TCU
Rice
Rice Defeats TCU, 4-1
3/31/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Fort Worth - Rice's Jeff Nichols held TCU to one unearned run in six innings to lead the Owls to a 4-1 win over the Frogs Saturday at the TCU Diamond.
The Frogs drop to 20-11 overall, 11-4 in Western Athletic Conference action. Rice, the top-ranked team in the nation, improves to 27-6 overall, 16-1 in WAC play.
Nichols, the first of three Rice pitchers, allowed the unearned run on four hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Steve Herce and Phillip Barzilla combined to strike out five in the final three innings. Barzilla pitched the final two innings to earn his fourth save.
TCU starter Justin Crowder allowed four runs on nine hits in six innings. He pitched well after a two-run, four-hit first inning by the Owls. The Owls put together four singles in the opening inning to take an early 2-0 lead. In the third, A.J. Porfirio’s one-out home run increased the Rice lead to 3-0.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Frogs scored an unearned run on one hit and a throwing error by Rice shortstop Eric Arnold. Rice’s final run came in the fourth on a leadoff walk to Jesse Roman, then a one-out double by Austin Davis.
TCU left 10 men on base, including two each in the second, third, fourth and seventh innings. As a team, TCU had one hit in 12 chances with runners in scoring position.
The series will conclude on Sunday (April 1) with first-pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m.
Game Linescore 123 456 789 R-H-ERice 201 100 000 4-9-2TCU 001 000 000 1-6-2Jeff Nichols, Steven Herce, Phillip Barzilla and Phillip Ghutzman. JustinCrowder, Clayton Jerome and Jason Price.Winning pitcher -- Nichols (3-1). Losing pitcher -- Crowder (4-3). Save –Barzilla (4). 2B – Rice – Davis. TCU – Rivera HR – Rice – Porfirio (4).Time: 2:40. Attn: 695
