TCU done in by Pacific’s pair of ninth-inning runs

From online and staff reports

TCU’s Andrew Mitchell gave up the go-ahead run to Pacific’s Tyger Pederson in the top of the ninth, and the Tigers held off the Horned Frogs with a 5-3 victory on Saturday at Lupton Stadium.

Pacific (5-8) went ahead moments after pinch hitter Kevin Cron singled in Jantzen Witte in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game 3-3.

Frogs pitcher Nick Frey (0-1) retired 10 of the 11 batters he faced, but the leadoff single he allowed to Taylor Murphy in the top of the ninth turned into the Tigers’ winning run. A sacrifice moved Murphy to second, and then TCU reliever Justin Scharf hit Tyler Sullivan with a pitch to put two on.

Mitchell came on for TCU (4-9), but his wild pitch moved both runners up before Pederson put Pacific up 4-3. Brett Sullivan provided the insurance run with an RBI single up the middle.

In the bottom of the ninth, Keaton Jones worked a leadoff walk but ended up stranded at second to end the game.

TCU starter Brandon Finnegan went five innings, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out four and walking two.

With the score tied 2-2 in the top of the fifth, Finnegan gave up a two-out RBI single to Dustin Torchio.

TCU stranded Cody Jones in the seventh inning after he moved into scoring position with one out. The Frogs left eight men on base for the game.

Witte led TCU’s offense with three hits, and Boomer White and Kyle Bacak each recorded an RBI.

Erik Lockwood had two RBIs and two hits for Pacific.

TCU will try to win its first home series of the season in the rubber match at 1 p.m. today.

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