Owls Play Weekend Set At C-USA Leader East Carolina
4/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 9, 2009
The Rice baseball team (23-7 overall and in second place in the Conference USA standings with a 7-2 league record) meets C-USA leader East Carolina (25-7, 8-1) in a three-game weekend series Apr. 10-12 in Greenville, N.C. Game times with the Pirates are set for 6 pm Friday, 2 pm Saturday and 10 am Sunday (all Central Time). Fans can listen to the Friday and Sunday games live on the radio in the Houston area on KTRU (91.7 FM). The weekend schedule with easy-links to the live stats/audio features is as follows.
Note all start times are listed as Central Time.
Apr. 10 (Fri.), 6 pm, Rice at East Carolina
KTRU Radio (91.7 FM) Listen Here
Apr. 11 (Sat.), 2 pm, Rice at East Carolina
Internet (only) Listen Here
Apr. 12 (Sun.), 10 am, Rice at East Carolina
KTRU Radio (91.7 FM) Listen Here
Audio Broadcasts
Every Rice baseball game is broadcast live around the world on the Internet at RiceOwls.com and KTRU.org. A direct connection to the audio feed is provided at the above links. Note there are two games this week scheduled for a live radio broadcast in the Houston area on KTRU (91.7 FM). This is a slight change in the broadcast schedule from some earlier listings. J.P. Heath has the call for the East Carolina series.
Live Stats On GameTracker
Live play-by-play text and statistics from every Rice game will be posted on RiceOwls.com. Look for the GameTracker links on either the Rice Athletics front page, the weekly series preview or the baseball schedule page.
National Ranking Update • Rice No. 1 by Rivals.com
At press time the latest polls from Rivals.com had the Owls as the No. 1 team in the nation. Five different polls all have Rice in the Top 6. The 2009 national ranking roll call is as follows....
Rivals.com 1st
Baseball America 3rd
USA Today/ESPN Coaches 3rd
PingBaseball.com 5th
Collegiate Baseball 6th
NCBWA 8th
PG Crosschecker.com 9th
Why so high? The polls are paying attention, that's why. Rice is 6-1 against ranked teams, including four wins against foes that were in the Top 10 at the time. Two wins were against Texas A&M and Texas teams that were rated No. 1 in the nation at the time. The Owls have also defeated a host of quality opponents that played in the NCAA Tournament last season - Houston (twice), Dallas Baptist (twice), Southern Miss (twice) and UCLA... A closer look at the team's losses is also in order. Two of the losses were on the road on the opening weekend of the season against a Cal Poly team that is now ranked among the nation's Top 25 teams. Another loss was to nationally-ranked San Diego and two were to '08 NCAA Tournament teams Oral Roberts and Sam Houston State. Four of the team's losses were by a narrow two (or-fewer) runs.
Eight In A Row
It's been one battle after another for most of the last two weeks, but the Owls are enjoying their longest win-streak of the season at eight in a row.
Head Coach Wayne Graham
Four-time national coach of the year and Texas Sports Hall of Fame inductee Wayne Graham (Texas, 1970) is in his 18th season at Rice... In the 4-3 win over Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on March 20th, Coach Graham reached another career milestone. He won his 800th game at the helm of the Rice program... He is now 810-306 with the Owls (496-104 at home, 241-157 in road games and 73-45 at neutral sites). His Rice winning percentage is .726, the best in school history. Another way of looking at Graham's .726 win percentage is that it is the equivalent of a major league team winning 118 games in a single year - then winning 118 games a year for 17+ years in a row... Graham's record against East Carolina is 9-2 (5-1 home, 4-0 road, 0-1 neutral)... Under Graham, the Owls clinched another postseason bid in 2008, making 14-straight seasons for Rice to earn an NCAA appearance. The 2003 bid culminated with the Owls' first national championship. Rice played in the 1994-95-96 Southwest Conference tournaments (winning the final league title in '96), won the 1997-98-99 WAC tournaments, shared the 2000 WAC title with San Jose State before winning the 2001-02-03-04-05 titles outright. He won the C-USA regular season crowns