Owls Persevere, Push Past UCF 13-8

Sunday, April 18

Orlando, Fla.

11:00 AM

Rice University

23-15, 8-4

UCF

24-14, 6-6

Rice

UCF

4/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 18, 2010

Box Score

By MOISEKAPENDA BOWER

ORLANDO, FLA. - Rice sophomore third baseman Anthony Rendon works from the heart of the Owls' batting order, so his central role in the middle of the Owls' comeback Sunday afternoon was hardly surprising.

Initiate a crucial double play with the game-tying run just 90 feet from home plate in the seventh inning? Check. Deliver the only base hit to drive in multiple runs for a grinding offense? Check. Have a hand in the final three outs of this hotly contested Conference USA series? Check.

It wasn't a virtuoso performance for Rendon, but rather one of several clutch efforts for the Owls, who outslugged UCF 13-8 at Jay Bergman Field and maintained a share of first place in the C-USA standings.

Rendon drove home Chad Mozingo and Michael Ratterree with his two-run single off the glove of UCF shortstop Darnell Sweeney, capping the Owls' five-run, two-out rally in the eighth and breaking the backs of the feisty Knights (24-14, 6-6 C-USA). Those runs scored at the top of the order were the first for Rice (23-15, 8-4), as the bottom of the lineup did the heavy lifting, most notably senior first baseman Jimmy Comerota.

"That's the sign of a good team when you know that you have a bunch of different guys that can all contribute," said Comerota, who finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs batting eighth. "The key for us is to get as many people on the same page as we can, and to stay consistent and string (hits) together."

Comerota teamed with designated hitter Michael Fuda and third-base coach Mike Taylor to strike the biggest blow in the eighth. With two outs and Fuda in motion from first base, Comerota bounced a single to left field that UCF senior Chris Duffy lackadaisically approached. Fuda was barreling to third as Duffy prepared to scoop the ball, but the second Taylor realized that Duffy was content to toss the ball back to the middle of the infield, he waved Fuda home. The Knights were caught completely flat-footed, and Fuda scored to extend the Owls' lead to 9-7.

"That was pretty cool," Comerota said of Fuda scoring from first on a routine hit through the hole. "I had my head down and was running, and that's what Fuda's speed can do. That was definitely a game-changer."

Added Fuda, who reached base four times in six plate appearances batting seventh: "I was running hard into third and I saw (Taylor) waving me, and I didn't know what was going on. I trusted Coach that I could make it.

"I was a little surprised. I saw the ball go right in front of me so I knew it wasn't in the gap or anything. I guess you're always looking to take advantage of any mistake they make."

That was the miscue the Owls needed to blow the game open. Impatient at the plate while dropping the middle game of this series, the Owls displayed the patience of Job while working bases-loaded walks to expand their lead. Ratterree and Jeremy Rathjen showed keen batting eyes to draw walks off UCF righthander Matt Manning, the Knights' seventh of eight pitchers on the afternoon, before Rendon produced.

The bottom of the order was masterful. Junior shortstop Rick Hague, batting sixth, opened the contest 3-for-3 with a double, a solo homer and a single, and scored all three times. Center fielder Steven Sultzbaugh batted ninth for the first time, reached base four times and scored twice. After UCF scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-5 lead, Fuda, Comerota and Sultzbaugh scored in succession one half-inning later, with Fuda and Sultzbaugh scoring on wild pitches from Nick Cicio.

The production was sorely needed. Rice coach Wayne Graham had to piecemeal his pitching staff, juggling last-minute starter Abel Gonzales, Jared Rogers, who was originally set to start before Gonzales got the nod, Holt McNair and Doug Simmons (2-0) before turning an 8-7 lead over to freshman righthander Tyler Duffey with a runner on and no outs in the seventh. Duffey allowed a one-out single to UCF center fielder Ronnie Richardson to put runners at the corners for UCF senior right fielder Shane Brown, who followed by scorching a line drive to Rendon at third. Richardson, attempting to avert a ground-ball double play was on the move and standing near second when Rendon caught the ball. Rendon casually made a throw across the diamond to snuff the threat.

After Duffey surrendered a run in the eighth, Rendon waved off Seastrunk to nab a foul popup from Chris Taladay and recorded assists on groundouts from Austin Johnston and Richardson in the ninth. With that, Rice finally put away the Knights, whose energized fan base and manic head coach did everything possible to lift the club to a series win. While the Owls weren't perfect on the mound or in the field, their will on offense and unrelenting toughness proved a potent enough combo.

"I thought we had a good offensive game," Graham said. "Guys were fighting their butt off for nine innings offensively. That's what won."