The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Rice University
Baseball season ends with 7-4 loss to Rice in NCAA Regional
06.01.2008 | Baseball
HOUSTON -- The Texas Longhorns allowed three runs in the top of the seventh inning and dropped a 7-4 decision to the Rice Owls in baseball action at the NCAA Championship Houston Regional on Sunday night. The loss ended the Longhorns season.
Texas (39-22) was unable to take advantage of six Rice errors and left 12 runners on base, including three in the fifth inning and two in both the sixth and seventh.
Rice (45-13) broke the game open with three runs in the top of the seventh. With the score tied at 4-4, Rick Hague was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Adam Zornes drew a walk and Jimmy Comerota singled to plate Hague with the go-ahead run. Diego Seastrunk knocked in Zornes with a single to centerfield and John Hale capped off the rally with a groundout to drive in Comerota, staking the Owls to a 7-4 lead.
The Owls drew first blood with two runs in the second inning. Comerota hit a leadoff double down the rightfield line and moved to third on a fly out by Seastrunk. Chad Mozingo drove in Comerota with an infield single and stole second base. Jared Gayhart plated Mozingo with a single to centerfield, giving Rice a 2-0 lead.
Rice inflated the cushion to 3-0 in the third inning. With one out, Aaron Luna walked and stole second base and a Zornes single put runners at the corners. Comerota laid down a sacrifice squeeze bunt to plate Luna.
Kyle Russell tied the game with one swing in the bottom of the third. Kyle Lusson drew a leadoff walk and Torres reached on a bunt single to put runners on first and second. After Jordan Danks struck out swinging, Russell followed with a home run down the leftfield line, tying the game at 3-3. It was Russell's 57th career home run and 19th of the season.
Rice reclaimed the lead in the sixth inning. With one out, Mozingo walked, stole second and third base and scored on a single to rightfield by Gayhart.
Texas scored an equalizer in the home half of the sixth. With one out, Travis Tucker walked and scored on a pair of errors on a ball hit by Kyle Lusson.
Bobby Bell (1-0) earned the win in relief for Rice. He pitched 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out two.
Cole Green (3-7) was saddled with the loss for Texas. He allowed three runs on two hits and one walk over one inning.
Torres and Tant Shepherd each had two hits for the Longhorns.
The Owls got two hits apiece from Gayhart, Zornnes, Comerota and Mozingo.
