FT. WORTH -- A walk-off two-run home run by catcher Bryan Holaday in the 10th inning gave No. 15 TCU a 5-3 victory over BYU Friday night.

That homer negated outstanding pitching efforts of Cougar starter Blake Torgerson and reliever Nathan Bunch as TCU improved to 29-13 and 10-4 in the Mountain West Conference, while BYU drops to 24-19 and 11-8. The dinger was the only hit allowed by Bunch in his three-plus innings.

Once again the Cougars started out with a 2-0 lead for the second night in a row. A pair of bunts, one for a single and one for an error, aided BYU to score its first run of the game.

That run came when Sean McNaughton singled past third base, advanced on Stetson Banks bunt which he beat out for a single and Kent Walton went to second on the overthrow. That error allowed McNaughton to score with no outs. Brandon Relf punched a sac-fly to left field to score Banks as the Cougars took a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

BYU missed a scoring opportunity in the fourth when McNaughton drove a ball to deep centerfield with Andrew Law on first . McNaughton’s blast was lap-caught by Aaron Schultz for out number two.

In the fifth Walton got his first hit of the series with a lead-off single. However, Walton was thrown out trying to steal second base, the first time in 15 attempts this season he has been caught.

In the sixth Chad Nacapoy lined a single to center to score Michael Bowen to make the score 3-1. Bowen, who leads the team in hit by pitches, got plunked as the lead-off batter. He then stole second and advanced on Kasey Ko’s sac bunt.

Bowen over-ran a ball lost in the twilight sky for what ended up as a Jason Coats triple on what could have been out number three as he knocked in TCU’s second run. Then Coats scored the game-tying run on the next at bat to make it 3-3 through six complete innings.

Walton picked up his second single of the game and advanced on a wild pitch to second in the seventh with two out. That necessitated an intentional walk of Steve Parker and Relf flew out. In the bottom of that frame Torgerson left the game as TCU hit a lead-off single. Another Horned Frog single off BYU’s first reliever put runners on the corners. Then Bunch relieved Brandon Michon and on one pitch got Chris Ellington to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Both teams had a baserunner on in the eighth. BYU lost its man when pinch-runner Jonathan Cluff was thrown out at first on a back-pick from the catcher. TCU stranded its runner who advanced to second on a stolen base when Bunch successfully covered first.

With two outs, Banks singled and Walton got aboard with an error at midfield as Parker struck out on a full count to end the Cougar ninth.

The two teams conclude the three-game series on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s a tough loss, I don’t know how else to say it,” said BYU coach Vance Law. “This game really frustrates you at times. It is easy when you lose a couple of tough games to not come out ready to play, but I hope that’s not the case in our next game.”

