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BB: TCU's Purke K's 14 in Win over Utah

May 26, 2010

San Diego, CA - Pitcher Matt Purke set a freshman tournament record with 14 strikeouts and sophomore shortstop Taylor Featherston went 4-for-5 and scored three runs as No. 1-seeded TCU opened play in the 2010 Conoco Mountain West Conference Baseball Championship with a 13-2 win over No. 6 seed Utah on Wednesday at San Diego State's Tony Gwynn Stadium.

Purke's strikeout total is the second-highest in MWC tournament history, ranking only behind San Diego State's Ben Julianel, who fanned 16 against Air Force in 2001. The MWC Freshman of the Year and a first-team all-Conference pick, Purke allowed just four hits while walking three over seven innings.

The 14th overall selection in last year's amateur baseball draft, Purke had all the runs he needed after the Horned Frogs (44-11) opened up a 4-0 lead in the first inning. TCU, ranked No. 6 in the nation by Baseball America, increased the advantage to 10-0 in the fifth when Featherston tripled to lead off the inning and sophomore left fielder Jason Coats delivered a one-out, two-run single.

Utah finally broke through in the sixth on an RBI single from sophomore first baseman C.J. Cron and a throwing error.

The Horned Frogs, who pocketed tournament titles in 2006, '07 and '08, will square off against No. 5-seeded UNLV (29-27) on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT. The two programs are tied for most MWC tournament titles with three apiece. UNLV won crowns in 2003, `04 and '05.

Defending tournament champion Utah, which dropped to 23-27, will face No. 4-seeded BYU in an elimination contest at 11 a.m. PT on Thursday.