Game 5: TCU 6, Louisiana 1

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas—Cam Brown tossed a career high eight innings and allowed just five hits and one unearned run to lead TCU to a 6-1 win over Louisiana on Sunday in an elimination game of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park.
 
The Horned Frogs (38-21) advance to Sunday night's 7 p.m. championship game against host and fifth-seeded Texas A&M (39-18). A second championship game, if needed, will be played Monday at 6 p.m. UL ends its season at 37-23.
 
Brown (5-3) limited the high-powered Cajun offense all afternoon, holding hitters to 1-for-14 with runners on base and 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
 
Brayden Taylor's two-run home run in the top of the first staked TCU to an early lead. A bases-loaded walk in the bottom half of the frame put Louisiana on the board, but the Horned Frogs quickly got the run back on an Elijah Nunez two-out RBI single in the second.
 
Porter Brown would add an insurance run in the fourth with an RBI double to center. The Frogs would tack on two more in the eighth to close out the scoring.
 
The losing pitcher was UL starter Jeff Wilson (4-4), who lasted three innings and allowed seven hits, one walk and four runs.
 
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Cam Brown (TCU) – 8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (W, 5-3)
Kurtis Byrne (TCU) – 3-for-5, 2B
Tommy Sacco (TCU) – 2-for-5, RBI
Brayden Taylor (TCU) – 1-for-4, 2 run HR
Kyle DeBarge (UL) – 2-for-4, run




TCU QUOTES
 
Head Coach Kirk Saarloos
 
Opening statement...
"First and foremost, the story of the day was Cam (Brown). I don't know, I think it was 114 pitches. He got locked in. It wasn't clean the whole time, but he made huge pitches all day. The slider was a huge pitch. I'd love for you guys to ask him whatever you can because he deserves it."
 
On the effort from sophomore RHP Cam Brown...
"When you're playing in a loser's bracket game, getting an opportunity to play the team that hasn't lost yet, to win a tournament like this, you're going to need special things from players on your team. I don't think I was surprised by what Cam did, because we've been talking about this for maybe a month. It hasn't been the easiest of seasons for him. He's had some awesome outings, and then he's had some outings where it just didn't go his way. He was out of the rotation, and we talked about it and told him that there were a couple of big starts for him left this season. One of them was hopefully going to be after coming out of the loser's bracket in the Big 12 Tournament. We just didn't win. For him to be ready for this moment and to give us what we got today, that gives us a better opportunity to play two more games with some guys that didn't have to throw today."
 
On sophomore third baseman Brayden Taylor's performance...
"You want your best players clicking at the right time. Brayden got a fastball middle-in and hit a home run that got us off to a good start in terms of getting us two runs early. The defense portion of it, he made some really, really tough plays, especially the last one that had a lot of english on it. It kind of checked up on him and went back the other way. He's been solid all year over there. It's nice when your three-hole hitter hits a home run and then plays stellar defense. That makes things a lot easier."

 
Sophomore RHP Cam Brown
 
On outlasting a slow first inning…
"I think, I've kind of been down that road before, where I've had a rougher first inning. I just knew that the things I've done in the past have worked and that I need to stay the course and believe in myself. I knew the luck was going to run out eventually, and things would hopefully turn my way."
 
On the confidence he gets from the team's seniors…
"This whole team gives me confidence. I told myself when I was talking with my family last night, playing with guys like Gray Rodgers and Augie Mihlbauer, and everyone else, you never know what the last play or the last pitch might be for them. I was just going to roll it out there and say, 'hey, I want these guys to keep going.' They're the ones that give me confidence every day. Those guys are patting me on the back every inning regardless of what happens, so I'm rolling it out there for those guys."  

LOUISIANA QUOTES
 
Head Coach Matt Deggs
Opening Statement…
"We probably shot all of our bullets last night. We were running a little low on ammo to begin with and we landed some serious blows last night. I feel like that was our shot and I honestly woke up and expected us to have a great game today. We just got out-manned, and TCU was a better ball club today. I love the way my guys compete and love each other, and these boys changed the course of this program this year. That is all I can ask. I will be forever grateful to them."
 
On Cam Brown's effect on the Cajun's offense…
"I think Cam Brown changed the approach of our hitters. That was as good of stuff as we have seen effectively all over the place with it, that is a tough combination. Generally, when a guy has really good stuff and misses, he is going to continue to miss, but he would land one. He was a tough match up today, hats off to him. The middle of their order is good and hit when they have to. We are down a few guys right now which is fine. We had many opportunities today with bases loaded multiple times and we never cashed in. It was their day and they went out and got it. Hats off to them, it should be a great championship."

 
On making this program something to be proud of…
"I came back for the Robichaux family, I came back for Cajun Nation and for the 2014 team. I believe that we gave everybody something to be proud of this year. These kids came along when I needed them most and as I always say I need them way more than they need me. That is a fact, but what makes my heart full is that these kids took this program and put it back to something people can be proud of. This is something a community can really rally around and there is no better place than Cajun Nation."
 
Sophomore catcher Julian Brock
On getting to play with this team…
"It was a blessing. These guys, the comradery we had as a ball club was very special. I can't thank these coaches enough for giving me chance after chance. Them going full in on me was truly a blessing."
 
On what the legacy of the team is…
"That we brought back the grit to this program. The history of this program is very special. You can look back on YouTube and look at anything you want, but I believe this team has brought that back. The hard nose baseball."


 
UPDATED REGIONAL SCHEDULE
(all times Central)
 
Friday, June 3
Game 1: Texas A&M 8, Oral Roberts 2
Game 2: Louisiana 7, TCU 6
 
Saturday, June 4
Game 3: TCU 3, Oral Roberts 1 (ORU eliminated)
Game 4: Texas A&M 9, Louisiana 6
 
Sunday, June 5
Game 5: TCU 6, Louisiana 1 (UL eliminated)
Game 6: Texas A&M vs TCU (H), 7 p.m.
 
Monday, June 6
Game 7: Texas A&M vs TCU (if necessary), 6 p.m.