The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Rice
No. 2 Baseball falls to No. 14 Rice, 10-6
03.16.2010 | Baseball
March 16, 2010
AUSTIN, Texas -- The No. 3 Texas Longhorns allowed double-digits in the run column for the first time this season and fell to No. 14 Rice, 10-6, at Reckling Park on Tuesday evening.
The Owls pounced on the Horns with two runs in the bottom half of the first. Chad Mozingo walked and Michael Fuda singled to start the inning. Rick Hague bunted the runners into scoring position and Mozingo scored on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Rendon and Fuda touched home on a single by Craig Manuel.
The Longhorns evened the game in the top of the second. Cameron Rupp cued a single through the left side of the infield. Rupp was replaced at first by Kevin Lusson on a fielder's choice and Cohl Walla singled through the right side of the infield to put runners at the corners. Connor Rowe singled up the middle driving Lusson and Jonathan Walsh provided the equalizer dropping a single into centerfield to push Walla across.
Texas (13-4) staked claim to its only lead of the game in the top of the third. Jordan Etier blasted a 2-2 pitch on to the hill behind the leftfield wall to give Texas a 3-2 lead.
Rice reclaimed the lead with a three-run third inning. Rendon reached on leadoff walk and was replaced at first base by Manuel on a fielder's choice grounder. With two outs, Michael Ratterree walked to put a pair of runners on for Steven Sultzbaugh. Texas starter Austin Dicharry was lifted for Carrillo and Sultzbaugh responded by driving a 1-2 offering over the leftfield fence to give Rice a 5-3 lead.
The Longhorns manufactured a run in the top of the fourth. Jonathan Walsh started the inning with a single to rightfield, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Etier drove a ball into leftfield to cut the lead to 5-4.
Rendon hit a home run down the leftfield line to lead off the bottom of the fifth, giving Rice a two-run cushion again at 6-4.
Texas drew within one run for the last time in the game when the scored in the top of sixth. Walsh hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a single by Shepherd and scored when Etier ground a fielder's choice to third base.
The Owls created separation with a two-run sixth. Jimmy Comerota hit a leadoff triple and with one out Fuda walked to put runners at the corners. Rick Hague laid down a bunt single to drive Comerota in. Fuda moved to third on a fly out by Rendon and scored on a single up the middle by Manuel for the 8-5 lead.
The Rice lead increased to 9-5 with a run in the bottom of the seventh Ratterree reached on an infield single and with one out Comerota singled to put runners at the corners. A groundout by Mozingo pushed Ratterree across.
Texas trimmed the lead to 9-6 with a run in the top half of the eighth. Tant Shepherd reached on an error and scored on a double down the leftfield line by Etier.
The Owls added one more insurance run in the eighth. With one out, Hague singled, moved to second on a Rendon walk and scored on Manuel single to give Rice a 10-6 lead.
Etier was the offensive star for the Horns. He went 3-for-5 with one run, one double, one home run, four RBI and one stolen base. Jonathan Walsh went 3-for-4 with two runs, one double and one RBI. Walla was 2-for-4 with one.
Manuel paced Rice going 3-for-5 with one run and three RBI. Steven Sultzbaugh went 1-for-4 with one home run and three RBI. Fuda and Hague each had two hits.
Dicharry (0-2) was saddled with the loss. He allowed four runs on three hits and five walks while striking out two over 2.2 innings.
Holt McNair (1-0) earned the win in relief for Rice. He allowed one hit on two hits and one walk while striking out one over 2.0 innings. Reliever Tyler Duffey fanned six and allowed just one unearned run on one hit and two walks over 2.2 innings.