BYU at #15 TCU Horned Frogs
May 01, 2009 at Fort Worth, Texas (Lupton Stadium)
BYU 3 (24-19,11-8 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
McNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  4  1  1  0   1  1  4  0   0
BANKS, Stetson cf........  5  1  2  0   0  1  6  0   3
WALTON, Kent dh..........  4  0  2  0   0  1  0  0   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  4  0  0  0   1  3  0  2   2
RELF, Brandon ss.........  3  0  0  1   1  0  2  2   2
BOWEN, Michael rf........  4  1  2  0   0  0  2  0   1
KO, Kasey 1b.............  3  0  1  0   0  0  5  0   2
 CLUFF, Jonathan pr......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BILLS, Thomas 1b........  1  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
NACAPOY, Chad c..........  4  0  2  1   0  1  5  0   0
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  4  0  0  0   0  1  3  2   0
TORGERSON, Blake p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 MICHON, Brandon p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BUNCH, Nathan p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 36  3 10  2   3  8 29  8  10
TCU Horned Frogs 5 (29-13,10-4 MWC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
STEGLICH 2b..............  4  1  2  0   1  1  5  3   0
FEATHERSTON ss...........  5  0  0  0   0  0  1  4   0
CARPENTER 3b.............  4  0  1  0   1  1  0  4   1
ELLINGTON rf.............  5  0  1  1   0  0  0  0   1
VERN 1b..................  3  1  0  0   2  0 10  0   2
HOLADAY c................  5  2  3  2   0  0  8  2   2
COATS lf.................  3  1  1  1   0  0  2  0   0
CURRY dh.................  4  0  1  1   0  0  0  0   1
SCHULTZ cf...............  4  0  0  0   0  2  4  0   1
MAXWELL p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 APPLEBY p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 MARSHALL p..............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 37  5  9  5   4  4 30 14   8
Score by Innings                      R  H  E
---------------------------------------------
BYU................. 200 001 000 0 -  3 10  2
TCU Horned Frogs.... 100 002 000 2 -  5  9  3
---------------------------------------------
Note: 2 outs, 0 runners LOB when the game ended.
E - RELF(22); LAW, An.(7); STEGLICH(3); CARPENTER(5); MAXWELL(2). DP - BY 2;
TCU 2. LOB - BY 10; TCU 8. 3B - ELLINGTON(1); COATS(2). HR - HOLADAY(7). HBP
- BOWEN; COATS. SH - WALTON(3); KO(1). SF - RELF(4). SB - BOWEN(6);
COATS(2). CS - WALTON(1).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
TORGERSON, Blake....  6.1  7  3  3  3  1 26 29  99
MICHON, Brandon.....  0.0  1  0  0  0  0  1  1   2
BUNCH, Nathan.......  3.1  1  2  2  1  3 10 12  48
TCU Horned Frogs       IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
MAXWELL.............  4.1  5  2  0  2  3 18 22  78
APPLEBY.............  4.1  4  1  1  1  4 13 16  49
MARSHALL............  1.1  1  0  0  0  1  5  5  18
Win - MARSHALL (1-2).  Loss - BUNCH (3-4).  Save - None.
WP - APPLEBY(2). HBP - by APPLEBY (BOWEN); by BUNCH (COATS). Pitches/strikes:
TORGERSON 99/57; MICHON 2/2; BUNCH 48/28; MAXWELL 78/49; APPLEBY 49/35; MARSHALL
18/10.
Umpires - HP: John Ausmus  1B: Keith Bailey  3B: Jason Rogers
Start: 6:33 PM   Time: 3:00   Attendance: 2045
Weather: Windy and Cloudy
MICHON faced 1 batter in the 7th.
Play-by-Play
BYU 1st - McNAUGHTON singled down the lf line (0-0). BANKS singled to
first base, bunt (1-0); McNAUGHTON advanced to second. WALTON reached on a
throwing error by 3b, SAC, advanced to second on the error (2-0); BANKS
advanced to third; McNAUGHTON scored, unearned. PARKER struck out swinging
(2-2). RELF flied out to lf, SF, RBI (3-2); WALTON advanced to third; BANKS
scored, unearned. BOWEN grounded out to ss (0-0). 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1
LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 1st - STEGLICH walked (3-2). FEATHERSTON grounded out
to p (0-1); STEGLICH advanced to second. CARPENTER popped up to 2b (1-1).
ELLINGTON tripled to left center, RBI (2-1); STEGLICH scored. VERN walked
(3-2). HOLADAY flied out to cf (3-1). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 2nd - KO grounded out to ss (1-2). NACAPOY singled to right center
(1-0). LAW, An. grounded out to 3b (1-1); NACAPOY advanced to second.
McNAUGHTON walked (3-2). BANKS reached on a fielder's choice (2-2); McNAUGHTON
out at second 3b to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 2nd - COATS lined out to cf (0-0). CURRY flied out to
lf (1-1). SCHULTZ struck out looking (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
BYU 3rd - WALTON struck out looking (0-2). PARKER struck out swinging
(2-2). RELF walked (3-2). BOWEN singled to center field (2-2); RELF advanced to
second. KO lined out to lf (0-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 3rd - STEGLICH singled through the left side (0-2).
FEATHERSTON flied out to lf (1-0). CARPENTER walked (3-0); STEGLICH advanced to
second. ELLINGTON popped up to ss (0-0). VERN flied out to cf (2-0). 0 runs,
