TCU Daily Skiff Tuesday, February 17, 2004
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Offense lacking in 2 weekend defeats
A lack of discipline against Texas State drops the Horned Frogs’ record to 1-3.


By Danny Gillham
Skiff Staff


Head baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle said he wondered where the TCU team that showed offensive prowess a week ago went.

The Frogs lost a Sunday doubleheader to Texas State as the Bobcats produced timely hits to beat the Frogs 7-4 in 10 innings in game one, and 6-2 in the night game.

“They were definitely more disciplined than we were,” said Schlossnagle, whose team left 19 runners on base in the two games. “They did a good job of adjusting with two strikes and putting the ball in play. That’s the kind of club we’re supposed to be. That’s the kind of club we were last weekend against” Dallas Baptist.

Both games saw the Frogs fall behind 4-0. The Frogs were able to claw back and send game one to extra innings, mainly because of senior pitcher Eugene Espineli.

Espineli, a Texas transfer, tossed six shutout innings after senior starter Robbie Findlay was pulled after two innings. Espineli gave up no runs, no hits and struck out six.

After tying the score 4-4 in the 8th on senior outfielder J.J. Estrada’s solo home run, TCU surrendered three runs in the top of the 10th, and went down in order in the bottom frame.

Schlossnagle said it was a shame his team couldn’t get the win for Espineli.

“Hopefully the baseball gods will reward him down the road, because he was every bit that he’s cracked up to be,” Schlossnagle said.

Espineli said his changeup seemed to keep the Texas State bats at bay.

“The umpire kept giving me the corners, and I was going to put it there until he called them balls,” Espineli said. “I was just looking to go out there and keep it a four-run deficit as long as I could.”

In the second game, Schlossnagle said the team showed no life at the plate after again falling behind 4-0. He pulled senior pitcher Clayton Jerome before the sixth inning, after throwing just 88 pitches.

Schlossnagle said the team will need his arm this week, as the Frogs play four games in the next five days, starting at 3 p.m. today at Texas-Arlington.

The Frogs will then take part in the Southwest Diamond Classic starting Thursday. Games will be played at LaGrave Field, home of the Fort Worth Cats.

TCU technically doesn’t have a home game this week but they won’t be traveling far. However, Schlossnagle said his team might be getting a little too comfortable at home.
“We probably need to get as far away from Fort Worth as we can right now,” Schlossnagle said.
 
 
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