Owls Berry LBS Behind Team Win
By Mark Anderson
The Rice Owls came out on Saturday relaxed and had the breakout game they were looking for as they beat the Dirtbags by a score of 11-2.
The first key to this game was intensity. Brian Friday said afterwards, “I just think the intensity level was a lot higher. It had a big difference in the way we swung the bat today.” Joe Savery also pointed out that in the locker room, “We were just saying, ‘Guys, our talent didn't disappear overnight.’”
Coach Graham alluded to the same thing. “Heck, Barry Bonds and Lance Berkman have gone a month without hitting well. It will come—we’ve just got to be patient, be a team, and work at it. Those are the things that win for you.”
The second key to this game was the pitching of Ryan Berry. Berry was dominating in this outing, going 71/3 innings, while giving up seven hits in route to fanning eight. The key to Berry’s performance, according to Berry, was location. “Unlike last week,” Berry said, “I couldn’t throw my fastball for a strike, so I went with my off-speed, and in the later innings—the sixth, seventh, and eighth—I threw my fastball over.”
Graham was obviously pleased with Berry’s performance. “We thought in the fall he would be outstanding, and so far, he’s been according to prophecy.”
Of course it didn’t hurt that the bats were as warm as the weather. Chad Lembeck had 3 RBIs. Joe Savery had a double and an RBI. But the unquestioned leader of the hit parade was Aaron Luna, with a triple and a home run, driving in four runs in the process. Tyler Henley also had a great day at the plate, going two for three with two runs scored and a HBP to boot.
The Owls opened the scoring in the third inning when Padron had an infield single and Henley followed with a solid single. Friday sacrificed the runners up a base. Lembeck followed with a double that brought both runners home. Zornes followed with a single, but Lembeck was thrown out at the plate, and Savery grounded out to end the inning, but Rice had a lead they would never relinquish, 2-0.
Long Beach answered with a run of its’ own in the top of the fourth when Kyle Morgan homered to right center with one out to put the Dirtbags on the board. Rice would answer in the bottom of the fourth when Aaron Luna led off with a home run of his own to make the score 3-1.
Long Beach State would come back the top of the fifth when Godfrey singled to open the inning and Cline singled to move Godfrey to third. Perry hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2, Owls.
But that’s as close as the Dirtbags would come to the lead on this day. In the sixth, Zornes was hit by a pitch, and Myers ran for him. After LBS changed pitchers, Savery promptly doubled to right, driving in Myers. After Luna struck out, Jess Buenger, pinch-hitting for Reagan, grounded out to first, but Savery moved up to third. Gayhart pinch hit for Dodson and drew a walk. But the rally ended when Padron struck out, leaving the score at 4-2.
But the Owls were not finished. In the seventh, Henley led off with a single, and that’s when it got interesting. David Roberts became pre-occupied with Henley at first. Matter of fact, he became so pre-occupied that he actually missed the throw from the catcher, which allowed Henley to move up to second on the error as Friday struck out. Lembeck drew a walk, and Seastrunk pinch-hit for Myers and struck out. Roberts issued the “unintentional-intentional” walk to Savery, bringing up Luna. BIG mistake! Luna cleared the bases with a triple to right center field, and the Owls were never in any danger after that. Gayhart struck out swinging, but it was now 7-2 Owls.
“They all but intentionally walked me,” Savery said, “and he [Luna] comes up behind me and hits a triple into the gap. There was a lot of clutch hitting today, and their tactics didn’t help them out today.”
Just when the Dirtbags thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did in the eighth. Dustin Rasco was brought on in the bottom of the eighth, and his first pitch drilled Padron. His second pitch drilled Henley. His third pitch drilled Friday in the head. He then walked Chad Lembeck to drive in run number eight. Diego Seastunk then hit a bases clearing triple to center to enlarge the lead to 11-2.
The Owls wrapped up the weekend with a 2-1 win over the Dirtbags, with Jordan Dodson getting the game-winning RBI. Up for the Owls on Tuesday is Dallas Baptist University, followed this weekend by Florida Atlantic, Nebraska, and Texas A & M-Corpus Christi.
