Ian Farrow connected for a home run and drove in four, but a late lead got away from Florida Gulf Coast University as the Eagles' upset bid of No. 5 Texas Christian University came up short with the Horned Frogs walking off a 10-9 win in Fort Worth, Texas Friday night.
TCU scored single runs in each of the first two innings, but the Eagles struck for four runs in the third to take the lead. With the bases full and one out, Farrow dumped a single into left to bring in
Trevor Kole with FGCU's first run of the season. One batter later,
Robert Moya's chopper down the third base line stopped before it got to the corner, enabling
Mac Moise,
Charles Davalan, and Farrow to score to put the Eagles ahead 4-2.
The Eagles tacked three on in the fourth as Farrow drilled a 2-2 offering over the wall in right center for FGCU's first homer of the season. The three-run blast opened the lead up to five for the visitors.
After a TCU run in the fifth, the Green & Blue answered in the sixth. With Kole on after a leadoff single, Moise showed bunt of the first pitch, then ripped the second pitch over the fence in left to stake FGCU to a 9-3 lead.
TCU would get a pair of solo home runs in the seventh to cut the FGCU lead to four. An inning later, TCU would load the bases with no one out and plate a pair before the first out was recorded. Even though the bases were still full and no one out, the Horned Frogs would only tie the game and not take the lead, sending the contest to the ninth even at 9-all.
In the bottom of the inning, TCU would have one man on with two out. A stolen base would move the game-winning run into scoring position, then on a full count pitch, a swing and a miss at a high fastball turned into a wild pitch that allowed the batter to take off for first. When the throw down to first got away, the winning run scampered home, allowing the Horned Frogs to take the 10-9 victory.
Five pitchers saw action for the Eagles in the contest.
Matt Kavanaugh entered in relief in the second and worked 2.1 scoreless innings of action.
Alejandro Valiente held onto the lead for the Eagles over 3.1 innings and 63 pitches, allowing three runs.
Lucas Hartman (0-1) struck out three batters in 1.2 innings of work but was charged with the loss due to the unearned run in the ninth.
The two teams will be back in action Saturday at 3 p.m. EST.
