Rice University Athletics
Ratterree Named C-USA Hitter of the Week
5/9/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 9, 2011
IRVING, Tex. - For the second time this season Rice sophomore second baseman Michael Ratterree has been named the Conference USA Hitter of the Week, the league office announced Monday (May 9) from its headquarters in Irving, Tex. Southern Miss junior Josh Thomason was named the C-USA Pitcher of the Week.
In the Owls' four games last week, Ratterree batted a composite .526 (10-for-19) with a home run and four doubles for an .895 slugging percentage. He also led the team in RBI (seven) and runs scored (eight), while stealing a base in his only attempt. Not only did Ratterree hit safely in every game, he extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games with a 3-for-4 day in the series finale against Houston. Defensively, he turned or started all three of the team's double plays on defense last week. Ratterree was named the Most Outstanding Player of the season-long five-game series against the cross-town rival Cougars (a series that included three games last weekend plus two games vs. UH in March).
It is the second time this season for Ratterree to earn the award after earning the honor on April 18. His Owl teammates John Simms (April 18), Austin Kubitza (March 7) and Matthew Reckling (Feb. 21) were named the C-USA Pitcher of the Week (on the respective dates).
Southern Miss' Josh Thomason came out of the bullpen versus South Alabama on May 4 to throw the final seven innings of a 7-4 victory for Southern Miss. He retired 20 of 22 batters he faced down the stretch, including the final 16 to garner the victory. Thomason allowed just one hit and struck out a season-high five with only one walk.
The Rice baseball team is 32-16 overall and in second place in the C-USA standings with an 12-6 league record. The Owls next play the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in Lafayette, La., on Tuesday at 5:30 pm. Rice returns home to host Memphis on Friday (May 13) at Reckling Park.
