McCracken and Zito Lead Owls to Series Win

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Baseball

at Louisiana

Oct 11

1 PM

Baseball

vs McClennan JC

Oct 26

Noon

Reckling Park

Reckling Park: J. D. McCracken scattered three hits over seven innings and Michael Zito drove in three runs to lead a balanced attack as Rice downed Wichita State 9-3 to capture the weekend series for the Owls.

How it Happened: McCracken used a double play to escape a rocky first inning in which he threw 22 pitches, but then found his rhythm and held the Shockers hitless until the sixth while his teammates built a 6-0 lead. Rice scored once in the bottom of the second as Hiram Bocachcia Jr. walked, stole second and then raced home on Paul Smith's single. Cole Green opened the third with an infield single, stole second and then came home thanks to a pair of throwing errors. The first was by Wichita State's catcher on a pickoff attempt, which allowed him to move to third, and he moved home when a throw by the center fielder eluded the third baseman. Colin Robson followed with a walk and eventually scored on an RBI single by Landon West. Michael Zito doubled the Owls' run total with one swing of the bat in the fourth. With two out, Robson laid down a bunt single and I moved to second on a walk to Blaine Brown. Zito cleared the bases with his fourth home run of the year onto the hill in left center. The blast extended his hitting streak in conference games to 20. The Shockers finally broke through against McCracken in the sixth, scoring a run on their first two base hits and a sacrifice fly. They added two runs in McCracken's final inning of work in the seventh, but the Owls put any fears of a further comeback to rest by answering those three runs with three of their own in the bottom of the seventh. Bocachica drove in the first with a sacrifice fly after a 10-pitch battle that saw WSU change pitchers after the ninth pitch. Aric Anderson followed with a two-run double to close the scoring, and Garrett Stratton closed out the game, retiring the final six Shockers in order.

Up Next: The graduating seniors on the Owls will participate in graduation ceremonies later on Saturday and then return to Reckling Park for the home finale against Wichita State on Sunday at 1:00. Rice will celebrate its senior class (Tucker Alch, Aric Anderson, Von Baker, Jack Ben-Shoshan, Micah Davis, Reed Gallant, Max Johnson, J.D. McCracken, Treyton Rank, Garrett Stratton, Mark Perkins, Tom Vincent and Graiden West) in pregame ceremonies and then join with their mothers for the pregame first pitch in commemoration of Mother's Day.
Notes

Rice improved to 4-6 all-time against Wichita State, but 4-0 in games at Reckling Park.
Rice has won six of its last seven and 10 of its last 15.
The Owls improved to 10-13 in AAC play, including a 9-5 mark in their last 14 games while winning four of the past five series.
The Owls have homered in six straight games (12 total).
McCracken evened his record at 4-4 and matched his career-high in wins while working into the seventh for the first time in his last seven starts and allowed just three hits and two earned runs.
Rice starters Davion Hickson and McCracken have posted a combined 2.40 ERA this weekend (15.0 IP, 4 ER).

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