Owls capture home opener after rocky road start

By Meghan Hall     2/26/09 6:00pm

Though there was cause for concern when the baseball team came back from California with only one win from their opening three-game set, history should have warned us otherwise. In both 2007 and 2008, the Owls started 1-2, but earned a College World Series berth in Omaha, Neb. Now, it is too early to tell if another Omaha appearance is in the cards, but there is certainly something to be said for history repeating itself, as No. 10 Rice thumped the visiting University of Houston 9-2 on Wednesday night at Reckling Park.

Head coach Wayne Graham said the win righted the team's early-season troubles.

"[This win] means a lot," coach Wayne Graham said. "It helps give us a good start."

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Rice, then ranked seventh in the country, opened the season in San Luis Obispo, Calif., against California Polytechnic State University on Friday. Rice eked out a 10-7 win in the first game, but the Mustangs (4- 1) threatened with the bases loaded in both the eighth and ninth innings. Sophomore shortstop Rick Hague and freshman outfielder Jeremy Rathjen led Rice's 14-hit attack with three hits apiece.

Junior Ryan Berry started the game, but left with a no-decision after 4.2 innings and five earned runs. Senior Jordan Rogers provided solid relief and got the win with 3.1 no-hit innings, and sophomore Matt Evers finished the game for his first career save.

The win primed Rice for the first game of a doubleheader last Saturday, with freshman lefty Taylor Wall slated to take the hill in his first college start. Though the teams finished with the same number of hits, Rice committed three errors and Cal Poly came out on top with a 10-3 win, with nine of their runs scored in the first four innings. Junior catcher Diego Seastrunk hit his second home run in as many games, but it was nowhere near enough to overcome the Mustangs' onslaught.

Later that night, Cal Poly came back against the Owls to claim a 7-6 win. Junior Mike Ojala started the game on the mound, lasting 6.1 innings in his first start but allowing five runs. Rathjen and freshman third baseman Anthony Rendon combined to score the first run in the second inning, and Rice also scored a run in the third.

After Cal Poly answered to tie the game in the bottom of the third, the Owls brought out the big guns to take the lead again in the fourth. The first four batters in the inning - Hague, Rendon, junior second baseman Brock Holt and junior first baseman Jimmy Comerota - all reached base and later scored. Rendon and sophomore outfielder Chad Mozingo had two RBIs each in the inning.

Down 6-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Mustangs came back and tied the game 6-6 after running through Evers, junior Mark Haynes and freshman Andrew Benak. A one-out double by J.J. Thompson in the ninth off of freshman reliever Matthew Reckling sealed the deal, sending the Owls back to Houston with a losing record.

Despite the sub-.500 record, they compiled a composite .318 batting average against Cal Poly, and five starters hit .360 or better. After the opening series, Hague led the team with a .462 average, three doubles and three RBIs. Freshman outfielder Steven Sultzbaugh was second in hitting with a .455 clip and blasted Rice's first home run of the season.

The Owls came back to Texas three days later with their momentum stalled, but the team triumphed in their home opener, beating the University of Houston. This was the first game for the Silver Glove Trophy, which goes to the winner of the five games between Rice and Houston (2-3).

The star Wednesday night was Rendon, who finished 4-4 with a three-run home run. The Cougars scored first, but Rice piled on the runs in bunches with three in the second and five in the fourth with help from Rendon and Seastrunk's two-RBI double. Hague also hit a solo home run in the third.

In his first career start, Benak rebounded from his earlier outing and handled the Cougars well, throwing 3.2 innings with one earned run. After he departed, Wall completed three innings of scoreless relief. Senior Jordan Rogers and juniors Jared Rogers and Abe Gonzales contributed from the bullpen as well.

The team appears to have regained its footing, as its defense appears to have recaptured its focus and the team has kept up the torrid offensive pace. After four games, Rendon leads the team with a .600 batting average and six RBIs, and Hague and Seastrunk also have averages above .350. Ojala leads the team in innings pitched (6.1) and ERA (1.42).

There have been questions about the youth on the squad, but both the coaches and the players feel comfortable with the team's makeup.

"Rendon's been excellent," Graham said. "Taylor Wall was good [Wednesday]. He's got to pitch for us. Rathjen's done well. We're going to be fine."

Seastrunk said he recognizes the lack of experience but has confidence in the abilities of the Owls.

"The talent's there, the chemistry's there," he said. "Experience is the key to this team.

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