in 2006, 2007 and2008, as well as the C-USA tournament championships in `06 and `07. Rice has advanced into the NCAA tournament in 1995-96-97-98-99-00-01-02-03-04-05-06-07-08... Graham was named the WAC Coach of the Year in 1998, '99, '02 and the Co-Coach of the Year in '03. He was named the Keith LeClair C-USA Coach of the Year in `06, his first year in the league, and again in `07 and `08... Rice has seven appearances in the NCAA College World Series under Graham (1997, '99, `02, `03, `06, `07, `08)... Graham has led the Owls to number-one rankings for seven weeks during the 1999 season, for six weeks during the '01 campaign, two weeks in '02, six weeks in 2003 (the last of which established some staying power), three weeks in 2004, 12 weeks in 2006 and five weeks in `07... Graham's San Jacinto Gators dominated the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colo., in the 1980s, winning five national titles in six years (1985-86-87, 89-90)... The Austin American-Statesman named Graham its SWC Coach of the Year in '95 after he led the Owls to their first NCAA tournament appearance... Collegiate Baseball was especially cognizant of Graham's efforts at San Jac. He was named the newspaper's Coach of the Decade for all levels in the 1980s after winning those five junior college national titles, and CB tabbed him the NJCAA Coach of the Century... He was named the 2007 Division I college Coach of the Year by FieldTurf... One of the few current collegiate coaches to have played in the major leagues (N.Y. Mets in 1963, Philadelphia in 1964), Graham is aided by assistant coaches Mike Taylor (Prairie View A&M, 1997; ninth year), David Pierce (Houston, 1988; seventh year), Patrick Hallmark (Rice, 1995; fourth year)... The program's "new dads" coach the bases on game-days: Taylor coaches at third base this year while Hallmark coaches at first base.
1,385 Wins • A Baseball Odyssey
Wayne Graham owns 810 career wins at Rice, but he also has 1,385 victories when including his 11 years at San Jacinto North College where he won five national championships. Graham's overall collegiate record is 1,385-420 in a 28-year career that began in 1981.
One More Thing To Consider
To help place Coach Graham's achievements in perspective, consider that Rice started its baseball program in 1913 and in the 76 seasons where there are verified won-loss records (Rice is missing a few W-L totals from those early days), the Owls won a total of 838 games. In the 17+ years since 1992 when Graham was named the head coach, the Owls have won 810 games. It's only taken Graham 17+ years what it took the program more than three-quarters of a century to do before he got here.
Probable Pitchers
Wayne Graham announced two probable starters for the East Carolina series as junior right-hander Jared Rogers on Friday and freshman Taylor Wall on Saturday. The third probable starter will be announced at a later time... The Owls needed a sensational outing last Friday night (Apr. 3) against Tulane and Jared Rogers (2-1, 7.43) did just that in his third start of the season . He worked a career-long 7.1 innings, holding the Green Wave to just six hits and three walks while striking out a season-high four batters. Rogers was also the winning pitcher in the home extra-inning win over Lamar (Mar. 24)... Wall (4-2, 4.32) has been in Owls' weekend rotation since the season began at Cal Poly, and he now leads the staff in games started (7). The Houston prep star from Westside High School has continued to improve over the course of the season. Wall averages a steady 5.1 innings per start with 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings. He's held opposing batters to a composite .256 average... East Carolina announced its starting pitchers as the right-handed trio of Chris Heston (5-0, 2.68), Seth Maness (3-0, 5.40), Brad Mincey (7-0, 1.93), respectively.
Getting Offensive
The Owls are in an offensive groove as of late, posting at least 13 hits in 12 of their last 15 games. The Blue & Gray is 13-2 during the recent offensive outburst, hitting .362 as a team while averaging a steady 9.0 runs per game. Rice has also clubbed 21 home runs for a .542 slugging percentage and stolen 27 bases in the offensive tempest.
