OWLS RALLY AGAIN, DEFEAT CAL POLY

Two out seventh inning rally propels Rice to victory

By Mark Anderson

The Rice Owls rallied with two outs in the seventh inning to take the lead and eventually the game from the Cal Poly Mustangs.

Rice and Cal Poly were tied at 2 runs each when, with one out, Brian Friday singled. With pinch-hitter Jared Gayhart at the plate, Friday attempted to steal second, but was thrown out. End of any rally, right?

Wrong.

Gayhart then followed with a single of his own, and took second on a wild pitch. Lehmann and Luna both walked, bringing up Jordan Dodson, last week’s tournament MVP. Dodson’s single scored Gayhart to break the tie game and give the Owls a 3-2 lead. Adam Zornes followed with a single to right, scoring Lehmann and Luna. The rally ended when Joe Savery hit into a force play, but the Owls had a 5-2 lead.

Coach Graham brought in Bobby Bramhall for Matt Langwell at this point, and Bramhall shut down the Mustangs, yielding only a hit. Langwell pitched well, giving up a grand total of 4 hits and 2 walks in 7 innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, the rally continued as Henley led off with a bunt single. Diego Seastrunk laid down a sacrifice to move Henley to second, and Brian Friday continued with his torrid hitting by driving in Henley with a double down the line in right. After Gayhart struck out swinging, Lehmann laced a single to right that scored Friday. That made the score 7-2, and Bobby Bramhall gave up a single but no more in the ninth to notch his second save of the year.

The Owls go for the sweep tomorrow with Joe Savery taking the hill for the Owls. Start time is at noon.

Pictures to be posted Sunday.