Rice University
5-6
Houston Baptist
2-9
Career Game For DesKKKKKKKKKKKins
3/9/2021 11:17:00 PM | Baseball
Owls Top HBU 3-1 Tuesday Night
HOUSTON — Owl lefthander Brandon Deskins posted career highs in strikeouts (11) and innings (6.0) to help pace the Rice Baseball team to a 3-1 victory over crosstown foe Houston Baptist Tuesday evening at Reckling Park.
The Story
In his first start of the season, and only the fourth start of his collegiate career, Deskins was sensational to earn his first victory as an Owl. The third-year sophomore allowed just two hits with no walks while registering an eye-opening 11 strikeouts in a career long 6.0 innings of work. He struck out five of the first six batters he faced in the game to equal his previous career high. The standout from Friendswood, Texas, added another six Ks over the next three innings for 11 on the night – the highest strikeout mark for a Rice pitcher since second round MLB Draft pick Matt Canterino fanned 11 WKU batters in May of 2019.
Deskins was in high gear, and he needed to be because it was a tight one-run game after the six first frames. The Owls struck quickly for a run in the bottom of the first inning on a triple to left-center by Guy Garibay, who then alertly dashed home on a HBU wild pitch. The Huskies tied the game in the fourth on a solo homer to left by Christian Dumont. It proved to be the only damage Deskins and the Owl staff would allow, but the score was deadlocked until the fifth when Garibay doubled and scored on Bradley Gneiting's RBI single to left. The Blue & Gray added one more insurance run in the seventh on a leadoff double by Braden Comeaux, a passed ball and sacrifice fly by Gneiting.
Rice right-hander Drake Greenwood followed Deskins in the seventh and pitched a pair of hitless frames. Garibay moved from his starting spot in centerfield to the mound to start the ninth and the rookie earned his first career save with an efficient 1-2-3 inning.
For The Record
Rice improved to 5-6 overall. HBU is now 2-9 on the season.
Head Coach Matt Bragga Said
"Wow, Brandon was really, really special tonight and that was fun to watch," coach Bragga said. "He executed a lot of pitches, consistently got ahead of hitters and set the tone for the night when we needed him to that. I am happy for him because he has worked hard this whole time. I liked Drake coming in and doing what he needed to do, getting that hold and setting it up for Guy who closed it out."
Rice-HBU Series
The squads opened the year with a three game series at Reckling Park Feb. 20-22, which Rice won two games to one. The Owls now lead the all-time series 23-4 dating back to 1960.
Four Games vs. One Opponent
The game was already the fourth meeting of the year between the crosstown foes. Facing a team four times is going to be a reoccurring theme for the Owls in 2021. In addition to facing upcoming opponent Southern University four times (March 19-21), the Owls are scheduled to play four-game series in Conference USA league action starting on March 26 vs. UTSA.
Notes & Stats
• The Owl trio of Garibay, Comeaux and Gneiting all had two hits each. Comeaux and Gneiting share the team lead with four multi-hit games.
• Gneiting stole a pair of bases on the night (in the second and fifth innings) to tie a career high.
• Cade Edwards drew a walk in the fifth to extend his streak of reaching base to ten-straight games.
• Just prior to the game Gneiting and Justin Dunlap were selected the 2021 All-College Classic Team for outstanding play over the weekend at Minute Maid Park.
• Rice's leadoff batter reached base in five of its eight offensive innings.
Rice To Face The Huskies After The Huskies
The Owls' five game homestand continues thru March 14. Rice welcomes in a pair of teams, Kansas State and Northern Illinois, to play a total of four games this weekend at Reckling Park. The Owls' first opponent of the weekend round robin is Northern Illinois at 5 pm on Friday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Deskins, Brandon (1-1)
L: Murphy, Cy (0-1)
S: Garibay Jr., Guy (1)
Batting:
HR: Dumont, Christian 1
RBI: Dumont, Christian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dumont, Christian 1
HBP: Solomon, Matt 1
PO: Trinidad, Sebastian 1
Batting:
2B: Garibay Jr., Guy 1 ; Comeaux, Braden 1
3B: Garibay Jr., Guy 1
RBI: Gneiting, Bradley 2
SH: Karp, Will 1 ; Hughes, Hal 1
SF: Gneiting, Bradley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Garibay Jr., Guy 2 ; Comeaux, Braden 1
SB: Gneiting, Bradley 2
CS: Cruz, Antonio 1
HBP: Dunlap, Justin 1
