Brossman sets Utah career hits record in loss to TCU
May 5, 2007
SALT LAKE CITY - The No. 23-ranked TCU baseball team scored six runs in the first two innings against Utah Saturday afternoon at Franklin Covey Field. The Horned Frogs then survived a one hour, 46 minute rain delay and a Ute comeback to take a 6-4 Mountain West Conference victory.
Utah first baseman Jay Brossman set a new Utah career hits record in the contest. He now has 292 base knocks in his career - one more than the record of 291 set by Ryan Khoury last season.
TCU (36-11, 17-2 MWC) scored four unearned runs against Utah starter Eric King in the first inning. With two out and runners at first and second, a fielding error prolonged the inning. King then walked in a run, prior to a bases-loaded double off the bat of Hunt Woodruff, putting the Horned Frogs up 4-0.
TCU added a two more runs in the second. Andrew Walker and Austin Adams each drove a run in during the inning to make it 6-0. But from there, the Utah pitching staff settled down and gave the Ute bats a chance to awaken.
Utah (21-24, 9-8 MWC) eventually cracked the scoreboard in the fourth against Horned Frog starter Chris Johnson. Right fielder John Welsh was hit by a pitch and designated hitter Bret Baldwin tripled to push the Utes' first run across. Baldwin then scored on a groundout to make it 6-2.
Utah added two more in the fifth. Second baseman Corey Shimada doubled in center fielder Nate Burnham. Shimada later scored on a fielding error by the Frogs, pulling the Utes within two, 6-4.
Neither team scored in the sixth. As the frame ended, a light rain that had been falling all day became heavier and forced a rain delay. After nearly two hours, the game finally resumed. Utah reliever Kerr Foster tossed two scoreless innings in relief of King, but had to leave after the delay. Geoff Wolfgramm took over and hurled two more scoreless frames after the delay.
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Meanwhile, the Utah offense put at least one runner in scoring position in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. But the Utes couldn't push across a run against TCU relievers Tyler Lockwood and Sam Demel. Utah had the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth. Shimada and Brossman poked a pair of two-out singles into right field, bringing designated hitter Dustin Hennis to the plate. But Hennis tapped a harmless ground ball to second base, ending the contest and the comeback attempt.
Johnson improved to 9-2, taking the win for TCU. He tossed six innings and allowed three four runs (three earned). Demel picked up his league-leading 10th save, going 1 2/3 scoreless innings. King was the hard-luck loser for Utah. He allowed six runs - just two of which were earned - and saw his record fall to 5-2.
Shimada had four of Utah's 10 hits in the contest. He was 4-of-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Burnham was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Woodruff was 2-of-4 at the plate with three runs driven in to pace the TCU offense.
Utah will try to salvage one game of the series Sunday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
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