Berry Shines In First Start

Saturday, February 10

Minute Maid Park

7:00 PM

Rice University

2-2

Baylor

0-2

Rice Owls

Baylor

2/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 10, 2007

Box Score

Ryan Berry made his first collegiate start a memorable one, tossing six shutout innings and scattering three hits and Ryne Tacker added three innings of shutout relief to pick up his first career save as Rice defeated Baylor 7-0 at Minute Maid Park on Saturday Night.

The shutout by the Owls was their second of the year as they evened their season record at 2-2. The game capped a full day of college baseball at Minute Maid Park that drew a total crowd of 23,984, the second highest attendance in the seven-year history of the event.

Berry fanned seven in six innings of work. His seven strikeouts were the most by an Owl pitcher in the young season. He allowed just one runner past second and just two into scoring position. He dodged his more serious threat in the fifth when Raynor Campbell led off the inning with a double and advanced to third before he was stranded as Berry fanned Matt Sodolak and Chase Gerges to end the threat.

Tacker, who missed all of 2006 with an injury, fanned three in three innings of work.

The Owls broke out on top in the second inning thanks to a pair of hits and dropped fly ball by Baylor leftfielder Ben Booker. With one out in the inning, Jordan Dodson walked and after Danny Lehman flew out, Chad Lembeck dropped down a bunt base hit to put runners on the corners. J.P. Padron singled to left, driving home Dodson with the game's first run. Tyler Henley then lofted a fly ball to left field that Booker dropped, allowing Lembeck to score.

Joe Savery drove home the Owls third run with a single up the middle in the fifth, scoring Brian Friday who had singled and stole second. Henley,who had a pair of hits and reached base three times, drove in the fourth run with a single in the sixth.

Adam Zornes upped the count to 5-0 when he led off the seventh by crushing the first pitch high up the Minute Maid Park wall above the Owls bullpen for his second homer of the season. The Owls then added a pair of runs in the ninth when Aaron Luna scored on a throwing error after stealing third and Travis Reagan slugged a line drive homer into the Crawford Boxes.

Rice will close out the 2007 Houston College Classic with a 6:00 game on Sunday against Texas A&M. The Owls return home to Reckling Park on Tuesday to host Texas San Antonio at 4:00.