Rice University
17-24-2, 7-11-2
Charlotte
23-19, 10-10
Rice Defeats Charlotte Saturday, 3-2
4/28/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Recap by: John Sullivan, Rice Athletics (jsully@rice.edu)
HOUSTON -- The Rice baseball team scored three runs on six hits, and the pitching duo of Matt Canterino and Kendal Jefferies made it stand up as the Owls defeated visiting Charlotte 3-2 in the second game of the Conference USA series Saturday afternoon at Reckling Park.
The sides locked in a scoreless pitcher's duel for the first five frames. Canterino had held Charlotte to just one base hit while the 49ers' Matt Brooks allowed two as the contest was deadlocked 0-0. Charlotte picked up its second hit in the sixth, but Rice quickly halted the threat with an electric double-play. Canterino fielded a sharp comeback to the mound, turned and threw to second base where charging shortstop Ford Proctor grabbed and fired the ball to first to complete the 1-6-3 twin-killing.
The Blue & Gray turned the defensive gem into some offensive momentum in its half of the inning. Proctor led off the sixth with a solo home run to right for his seventh round-tripper of the year and a 1-0 advantage. Ryan Chandler then walked, stole second base and scored on a RBI single by Trei Cruz. Cruz advanced to third on a double by Chace Sarchet and dashed home on a wild pitch for a 3-0 lead.
Charlotte continued to fight. Todd Elwood led off the top of the eighth with a base hit and leadoff batter Reece Hamption hit a one-out two-run homer. Canterino was solid pitching into the eighth inning of a game for the third time this season, but the Owls now went to Jefferies out of the bullpen. The versatile junior right-hander from Spring, Texas, worked through the top half of the Charlotte lineup to end the eighth and had a quick 1-2-3 ninth for the 3-2 final.
Rice improved to 17-24-2 overall and 7-11-2 in C-USA action. Charlotte is now 23-19 on the season and an even 10-10 in conference.
The C-USA series concludes Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 11 am at Reckling Park.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Canterino, Matt (4-4)
L: Matt Brooks (1-6)
S: Jefferies, Kendal (1)
Batting:
HR: Reece Hampton 1
RBI: Reece Hampton 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Reece Hampton 1 ; Todd Elwood 1
HBP: Tommy Bullock 1
Batting:
2B: Sarchet, Chase 1 ; Dunlap, Andrew 1
HR: Proctor, Ford 1
RBI: Proctor, Ford 1 ; Cruz, Trei 1 ; Comeaux, Braden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Proctor, Ford 1 ; Chandler, Ryan 1 ; Cruz, Trei 1
SB: Chandler, Ryan 1 ; Comeaux, Braden 1
PO: Sarchet, Chase 1
