TCU starts fast with Skoug homer, races past Rice 13-5

Closing out a four-game homestand in style, TCU scored 10 runs in the first two innings and rolled to a 13-5 victory against Rice.

Evan Skoug hit a two-run homer, Cam Warner doubled in two runs, and five hitters brought in a run in the second inning as the Horned Frogs (7-1) matched their second-best start in 14 seasons under coach Jim Schlossnagle.

Austen Wade homered in the fifth inning, and Luken Baker went 3-for-3. Skoug and Warner both drove in three runs as TCU won three of four games in the homestand at Lupton Stadium to take momentum into the Shriners College Classic in Houston, where they will face three SEC teams in consecutive days.

“We all looked really comfortable from the get-go,” Wade said. “We had a meeting before batting practice, saying we know we’re a better-hitting team. The numbers may not show it, but continue to hit balls hard, continue to do the little things right in BP and focus on approach, and I think it showed up tonight.”

The only drawback to the night at Lupton Stadium for the Frogs was the early exit of starter Mitchell Traver, who was taken out of the game accompanied by the trainer after three batters. TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said Traver felt a “pull” in his back, where he spent last season recovering from a muscle strain.

TCU used Jake Eissler, Haylen Green, Ryan Burnett, Cal Coughlin, Trey Morris and Austin Boyles to finish the game. Eissler (2-0), who won with 2  1/3 innings of relief, and Morris each gave up an earned run.

“I’m really happy we got this tonight against such a great program in Rice, just from a confidence standpoint going into a weekend where you’re going to play the highest level of competition you can possibly play and in a great environment,” Schlossnagle said. “Obviously wanted to win a game, but was also hoping our hitters would find some success, because they’ve been working really hard at it.”

The onslaught began with Skoug’s two-run home run in the first inning, just the fourth hit of the season for the veteran catcher, but his second home run. It scored Wade, who led off with a single and was 3-for-4.

Baker followed with a single, but he was out at second trying to advance on a bobble in the outfield. The inning restarted with singles to left from Josh Watson and Nolan Brown, and Warner doubled down the line in right for a 4-0 lead.

In the second inning, five hitters drove in a run each, and a sixth scored on an error. Elliott Barzilli had an RBI double after Connor Wanhanen walked and Wade singled to lead off the inning. Skoug, Watson, Warner and Ryan Merrill had run-scoring ground balls.

TCU hitters began the game 9-for-12 with two doubles and a home run.

“I thought our at-bats, especially in the first half of the game, were as impressive as we’ve had — certainly this season, but really, in a while,” Schlossnagle said. “In a perfect world, that’s what you get. All the way through the lineup, guys were laying off pitches just out of the strike zone and putting good swings on the ones inside the strike zone.”

Left fielder Chace Sarchet homered to lead off the third inning for Rice against Eissler.

TCU shortstop Merrill made it 11-1 with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Wade homered leading off the fifth inning for a 12-1 lead.

Watson’s RBI single in the seventh made it 13-1.

Three unearned runs scored in the Rice eighth against Morris, making his season debut. After Dane Myers’ infield single to drive in a run with the bases loaded and two outs, Ryan Chandler hit a long fly ball to center field that went off the glove of TCU’s Austin Ingraham after a long run.

This story was originally published February 28, 2017 at 10:41 PM with the headline "TCU starts fast with Skoug homer, races past Rice 13-5."