Baseball sweeps three-game series at FIU

By Michael Kidd     3/18/14 4:46pm

The Rice University men’s baseball team traveled to Miami, Fla. on March 14 to face No. 19 Florida International University in a three-game series. In the first contest, junior pitcher Zech Lemond started the game and pitched a career-long eight innings, allowing two runs on eight hits.

The Rice University men’s baseball team traveled to Miami, Fla. on March 14 to face No. 19 Florida International University in a three-game series. In the first contest, junior pitcher Zech Lemond started the game and pitched a career-long eight innings, allowing two runs on eight hits. With the Owls down 2-1 in the eighth, sophomore Leon Byrd stole third base and took advantage of a FIU error to tie the game up at two runs each. The game would remain 2-2 until the 13^th inning, when senior Michael Aquino singled down the third base line to drive in a run. Following Lemond’s performance, sophomore Matt Ditman came into the game and threw five scoreless innings along with eight strikeouts to secure the game for the Owls in 13 innings. 

On Saturday, sophomore pitcher Blake Fox took the mound and matched Lemond’s Friday night performance by going a career-long eight innings while also giving up just two runs. Fox was supported by an Owls team that collected 10 runs on 15 hits. Rice recorded back-to-back four-run innings, putting them ahead 8-1 four innings into the game. Junior catcher John Clay Reeves went a perfect 5-5 at the plate and drove in three RBI’s. Byrd added three hits of his own while seniors Shane Holscher and Keenan Cook collected two hits each. 

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The third game in the series went back and forth and featured four lead changes. FIU scored four runs in the fourth inning and added another in the fifth to take a 6-2 lead. The Owls, however, rallied for four runs of their own in the following inning to tie the game up at six runs apiece. The Owls scored five runs in the top of the sixth inning to reclaim the lead and hold it for the remainder of the game, which Rice would win 11-7. Senior pitcher Chase McDowell pitched four scoreless innings and drove in a career-high five RBI’s at the plate in the victory. 

The weekend sweep improved the Owls’ record to 15-6 overall (5-1 in Conference-USA). The Owls are on a season-high five-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine games. The Panthers fell to 16-4 overall (3-3 C-USA). 

Reeves, who won the C-USA Hitter of the Week recognition for his 17-24 batting performance over the past week, said he feels blessed to be a part of Rice University and the prestigious baseball program. 

“I’d say it’s been a blessing to be a part of a team like this,” Reeves said. “We have a great group of guys and the team is really coming together right now. It has been so great to see our progression during the season, and Rice is such a prestigious school. I’m so thankful to be here.”

Reeves also said he feels honored to be able to call pitches and to be the starting catcher on the squad. He said he does not take his role lightly and plans to do anything he can to help the team win. 

“Getting to call pitches for these Rice pitchers has been amazing,” Reeves said. “[The pitchers] have carried us for a large majority of the season and have kept us in a lot of games. I plan to help this team out in every single way I can.”

Chase McDowell said he is excited for the upcoming series against Florida Atlantic University and wants to keep the streak alive.

“I don’t really know that much about FAU, but we have to approach these games the same way we always do,” McDowell said. “We know we have a target on our back, and if we do the same thing we will continue this streak and continue to win ballgames.”

The Rice Owls will host the Florida Atlantic Owls beginning this Friday for a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for Friday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Reckling Park.

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