Cleanup hitter Austin Adams came to the plate with the bases loaded, a 7-6 deficit and a chance to be a hero. Ward got the first pitch by Adams, but the TCU slugger didn't let the second pitch pass him by. He absolutely crushed a ball down the third-base line and over the wall -- the hardest hit ball of the week -- that hung in the air and just barely went foul to the disappointment of the vocal TCU faithful.

Adams didn't let the near miss or the 0-2 hole get in his head as he sat patiently and let Ward throw three balls for a full count. Ward saved his best pitch for last, though, as Adams swung on top of a slider for strike three.

But the disappointment quickly turned around for the Horned Frogs as Andrew Walker got an assist from the hard desert ground at Earl E. Wilson Stadium when his ground ball took a high bounce over third baseman Steve Parker. The single scored Steven Trout and Bryan Kervin to give the Frogs the lead and eventually the win.

BYU looked ready to put the pressure right back on TCU in the ninth when Stephen Wells doubled to lead off the inning. A well-placed bunt by Dan Vargas sent Wells to third with one out. But closer Sam Demel locked down and struck out Apana Nakayama and forced a lineout by Kent Walton to secure the victory.

With the win, TCU is the last team remaining in the winners' bracket and gets a free pass to Saturday's championship round. BYU, meanwhile, has to turn around and face UNLV in the night game for a chance to take on TCU again.

Keith Conlon was the player of the game, going 3-of-4 at the plate to score three runs and knock in one. Tyler Lockwood gets the win while Stambaugh takes the loss for BYU.