1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
BYU 4th - NACAPOY lined out to cf (1-1). LAW, An. reached on a throwing
error by p, bunt (0-0). McNAUGHTON flied out to cf (1-1). BANKS popped up to 2b
(0-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 4th - HOLADAY singled to left field (2-1). COATS flied
out to rf down the rf line (1-1). CURRY grounded into double play ss to 2b to
1b (3-2); HOLADAY out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
BYU 5th - WALTON singled up the middle (0-0). PARKER flied out to cf to
right center (2-1). APPLEBY to p for MAXWELL. WALTON out at second c to ss,
caught stealing. RELF popped up to 2b (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 5th - SCHULTZ lined out to lf (2-2). STEGLICH flied out
to cf (3-1). FEATHERSTON reached on a fielding error by ss (1-1). CARPENTER
flied out to cf to right center (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
BYU 6th - BOWEN hit by pitch (3-2). BOWEN stole second. KO grounded out
to p, SAC (1-1); BOWEN advanced to third. NACAPOY singled to center field, RBI
(0-2); BOWEN scored. LAW, An. grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b (1-0);
NACAPOY out on the play. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 6th - ELLINGTON fouled out to c (1-1). VERN flied out
to rf (0-0). HOLADAY singled to left center (0-1). COATS tripled to right
center, RBI (1-0); HOLADAY scored. CURRY singled to right field, RBI (0-0);
COATS scored. SCHULTZ grounded out to 3b (0-0). 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
BYU 7th - McNAUGHTON grounded out to 2b (0-1). BANKS struck out swinging
(1-2). WALTON singled up the middle (0-1). WALTON advanced to second on a wild
pitch. PARKER intentionally walked (3-0). RELF flied out to cf to right center
(0-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 7th - STEGLICH singled up the middle (1-2). FEATHERSTON
grounded out to ss (1-1); STEGLICH advanced to second. MICHON to p for
TORGERSON. CARPENTER singled to right field (0-1); STEGLICH advanced to third.
BUNCH to p for MICHON. ELLINGTON grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b
(0-0); CARPENTER out on the play. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
BYU 8th - BOWEN grounded out to 3b (0-0). KO singled through the right
side (1-1). CLUFF pinch ran for KO. CLUFF out at first c to 1b, picked off.
NACAPOY struck out swinging (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 8th - BILLS to 1b for CLUFF. VERN popped up to ss
(1-0). HOLADAY popped up to 1b (0-2). COATS hit by pitch (1-1). COATS stole
second. CURRY out at first 1b to p (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
BYU 9th - LAW, An. struck out swinging (0-2). McNAUGHTON struck out
swinging (0-2). BANKS singled up the middle (1-2). MARSHALL to p for APPLEBY.
WALTON reached on a fielder's choice (2-1); BANKS advanced to second on a
fielding error by 2b. PARKER struck out looking (3-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 1
error, 2 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 9th - SCHULTZ struck out swinging (3-2). Dropped foul
ball, E4F. STEGLICH struck out swinging (3-2). FEATHERSTON lined out to lf
(1-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
BYU 10th - RELF grounded out to ss (1-0). BOWEN singled to left field
(2-2). BILLS grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b (0-0); BOWEN out on the
play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
TCU Horned Frogs 10th - CARPENTER struck out swinging (3-2). ELLINGTON
flied out to cf (1-1). VERN walked (3-1). HOLADAY homered to left field, 2 RBI
(0-1); VERN scored. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

No. 15 TCU hosts BYU Thursday in a three-game series with first place ramifications in the Mountain West Conference.

The Horned Frogs have an 8-4 MWC record for a .667 winning percentage and are currently in first place. BYU, 24-17 overall, has an 11-6 record with a .647 percentage and the Cougars were tied with New Mexico for first until TCU beat San Diego State last Sunday.

“This is a make or break series for us,” said BYU coach Vance Law.

Texan Jeremy Toole (5-3, 4.29) will start on the mound for BYU on Thursday in a game that begins at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Fellow junior Blake Torgerson (5-2, 6.05) will start for the Cougars on Friday at 6:30 p.m. And freshman Adam Miller (3-2, 3.86) gets the nod for Saturday’s game at 4 p.m.

Among the Cougar leaders is designated hitter Kent Walton, who was No. 16 in the nation in batting average at .439. Walton is two hits shy of moving into the No. 6 spot among all-time hitters in the MWC career history.

The TCU games will be broadcast live locally on KSRR Radio (1400 AM) and are also carried over the Internet and on KBYU-FM HD-2 by BYU Radio.

Following the TCU series, the Cougars travel to play a pair of games on Monday and Tuesday at Kansas State before returning to Provo for the final home series of the season against UNLV.