FT. WORTH -- No. 15 TCU widened its first-place lead over BYU with an 8-5 come-from-behind victory Thursday at Lupton Field.

The Frogs, now 28-13 overall and 9-4 in the Mountain West Conference, increased their percentage lead to .692. BYU, now 24-18 and 11-7, fell out of a tie for second place with a percentage of .611, forcing the Cougars to sweep the remaining two games of the series as well as its series next week with UNLV to have a shot at the regular season crown.

TCU used a pair of solo homers in the fifth inning, a rare triple to left field in the eighth paired with squeeze bunt to generate the three-run difference.

BYU started out with the lead in Thursday's game with a 2-0 lead after sacrifice flies by Michael Bowen and Brandon Relf in the second and third innings. In those innings the Cougars stranded two runners each, failing to take advantage of walks.

Some of those bases on balls forced hard-throwing TCU starter Sean Hoelscher from the game in the second inning.

TCU rallied to tie the score a 2-2 in the third, then took a 5-2 lead with a three-run fourth.

Bowen closed the gap to 5-4, with a two-run double in the fifth, driving in Steve Parker, who had doubled, and Relf, who had walked.

The Frogs increased their margin in the fifth with solo homers by Matt Carpenter and Matt Vern which sent Cougar starter Jeremy Toole off the mound.

Cougar Sean McNaughton knocked a double in the sixth and scored on a two-out single by Stetson Banks to close the score, 7-5.

“The critical thing is getting a timely hit that would have helped our cause and given Jeremy more confidence,” said BYU coach Vance Law. “We put too many free guys on base.

“We were pleased with our hard play, but we have to hit the ball on the line instead of lifting it here. We understand TCU is going to be very good an execution and they are solid on the mound.

“The hard work we have done all season boils down to this weekend and next.”

