MWC: Arrieta Survives Pressure, Maintains Shutout

By Jason Owens - May 24, 2007

For the first five innings, Jake Arrieta cruised past the UNLV lineup without a hint of pressure. The sixth inning was an entirely different story as the TCU pitcher showed true grit and mettle in getting out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam with the heart of the UNLV lineup at the plate. The end result is the Frogs maintain their 5-0 lead and the Rebels take an absolutely demoralizing hit, blowing a golden opportunity to make this a competitive ballgame.

In what is assuredly the most impressive feat of his six innings of 3-hit shutout pitching, Arrietta faced No. 2 hitter Ryan Kowalski after hitting Calvin Beamon to load the bases. Kowalski lasted just two pitches, as he bit on an Arrieta offering that ended up being a pop fly to short right field.

Next up, Keith Smith, a .349 hitter who leads the Rebels with eight home runs and 47 RBI, took the plate. He bit early in the pitch count as well and hit a line drive to right field that looked like it would score Braden Walker from third. But Arrietta got a little help from a friend as right fielder Austin Adams gunned a perfect strike down the first-base line to home plate that Walker didn’t even consider challenging.

Cleanup hitter Blake Gailen approached the plate with the last chance to take advantage of the bases-loaded situation, but Arrieta forced a groundout to the shortstop that ended a potentially dicey situation for the TCU pitcher.