Photos From Sunday at ECU

If you have not already found this link, this one contains some post-game interviews as well as pictures of Aaron Luna receiving the MVP trophy and a team picture of the C-USA champions. Gollow this link:

http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/559202843UfaryT

Photo link from C-USA Tournament 3

The hits just keep coming. . . this link shows pics from the UCF-Rice game at the C-USA tournament:

http://sports.webshots.com/album/559157596dcezem?start=0

Photo link from C-USA Tournament 2

For three days I couldn't find a single picture online. . . now they're all here. This link features Tulane and East Carolina fpr the most part--no Rice photos to be found, but bet you'll find them here tomorrow:
http://www.reflector.com/sports/content/sports/slideshows/cusatournament/

Photo link from C-USA Tournament

Below you will find a link for Saturday's early game with Memphis:

http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/559189618cSDZQS?mediaPosition=6&track_pagetag=/page/photo/goodtimes/friendsfun&track_action=/ActionsBox/Slideshow

Here's a link that will show more of C-USA baseball tournament action:

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/559189618cSDZQS?start=12

INTERVIEWS AFTER SATURDAY'S WIN AGAINST MEMPHIS

Listen to interviews from last Saturday's win against Memphis and hear from Coach Graham, Brian Friday on his big day, Jared Gayhart, Joe Savery, Aaron Luna, and Bryan Price by clicking here:

http://www.ricefootball.net/memphis5-19.wav

Also, want to wish a very happy birthday on this day to my niece Kristi in California. Hope you have a great birthday!

INTERVIEWS AFTER FRIDAY'S GAME AGAINST MEMPHIS

The post-game comments from Friday's game are now available. Hear from Danny Lehmann, Aaron Luna, Cole St. Clair, Ryne Tacker, Jess "The Bellville Banger" Buenger, and Brian Friday as they comment on their perspectives of that game by clicking here:

http://www.ricefootball.net/memphis5-18.wav

More Sights From Saturday's win against Memphis

Top to bottom: Joe Savery delivers a pitch Saturday afternoon; the Bellville Banger bangs another one; this pitch was a little to close to Jordan's head for his own comfort; Bryan Price delivers in the eighth inning; and Joe Savery and friends relax in the bullpen watching Price pitch.

Brian's Trip Around The Bases, Part I

Bottom to Top: It all began with this swing and follow-through (first three pictures) ; you can hear Brian's Little League coach yelling, "Run, Brian, run!" in the fourth one; and the ball and Friday arrive at about the same time, but both are going in different directions.

Brian's Trip Around The Bases, Part II

Bottom to Top: Friday takes off for third; the ball and Brian arrive at the same time, and both are going to keep going; Run, Brian, run!; The ball and Brian arrived at the same time, but the catcher was unable to make the tag, and when the dust cleared, Brian was safe at home!

Owls Close Out Regular Season With 18th Win in a Row

Friday Sparks Win With HR, 2 Doubles

By Mark Anderson

Brian Friday sparked the Owl offense today with three hits, including a home run, and two doubles to lead the Owls to a 7-4 win to close out the regular season.

For the Owls, this was win number eighteen in a row. Granted, that doesn’t compare to the thirty in a row that Rice won in 2003 as they win the national title—at least now. But the Owls, since being 19-10, have gone 26-1.

Joe Savery pitched well in his last regular season start, giving up only three hits, while walking three and striking out seven. In the third, Savery scrambled to get out of the way of a shot by Alex Fennell, then threw a wild pitch before walking Chalmers and giving up a sacrifice fly to Murray to put Memphis in a tie, 1-1.

But Brian Friday led off the third with a double, and centerfielder Chalmers overthrew third. Friday got up and slid home to put the Owls back on top by a 2-1 count.

In the fourth, Aaron Luna led off with a walk, and Joe Savery doubled deep into the corner in left to give the Owls a 3-1 lead. Diego Seastrunk then followed Savery with a single to score Savery and put the Owls up 4-1. But Adam Zornes grounded into a double play, and J.P. Padron was out at first on a very close play at first to end the inning.