BYU at #15 TCU Horned Frogs
Apr 30, 2009 at Fort Worth, Texas (Lupton Stadium)
BYU 5 (24-18,11-7 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  4  2  1  0   1  0  3  0   1
BANKS, Stetson cf........  5  0  1  1   0  1  4  0   0
WALTON, Kent dh..........  4  0  0  0   1  2  0  0   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  3  2  2  0   2  1  1  3   0
RELF, Brandon ss.........  1  1  1  1   2  0  1  1   0
BOWEN, Michael rf........  3  0  1  3   0  1  2  0   2
KO, Kasey 1b.............  2  0  0  0   1  1  8  1   3
MUSSO, J.T. c............  3  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
 AYOSO, Bryce ph.........  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
 NACAPOY, Chad c.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  4  0  0  0   0  2  3  2   2
TOOLE, Jeremy p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 OSLUND, Marc p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 MILLER, Jared p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 30  5  6  5   7  9 24  9   8
TCU Horned Frogs 8 (28-13,9-4 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
STEGLICH 2b..............  3  1  2  4   1  0  2  1   0
FEATHERSTON ss...........  4  0  0  0   0  1  1  2   3
CARPENTER 3b.............  4  1  1  2   0  0  1  3   0
ELLINGTON rf.............  4  0  0  0   0  0  4  0   2
VERN 1b..................  3  2  2  1   1  0  6  0   0
HOLADAY c................  4  0  0  0   0  0  9  1   1
COATS lf.................  3  1  1  0   1  0  0  0   0
 RIVERA pr/cf............  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
CURRY dh.................  3  2  2  1   1  0  0  0   0
SCHULTZ cf/lf............  2  0  0  0   1  1  4  0   0
HOELSCHER p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 CRAGIN p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 GERRISH p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 30  8  8  8   5  2 27  7   6
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
BYU................. 011 021 000 -  5  6  0
TCU Horned Frogs.... 002 320 01X -  8  8  2
-------------------------------------------
E - ELLINGTON(1); CRAGIN(1). LOB - BY 8; TCU 6. 2B - PARKER(10); BOWEN(13);
STEGLICH(7); VERN(7). 3B - COATS(1). HR - CARPENTER(7); VERN(10). HBP - KO;
FEATHERSTON. SH - STEGLICH(6); SCHULTZ(2). SF - RELF(3); BOWEN(4). CS -
BANKS(5).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
TOOLE, Jeremy.......  4.1  5  7  7  4  0 17 23  76
OSLUND, Marc........  2.2  2  0  0  0  1 10 10  30
MILLER, Jared.......  1.0  1  1  1  1  1  3  5  20
TCU Horned Frogs       IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
HOELSCHER...........  1.1  0  1  1  3  1  3  7  29
CRAGIN..............  3.2  3  3  3  3  2 13 18  76
GERRISH.............  4.0  3  1  0  1  6 14 15  63
Win - CRAGIN (5-0).  Loss - TOOLE (5-4).  Save - GERRISH (1).
WP - TOOLE(7); HOELSCHER 2(7). HBP - by TOOLE (FEATHERSTON); by CRAGIN (KO).
Pitches/strikes: TOOLE 76/41; OSLUND 30/19; MILLER, J. 20/12; HOELSCHER 29/13;
CRAGIN 76/43; GERRISH 63/41.
Umpires - HP: Jason Rogers  1B: John Ausmus  3B: Keith Bailey
Start: 6:36 PM   Time: 2:43   Attendance: 1925
Weather: Cloudy and Warm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Play-by-Play
BYU 1st - McNAUGHTON grounded out to ss (0-2). BANKS grounded out to 3b,
bunt (0-1). WALTON struck out swinging (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 1st - STEGLICH walked (3-2). FEATHERSTON flied out to
rf (0-0). CARPENTER flied out to cf (2-1). ELLINGTON flied out to rf (1-0).
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 2nd - PARKER walked (3-1). PARKER advanced to second on a wild
pitch. RELF walked (3-0). RELF advanced to second on a wild pitch; PARKER
advanced to third on a wild pitch. BOWEN flied out to cf, SF, RBI (1-2); PARKER
scored. KO walked (3-0). CRAGIN to p for HOELSCHER. MUSSO grounded out to 1b
unassisted (3-1); KO advanced to second; RELF advanced to third. LAW, An.
struck out swinging (0-2). 1 run, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 2nd - VERN lined out to cf (2-1). HOLADAY flied out to
lf (1-0). COATS grounded out to p (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 3rd - McNAUGHTON walked (3-2). BANKS flied out to rf (0-0).
McNAUGHTON advanced to second on a throwing error by p, failed pickoff attempt.
WALTON walked (3-1). PARKER singled through the right side (1-0); WALTON
advanced to second; McNAUGHTON advanced to third. RELF popped up to 2b, SF, RBI
(2-1); McNAUGHTON scored. BOWEN flied out to cf (1-0). 1 run, 1 hit, 1
error, 2 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 3rd - CURRY walked (3-2). SCHULTZ out at first 3b to
2b, SAC (0-0); CURRY advanced to second. CURRY advanced to third on a wild
pitch. STEGLICH singled to right center, RBI (1-0); CURRY scored. FEATHERSTON
hit by pitch (1-0); STEGLICH advanced to second. CARPENTER grounded out to c,
RBI (3-2); FEATHERSTON advanced to third; STEGLICH scored. ELLINGTON grounded
out to 3b (1-1). 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 4th - KO hit by pitch (1-0). MUSSO reached on a fielder's choice
(1-2); KO out at second 2b to ss. LAW, An. flied out to rf (2-2). McNAUGHTON
flied out to rf (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 4th - VERN walked (3-1). HOLADAY grounded out to 2b
(1-2); VERN advanced to second. COATS walked (3-0). CURRY singled through the
left side, RBI (1-1); COATS advanced to second; VERN scored. SCHULTZ flied out
to cf (0-0). STEGLICH doubled to right center, 2 RBI (2-1); CURRY scored; COATS
scored. FEATHERSTON lined out to 2b (0-1). 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
BYU 5th - BANKS flied out to cf to right center (1-0). WALTON grounded
out to 3b (1-2). PARKER doubled down the rf line (0-1). RELF walked (3-2).
BOWEN doubled to left center, 2 RBI (2-2); RELF scored; PARKER scored. KO
struck out swinging (3-2). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 5th - CARPENTER homered to right field, RBI (0-1).
ELLINGTON flied out to cf (0-0). VERN homered to left field, RBI (3-2). OSLUND
to p for TOOLE. HOLADAY fouled out to 1b (1-0). COATS flied out to lf (1-1).
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - GERRISH to p for CRAGIN. MUSSO grounded out to ss (1-2). LAW,
An. struck out looking (2-2). McNAUGHTON singled down the rf line, advanced to
second on a fielding error by rf (0-1). BANKS singled to left field, RBI (1-2);
McNAUGHTON scored, unearned. BANKS out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. 1
run, 2 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 6th - CURRY singled to left field (0-1). SCHULTZ struck
out swinging (1-2). STEGLICH popped up to 3b (1-0). FEATHERSTON reached on a
fielder's choice (2-0); CURRY out at second 2b to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 7th - WALTON fouled out to 3b (1-2). PARKER walked (3-1). RELF
singled to shortstop (0-0); PARKER advanced to second. BOWEN struck out
swinging (2-2). KO flied out to cf (1-1). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 7th - CARPENTER grounded out to 3b (3-2). ELLINGTON
lined out to lf (1-0). VERN doubled up the middle (0-1). HOLADAY grounded out
to ss (1-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 8th - AYOSO pinch hit for MUSSO. AYOSO struck out swinging (1-2).
LAW, An. flied out to rf (0-0). McNAUGHTON grounded out to 3b (1-1). 0 runs,
0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 8th - NACAPOY to c for AYOSO. MILLER, J. to p for
OSLUND. COATS tripled to left center (1-2). CURRY grounded out to 1b unassisted
(0-2). RIVERA pinch ran for COATS. SCHULTZ walked (3-2). STEGLICH out at first
1b to 2b, SAC, bunt, RBI (0-0); SCHULTZ advanced to second; RIVERA scored.
FEATHERSTON struck out swinging (3-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 9th - RIVERA to cf. SCHULTZ to lf. BANKS struck out swinging (3-2).
WALTON struck out swinging (1-2). PARKER struck out looking (2-2). 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

No. 15 TCU hosts BYU Thursday in a three-game series with first place ramifications in the Mountain West Conference.

The Horned Frogs have an 8-4 MWC record for a .667 winning percentage and are currently in first place. BYU, 24-17 overall, has an 11-6 record with a .647 percentage and the Cougars were tied with New Mexico for first until TCU beat San Diego State last Sunday.

“This is a make or break series for us,” said BYU coach Vance Law.

Texan Jeremy Toole (5-3, 4.29) will start on the mound for BYU on Thursday in a game that begins at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Fellow junior Blake Torgerson (5-2, 6.05) will start for the Cougars on Friday at 6:30 p.m. And freshman Adam Miller (3-2, 3.86) gets the nod for Saturday’s game at 4 p.m.

Among the Cougar leaders is designated hitter Kent Walton, who was No. 16 in the nation in batting average at .439. Walton is two hits shy of moving into the No. 6 spot among all-time hitters in the MWC career history.

The TCU games will be broadcast live locally on KSRR Radio (1400 AM) and are also carried over the Internet and on KBYU-FM HD-2 by BYU Radio.

Following the TCU series, the Cougars travel to play a pair of games on Monday and Tuesday at Kansas State before returning to Provo for the final home series of the season against UNLV.