PROVO -- Pitcher Matthew Neil tied his career high with seven strikeouts, but a late rally fell short for BYU in a 14-8 loss Thursday to No. 10 TCU at Larry H. Miller Field.

Down 6-0 to TCU (25-7, 6-3 MWC) going into the bottom of the seventh inning, the BYU (15-16, 4-6) offense reeled off six-straight singles. Cougars Jonathan Cluff and Chase Frampton reached base to begin the inning with Cluff scoring from second on a left field single by Austin Hall.

Stephen Wells’ single scored Frampton before Wells was caught in a pickoff between first and second. With one down, Brandon Relf hit another single to score Hall. Dane Nielsen capped off the inning’s hitting for BYU with a final single before TCU coaxed two more outs from the Cougars to maintain its 6-3 lead.

“We did battle back and got right back,” said BYU head coach Vance Law. “But they did a tremendous job with answering and swung the bat very, very well.”

In front of a season-high home crowd of 1,013 fans, Cluff finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs while Relf finished 3-for-3 with a triple, one RBI and one run. Wells and Dane Nielson also recorded two hits apiece.

After giving up two home runs in the first inning, Neil dialed in to fan seven TCU batters over 6.1 innings pitched, tying his career best set earlier this season in a complete game win against UNLV.

“He pitched very, very well,” Law said. “I was pleased with his performance. I think he was tipping pitches early; you just don’t sit on a 2-1 slider early on and hit it 400 feet. We made an adjustment just in case, but they seemed to struggle from then on.”

BYU drew a runner on base every inning but the sixth, but the Horned Frogs’ Matt Purke spaced out the Cougars’ hits far enough that BYU couldn’t capitalize. Purke, who finished with seven strikeouts in six innings, improved to 5-0 on the year.

TCU immediately answered the Cougars’ three-run sixth by scoring seven runs in the top of the seventh off three BYU pitchers. Six singles and two doubles by the Horned Frogs enabled TCU to pull away, finishing the seventh up 13-3.

The Cougars tacked on five runs late in the bottom of the ninth highlighted by a three-run home run by Cluff, scoring Wolfe and Alex Hancock. BYU scored two more runs in the inning with Relf scoring from third on a double by Nielsen. Nielsen would in turn score on a wild pitch.

“I was very pleased we didn’t just fold up the tent and go home,” Law said.

The win pulls TCU into a tie with New Mexico for first in the Mountain West Conference standings while BYU dropped to 4-6 in the conference.

BYU will continue the series against TCU on Friday at 6 p.m. at Miller Park. The game will be broadcast live on BYUtv.