In the fifth inning, the Tigers finally got Friday out on a deep drive to center. But Jared Gayhart stepped up and he didn’t miss, homering to right center to increase the lead to 5-1.

The Tigers clawed back in the sixth when shortstop Michael Murray homered off Joe Savery to make the score 5-2. But the Tigers couldn’t muster anything after that, and the score remained decidedly in the Owls’ favor.

In the bottom of the sixth, Joe Savery was pinch-hit for by Dodson, who earned a walk. After Seastrunk popped out to the catcher in foul ground, Zornes doubled to left to put runners on second and third. That ended Schenk’s afternoon, who had replaced Hudgens with one out in the fifth. Matt Yokley was summoned to pitch, and Padron laid down a perfect suicide squeeze to bring in Dodson. After Friday had struck out, Gayhart singled to drive in Zornes and give the Owls a 7-2 lead.

In the eighth, Bryan Price, who has looked great late in the season, got an opportunity with a runner on first and second. The first pitch Price threw went back to the backstop, advancing the runners a base. Amar dumped a seeing eye single into short right, and Norrid did the same. Now the score was 7-4, and the pressure was on Bryan. But the Price was right as he induced a fly out and a groundout to end the inning. He then finished the ninth by earning his first save, striking out two in the final inning.

The Owls travel to Greenville to play in the C-USA tournament next week. While I cannot be there personally, I’ll do all I can to get you updates. I’ll be back if Rice hosts the regionals.

OTHER ACTION FROM FRIDAY'S GAME AGAINST MEMPHIS

TOP TO BOTTOM: Tacker opens the game with the first pitch; Henley drills a ball in the first inning; Seastrunk has a Tiger by the tail; Jordan Dodson makes a catch in the outfiled; and Cole St. Clair threw this pitch in the top of the eighth to get a double play.

OWLS COME BACK IN 6th TO TAKE LEAD

TOP TO BOTTOM: Luna's double in the 6th brings in Friday with the tying run; Jess Buenger's single brings in both Savery, who was walked intentionally, and Luna with the lead runs. Savery greets Luna at home, then is greeted by and chest bumps Cole St. Clair.

Pics Against Memphis: The Almost Great Play of the Night

Friday fielded this ball past second base, then tried in vain to race back to second to get the lead runner before throwing to first. All runners were safe.

OWLS PULL FAST ONE ON MEMPHIS, WIN 17th Straight

Luna’s Double, Buenger’s Single Give Owls the Win

By Mark Anderson

The Owls and Tigers acted like they were in a hurry to get somewhere this evening, playing the fastest game of the year to date. But it was the Owls who ended up pulling the fast one on Memphis in the sixth with a three run outburst that put Ryne Tacker in the win column for the ninth time this season, winning over Memphis by a score of 4-2.

The Owls were the first out of the sprinter’s box and onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning when Brian Friday tripled off Scott McGregor to open the ballgame. Gayhart’s groundout to short brought Friday home and gave the Owls an early lead at 1-0.

The game started just as quickly for the Memphis Tigers, when, with one out in the second, Kyle Norrid took a Tacker delivery and kept it fair long enough for a home run to give the Tigers a 1-1 tie game.

In the fourth inning, the Tigers pounced again. Moss doubled to lead off the fourth. Amar grounded to second, and Moss took third. Norrid, who had homered in his previous at-bat, struck out. But the ball got away from normally sure-handed Danny Lehmann, and ended up safe at first, because Lehmann had to look Moss back once he had retrieved the ball. The throw to first was just a hair late. Then came the weird play of the night, when Irvin hit a ground ball up the middle. Friday fielded the ball, tried to step on second, but again, because he had passed the bag and had to retreat, was just a hair late. His throw to first was also late, and that scored Moss to make it a 2-1 game.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Owls struck like lightening when Friday led off the inning with a single. Gayhart grounded out to second, but Friday was safe at second when Moss threw out Gayhart. Henley then grounded to Moss again to send Joe Savery to the plate. With a 3-0 count, the Tigers decided to put Savery on and pitch to Luna. Luna responded with the hardest hit ball of the night that went for a double, bringing in Friday and Savery to push the Owls ahead by a 3-2 score. Jess Buenger then singled Luna home, and just like that, the Owls were on top by a score of 4-2.

