FORT WORTH — Forty runs, 45 hits, six homers. Three victories out of the starting pitchers. Seven runs allowed.
Sounds like an ideal weekend.
Numbers-wise, you bet. TCU swept a three-game series against over-matched Eastern Michigan at Lupton Stadium by scores of 12-2 on Friday, 16-4 on Saturday and 12-1 on Sunday in seven innings by run rule.
Intangibles-wise, not entirely.
Horned Frogs coach Jim Schlossnagle said he told his team he was “super disgusted” by two actions Sunday at Lupton Stadium, a bat flip by Johnny Rizer on a home run in the second inning and a double steal by Austin Henry and Rizer in the sixth inning with TCU leading 10-0, already enough to win the game by the getaway day mercy rule.
“We were obviously the better team, but I thought they played harder, and I thought they played with more class,” Schlossnagle said of the Mid-American Conference’s Eagles, who left Fort Worth with a 3-16-1 record.
Rizer trotted the bases and crossed home plate, but before he could get to the dugout, the senior center fielder from Cypress was sent back to the batter’s box to retrieve his own bat. Schlossnagle had made the bat boy return the wood following the gesture.
On the double steal, which produced a run when catcher Nick Jones’ throw hit batter Adam Oviedo’s helmet for an error, Schlossnagle said of the baserunners, “I don’t know what they were doing, running up 10. They completely did that on their own. We have some players that are talented, but their baseball IQ and their feel for the game is very lacking. That’s going to have to improve over time.”
Schlossnagle said he apologized to EMU coach Eric Roof for the actions.
“Above anything else, I know our fans want to win games, but I also want to represent the university the right way,” Schlossnagle said. “And for the most part, we do. But that’s the first time I can remember in 16 years that I apologized to the other team’s coach. He wasn’t happy about it, and I wouldn’t be happy about it if I was him, either.”
So it was hard for Schlossnagle to completely enjoy the fruits of the weekend series, the next-to-last non-conference action. After a game Tuesday night against UTA at Globe Life Park, the Frogs host Texas in a three-game set to start Big 12 play.
But objectively, the No. 21 Frogs (12-6) did exactly what they should against a weaker opponent. They dominated. A couple of errors and a few outs on the bases were about the only blemishes. And of course, the previously discussed items.
“I evaluate how we play and the process more than getting a bunch of hits,” Schlossnagle said. “Obviously, I love the hitting. But in terms of how we run the bases and make sure everybody’s in the right spot, that’s what’s going to matter in a close game.”
Starting pitcher Brandon Williamson (2-1) was so efficient Sunday, needing only 70 pitches for five innings, that he threw 30 more in the bullpen after his outing to simulate a six- or seven-inning appearance.
Zach Humphreys led off for the first time and went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in. Andrew Keefer drove in two more runs to give him six on the weekend. Henry also had two hits and an RBI to give him eight for the series.
“Everybody’s feeling good about their swing. All the pitchers are feeling good about throwing their strikes,” Humphreys said.
The rest, the Frogs will work on. Their coach will make sure of that.
