Friday's Sports Update: Green Wave no match for high-scoring Owls
Rice must have still been on a run-scoring high from last Wednesday's thrilling comeback against Dallas Baptist, for the team opened with a bang against conference rival Tulane in the opener of a three-game series Friday night. The 19-7 (5-2) Owls are ranked as high as second by Rivals.com and fourth by Baseball America.The offense lately has been rolling: in nine of Rice's last 11 games, they have had at least 13 hits. The magic number tonight was 15 hits, which the Owls used to top Tulane 11-3.
Four hits led to three unearned Rice runs in the bottom of the first inning, thanks to a sacrifice fly and RBI hits by sophomore Rick Hague and freshman Daniel Gonzales-Luna.
Junior starter Jared Rogers kept Tulane scoreless until the top of the third, when two singles by center fielder Nick Boullosa and right fielder Drew Allain combined for the Green Wave's first run. Three consecutive singles then created Tulane's second run in the fourth inning.
The Owls doubled their offensive output in the bottom of the third, starting with a leadoff home run, just over the fence in right field, by sophomore Chad Mozingo. There was potential for back-to-back home runs, but junior Diego Seastrunk's hit fell just short and landed for a double. Seastrunk scored when freshman Anthony Rendon singled; he later scored thanks to a single by junior Jimmy Comerota.
Comerota picked up his third hit and second RBI of the night in the bottom of the fifth, driving in sophomore Rick Hague. He ended the night with four hits, two RBI and two stolen bases. He scored his only run in the seventh on an error by Tulane second baseman Seth Henry.
To continue the habit of scoring in odd-numbered innings, a sacrifice fly scored Rendon in the seventh inning. And in the next at-bat, Rendon's Lamar High School teammate Gonzales-Luna stepped up and hit a solo home run for his first career long ball.
Gonzales-Luna, who started as the designated hitter tonight, has lately gotten more playing time and has raised his batting average to .450 in 20 at-bats, which doesn't go without notice by his coach.
"He's doing a great job," Head Coach Wayne Graham said. "A very, very conscientious guy. Gives you quality at-bats and that's what we're looking for."
Rogers, who picked up the win tonight, entered the game with a 1-1 record to accompany a 13.50 ERA and exited with his best outing of the season. He threw a career-best 7.1 innings, forfeiting two earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts.
"It feels nice to pitch pretty good like I know I'm capable of pitching," Rogers said of the outing that lowered his ERA by six runs. He and the rest of the pitching staff are making the most of the opportunity to pitch more in the injury absence of starters Ryan Berry and Mike Ojala.
"We know that those are our two best guys, but we all feel comfortable and capable of picking up their slack," Rogers said. "We're all motivated and ready to work."
Graham was also pleased and relieved with Rogers' strong outing.
"We recruited Jared Rogers to pitch that way, and it's nice that he did. It's very encouraging for us," Graham said. "Right now it's very encouraging but if we ever get Berry and Ojala back that's another guy that can give us big-time innings. He's had experience and at his height he brings good angles and used a good slider tonight, his fastball was moving."
Rogers was relieved by junior Mark Haynes, who gave up a run in the eighth. Rendon then promptly earned that run back, sending the first pitch of the bottom of the eighth beyond the hill in left field, for his team-leading eighth homer of the year.
The Owls face the Green Wave tomorrow at 2 p.m. for the second game in the three-game series.
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