Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
TCU
Baseball Drops Series Finale At TCU
4/9/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 9, 2000
FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU received strong pitching and played its first error-free game of the weekend in defeating No. 17 Fresno State 10-1 on Sunday afternoon at TCU Diamond. The Bulldogs dropped to 27-10 overall and 10-5 in the WAC, while the Horned Frogs broke their four-game losing streak and improved to 14-25 overall and 5-9 in conference play.
TCU struck for two runs in the fourth against Bulldog starting pitcher Nick Moran (So., Elk Grove, Calif.) and five more in the fifth against the Fresno State bullpen to jump out to a commanding 7-0 lead. The Horned Frogs added three more tallies in their half of the seventh after the Bulldogs scored a run in the top of the inning to complete the rout.
A total of nine pitchers saw action on the mound for the Bulldogs. Moran allowed two runs on four hits in his 3.2 innings of work and picked up the loss. He dropped to 1-1 for the season. Simon Tafoya (Jr., Pittsburg, Calif.) started the seventh inning for his first pitching appearance since May 2, 1997, against Arizona State. Tafoya walked the only batter he faced on four pitches. Tom Graham (Sr., Modesto, Calif.) made his first relief appearance of the year and Hans Smith (Sr., Central Point, Ore.) held TCU scoreless during the final 1.1 innings to lower his ERA to a team-best 1.77.
TCU starting pitcher David Tombrella, who was making his first career start, limited Fresno State to one run on six hits and struck out three in his seven innings pitched. Tombrella improved to 2-2 for the season. Shaun Wooley relieved Tombrella in the eighth and walked the only two hitters he faced. Stan Newton relieved Wooley and struck out four hitters over the final two innings for the Horned Frogs.
The Fresno State offense was again led by leadoff hitter Tom Creighton (So., Weldon, Calif.). Creighton registered his third consecutive two-hit game and extended his hitting streak to a season-high eight games. He also reached base by hit, walk or hit by pitch for the 26th consecutive game. Creighton, who drove in the Bulldogs' lone run in the contest, hit .462 (6-for-13) with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs in the three-game series. Brandon Gemoll (So., San Jose, Calif.) went 2-for-4 for his team-leading 19th multi-hit game of the season. Gemoll also extended his hitting streak to seven games, tying a career high.
Fresno State returns to action on Tuesday, April 11, when it hosts Pacific. First pitch from Pete Beiden Field is scheduled for 7 p.m.
