies for ninth straight, sweeps UNLV 3-2 in extras
April 13, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - Jimmie Pharr's tenth inning single plated Bryan Holaday with the winning run as the TCU Horned Frogs rallied for a 3-2 win Sunday afternoon. The sweep is the second straight for the Horned Frogs, who run their season-long winning streak to nine games and keeps them undefeated in the month of April. TCU won for the third time this season when trailing after eight as they were down 2-1 going into the ninth inning. With one out in the tenth inning, Holaday took an Adam Moser offering off the back side and moved to second when Moser uncorked a wild pitch. Pharr was facing a 1-2 count against the Rebel closer and came through with a base hit to left field that scored Holaday easily from second to give the Frogs the come-from-behind victory. The tenth inning was made necessary by a furious ninth inning rally. Matt Carpenter doubled with one out and scored the tying run on a Hunt Woodruff single to left field. Matt Vern followed with a base hit and both runners moved up 90 feet on Moser's first wild pitch of the game. The reliever settled in and retired the last two batters in the inning to keep it a tie game. UNLV had led the entire game as it picked up a two-out run in the top of the first inning. J.J. Sferra worked a lead-off walk and moved to second on a Jesse Wight sacrifice. Braden Walker gave the Rebels their first lead of the series with a single through the left side. Rebel starter Thomas Whitsett did a good job keeping the Frogs in check as he surrendered just two hits, both to Ben Carruthers, through the first four innings. Meanwhile, TCU starter Greg Holle settled down after the first inning and retired nine straight before issuing a two-out walk in the fourth. After giving up a second walk, Holle got Rance Roundy to line out to center to end the fourth inning with the Frogs still trailing 1-0. TCU was able to finally knot the game at 1-1 as they took advantage of two walks in the fifth inning. Carpenter worked a one-out walk and stole second base. Vern walked with two outs to keep the inning alive for Carruthers who came through with his third base hit to tie the game. UNLV responded in the top of the sixth, regaining the lead on a Michael Brenly sacrifice fly. Xavier Scruggs and Walker reached on back-to-back singles and Scruggs moved to third on a wild pitch. Brenly drove the ball to deep left field to score Scruggs with the go-ahead run. The Rebels looked poised to extend their lead in the eighth after a lead-off double and an intentional walk. Trying to bunt the runners over, Walker popped up the Trent Appleby offering. Appleby made a great falling catch, got up quickly and threw to second to double off the runner. Both runners were moving on the pitch and it was an easy turn for Bryan Kervin, who stepped on second and chased down Scruggs to complete the triple play. Holle tossed seven innings in the no-decision, allowing two runs on three hits. He walked three and struck out three. Appleby threw two scoreless innings and Andrew Cashner (7-1) pitched a perfect tenth inning with two strikeouts to pick up the victory. The Frogs improve to 23-12 on the season and kept pace in the race for the conference tournament title, moving to 8-4 in league play. TCU returns to the diamond on Tuesday night against Oklahoma. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Lupton Stadium. Game Notes:
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