Despite their 10-2 win against the Islanders on Thursday, the Cougars could not keep up the pace in Friday’s loss against No. 19 TCU.
The main hurdle in getting past TCU ended up as pitcher Brandon Finnegan’s left-handed throws. Finnegan helped TCU take a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
“When we gave up three runs in the first inning, it seemed to let the air out of us,” said BYU coach Mike Littlewood.
Finnegan, a junior, was drafted in the 45th round of the 2011 MLV draft by the Texas Rangers out of high school. “He (Finnegan) is an excellent pitcher. He is a potential first-rounder who throws between 92 and 96 (MPH),” Littlewood said.
BYU only got six hits off Finnegan, who struck out nine Cougars in seven innings. Finnegan threw 86 pitches in those seven innings, which was less than the 106 pitches BYU’s Kyle Mahoney threw in five innings.
“We weren’t good all the way around. We had some good at bats here and there, but they outplayed us in every aspect,” Littlewood said.
Three of the six hits BYU got off Finnegan were all two-out singles, which loaded the bases in the seventh inning. Second baseman Parker Starr had two singles.
Starr, an infielder from Anaheim, Calif., batted a .500 average in the game. BYU overall had a low batting average of .235.
Later in the sixth, TCU had four additional runs when Mahoney left the mound.
“Kolton didn’t have his best stuff, but he’ll settle in eventually,” Littlewood said.
The Cougars will finish up their time at the Classic in Corpus Christi tomorrow, when they face Texas San Antonio at 2 p.m. (CST).