That was the end of the road for Ryne Tacker, as Coach Graham brought in Matt Langwell to start the seventh inning. Langwell pitched well, striking out two and walking none. But with one out in the eighth, and Norrid on after a Baltimore chop, Coach Graham went to the mound and summoned closer Cole St. Clair. St. Clair threw one pitch—a double play ball from Friday to Buenger to Savery to end the inning. In the ninth, he worked quickly to dispose of the Tigers to give the Owls their seventeenth win in a row, and also make him the all-time leader in saves for the Owls.

Tomorrow is the last regular season game for the Owls before they go to Greenville, North Carolina to play in the C-USA tournament. Joe Savery will take the hill for the final game, with starting time scheduled at 2 pm tomorrow.

BERKMAN PROFILE SUNDAY ON FSN

Former Rice standout and now All-Star first baseman Lance Berkman will be featured on FSN this Sunday, May 19, at 10:00 CDT, in a show called “In My Own Words.”

The interesting thing about this program is that it is not the traditional question and answer format. Lance will tell viewers about how his Dad taught him to switch hit at the age of six, why his days at Rice were the best time he ever had in baseball, how he was surprised the Astros drafted him, and the importance of his own family.

Here are a few excerpts from the show:

On his father: “He taught me how to switch hit when I was six years old. Most Dads don’t have that kind of foresight, but he knew I was a left-handed thrower and a natural right-handed hitter, which is kind of an odd combination. He thought if I could throw left-handed, I should be able to hit left-handed and I’ve been switch hitting as long as I remember.”

On playing for Rice University: “The most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball is when I was at Rice. We just had such a group of guys, we just had so much fun together playing the game. I feel really privileged, I was there right at the beginning of coach (Wayne) Graham’s dynasty. I got to see it go from where we had won nothing to when I left we had gone to a college world series.”

Get those DVRs and VCRs set up!

THE HITS KEPT COMING

Joe Savery singles on this swing--one of four hits and two RBIs.












Savery watches his liner get through the middle.

Seastrunk followed Joe's single with one of his own.




Danny Lehmann had three RBIs against the Bears.
Danny watches this deep sacrifice fly to right.

SMILES. . . .AND NOT SMILING

Coach Graham was smiling and joking with the umpires before the game.

Brian Friday was not so happy with the ump after he got called out at second on an attempted steal in the first inning.
Chris Kelley's smile was evident as he delivered this pitch in the second inning.
Ths Baylor pitcher wasn't smiling after his throw to first failed to catch Comerota in the 6th inning.

INTERVIEWS FROM TUESDAY'S BAYLOR-RICE GAME

The post-game interviews from the Baylor-Rice game last night can be found here:

http://www.ricefootball.net/baylor5-15.wav

Hear from Coach Graham, Chris Kelley, Bryan Price, Jimmy "Baseball" Comerota, Jordan Dodson, Aaron Luna, and others about the 13-0 win and the team chemistry that is developing.

OH MERCY! OWLS FLY HIGH OVER BAYLOR, 13-0

Houdini performance by Kelley, 2 HRS, Power Owls

By Mark Anderson

Starting pitcher Chris Kelley had a “wardrobe malfunction” before the game that forced him to change jersey numbers from 21 to 41. But that number 21 jersey wasn’t the only thing Kelley got out of—he got out of jams in the first three innings, and then found what worked to get the Bears out in critical situations.

Kelley pitched 6 innings, giving up only 4 hits, along with three walks and one hit batter, but Baylor couldn’t get it done in the clutch, and Kelley wiggled free time and time again.

In the fourth, the Owls got on the board against Willie Kempf when, with one out, Henley singled to center and went to second on a misplayed ball by centerfielder Chase Gerdes. Savery followed with a single to center to score Henley and put the Owls on the board, 1-0. Seastrunk followed Savery with a single to left, moving Savery up to second. Luna then walked to load the bases, still with only one out. Lehmann hit a deep fly to right that scored Savery and moved Seastrunk to third. Dodson ended the inning by popping out. But Jordan would be heard from later—loud and clear—but the score remained 2-0.