Here's Who's Hot
A number of Owls have turned up the offensive heat on an individual basis the last few games. Freshman Daniel Gonzales-Luna has worked his way into a starter's role and delivered a .484 hitting pace (15-for-last-31) with a home run, two doubles and eight runs scored and seven RBI in his last seven games... Not only is true freshman sensation Anthony Rendon hitting at a .472 clip by going 17-for-his-last-36, the young star from Houston's Lamar High School has three home runs, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored and three steals in his last nine games. Rendon has also drawn eight walks during the hot streak for a .556 on-base percentage... Junior first baseman Jimmy Comerota has a 12-game hitting streak where he is 22-for-48 (.458) with a home run, two triples and three doubles for a .667 slugging percentage. He also has five steals, four sac bunts and a sac fly with five walks for a .500 on-base percentage. He has scored 10 times during his streak... Right behind Comerota in batting average, speedy outfielder Michael Fuda is now 16-for-his-last-35 (.457) with a home run, four doubles, three steals and 11 runs scored in his last nine games... Sophomore Rick Hague has turned it on in his current 12-game hitting streak. Hague is batting .451 (23-for-51) in the streak with two home runs, five doubles and 12 RBI. He has also drawn six walks, scored 12 times and swiped three bases in the last dozen games... Junior switch-hitter Diego Seastrunk has had sensational week, going 8-for-19 (.421) with seven runs scored, five RBI, two doubles, a sacrifice bunt and sac fly. He's drawn four walks in the last five games for a .500 on-base average... Junior second baseman Brock Holt is batting .346 (9-for-26) over the last seven games with three home runs and three doubles for an.808 slugging percentage.He also has nine RBI and nine runs scored. Holt is an outstanding leadoff batter who has also drawn 10 walks for a .528 on-base percentage in the last seven games.
Freshman Home Runs
On Saturday (April 4) rookie Anthony Rendon slugged this team-leading 9th and 10th home runs of the season in the Owls' 12-7 win over Tulane. The two-homer day was the first of Rendon's young, 28-game career. It also moved him into the top five on an impressive list of Owl freshmen who have hit at least 10 home runs in their debut season at the Division I level... The Rice freshmen home run leaders are: Aaron Luna (2006-2008), a ninth-round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals last summer. Jose Cruz, Jr., who had 13 homers as a freshman in 1993 and went on to play a dozen years in the major leagues is second on the list. The third-place Owl on the frosh homer list, Bubba Crosby, ended up (like Cruz, Jr.) being first-round pick in the major league draft who reached the major leagues. Vincent Sinisi was a redshirt freshman when he hit 11 round-trippers in 2002, helping the Owls to a CWS appearance that season. A year later Sinisi helped lead the Blue & Gray to the NCAA National Championship.
1. Aaron Luna 16, 2006
2. Jose Cruz, Jr. 13, 1993
3. Bubba Crosby 12, 1996
4. Vincent Sinisi 11, 2002
5. Anthony Rendon 10, 2009
Six Owls In "The Show" This Season
Congratulations to six former Owls who made the Opening Day rosters of major league teams. The 2009 Rice alums in the majors include David Aardsma (Mariners), Lance Berkman (Astros), Tim Byrdak (Astros), Philip Humber (Minnesota), Paul Janish (Cincinnati) and Jeff Niemann (Tampa Bay).
Fast Pace
Through 30 games Rice has its best record (23-7) through this point in the season in five years. The 2009 Owls are off to a better start than any of the previous three teams ('08, '07, '06) that all advanced to the College World Series in Omaha. The '09 squad has the best record through 30 games since the 2004 team (24-6) that was coming off the '03 NCAA National Championship.
97th Season Since The Start; 94th Season On The Field
The 2009 season marks the 97th year since Rice played baseball for the first time. Rice Owls baseball made its debut in the spring of 1913, just one semester after Rice opened its doors for higher education in the fall of 1912. The 2009 season is, however, only the Owls' 94th season on the diamond. The school did not field a baseball team for three years (1933-35) during the Great Depression. Rice returned to the diamond in the spring of 1936 and has been playing ever since.
Previous Outing
HOUSTON -- The Rice baseball team scored 10 runs on 14 hits, but had to hold off a Lamar rally in the bottom of the ninth inning to claim a 10-9 victory over longtime rival Lamar Wednesday evening (Apr. 8) on the road in Beaumont... The Owls led 9-2 early in the contest, but Lamar chipped away to get the margin down to just three, 10-7, with two innings left to play. The Cardinals scored two in the eighth on just one hit to make it a one-run game and set the stage for the ninth... Rice senior reliever Jordan Rogers walked Lamar leadoff batter Ryan Saldivar to start the final inning. Saldivar then sole second base to move into scoring position with no outs. With the pressure on, Rogers then struck out each of the next three Cardinal batters to end the game. Rogers earned his fourth save as the team secured its eighth win in a row... Early on the game didn't look like it would be so dramatic. The Owls batted around in the top of the first inning for four runs on three singles and three walks issued by Cardinal pitching. Diego Seastrunk, Rick Hague and Craig Manuel drove in the runs with base hits. The final run was on a wild pitch... Lamar put a pair of runs up in its first time up. Tyler Link drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Back-to-back doubles by Brian Taylor and Steven Tucker resulted in two scores that cut the margin in half, 4-2...The Blue & Gray got both runs back plus one more in the second. With two away, Seastrunk singled through the right side and Anthony Rendon walked. Hague singled to center for his second RBI of the game that made it 5-2. Manuel followed with a double to the gap in left-center to score both runners and extend the lead to 7-2. In the top of the third Brock Holt blasted a 1-1 pitch straight into a gusting wind that cleared the wall in center field. The solo shot was his fifth home run of the season. Steven Sultzbaugh then singled, stole second and scored on Seastrunk's third hit of the game to make it 9-2... Lamar scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third and then exploded for four in the fourth. The big hit from the fourth was a bases-clearing double by Taylor that made it a two run game, 9-7... Rice hustled for a run in the fifth. Michael Fuda singled up the middle and stole his fourth base of the year. He scored on a base hit by Rendon that made it a 10-7 game... Rice used five pitchers on the night. Freshman Andrew Benak started and worked 3.1 innings. Matt Evers threw a solid 4.0 innings. The sophomore left-hander allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out a season-high six batters. He earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the season.