The Rice Owls came out on Saturday relaxed and had the breakout game they were looking for as they beat the Dirtbags by a score of 11-2.
The first key to this game was intensity. Brian Friday said afterwards, “I just think the intensity level was a lot higher. It had a big difference in the way we swung the bat today.” Joe Savery also pointed out that in the locker room, “We were just saying, ‘Guys, our talent didn't disappear overnight.’”
Coach Graham alluded to the same thing. “Heck, Barry Bonds and Lance Berkman have gone a month without hitting well. It will come—we’ve just got to be patient, be a team, and work at it. Those are the things that win for you.”
The second key to this game was the pitching of Ryan Berry. Berry was dominating in this outing, going 71/3 innings, while giving up seven hits in route to fanning eight. The key to Berry’s performance, according to Berry, was location. “Unlike last week,” Berry said, “I couldn’t throw my fastball for a strike, so I went with my off-speed, and in the later innings—the sixth, seventh, and eighth—I threw my fastball over.”
Graham was obviously pleased with Berry’s performance. “We thought in the fall he would be outstanding, and so far, he’s been according to prophecy.”
Of course it didn’t hurt that the bats were as warm as the weather. Chad Lembeck had 3 RBIs. Joe Savery had a double and an RBI. But the unquestioned leader of the hit parade was Aaron Luna, with a triple and a home run, driving in four runs in the process. Tyler Henley also had a great day at the plate, going two for three with two runs scored and a HBP to boot.
The Owls opened the scoring in the third inning when Padron had an infield single and Henley followed with a solid single. Friday sacrificed the runners up a base. Lembeck followed with a double that brought both runners home. Zornes followed with a single, but Lembeck was thrown out at the plate, and Savery grounded out to end the inning, but Rice had a lead they would never relinquish, 2-0.
Long Beach answered with a run of its’ own in the top of the fourth when Kyle Morgan homered to right center with one out to put the Dirtbags on the board. Rice would answer in the bottom of the fourth when Aaron Luna led off with a home run of his own to make the score 3-1.
Long Beach State would come back the top of the fifth when Godfrey singled to open the inning and Cline singled to move Godfrey to third. Perry hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2, Owls.
But that’s as close as the Dirtbags would come to the lead on this day. In the sixth, Zornes was hit by a pitch, and Myers ran for him. After LBS changed pitchers, Savery promptly doubled to right, driving in Myers. After Luna struck out, Jess Buenger, pinch-hitting for Reagan, grounded out to first, but Savery moved up to third. Gayhart pinch hit for Dodson and drew a walk. But the rally ended when Padron struck out, leaving the score at 4-2.
But the Owls were not finished. In the seventh, Henley led off with a single, and that’s when it got interesting. David Roberts became pre-occupied with Henley at first. Matter of fact, he became so pre-occupied that he actually missed the throw from the catcher, which allowed Henley to move up to second on the error as Friday struck out. Lembeck drew a walk, and Seastrunk pinch-hit for Myers and struck out. Roberts issued the “unintentional-intentional” walk to Savery, bringing up Luna. BIG mistake! Luna cleared the bases with a triple to right center field, and the Owls were never in any danger after that. Gayhart struck out swinging, but it was now 7-2 Owls.
“They all but intentionally walked me,” Savery said, “and he [Luna] comes up behind me and hits a triple into the gap. There was a lot of clutch hitting today, and their tactics didn’t help them out today.”
Just when the Dirtbags thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did in the eighth. Dustin Rasco was brought on in the bottom of the eighth, and his first pitch drilled Padron. His second pitch drilled Henley. His third pitch drilled Friday in the head. He then walked Chad Lembeck to drive in run number eight. Diego Seastunk then hit a bases clearing triple to center to enlarge the lead to 11-2.
The Owls wrapped up the weekend with a 2-1 win over the Dirtbags, with Jordan Dodson getting the game-winning RBI. Up for the Owls on Tuesday is Dallas Baptist University, followed this weekend by Florida Atlantic, Nebraska, and Texas A & M-Corpus Christi.
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