Little-used former TCU hero delivers as Frogs bounce back

No one has to tell senior outfielder Evan Williams he won’t get many at-bats for TCU this season.

But however many it is will be better than nothing — which is what it looked like a year ago when a car accident resulted in surgery on his left collarbone and right shoulder and had him contemplating the end of his career.

“At one point, I didn’t think I was going to be able to throw ever again,” he said.

Well, he can throw again. And he can hit.

Williams was in the lineup Saturday as the designated hitter, and batting ninth, he doubled to drive in three runs in the seventh inning. That provided the padding in the top-ranked Horned Frogs’ 8-4 victory against Arizona State at Lupton Stadium.

He finished 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in his first start after missing all of 2016. Outside of one at-bat earlier this season, his last action was June 16, 2015, when he singled in a pinch-hit appearance in a College World Series game against Vanderbilt. That same postseason, he singled to lead off the 10th inning and scored the winning run in the Frogs’ miracle comeback against N.C. State that won the Fort Worth Regional.

“He had some big at-bats for us in 2015,” coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “He’s been around elite baseball. With our corner outfield, first base, DH situation, it’s tough to find him at-bats. But he’s a big part of our club. He’s a big team favorite. Guys root for him like crazy. I’m always going to be looking for opportunities to get him in a game.”

Saturday, with the bases loaded in the seventh inning and TCU leading 5-1 after Ryan Merrill’s infield single with two out, Williams drove the first pitch he saw to left center, and the ball rolled to the track to clear the bases for an 8-1 lead.

The senior from McKinney stood at second base and soaked in the moment — a reward for 13 months of work and waiting following his accident on the way to the Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2, 2016.

“Rehabbing was pretty brutal, and watching another World Series and not being part of it was hard,” Williams said. “I could have walked away. But I didn’t feel it was fair to myself and my family, mainly, who supported me through 16, 17 years of baseball, to just give it up without giving it one last everything I’ve got.”

TCU starter Nick Lodolo (2-0) struck out six in allowing one run on four hits, and Sean Wymer pitched 1 1/3 innings for a save.

Luken Baker’s three-run home run in the first inning put TCU ahead 3-1. Elliott Barzilli’s double in the fourth inning made it 4-1.

Nolan Brown had two hits, including his two-out infield single that kept the seventh inning alive. The Frogs (5-1) finished with nine hits, including one that will be hard to forget for at least one player.

“I might not get many at-bats, that’s for sure,” Williams said. “But whenever I get my name written down, I’m going to be ready to go. I promise you that.”

This story was originally published February 25, 2017 at 9:05 PM with the headline "Little-used former TCU hero delivers as Frogs bounce back."