OWLS BLAST BY BAYLOR, SUPER REGIONAL BOUND
J-ROD’S HOMER KEY BLAST
By Mark Anderson
The Rice Owls got their wish Monday—“one and done’—by defeating a very spirited Baylor team by a score of 7-4. With the win, the Owls move into the super-regional round, and will play Oklahoma next Saturday, Sunday, and Monday here at Reckling Park.
Joe Savery pitched well enough for five innings to get the win, making adjustments throughout his outing to be effective against the Bears. Savery survived a shaky third inning, and from that point on, was very effective against the Bears. Adam Zornes told me afterwards that Savery made several adjustments after the third inning. Those adjustments, like using one pitch to set up another, helped Savery hang around long enough to get the win.
While Savery survived a shaky third, the Bears did not. Tyler Henley led off the third inning with a single—one of four hits on the day. After Buchanan pooped out and Friday flied out to left, Josh Rodriguez got a fastball up and away and lifted it over the outstretched glove of Kevin Sevigny for a two run homer. “They had been pitching me low and away, “Josh told me afterwards, “but this fastball was up and I hit it to the shortest part of the ballpark.”
But the Owls weren’t finished yet. Joe Savery stepped to the plate and singled back through the middle. Aaron Luna then singled to right, moving Savery to second. Adam Zornes then ripped a belt-high pitch down the left field line to drive in two more runs. That brought Jordan Dodson to the plate, who laced a triple into right, scoring Zornes. Lehmann flied out to roght to end the inning, but the Owls had put together five consecutive hits—2 singles, a double, a triple, and a home run—with two outs. Needles to say, Tim Matthews did not come back for the fourth. He was tagged with ten hits and five runs in three innings.
That wasn’t the case with Joe Savery today. Suddenly, Savery got into a nice little groove in the fourth, mixing his pitches and challenging the hitters. Savery retired the last six in order—three grounders, two strikeouts and one popup (and a partridge in a pear tree). Joe found what he needed the most—his control. Seth Fortenberry confessed afterwards, “I had trouble with Savery’s slider today.” Joe also noticed something important. “I decided their hitters wanted to be aggressive and swing their bats, so rather than try and go after them, I let them get themselves out.”
Baylor’s last gasp to get even came in the sixth. Will McDaniel had come on to pitch for Savery. Last Sunday, using this same script, McDaniel was unbelievable. Unfortunately, Will was not nearly as hot as he was last Sunday. After Beamer Weems struck out to begin the sixth, Zach Dillion walked. Tim Jackson followed with a single. After Pankratz flied out, it looked like Will was going to play Houdini again. But Gerdes was then walked on four pitches, and Wayne Graham made the call to Bryce Cox. Sevigny grounded out, and just like that, the Bears’ threat was gone.
The Bears would finally break through in the seventh with a run, but anyone watching the game couldn’t help but notice that Bryce Cox had it going this day. While Cox did allow four hits and a run, he didn’t walk a batter and he did strike out four in the process. Graham brought Cole St. Clair on in the ninth, and he immediately ended the threat and the game.
Next up for the Owls is the Super Regional playoffs, hosted by Rice. Rice’s opponent will be an Oklahoma Sooners team that has its’ eyes cast towards Rosenblatt Stadium as well. The schedule for the games begins with a Saturday game at 6 pm. Saturday’s game will be in the early afternoon, as will the Sunday game if needed.
By Mark Anderson
The Rice Owls got their wish Monday—“one and done’—by defeating a very spirited Baylor team by a score of 7-4. With the win, the Owls move into the super-regional round, and will play Oklahoma next Saturday, Sunday, and Monday here at Reckling Park.
Joe Savery pitched well enough for five innings to get the win, making adjustments throughout his outing to be effective against the Bears. Savery survived a shaky third inning, and from that point on, was very effective against the Bears. Adam Zornes told me afterwards that Savery made several adjustments after the third inning. Those adjustments, like using one pitch to set up another, helped Savery hang around long enough to get the win.
While Savery survived a shaky third, the Bears did not. Tyler Henley led off the third inning with a single—one of four hits on the day. After Buchanan pooped out and Friday flied out to left, Josh Rodriguez got a fastball up and away and lifted it over the outstretched glove of Kevin Sevigny for a two run homer. “They had been pitching me low and away, “Josh told me afterwards, “but this fastball was up and I hit it to the shortest part of the ballpark.”
But the Owls weren’t finished yet. Joe Savery stepped to the plate and singled back through the middle. Aaron Luna then singled to right, moving Savery to second. Adam Zornes then ripped a belt-high pitch down the left field line to drive in two more runs. That brought Jordan Dodson to the plate, who laced a triple into right, scoring Zornes. Lehmann flied out to roght to end the inning, but the Owls had put together five consecutive hits—2 singles, a double, a triple, and a home run—with two outs. Needles to say, Tim Matthews did not come back for the fourth. He was tagged with ten hits and five runs in three innings.
That wasn’t the case with Joe Savery today. Suddenly, Savery got into a nice little groove in the fourth, mixing his pitches and challenging the hitters. Savery retired the last six in order—three grounders, two strikeouts and one popup (and a partridge in a pear tree). Joe found what he needed the most—his control. Seth Fortenberry confessed afterwards, “I had trouble with Savery’s slider today.” Joe also noticed something important. “I decided their hitters wanted to be aggressive and swing their bats, so rather than try and go after them, I let them get themselves out.”
Baylor’s last gasp to get even came in the sixth. Will McDaniel had come on to pitch for Savery. Last Sunday, using this same script, McDaniel was unbelievable. Unfortunately, Will was not nearly as hot as he was last Sunday. After Beamer Weems struck out to begin the sixth, Zach Dillion walked. Tim Jackson followed with a single. After Pankratz flied out, it looked like Will was going to play Houdini again. But Gerdes was then walked on four pitches, and Wayne Graham made the call to Bryce Cox. Sevigny grounded out, and just like that, the Bears’ threat was gone.
The Bears would finally break through in the seventh with a run, but anyone watching the game couldn’t help but notice that Bryce Cox had it going this day. While Cox did allow four hits and a run, he didn’t walk a batter and he did strike out four in the process. Graham brought Cole St. Clair on in the ninth, and he immediately ended the threat and the game.
Next up for the Owls is the Super Regional playoffs, hosted by Rice. Rice’s opponent will be an Oklahoma Sooners team that has its’ eyes cast towards Rosenblatt Stadium as well. The schedule for the games begins with a Saturday game at 6 pm. Saturday’s game will be in the early afternoon, as will the Sunday game if needed.
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