Janczak dazzles as Frogs win
TCU is in total control of the Fort Worth Regional after a dominating performance from its starting pitcher.
A five-hour and four-minute rain delay had no ill-effect on Jared Janczak as he allowed just one run on six hits, one walks and struck out six in an eight-inning effort to propel the Frogs to a 5-1 victory against Virginia.
“We knew going into it that they were aggressive. Knowing the way I pitch, I could use my deception to get quick outs,” Janczak said. “I don’t try to think too far ahead. I just wanted to get back in the dugout as quickly as I could.”
TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle knows how crucial outings like that are in the postseason.
“He was able to use their aggressiveness to his advantage,” Schlossnagle said. “If you don’t make pitches to those guys it could be a long night quick. If you let those guys hang around they can make you pay.”
TCU catcher Evan Skoug had a fun time catching Janczak.
“Just another outstanding performance from him. It makes it easy for me,” Skoug said. “His uptempo style makes it fun when the crowd gets into it. This had to be a top-three performance for him.”
TCU has had about 30 hours in rain delays before its two games, but that didn’t seem to cool off the Frog bats. TCU got on the board in the second inning when Nolan Brown smoked a lead-off double to right-center field. He scored two batters later when Conner Wanhanen chopped a ground out to second base.
The Frogs padded their lead with a three-spot in the third. Ryan Merrill led off the inning with a single and scored two batters later on a chopper to short by Zach Humphreys. A misplay on the double play attempt left two runners on base.
With two on and no outs for Skoug, he doubled to right field to score Austen Wade, but Humphreys was tagged out trying to score on an errant throw. Skoug scored two batters later on a throwing error by the Virginia shortstop.
The Cavaliers made a change on the mound and brought in Alec Bettinger, their best pitcher. He retired the first 13 batters he faced, but the damage had already been done. He threw 99 pitches and is likely done for the rest of the Regional.
After Bettinger left the Frogs got an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Michael Landestoy came around to score on another fielder’s choice by Humphreys.
Virginia doesn’t have much time to recover as this game ended after midnight Monday morning and the Cavaliers will face Dallas Baptist in an elimination game at 2:04 p.m. Monday. The winner of that game must defeat TCU twice and the first meeting will be at 7:04 p.m.
“We didn’t earn a championship. What we earned was rest,” Schlossnagle said. “We haven’t won anything yet.”