In the sixth, Springston replaced Kempf, and it opened the door for the Owl offense. Henley led off with a single, and Savery singled on a hard hot ball to the left side to put runners on first and second with no outs. Coach Graham lifted DH Diego Seastrunk for Jimmy “Baseball” Comerota, who laid down a bunt towards third base that Springston fielded cleanly. The throw to first was not as clean, pulling the Baylor first baseman off the bag to load the bases with no outs. Luna followed that with a single to center that scored Henley and Savery. Danny Lehmann then hit a deep fly to right to score Comerota. Dodson followed with a walk, but Padron lined out hard to Campbell. At this point, Steve Smith chose to change pitchers, and brought in Weghorst, who struck out Friday to end the inning. The Owls were clearly in the driver’s seat with a 5-0 lead.

In the seventh, the wheels fell off, and the horse ran away from the Baylor Bears. Lembeck, pinch-hitting for Gayhart, doubled to open the inning off new pitcher William Draper. It seemed that Baylor would get some sort of reprieve when Henley popped out to third on a bunt attempt. But then Draper unleashed a wild pitch that moved Lembeck to third. Savery followed that with another single and his second RBI of the game. Jimmy Comerota followed with a single that sent Savery to second and Draper to the shower. New pitcher Tim Matthews was greeted rather rudely as Luna singled to left to load the bases and bring up Danny Lehmann, who singled to left-center to drive in two more runs.

Just when it seemed it could not get any worse for Baylor, it did. Jordan Dodson, Tim Matthew’s teammate in the Cape Cod league last summer, learned from watching Matthews what to expect, and launched a 3-2 pitch from him deep over the leftfield wall for a three run homer. Padron followed with a double to left, and Friday moved him to third on a 4-3 grounder. Lembeck, who led off the inning, flied out to mercifully end it, with the score 11-0.

In the bottom of the eighth, new pitcher Drew Jeffcoat made a throwing error on Tyler Henley’s grounder to put him on second with no outs. Comerota then laid down the sacrifice bunt to move Henley to third and bring up Aaron Luna. If there was any doubt that Luna had lost any power, those thoughts were vanquished when Luna took a Jeffcoat pitch and sent it halfway to the Medical Center for a no doubter homer to make it 13-0.

The next game for the Owls will be Thursday against Memphis. Probable starting pitcher for Rice is Ry-an Ber-ry, but Coach Graham did not confirm that.

Pictures of tonight's game to follow soon, as well as interviews from Coach Graham, Chris Kelley, Aaron Luna, Jordan Dodson, Bryan Price, Jimmy "Baseball" Comerota, and Joe Savery.

DEFENSE SHOWED OFF TOO

OH, HENRY!!!!! YERRR OUT!
Lehmann cocks his arm to throw to first for the final out.
Ever wonder where our pitchers get their bulldog determination?
The throw to first nailed Simon and the win for the Owls.

YESSSSSSSSS!

DEFENSE STANDS OUT ON SATURDAY

Joe Savery fields a bunt and throws to third.














Diego Seastrunk was waiting for the throw, the Tulane runner clearly out.


Seastunk fires back to first.





Jess Buenger takes the throw in Savery's absence for a slick 3-5-4 double play.

INTERVIEWS FROM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY'S WINS AGAINST TULANE

Interviews from Friday and Saturday are now available. Listen to Friday's interviews after the 8-0 win and hear comments from Coach Wayne Graham, Ryan Berry, a very pleased Bryan Price, and Danny Lehmann on his by clicking here:

http://www.ricefootball.net/tulanefriday.wav


Interviews from Saturday's 8-3 game are also up for your listening pleasure. Hear from Ryne Tacker, Bobby Bramhall, Cole St. Clair, Brian Friday, and from Tyler Henley about his game tying and momentum changing home run in the sixth inning by clicking here:

http://www.ricefootball.net/tulanesaturday.wav

HEADED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS

Tim Guidry prepares to get a pickoff throw from Shooter Hunt. . .
But the thow goes wide and Guidry can't flag it down
Friday realizes the ball has gone by Guidry

And Guidry and Friday take off in different directions.