Rice University
16-24-2, 6-11-2
Charlotte
23-18, 10-9
Charlotte Takes Friday Opener, 8-6
4/27/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Recap by: John Sullivan, Rice Athletics (jsully@rice.edu)
HOUSTON -- Rice rallied for one run, put two more on base and brought the potential winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the visiting Charlotte baseball team hung on for an 8-6 win over the Owls' in the opener of a three-game C-USA series Friday evening at Reckling Park.
Down 8-5 to start the bottom of the ninth, Bradley Gneiting knocked a one-out pinch-hit double to left-center and Ford Proctor followed with a RBI double to left to cut the margin to two. Charlotte was again careful pitching to hot-hitting senior Ryan Chandler, who had already scored twice in the game after getting a hit and drawing a pair of walks. It put the potential tying run on base (and the winning run to the plate) with one away, but the 49ers worked out of the jam for the 8-6 final.
Rice is now 16-24-2 on the year and 6-11-2 in conference games. Charlotte improved to 23-18 overall and 10-9 in C-USA with two more games to play this weekend.
The 49ers were quick to jump on the scoreboard for a pair of runs in the top of the first inning and another in the second to take a 3-0 lead. Rice got one back in the bottom of the frame thanks to some Owl freshmen. Trei Cruz drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a double by Justin Collins and scored on a grounder to the right side.
Charlotte's Reece Hampton hit a solo home run before the 49ers took advantage of a Rice fielding error for two more unearned runs in the fifth to make the score 6-1. In the bottom of the sixth Cruz blasted a two-out, two-run homer to left-center. Cruz' third round-tripper of the year cut the margin to three, 6-3.
The 49ers struck for two more runs in the seventh. Rice battled to get the runs back in the eighth. A leadoff walk to Chandler and double to left by Braden Comeaux quickly put two men in scoring position. Andrew Dunlap drove them both home with a single to right to bring Rice back within three, 8-5.
Both teams finished the night with 11 hits. Cruz led all players with three hits to tie a career-high and raise his season batting average to .300. Chandler is 14-of-24 (.583) with seven walks over the last six games.
The C-USA series continues through Sunday. Saturday's start time is set for 2 pm. Sunday's series finale is scheduled for 11 am at Reckling Park.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Josh Maciejewski (6-2)
L: Garcia, Roel (3-2)
S: Jonah Patten (6)
Batting:
2B: Drew Ober 1 ; Tommy Bullock 1
3B: Reece Hampton 1
HR: Reece Hampton 1
RBI: Reece Hampton 2 ; Harris Yett 1 ; Drew Ober 2 ; Zack Smith 2 ; Tommy Bullock 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Reece Hampton 2 ; Jackson Mims 2 ; Harris Yett 1 ; Drew Ober 2 ; Hunter Jones 1
SB: Drew Ober 1
HBP: Drew Ober 1
Batting:
2B: Proctor, Ford 1 ; Comeaux, Braden 1 ; Collins, Justin 1 ; Gneiting, Bradley 1
HR: Cruz, Trei 1
RBI: Proctor, Ford 1 ; Dunlap, Andrew 2 ; Cruz, Trei 2 ; Sarchet, Chase 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chandler, Ryan 2 ; Comeaux, Braden 1 ; Cruz, Trei 2 ; Gneiting, Bradley 1
