TCU Ends Six-Game Streak

LAS -- Top-seeded TCU ended BYU's six-game winning streak Thursday evening with a 13-6 defeat, dropping the Cougars to the survivor bracket.

The loss drops the Cougars to a 32-27 record as they prepare for a Friday game at 7 p.m., against the winner of New Mexico and UNLV, who are playing late Thursday. TCU improved to a 37-21 mark and awaits the winner of Friday's game for a championship on Saturday afternoon.

"We never really found the answer to (Brad) Furnish," said BYU Coach Vance Law of TCU's pitcher who scattered eight hits in as many innings.

Seth Johnson drew a lead-off walk, followed by a high-hop single from Marcos Villezcas to get BYU off to a good start against Furnish in the first inning. They both scored off a gap single by Kasey Ko. Villezcas score from first and slide home was controversial as it was last month in Provo when the Horned Frogs took two of three. He again was ruled safe as BYU took a 2-0 lead.

It was the first time in the last 12 games BYU has taken the initial lead.

TCU scored its first run when Villezcas had a grounder scoot between his legs with two outs in the bottom of the first.

For the next two frames BYU stranded runners on base, aided by a second inning TCU double play. The fourth-inning ended the Cougars' hope when Blake Crosby slide wrong into second, causing an automatic double play.

TCU tied the game in the third when Matt Carpenter then lined a two-out double down the right field line.

The Horned Frogs took a 3-2 lead with no outs in the fourth when Ryan pack singled up the middle after two fake bunts, scoring Andrew Walker. That opened the floodgates for three more runs as Jesse Craig struggled with his control, behind 6-2.

Ko got a lead-off single in the sixth and scored two outs later on a Stetson Banks double down the left field line to bring the Cougars within three.

Back-to-back doubles by TCU in the sixth reclaimed its four-run margin. On the next batter, a two-run homer by No. 17, Chad Huffman, his 17th of the season, put TCU up, 9-3. Two batters and a double later, Craig was replaced by Anthony Bingham who ended the inning.

"They hit a couple balls hard, give them credit," said Law of TCU. "For the most part, Jesse (Craig) pitched well."

Friday's game will be broadcast live locally by KOVO Radio (960 AM) at 7 p.m. PDT.

