Stephen F. Austin
14-25
TCU
20-17
TCU Too Much for 'Jacks in 15-5 Tuesday Night Setback
4/24/2018 9:31:00 PM | Baseball
Evans drives in three runs and homers in SFA's midweek loss
FORT WORTH, Texas - Although it was able to strike early with a first-inning run, the Stephen F. Austin baseball team found itself unable to withstand a powerful offensive attack by TCU who pounded out 13 hits in the 'Jacks' 15-5 setback to the Horned Frogs Tuesday evening at Lupton Stadium.
In search of a second-straight victory over their in-state Big 12 adversaries, the 'Jacks instead gave up a season-high 13 walks to the Horned Frogs who posted their highest single-game run total of the season to snap a three-game losing streak.
Senior Josh Evans produced the majority of the 'Jacks' offense, finishing with three RBI on a 1-for-3 night at the dish. The Ponca City, Okla., product blasted his team-leading seventh home run of the season in the sixth after his RBI groundout in the first gave the visitors their only lead of the game.
Nic Minor started the game with a double off of TCU starter Russell Smith and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Georgiades before Evans' productive out brought the junior home and handed SFA a 1-0 lead. Evans' groundout, however, represented the starting point of a stretch of 12 consecutive SFA batters Smith retired.
While the 'Jacks' offense was at a premium after Smith settled into his groove, the Horned Frogs had little trouble getting runs off of SFA starter Jordan Powell. SFA's freshman gave up five runs on five hits and a pair of walks during his start which lasted just one-third of an inning.
Consecutive RBI doubles by TCU in the fourth provided the hosts with enough offense to notch their 20th win of the season but the Horned Frogs didn't stop there. Despite striking for just two hits in the fifth, TCU managed to plate seven runs thanks in part to six walks issued by SFA relief arm Austin Cornish in the frame.
The Horned Frogs capped their seven-run frame with a two-out, three-run triple off the bat of Conner Shepherd who finished with a game-high four RBI.
SFA cut into TCU's lead with Evans' two-run shot in the sixth and plated another pair of runs in the seventh when Jhon Santos got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Will Cerny reached on an RBI fielder's choice.
Nine 'Jacks finished with a hit including Tyler Kimball who registered his first career base-knock in an SFA uniform with a one-out triple in the top of the eighth. Five Horned Frogs had multi-hit games with A.J. Balta and Michael Landestory going 2-for-5 with three RBI apiece.
Powell (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season while Smith (3-2) tossed six innings of three-run baseball to pick up the victory.
A four-game road trip for the 'Jacks concludes this weekend in Hammond, La., when SFA takes on Southland Conference foe Southeastern Louisiana in a three-game league series. Game one between the 'Jacks and the Lions is set for 6:00 p.m. Friday evening
-SFA-
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Smith, Russell (3-2)
L: Powell, Jordan (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Minor, Nic 1 ; Kimball, Tyler 1
HR: Evans, Josh 1
RBI: Santos, Jhon 1 ; Evans, Josh 3 ; Cerny, Will 1
SH: Georgiades, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Minor, Nic 1 ; Georgiades, Jake 1 ; Evans, Josh 1 ; Huber, Jarrod 1 ; Williams, Cody 1
HBP: Santos, Jhon 1 ; Martin, Jared 1
Batting:
2B: Landestoy, Michael 1 ; Rizer, Johnny 1
3B: Balta, A.J. 1 ; Shepherd, Conner 1
RBI: Parrish, Colton 1 ; Balta, A.J. 3 ; Landestoy, Michael 3 ; Rizer, Johnny 2 ; Shepherd, Conner 4 ; Boulware, Coby 1 ; Wanhanen, Connor 1
SF: Wanhanen, Connor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Parrish, Colton 1 ; Watson, Josh 3 ; Balta, A.J. 1 ; Landestoy, Michael 2 ; Rizer, Johnny 2 ; Oviedo, Adam 2 ; Shepherd, Conner 1 ; Boulware, Coby 1 ; Wanhanen, Connor 2
SB: Boulware, Coby 1
