TCU regains ace but loses slugging king in loss to Abilene Christian
Just when TCU baseball was finding its groove again, another setback. This time, it was more than just a loss.
Friday night ace Jared Janczak returned to action for the first time since March 30, but what the baseball gods giveth, the baseball gods taketh away.
Janczak's return — one scheduled inning to start Tuesday's game against Abilene Christian at Lupton Stadium — was marred by Horned Frogs slugger Luken Baker limping out of the game after an injury on the base paths in the seventh inning.
Baker caught his spikes in the dirt in front of second base and broke a bone in his lower left leg. He was helped off the field by TCU trainer Danny Wheat.
He'll be examined by a foot and leg specialist on Wednesday. Baker's season in 2017 was cut short by a left arm injury in May. Baker leads the Frogs with nine homers and 26 RBIs.
"I don't know what to say," TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle said. "Nobody is going to feel sorry for us."
The Frogs' four-game winning streak was snapped with a 4-2 loss in 11 innings against ACU but the bigger concern is Baker's prognosis.
He'll be evaluated more on Wednesday and is unlikely to play against UT Arlington (19-17) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Clay Gould Ballpark in Arlington. The Mavs beat Dallas Baptist 7-2 Tuesday night.
Abilene Christian took a 4-2 lead with two runs in the top of the 11th. ACU had the bases loaded against Durbin Feltman after a hit batter, a walk, and a fielding error by Connor Wanhanen, who failed to field a sacrifice bunt cleanly. Wanhanen replaced Baker at first after the injury.
After a strikeout, Feltman hit Caleb Kyle to push across the go-ahead run. Another run scored on a bases-loaded walk. Jake Eissler replaced Feltman for the final two outs.
Janczak allowed one unearned run after hitting the first batter and committing a throwing error to first on a sacrifice bunt attempt. He allowed one hit and threw 23 pitches, including 15 strikes. Janczak hadn't pitched since March 30 because of a neck issue.
TCU (18-14) tied it in the fifth with a bases-loaded walk from Baker and a sacrifice fly from A.J. Balta. Josh Watson was thrown out trying to score the go-ahead run to end the inning.
Right fielder Riley Donahue made a perfect throw and catcher Wesley Phillips applied the tag as Watson tried his best avert it.
ACU took a 2-0 lead with a run in the fifth on Mansfield Legacy graduate Dalton Dunn's RBI double to left-center field.
This story was originally published April 17, 2018 at 10:14 PM with the headline "TCU regains ace but loses slugging king in loss to Abilene Christian."