#10 TCU Horned Frogs at BYU
Apr 15, 2010 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
TCU Horned Frogs 14 (25-7,6-3 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
PENA, Jerome 2b..........  5  3  3  2   1  2  1  2   0
HOLADAY, Bryan c.........  6  1  2  1   0  0 11  0   0
COATS, Jason lf..........  6  2  3  3   0  0  2  0   2
 JORDAN, Zac pr/lf.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
CURRY, Matt 1b...........  6  1  1  1   0  2 10  0   1
 WEIK, Joe 1b............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
ELANDER, Josh dh.........  4  2  3  1   0  1  0  0   0
FEATHERSTON, Taylor ss...  5  0  1  1   0  1  1  4   3
RIVERA, Brance rf........  5  2  3  1   0  1  0  0   0
WITTE, Jantzen 3b........  5  0  1  0   0  1  1  3   2
SCHULTZ, Aaron cf........  4  3  3  2   0  0  1  0   0
PURKE, Matt p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 APPLEBY, Trent p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 HOLLE, Greg p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 KELLY, Walker p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 46 14 20 12   1  8 27 11   8
BYU 8 (16-17,4-6 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
RELF, Brandon ss.........  3  1  3  1   1  0  6  5   0
NIELSEN, Dane 2b.........  5  1  2  1   0  0  2  1   1
WOLFE, Alex 1b...........  4  1  0  0   1  3  8  0   2
AYOSO, Bryce c...........  5  0  1  0   0  2  8  0   2
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  2  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   0
 HANCOCK, Alex lf........  2  1  0  0   1  2  0  0   0
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  5  2  3  3   0  0  2  0   0
FRAMPTON, Chase dh.......  3  1  1  0   0  0  0  0   2
 BERNAL, Ryan dh.........  2  0  1  0   0  1  0  0   0
HALL, Austin 3b..........  4  1  1  1   0  1  0  4   1
WELLS, Stephen cf........  4  0  2  1   0  1  0  0   0
NEIL, Matthew p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 BREWER, Devin p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 CAPPER, Chris p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BIRCH, Nick p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 39  8 14  7   3 11 27 11   8
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
TCU Horned Frogs.... 211 000 271 - 14 20  0
BYU................. 000 000 305 -  8 14  5
-------------------------------------------
E - NIELSEN(6); WOLFE(11); CLUFF(1); HALL(5); AYOSO(5). DP - TCU 1; Cougars
3. LOB - TCU 8; Cougars 8. 2B - COATS(15); ELANDER(11); FEATHERSTON(5);
NIELSEN(7); AYOSO(12). 3B - RELF(3). HR - PENA(5); COATS(10); CLUFF(2). HBP
- ELANDER; RELF. SF - SCHULTZ(3). SB - PENA 2(5); RIVERA 2(4); SCHULTZ(4).
CS - WELLS(3).
TCU Horned Frogs       IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
PURKE, Matt.........  6.0  8  3  3  1  7 25 27 100
APPLEBY, Trent......  0.1  2  0  0  0  0  2  2   6
HOLLE, Greg.........  1.2  1  0  0  0  2  6  6  28
KELLY, Walker.......  1.0  3  5  5  2  2  6  8  41
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
NEIL, Matthew.......  6.1 11  6  5  0  7 29 30 108
BREWER, Devin.......  1.0  1  1  1  0  0  4  5  22
CAPPER, Chris.......  0.0  4  4  4  0  0  4  4  17
BIRCH, Nick.........  1.2  4  3  2  1  1  9 10  41
Win - PURKE (5-0).  Loss - NEIL (3-4).  Save - None.
WP - KELLY(2); BIRCH(3). HBP - by PURKE (RELF); by BREWER (ELANDER). Inherited
runners/scored: APPLEBY 2/1; HOLLE 2/0; BREWER 1/0; CAPPER 1/1; BIRCH 2/2.
Pitches/strikes: PURKE 100/60; APPLEBY 6/3; HOLLE 28/18; KELLY 41/24; NEIL
108/81; BREWER 22/13; CAPPER 17/11; BIRCH 41/27.
Umpires - HP: Ray Belfiore  1B: Bradley Hungerford  3B: Asa Howard
Start: 6:07 pm   Time: 3:26   Attendance: 1013
Weather: Clear, 69 degrees
PURKE faced 4 batters in the 7th.
CAPPER faced 4 batters in the 8th.
TCU Horned Frogs 1st - PENA homered to right field, RBI (2-1). HOLADAY
grounded out to 3b (1-2). COATS homered to left field, RBI (0-0). CURRY struck
out swinging (1-2). ELANDER singled to second base (2-0). FEATHERSTON reached
on a fielder's choice (1-1); ELANDER out at second ss unassisted. 2 runs, 3
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 1st - RELF singled up the middle (1-2). NIELSEN grounded into double
play p to ss to 1b (3-1); RELF out on the play. WOLFE grounded out to 1b
unassisted (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 2nd - RIVERA singled up the middle (2-2). WITTE singled
through the left side (0-1); RIVERA advanced to third. SCHULTZ flied out to lf,
SF, RBI (0-0); RIVERA scored. PENA struck out swinging (0-2). HOLADAY singled
to left field (1-0); WITTE advanced to second. COATS reached on a fielder's
choice (0-1); HOLADAY out at second ss to 2b. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
BYU 2nd - AYOSO grounded out to ss (3-2). McNAUGHTON struck out looking
(1-2). CLUFF singled to right field (0-0). FRAMPTON grounded out to 3b (2-1).
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 3rd - CURRY struck out swinging (1-2). ELANDER singled,
advanced to second on a fielding error by rf, advanced to third (1-0).
FEATHERSTON doubled down the lf line, RBI (2-2); ELANDER scored, unearned.
RIVERA struck out looking (2-2). WITTE struck out swinging (2-2). 1 run, 2
hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 3rd - HALL struck out swinging (0-2). WELLS singled to center field
(1-0). RELF hit by pitch (1-0); WELLS advanced to second. NIELSEN flied out to
cf (2-2). WOLFE struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 4th - SCHULTZ grounded out to 3b (1-2). PENA struck out
