For the second straight game, the failure to stay away from the three run inning spelled doom for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns on Friday

#13 TCU scored four times in the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie and went on to beat the Cajuns, 7-1 in their first game of the Shriners Childrens' Hopitals College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

"We saw a really quality arm today and I thought we needed to pitch and play good defense," head coach Tony Robichaux said.  "I thought we got a good performance from Gunner (Leger) but we didn't make a critical play defensively."

It was the fifth inning that proved to be the difference, as the Horned Frogs scored four times to break open a 1-1 game.

Brian Howard (2-0) was the winning pitcher for TCU (4-1), allowing one run on five hits in 6.2 innings.  He walked just one and struck out seven.

Gunner Leger (0-1) took the loss for the Cajuns, giving up seven hits and five runs, two earned, in 4.2 innings of work.  He didn't walk a man and struck out four.

The Cajuns (3-2) got on the board in the third inning on a triple by Joe Robbins and a bunt single by Brenn Conrad.  Stefan Trosclair followed with a single off the glove of first baseman Connor Wanhanen to put runners at the corners, but Kyle Clement grounded into a double play to hold the Cajuns to just one run.

TCU tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Cam Warner scored Dane Steinhagen with a ground ball .

TCU then broke the game open in the fifth as Steinhagen led off with a double and scored on a single by Wanhanen.  Then with two out, Evan Skoug reached on a fielding error by shortstop Hunter Kasuls and Lukan Baker doubled down the line in left to score Wanhanen to give TCU a 3-1 lead.  The Frogs then greeted reliever Eric Carter with a double to left by Josh Watson, scoring two more runs for a 5-1 lead.

Steinhagen's controversial two run homer in the eighth against Cajuns' relieve Christ Charpentier completed the scoring.

TCU outhit the Cajuns 12-5 as Louisiana failed to get a hit after the fourth inning.

"We gotta put on our big boy pants," Robichaux said.  "We had a chance to grab their jugular early and didn't do it.  Instead, they grabbed our jugular."

The Cajuns will take on Texas Tech in their second game of the tournament Saturday at 12 noon.  Wyatt Marks (1-0) will get the start for the Cajuns.

"I hope they (Texas Tech) make it tough for us again tomorrow,"  Robichaux said.  "We have to grow up a little bit."

 

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