Rice University
1-0
Samford
0-1
The Chace Is On!
2/16/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Recap/Video by: John Sullivan, Rice Athletics (jsully@rice.edu)
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Senior Chace Sarchet blasted a dramatic two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to help rally the Rice baseball team to a walk-off 8-7 victory over Samford in the 2018 season-opener for both teams Friday afternoon at a neutral setting of UCF's John Euliano Park in Orlando, Fla.
The teams exchanged the lead over the course of the contest, with Samford taking a 6-4 advantage after batting in the top of the seventh. Rice however battled back to tie the game, 6-6, with a pair of scores in the bottom of the frame. The Bulldogs moved back in front 7-6 in the top of the ninth after a pair of walks, a wild pitch, and Ayrton Schafer's sacrifice fly.
Rice junior shortstop Ford Proctor led off the bottom of the ninth reaching base on a tricky fly ball to right field. Two batters later Sarchet drove a pitch over the right field wall for the walk-off win. The round-tripper capped a day where Sarchet had scored twice, stolen a pair of bases early in the day and tallied a pair of RBI.
The season-opening tournament continues on Saturday (Feb. 17) with the Owls facing event host UCF at 4 pm Central Time. The Knights are the No. 22 ranked team in the country. Sunday's tourney finale is schedule for a 9 am (Central Time) start against No. 15 ranked Virginia.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gayle, Garrett (1-0)
L: Wyatt Burns (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Austin Edens 1
HR: Anthony Mulrine 2
RBI: Anthony Mulrine 4 ; Ayrton Schafer 2
SH: Sam Teague 1
SF: Ayrton Schafer 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Troy Dixon 1 ; Branden Fryman 2 ; Anthony Mulrine 3 ; Brooks Carlson 1
HBP: Brooks Carlson 1
Batting:
HR: Comeaux, Braden 1 ; Sarchet, Chase 1
RBI: Comeaux, Braden 1 ; Proctor, Ford 1 ; Sarchet, Chase 3 ; Cox, Dominic 1
SF: Proctor, Ford 1 ; Cox, Dominic 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Comeaux, Braden 1 ; Proctor, Ford 2 ; DiCaprio, Dominic 1 ; Sarchet, Chase 2 ; Collins, Justin 1 ; Cox, Dominic 1
SB: Sarchet, Chase 2 ; Collins, Justin 1
