Ryan Berry Fires Complete Game Five-Hitter In 13-1 Victory Over Marshall

Friday, March 30

Reckling Park

7:00 PM

Rice University

20-10, 3-1

Marshall

14-9, 0-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Marshall	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	5	0
Rice Owls	0	0	4	3	0	2	3	1	X	13	16	0

<b>Berry is the first C-USA Pitcher of the Week for 2007.</b>

Ryan Berry Fires Complete Game Five-Hitter In 13-1 Victory Over Marshall

3/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 30, 2007

Box Score

HOUSTON -- True freshman right-hander Ryan Berry scattered five hits without any walks while striking out 10 in a convincing complete game win as the eighth-ranked Rice baseball team coasted to a 13-1 Conference USA victory over visiting Marshall in the first of a three-game weekend league series Friday night at Reckling Park in Houston.

Berry was sensational in firing the Owls' first complete win since an NCAA regional game in June of 2005. The rookie from Humble, Tex., allowed just five hits and no walks while posting the second double-digit strikeout night of his young collegiate career. Berry retired 15-consecutive Marshall hitters at one point and only one reached second base before the ninth inning. He improved his record to 4-1 only a week after suffering his first loss of the season at Southern Miss (Mar. 23)

Berry was in control and his teammates gave him the offensive support to match. The Owls scored 13 runs while pounding out 16 hits. Junior all-America Joe Savery led four Rice players with three or more hits on the night. The Houston native went 4-for-6 while driving in three runs and scoring three times. Junior catcher Danny Lehmann drove in a career-high five runs on three hits. Junior all-America Brian Friday had three hits, including a pair of doubles, while freshman Diego Seastrunk had three hits and three runs scored.

The Blue and Gray opened the scoring in the bottom of the third inning with four runs on four hits, two walks and two sacrifice bunts. Rice proceeded to add three more runs in the fourth, two in the sixth, three in the seventh and one more in the eighth on the way to a 13-0 advantage.

The Thundering Herd managed to avoid the shutout with a single run in the top of the ninth inning. Catcher Tommy Johnson led off with a double and he scored on a two-out hit by Brit Vincent. The ball dropped just in front of a diving Rice outfielder in an attempt to end the game and Vincent hustled for an RBI triple. Only the inning before, Owl right fielder Chad Lembeck made two spectacular defensive plays, including one that doubled off a runner at first base after a catch.

Rice improved to 20-10 on the season and 3-1 in C-USA action. Marshall fell to 14-9 overall and 0-4 against the league. The three-game weekend series continues through Sunday at Reckling Park. Saturday's start time is slated for 3 pm while Sunday is set for 1 pm.