April 25, 2006

Box Score

HOUSTON - Kyle Jones went 2-for-4 and Texas State held its ground for five innings with No. 1 Rice, but the `Cats were unable to overcome four Owl multiple-hit outings in a 10-2 loss Tuesday at Reckling Park.

Texas State (22-23) will return to action Friday, when the Bobcats play Lamar in the opening game of a three-game set at Bobcat Field.

Rice (36-9) drew first blood in the contest, scoring centerfielder Tyler Henley on a one-out Josh Rodriguez single in the first inning.

The Owls continued the opening-inning threat, but with runners at first and third, first baseman Joe Savery lined a double-play line drive into the glove of Pat Crumpton, who flipped the ball to Cody Merrell at first to end the frame.

Heath Keel pulled the `Cats even in the fourth, ripping a two-out double into left field to score Luke Cannon, who reached second base on a Merrell grounder to first.

Rice broke the 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 2-1 lead when Savery gapped a double into left center, scoring Rodriguez from second.

Savery would later cross the plate to make the score 3-1 when Chad Lembeck tripled near the right-field foul line on a two-out, full-count pitch from reliever Ryan Bennett.

Thomas Field tripled with one out in the top of the fifth and was singled home by Jones to cut Rice's lead to 3-2, but the Owls again answered, scoring Brian Friday on a Rodriguez single in the bottom of the fifth that bounced beneath Keel's glove in right center to give Rice a 4-2 advantage.

After a 52-minute rain delay took effect in the bottom of the sixth, the Owls loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh before Kenny Ford flew out to left field, scoring Rodriguez to extend the lead to 5-2.

Rice continued the seventh-inning rally with a Danny Lehman double that scored Savery, and Henley added two more runs with a two-RBI single that plated Lehman and Jordan Dodson to put Rice up 8-2.

Henley later came around to put Rice up 9-2 when Greg Buchanan tripled into the right-center gap to end the five-run stretch-inning rally.

Dodson continued the Owl onslaught in the bottom of the eighth, banging a solo homer off of the scoreboard in right field to put Rice on top 10-2.