BYU at TCU
May 25, 2006 at Las Vegas, Nev. (Earl E. Wilson)
BYU 6 (32-27)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
JOHNSON, Seth lf.........  3  1  0  0   1  1  3  0   3
 NIELSEN, Dane ph........  1  1  1  1   0  0  0  0   0
VILLEZCAS, Marcos ss.....  3  1  1  0   0  0  1  5   0
 VARGAS, Daniel ph.......  1  1  1  1   0  0  0  0   0
SAYLOR, Ben rf...........  5  0  0  0   0  4  0  0   0
HIESTAND, Jeff 1b........  4  0  1  0   1  3  9  1   1
KO, Kasey dh.............  4  1  3  3   1  0  0  0   1
WALTON, Kent cf..........  5  0  1  0   0  3  2  0   3
CROSBY, Blake 3b.........  4  0  1  0   0  1  1  1   2
NELSON, Casey c..........  3  0  0  0   1  0  5  0   0
 MUSSO, J.T. c...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
BANKS, Stetson 2b........  3  0  2  1   0  0  1  3   0
 JOHNSON, Jason ph.......  1  1  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
CRAIG, Jesse p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 BINGHAM, Anthony p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
 BARNES, Clayton p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 37  6 12  6   4 12 24 13  10
TCU 13 (37-21)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
KERVIN, Bryan ss.........  6  1  3  3   0  1  1  1   1
TROUT, Steven dh.........  6  3  3  2   0  2  0  0   3
HUFFMAN, Chad 1b.........  3  2  1  2   1  0  6  0   0
ADAMS, Austin rf.........  4  1  2  1   0  1  2  0   0
 BUTTELL, Jerid lf.......  1  1  1  2   0  0  0  0   0
CARPENTER, Matt 3b.......  5  0  2  1   0  0  2  3   1
CONLON, Keith lf/rf......  5  1  2  0   0  0  0  0   3
WALKER, Andrew c.........  5  2  2  0   0  0 12  0   1
STEGLICH, Corey 2b.......  4  1  1  0   1  1  3  3   0
PACK, Ryan cf............  3  1  2  1   1  1  1  0   1
FURNISH, Brad p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 FARISH, Dillon p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 42 13 19 12   3  6 27  7  10
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 200 001 003 -  6 12  3
TCU................. 101 403 04X - 13 19  1
-------------------------------------------
E - VILLEZCAS(19); WALTON(2); BINGHAM(1); HUFFMAN(10). DP - TC 1. LOB - BYU
10; TC 10. 2B - NIELSEN(4); HIESTAND(13); KO(9); BANKS(5); KERVIN(15); TROUT
2(9); ADAMS(11); CARPENTER 2(9). HR - HUFFMAN(17); BUTTELL(1). HBP -
VILLEZCAS; CROSBY; HUFFMAN. SH - PACK(7).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CRAIG, Jesse........  5.1 14  9  8  1  4 30 32
BINGHAM, Anthony....  1.2  1  0  0  0  1  5  6
BARNES, Clayton.....  1.0  4  4  4  2  1  7  9
TCU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
FURNISH, Brad.......  8.0  8  3  3  4  9 29 35
FARISH, Dillon......  1.0  4  3  2  0  3  8  8
Win - FURNISH (8-5).  Loss - CRAIG (7-7).  Save - None.
HBP - by FURNISH (CROSBY); by CRAIG (HUFFMAN); by FURNISH (VILLEZCAS).
Umpires - HP: John Cortez  1B: Marc Lewis  2B: Tom Chandler  3B: Ray Belfiore
Start: 5:27 pm   Time: 3:23   Attendance: 272
BYU at TCU - Play-by-Play
May 25, 2006 at Las Vegas, Nev. (Earl E. Wilson)
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 200 001 003 -  6 12  3
TCU................. 101 403 04X - 13 19  1
-------------------------------------------
BYU starters: 26/lf JOHNSON, S.; 10/ss VILLEZCAS; 25/rf SAYLOR; 32/1b HIESTAND;
33/dh KO; 9/cf WALTON; 30/3b CROSBY; 8/c NELSON; 3/2b BANKS; 35/p CRAIG;
TCU starters: 1/ss KERVIN; 16/dh TROUT; 17/1b HUFFMAN; 44/rf ADAMS; 14/3b
CARPENTER; 27/lf CONLON; 6/c WALKER; 3/2b STEGLICH; 15/cf PACK; 5/p FURNISH;
BYU 1st - JOHNSON, S. walked. VILLEZCAS singled to left field; JOHNSON,
S. advanced to second. SAYLOR struck out. HIESTAND struck out. KO doubled to
left field, 2 RBI; VILLEZCAS scored; JOHNSON, S. scored. WALTON fouled out to
1b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU 1st - KERVIN struck out. TROUT singled to center field. HUFFMAN
popped up to 1b. ADAMS singled to center field; TROUT advanced to second.
CARPENTER reached on a fielding error by ss; ADAMS advanced to third; TROUT
scored, unearned. CONLON grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 2
LOB.
BYU 2nd - CROSBY hit by pitch. NELSON lined out to 3b; CROSBY out at
first 3b to 1b. BANKS singled to shortstop. JOHNSON, S. struck out looking.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU 2nd - WALKER grounded out to ss. STEGLICH flied out to cf. PACK
singled to right field. KERVIN grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
BYU 3rd - VILLEZCAS grounded out to ss. SAYLOR struck out. HIESTAND
doubled to center field. KO walked. WALTON struck out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
TCU 3rd - TROUT flied out to lf. HUFFMAN hit by pitch. ADAMS reached on
a fielder's choice; HUFFMAN out at second p to 2b to ss. CARPENTER doubled to
right field, RBI; ADAMS scored. CONLON out at first 1b to p. 1 run, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - CROSBY singled to right field. NELSON flied out to 2b. BANKS
grounded out to 2b unassisted; CROSBY out at second 2b to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit,
0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU 4th - WALKER singled to left field. STEGLICH walked; WALKER advanced
to second. PACK singled to center field, RBI; STEGLICH advanced to third;
WALKER scored. KERVIN singled, out at second 3b to 2b, RBI; PACK advanced to
second, advanced to third on an error by cf; STEGLICH scored. TROUT doubled to
left field, RBI; PACK scored. HUFFMAN grounded out to ss; TROUT advanced to
third. ADAMS doubled to center field, RBI; TROUT scored. CARPENTER flied out to
lf. 4 runs, 5 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 5th - JOHNSON, S. flied out to rf. VILLEZCAS hit by pitch. SAYLOR
struck out looking. HIESTAND struck out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
TCU 5th - CONLON singled to second base. WALKER flied out to cf.
STEGLICH struck out looking. PACK struck out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
BYU 6th - KO singled to center field. WALTON struck out looking. CROSBY
flied out to rf. NELSON walked; KO advanced to second. BANKS doubled to left
field, RBI; NELSON advanced to third; KO scored. JOHNSON, S. grounded out to
3b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
TCU 6th - KERVIN doubled to right field. TROUT doubled to center field,
RBI; KERVIN scored. HUFFMAN homered to left field, 2 RBI; TROUT scored. ADAMS
struck out. CARPENTER doubled to right field. BINGHAM to p for CRAIG. CONLON
reached on a fielder's choice; CARPENTER out at third ss to 3b. WALKER grounded
out to ss. 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 7th - VILLEZCAS grounded out to 2b. SAYLOR struck out. HIESTAND
walked. KO flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU 7th - STEGLICH singled to center field. PACK grounded out to p, SAC,
bunt; STEGLICH advanced to second. KERVIN grounded out to p. STEGLICH advanced
to third on a throwing error by p. TROUT struck out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error,
1 LOB.
BYU 8th - BUTTELL to lf for ADAMS. CONLON to rf. WALTON singled to right
field. CROSBY grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b; WALTON out on the play.
NELSON lined out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU 8th - BARNES to p for BINGHAM. MUSSO to c for NELSON. HUFFMAN
walked. BUTTELL homered to right field, 2 RBI; HUFFMAN scored. CARPENTER
grounded out to 2b. CONLON singled through the left side. WALKER singled
through the left side; CONLON advanced to second. STEGLICH flied out to lf.
PACK walked; WALKER advanced to second; CONLON advanced to third. KERVIN
singled to left field, 2 RBI; PACK advanced to second; WALKER scored; CONLON
scored. TROUT struck out looking. 4 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 9th - FARISH to p for FURNISH. JOHNSON, J. pinch hit for BANKS.
JOHNSON, J. singled to center field. NIELSEN pinch hit for JOHNSON, S.. NIELSEN
doubled to center field, RBI; JOHNSON, J. scored. VARGAS pinch hit for
VILLEZCAS. VARGAS singled through the left side, RBI; NIELSEN scored. SAYLOR
reached on a fielder's choice; VARGAS advanced to second on a throwing error by
1b, advanced to third. HIESTAND struck out. KO singled through the right side,
RBI; SAYLOR advanced to second; VARGAS scored, unearned. WALTON struck out.
CROSBY struck out. 3 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.