The C-USA Favorites
IRVING, Tex. - Led by the junior tandem of Ryan Berry and Diego Seastrunk and sophomore Rick Hague, the Rice baseball team was ranked first in a preseason poll of Conference USA's nine head coaches, the league office announced on Jan. 28. The three preseason honorees are the most in the conference from any one school. Last season Berry was an all-conference pitcher who led the team in strikeouts (86), starts (16) and innings (104). The 6-foot-1 right-hander from Humble, Tex., has been the ace of the Rice staff since he earned freshman all-America honors in 2007. Hague earned freshman all-America honors last season as the starting shortstop for the Owls' College World Series team. The standout from Spring, Tex., batted .348 in his Division I debut and .379 in the Blue & Gray's run through the NCAA Tournament. Seastrunk is such a respected switch-hitter around the league that the C-USA coaches voted him to the preseason all-conference team even though the former third-baseman is projected to start at a completely new position (catcher) in 2009. A year ago the Channelview, Tex., star led the team in hitting (.353) and finished among the C-USA's best in hits, doubles, RBI, total bases and sacrifice flies.
2009 PRESEASON BASEBALL COACHES POLL
(as selected by C-USA's head coaches)
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Rank, School (First Place Votes) Pts.
1. Rice (9) 81
2. East Carolina 67
3. Southern Miss 62
4. Tulane 55
5. Houston 49
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nate Lape, Marshall (Sr., Outfielder)
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Seth Maness, East Carolina (Soph., Righthander)
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
P Ryan Berry Jr. Rice
P Seth Maness So. East Carolina
P Wes Musick Jr. Houston
RP Chase Dempsay So. Houston
C Diego Seastrunk Jr. Rice
IF Brian Dozier Jr. Southern Miss
IF James Ewing Sr. Southern Miss
IF Rick Hague So. Rice
IF Seth Henry Sr. Tulane
IF Adam Yeager Sr. Marshall
OF Stephen Batts Jr. East Carolina
OF Brint Hardy Jr. UAB
OF Nate Lape Sr. Marshall
DH/UT Rob Segedin So. Tulane
Cooled By A Draft
A total of 11 Owls were selected in the 2008 Major League Baseball amateur draft, including junior right-hander Bryan Price as a first-round supplemental pick (the 45th player taken overall)... Bryan Price was taken by the Boston Red Sox organization in the supplemental round, the so called "sandwich" round between the draft's official first and second rounds. He was the first pitcher taken by the Red Sox, the defending World Series champions. Price was also the 13th right-handed pitcher taken overall. Six Rice juniors and four seniors were drafted last June... The total of eleven drafted players was three-off the Owls' school record of 14 draftees the team had taken in 2007.
Rnd Player Pos MLB Team
1A Bryan Price RHP Boston Red Sox
7 Cole St.Clair LHP Los Angeles Dodgers
7 Adam Zornes C San Diego Padres
9 Aaron Luna OF St. Louis Cardinals
11 Matt Langwell RHP Cleveland Indians
12 Jared Gayhart OF Detroit Tigers
18 Bobby Bell RHP Toronto Blue Jays
21 Lucas Luetge LHP Milwaukee Brewers
24 Chris Kelley RHP Washington Nationals
29 Jonathan Runnels LHP Los Angeles Dodgers
44 J.P. Padron 1B Washington Nationals
