Rice University
15-6
Lamar
16-8
Owls Defeat Lamar 9-8 In 12 Innings
3/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 25, 2009
HOUSTON -- Junior first baseman Jimmy Comerota was "Jimmy on the spot" in the Rice baseball team's 9-8 extra-inning win over visiting Lamar in the opening game of a lengthy nine-game homestand Tuesday night at Reckling Park. Not only did Comerota drive in the tying run with a two-out base hit in the bottom of the 12th inning, he moved into scoring position with a stolen base and then scored from second on Anthony Rendon's game-winning base hit to the left side. Comerota finished the marathon game with a single-game career-high four hits and two runs scored.
The wild 12th inning capped a four-hour, 18-minute, battle between the longtime rivals that was also Rice's longest game by innings since winning a 14-inning duel over Sam Houston State in 1999. The Blue & Gray rallied for the extra-inning victory Tuesday after Lamar initially pulled ahead in the top of the 12th with a solo home run by Ryan Saldivar. Saldivar's homer was three innings after the Cardinals completed a late rally to tie the game, 7-7, with three runs in the ninth inning.
Runs came fast and furious for both teams early in the contest. The Owls quickly scored four runs to start the bottom of the first inning. Comerota and Rick Hague singled, and Rendon walked to load the bases. Diego Seastrunk singled into center to drive in the first run and Steven Sultzbaugh stroked a single up the middle to score two more. Chad Mozingo drove in the fourth run with the fifth hit, all in the first inning.
Lamar answered three runs in the top of the second. Walks to Sammy Jeremiah and Quentin Luquette led to the first two Cardinal runs. Andy Mena singled and scored on a base hit by Brian Taylor to cut the lead to a single digit, 4-3.
In the bottom of the third, Seastrunk knocked a one-out triple to right-center field. He scored on an RBI single by Jeremy Rathjen. Freshman Craig Manuel led off the fourth with a base hit through the right side. He scored on Hague's second hit of the night to make it a 6-3 game.
Lamar freshman V.J. Brunner hit a solo home run with two away in the sixth to make the score 6-4. The Owls got the run back with a score in the bottom of the eighth. Manuel singled and scored after base hits by Holt and Hague. The Cardinals trailed 7-4 heading into the ninth, but tied the game with three runs behind three walks and just one base hit.
Rice had a chance to end the game a little earlier than the eventual 12 innings. The Owls put runners on first and third with one away, but Lamar managed to work out of the jam. Rice finished the contest with a season-high 19 hits and is now 15-6 on the season. Junior reliever Jared Rogers (1-0) was the Owls' winning pitcher after retiring each of the three batters he faced in the 12th. Lamar fell to 16-8 overall.
Rice next hosts Conference USA rival Memphis in a three-game league series at Reckling Park this weekend (Mar. 27-29). Game times with the Tigers are set for 6:30 pm on Friday, 2 pm on Saturday and 1 pm on Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rogers, Jared (1-0)
L: Steward, Garrett (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Sammy, Jeremiah 1
HR: Saldivar, Ryan 1 ; Bunner, V.J. 1
RBI: Link, Tyler 1 ; Taylor, Brian 1 ; Sammy, Jeremiah 1 ; Saldivar, Ryan 2 ; Mena, Andy 1 ; Bunner, V.J. 1
SF: Link, Tyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Moore, Anthony 1 ; Tucker, Steven 1 ; Roebuck, Kevin 1 ; Sammy, Jeremiah 1 ; Saldivar, Ryan 1 ; Luquette, Quentin 1 ; Mena, Andy 1 ; Bunner, V.J. 1
SB: Bunner, V.J. 1
CS: Saldivar, Ryan 1
Batting:
3B: Seastrunk, Diego 1
RBI: Comerota, Jimmy 1 ; Hague, Rick 2 ; Rendon, Anthony 1 ; Seastrunk, Diego 1 ; Rathjen, Jeremy 1 ; Sultzbaugh, Steven 2 ; Mozingo, Chad 1
SH: Comerota, Jimmy 1 ; Manuel, Craig 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Comerota, Jimmy 2 ; Hague, Rick 1 ; Rendon, Anthony 1 ; Seastrunk, Diego 2 ; Mozingo, Chad 1 ; Manuel, Craig 2
SB: Comerota, Jimmy 1 ; Hague, Rick 1 ; Seastrunk, Diego 1
CS: Holt, Brock 1 ; Comerota, Jimmy 1 ; Fuda, Michael 1
