Wednesday's Sports Update: Owls top Cougs in baseball home opener
The first baseball home game at Reckling Park against the University of Houston opened with a bang. UH's Blake Kelso started off the game with a double, which he unsuccessfully tried to stretch to a triple. After another hit and a passed ball, Zak Presley scored the first run for the Cougars when Chase Dempsay hit a double but was again thrown out at third.Contrary to UH, the Owls used aggressive baserunning in their favor in the bottom of the second. Freshman Anthony Rendon singled, then moved to third on senior Jess Buenger's single. Freshman Jeremy Rathjen added to the montage of hits and scored Rendon for Rice's first run. After Rathjen stole second, Buenger scored on a groundout by senior Jimmy Comerota, and then Rathjen scored on a wild pitch. Later, in the bottom of the third, sophomore Rick Hague hit a solo shot to put Rice up 4-0.
"After the weekend, it's good to play well. Our hitting was excellent," coach Wayne Graham said. "We were very determined to win and we were ready to play and rested."
The Owls did a good job keeping the Cougars off the board, highlighted by solid pitching and strong defensive play. With two outs in the fourth, Matt Murphy walked and Jake Runte reached on an error by Rendon. Following a trip to the mound by Graham, Tom Wertz singled to score Murphy.
That was the last straw for freshman starter Andrew Benak, who left with an earned run and three walks. Freshman Taylor Wall entered the game and finished the inning.
The bats really came out for the Owls in the bottom of the fourth. Comerota scored on an infield error, then a strong double to the right center gap by Seastrunk scored junior Brock Holt. Rendon came to the plate and fired a line drive home run to the same spot as Hague, scoring Seastrunk and junior Steven Sultzbaugh.
"It was a low pitch," Rendon said. "I had to go down and get it, but I got the barrel of the bat on it.It felt good to get it [my first home run] out of the way, get the load off my shoulders so I can coast through the season."
The game stayed scoreless after his home run, fueled by solid pitching by junior Jared Rogers, junior Abe Gonzales, and senior Jordan Rogers.
"With a neighborhood rivalry, it's always good to win," Graham said. This was the first game for the Silver Glove Trophy, which will go to the winner of the five games between Rice and UH season.
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