swinging (0-2). HOLADAY flied out to rf (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 4th - AYOSO doubled to right center (1-1). McNAUGHTON grounded out
to 3b (1-0). CLUFF reached on a fielder's choice (1-1); AYOSO out at third ss
to 3b. FRAMPTON flied out to lf (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 5th - COATS reached on a fielding error by 3b (1-1).
CURRY grounded into double play p to ss to 1b (0-0); COATS out on the play.
ELANDER struck out looking (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
BYU 5th - HALL grounded out to 3b (2-1). WELLS struck out swinging
(1-2). RELF walked (3-1). NIELSEN flied out to lf (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 6th - HANCOCK to lf for McNAUGHTON. FEATHERSTON
grounded out to 3b (1-0). RIVERA grounded out to ss (0-1). WITTE grounded out
to ss (0-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 6th - WOLFE struck out swinging (1-2). AYOSO struck out swinging
(1-2). HANCOCK struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 7th - SCHULTZ singled to right field (1-2). SCHULTZ
stole second. PENA singled up the middle, RBI (2-2); SCHULTZ scored. PENA stole
second. HOLADAY flied out to rf (0-2); PENA advanced to third. COATS singled up
the middle, RBI (0-0); PENA scored. BREWER to p for NEIL. CURRY reached on a
fielding error by 1b, advanced to second on a throwing error by 2b (3-2); COATS
advanced to third. ELANDER hit by pitch (3-2). FEATHERSTON lined into double
play ss unassisted (0-0); CURRY out on the play. 2 runs, 3 hits, 2 errors, 2
LOB.
BYU 7th - CLUFF singled to shortstop (0-0). FRAMPTON singled to center
field (2-0); CLUFF advanced to second. HALL singled to left field, RBI (3-2);
FRAMPTON advanced to second; CLUFF scored. WELLS singled to right field, RBI
(2-2); HALL advanced to third; FRAMPTON scored. APPLEBY to p for PURKE. WELLS
out at first p to 2b to 1b, caught stealing. RELF singled to left field, RBI
(2-1); HALL scored. NIELSEN singled to left field (1-0); RELF advanced to
second. HOLLE to p for APPLEBY. WOLFE struck out swinging (2-2). AYOSO grounded
out to 1b unassisted (2-2). 3 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 8th - RIVERA singled to left field (1-2). RIVERA stole
second. WITTE popped up to ss (2-2). CAPPER to p for BREWER. RIVERA stole
third. SCHULTZ singled to center field, RBI (2-2); RIVERA scored. PENA singled
to right field (0-1); SCHULTZ advanced to third. PENA stole second. HOLADAY
singled to third base, RBI (2-2); PENA advanced to third; SCHULTZ scored. COATS
doubled to right field, RBI (2-2); HOLADAY advanced to third; PENA scored.
BIRCH to p for CAPPER. COATS advanced to third; HOLADAY scored on a wild pitch.
CURRY singled to left field, RBI (1-2); COATS scored. ELANDER doubled to right
center, RBI (1-0); CURRY scored. FEATHERSTON struck out looking (1-2). RIVERA
singled to left field, RBI (0-1); ELANDER scored. WITTE grounded out to 3b
(2-2). 7 runs, 8 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 8th - HANCOCK struck out swinging (3-2). CLUFF grounded out to ss
(1-1). BERNAL to dh for FRAMPTON. BERNAL singled to third base (0-0). HALL
popped up to 2b (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 9th - SCHULTZ singled to left center (0-0). PENA walked
(3-1); SCHULTZ advanced to second. HOLADAY grounded into double play ss to 2b
to 1b (1-0); PENA out on the play; SCHULTZ advanced to third. COATS reached on
a throwing error by p (1-2); SCHULTZ scored, unearned. JORDAN pinch ran for
COATS. CURRY popped up to ss (3-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 9th - JORDAN to lf. KELLY to p for HOLLE. WELLS grounded out to 2b
(3-2). RELF tripled to left center (0-1). WEIK to 1b for CURRY. NIELSEN doubled
to left center, RBI (0-2); RELF scored. WOLFE walked (3-2). AYOSO struck out
looking (0-2). HANCOCK walked (3-0); WOLFE advanced to second; NIELSEN advanced
to third. HANCOCK advanced to second; WOLFE advanced to third; NIELSEN scored
on a wild pitch. CLUFF homered to left center, 3 RBI (3-2); HANCOCK scored;
WOLFE scored. BERNAL struck out swinging (3-2). 5 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.

Prior to hosting No. 11 TCU, BYU’s baseball team first hosts Kansas State in a two-game series Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Cougars, now 14-16 overall and 4-5 in the Mountain West Conference, hosts KSU, 23-6, on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., and again on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Wednesday’s game is free admission for BYU students with ID due to Reading Day for Final Exams.

The probable BYU pitcher for Tuesday is southpaw Mark Anderson (1-0, 5.85), who showed significant improvement last week when he threw 124 pitches against Washington State in a win at Provo. He will face righthander Kayvon Bahramzadeh (0-1, 5.52). The starters for Wednesday’s games are yet to be announced.

Following the series with the Wildcats, BYU returns to league action in a three-game series against TCU starting Thursday. All of the BYU-TCU games will be televised live nationally by BYUtv with Jarom Jordan and Gary Sheide.

The Cougars are in a logjam with TCU, UNLV, Utah and San Diego State who are separated by one game in the standings. The defending champion Horned Frogs, who started the week at 23-7 overall and 5-3 in the MWC, won two of the three games last month in Ft. Worth when they were ranked No. 4.

BYU is currently batting .321, up from last week’s .318 and .306 when it started league play last month in Provo, after being at .318 going into the first meeting with TCU.

For more information, please see PDF release at the top of this page.