Baseball bested by San Diego twice, Texas once

By Ryan Glassman     3/25/10 7:00pm

The baseball team traveled to the University of San Diego this past weekend in hopes of extending its three-game winning streak. But the Owls (12-10) were unable to continue their winning ways, dropping the first two games before winning the finale thanks to a late-inning rally on Sunday. However, the biggest result of the week for Rice cannot be found in the standings. Senior pitcher Mike Ojala made a successful pitching return on Friday afternoon, almost exactly nine months after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow.

With USD (11-10) leading 4-2 in the fifth inning Friday, Rice starter Taylor Wall allowed an RBI double with one out to give the Toreros a one-run advantage. Following a walk and a strikeout, USD scored again on an error that extended the inning and pushed the lead to 6-2. Wall left the game, and on came Ojala for his first appearance of the season.

Ojala's outing marks the end of a grueling nine-month recovery period which began after the season ended. However, he was diagnosed months before, in April. After learning of his torn ulnar collateral ligament, Ojala postponed surgery until the offseason so that he could continue pitching. Ojala pitched through pain and made a number of starts down the stretch, including pitching in the team's Super Regional game against Louisiana State University in June.

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Ojala was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2009 MLB Draft but turned a contract down to return for his senior season.

The right-handed ace had a successful debut, striking out the first batter he faced to end the fifth inning, followed by a routine sixth inning. In two innings Ojala struck out two of the four batters he faced and did not allow a walk or a hit in his first appearance.

For Ojala, returning ahead of the April 1 target date is the reward for his hard work.

"This is exactly what I thought would happen, what I wanted to happen and what I worked my butt off to make happen," Ojala said. "It's not surprising to me at all."

Following Ojala's performance, the Owl bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth to cut into their four-run deficit. Sophomore Jeremy Rathjen's two-run double cut the USD lead in half, making it a 6-4 game entering the seventh inning. But Rice did not allow a walk or a hit.

For Ojala, returning ahead of the April 1 target date is the reward for his hard work.

"This is exactly what I thought would happen, what I wanted to happen and what I worked my butt off to make happen," Ojala said. "It's not surprising to me at all."

Following Ojala's performance, the Owls' bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth to cut into their four-run deficit. Sophomore Jeremy Rathjen's two-run double cut the USD lead in half, making it a 6-4 game entering the seventh inning. But Rice did not produce any more runs in the fina three frames, as they dropped the opener 6-4.

The Owls handed the ball to junior starter Boogie Anagnostou Saturday afternoon in hopes of evening up the series before the Sunday finale. Anagnostou contributed another solid outing, lasting six innings and allowing three earned runs in a seesaw battle.

Rice took a 5-4 lead in the eighth when freshman Michael Ratterree drove in sophomore Anthony Rendon on a sacrifice fly, but the Toreros tied the game in the bottom of the frame on a squeeze bunt. USD would load the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but junior Abe Gonzales worked out of a jam to send the game to extra innings. After the Owls were held scoreless in the tenth, Gonzales retired the first two batters before an error on a fly ball to the outfield extended the inning for the Toreros. After a stolen base, USD delivered a two-out single that scored the winning run and put Rice in an 0-2 hole in the series.

The Owls entered the final game of the series in need of a win to avoid their second road-series sweep in California this season. Junior Tony Cingrani could not work out of the third inning and was relieved by senior Jared Rogers, who would pitch into the ninth and keep Rice in the game. After the teams exchanged the lead four times over the first eight innings, the Owls entered the ninth trailing 6-5 and facing their third close loss in as many days. With one out, sophomore Michael Fuda delivered on his third hit of the day to put senior Jimmy Comerota in scoring position.

Following a hit-by-pitch and a pop-out, senior Diego Seastrunk came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. Seastrunk came through for the Owls, hitting a single up the middle that scored two runs and gave Rice the 7-6 lead. Junior Rick Hague followed this effort with an RBI double, and the Owls scored again on a wild pitch to give themselves a 9-6 lead entering the bottom of the ninth.

USD, however, refused to cede the final game of the series without a fight. The Toreros had loaded the bases in the ninth with no outs before senior Mark Haynes came in and forced a double play. A run scored on the play, but Rice was just one out away from victory.

USD kept the rally going with a single that scored the second run of the inning and narrowed the Rice lead to 9-8, bringing the potential winning run to the plate. But Haynes buckled down for the Owls, striking out the final batter and securing the 9-8 win for Rice.

Although Rice did not win the series, the return of Ojala provides optimism for the remainder of the season.

"If we can find enough pitching, we're going to be a pretty good ballclub," Head Coach Wayne Graham said after the win at home over Texas last Tuesday. "If Ojala makes this miraculous recovery from Tommy John surgery, it could make a huge difference."

After returning from sunny San Diego, Rice made the three-hour drive to Austin as the Longhorns played the role of host this time. Unfortunately, they didn't provide any source of entertainment for the visitors, and Texas took the victory Tuesday night 5-1. Rice managed only two hits against the Longhorn pitching, and were held hitless by starter Sam Stafford.

Texas started off the scoring with a solo shot to left field by second baseman Jordan Etier in the third inning, while Rice answered in the fifth with a bases-loaded squeeze play by sophomore Craig Manuel to score Rendon. However, after a throwing error by Hague, Texas started off the sixth inning with a runner on second. After Gonzales allowed a walk, he was relieved by Ojala, who promptly hit the next batter up, loading the bases with no outs. It only got worse for the Owls afterward, as Ojala allowed another walk and threw a wild pitch to balloon the score to 5-1. After that, the Owls could only muster two baserunners in the final three innings, succumbing to the Longhorns' masterful pitching and defense.

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