No. 6 Baseball falls at No. 13 Rice, 5-2

Saturday, February 14

Houston, Texas

4 p.m.

University of Texas

1-2

Rice

2-1

Texas

RICE

02.14.2015 | Baseball

Box Score

Barrera hits a two-run homer

HOUSTON – Tres Barrera had a two-run home run but the No. 6 Baseball team was unable to overcome an early deficit as it fell 5-2 in the second game of a doubleheader at No. 13 Rice Saturday afternoon.

had its bats quieted for much of the second game of a doubleheader with No. 13 Rice, as the Longhorns fell 5-2 Saturday afternoon.

Rice (2-1) starting pitcher Brad Salinas (1-0) pitched 7 1/3 innings and limited the Longhorns to two runs on five hits while striking out four.

Texas (1-2) pitcher Josh Sawyer (0-1), making his first career start, went 4 1/3 innings and gave up five runs on seven hits. The sophomore retired the side in order in the second and fourth innings, but the hot-hitting Owls touched him up for one in the first, two in the third and two in the fifth.

The Longhorns received solid debuts by freshmen pitchers Jake McKenzie and Tyler Schimpf. McKenzie tossed 2 2/3 scoreless, allowing two hits while striking out two. Schimpf pitched one scoreless frame while giving up a single. McKenzie and Schimpf are two of eight Texas players to make their collegiate debut this weekend.

Ben Johnson, who went 4-for-5 in the first game of the doubleheader, had one hit and has hit safely in all three games this series. Brooks Marlow, Bret Boswell and Collin Shaw each had a single and have also hit safely in each game.

For the third straight game, Rice struck for a run in the first inning, taking a lead it wouldn't surrender when Leon Byrd doubled with two outs and scored after a balk and passed ball. In the third inning, Ford Stainback and Kirby Taylor had run-scoring singles to increase the Owls' lead to 3-0. Center fielder Zane Gurwitz prevented another run by gunning down a runner at home on Stainback's single.

Sawyer bounced back from that with a 1-2-3 fourth inning, but after allowing a single and issuing a one-out walk in the fifth, was lifted for McKenzie. The freshman retired the first batter he faced, but gave up a two-run single to Taylor that made it 5-0.

Barrera gave Texas an answer in the seventh, sending a 2-0 delivery well beyond the left field fence with a runner on to cut the deficit to 5-2.

The Longhorns, though, could get no closer. With runners on the corners and one out in the eighth, Rice turned an inning ending 6-3 double play and Owls reliever John Williamson worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the save (1).

Texas and Rice conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m.