If the current scores hold, Texas will be out of the Big 12 tourney.

Geoff flies to right
To T9
We lead 4-2

3 outs to go. 4-2 Rice. Let's close 'em out for the W, guys!

Lemond in

Another 1-2-3 inning for Austin (two ground outs, strikeoutKKKKKKK). Is this the deepest he's gone in a game this year? Would certainly be nice if offense could muster an insurance run, and we've got the heart of the order due up.

Hoelscher leadoff single! Tough choice here re. sacrificing with Rat. I'd take my chances and let him swing away given the one-run lead. And, again-- patience. This guy is wild. Let's not help him.
Ratterree successfully laid down the sac bunt, but E-1 moves both runners to 2B and 3B, no outs. HAVE to capitalize here. Just put the ball in play.
Aquino strikes out looking. Ugh-- the one thing he could not do. Geez. Really bad AB there.
Pitching change as Marshall brings in their lone other southpaw: Fr LHP Alex Thackston (18 app, 8 starts, 33.1 IP, 4.86 ERA, .282 BAA, 23 BB, 20 Ks)-- yet another wild man...PATIENCE.
Cook RBI sac fly to RF. Great AB, and quality situational hitting. Well done.
Marshall playing lefty-righty, brings in yet another pitcher: So RHP Kyle Kessler (17 app, 2 starts, 17.1 IP, 3.77 ERA, .250 BAA, 7 BBs, 4 WP, 9 Ks)...
Perrott flied out to RF.

Good guys take a 4-2 lead into the top of the ninth inning. Do you let AK try to pitch a complete game (knowing he'll be pitching again in 6 days) or do you turn to your closer?

6,7,8 up for the Herd

Zech bringing the heat.

Ks! 1 out

K for out 1

Pop to SS 2 puts!

Fly out to short.

Cook with left field catch and out 3

WTG Guys!

And our game ends the same time as the UH 3-2 win over USM across town so that's more good news.

Fly out to deep LF. Owls win 4-2!

13th save for Zech! New school record!

Great job by Austin tonight!

(05-16-2013 09:16 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  And our game ends the same time as the UH 3-2 win over USM across town so that's more good news.

Do we need a sweep by UH of USM and a sweep at Reckling over Marshall to tie for 1st? (Ignoring UCF and Memphis for now).

Looked like it was going to be an offensive explosion early.
But Austin settled in and pitched a great game
Just enough offense to get the job done.
Superior defense. Geoff was great behind the plate blocking some of those diving Kubitza pitches.
Good weekend start.
Let's keep it going and stuff these guys tomorrow.
Go Owls!!

(05-16-2013 09:18 PM)smackdaddy Wrote:  

(05-16-2013 09:16 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  And our game ends the same time as the UH 3-2 win over USM across town so that's more good news.

Do we need a sweep by UH of USM and a sweep at Reckling over Marshall to tie for 1st? (Ignoring UCF and Memphis for now).

Smack, I believe if we sweep, if UH sweeps, and if UCF loses one, we will be sole champs.

(05-16-2013 09:21 PM)Ranger Wrote:  

(05-16-2013 09:18 PM)smackdaddy Wrote:  

(05-16-2013 09:16 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  And our game ends the same time as the UH 3-2 win over USM across town so that's more good news.

Do we need a sweep by UH of USM and a sweep at Reckling over Marshall to tie for 1st? (Ignoring UCF and Memphis for now).

Smack, I believe if we sweep, if UH sweeps, and if UCF loses one, we will be sole champs.

I just checked out the CUSA page, and it appears you are 100% correct. It's a long shot, but all we can do is take care of our games. If we win 2 more, we've got a very good chance of at least a split-championship. Go Rice! Go Coogs!

1-2-3 for school record save #13 for Zech (though that last out was a deep line shot caught by Cook).

Must have win, though one still has to be concerned at how feable our offense was (just 6 hits) against a series of second tier pitchers. Tomorrow we have to face an elite, power RHP in Aaron Blair. I sure hope Jordan Stephens is up for the task (and Jordan has been our most consistent pitcher all year long, despite a mediocre record due to the defense and bullpen letting him down on multiple occassions).

Game Ball #1: Austin Kubitza (W, 7-4, 8.0 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 BB, 0 HBP, 0 WP, 7 Ks), who labored badly the first two innings, but then was virtually lights out. Perhaps most importantly, given his control issues this year, he did not issue a free pass or wild pitch after the leadoff walk to open the game. Good things happen when you minimize the free passes.

Game Ball #2: Michael Ratterree (1-3, HR #9, sac bunt, run scored, RBI) for getting us on the board in the 2nd as he continued his power surge to end his Rice career, and executed the sac bunt that resulted in our final insurance run in the eighth inning.

Game Ball #3: Could have easily gone to Keenan Cook (1-2, sac fly, BB, HBP, run scored, RBI), but I'm giving it to Zech Lemond (Save #13, 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BBs, 1 K) for setting the Rice single year save record with lucky 13.

Outstanding pitching and defense gets it done tonight, but we desperately need our offense to wake up. Why we had to wait until the 7th inning to show a bit of patience is beyond me. Hey, tomorrow is another day...and, who knows-- maybe we'll find a way to hammer the elite pitcher, despite struggling against much lesser arms. One way or the other we need to find a way to win. Go Owls!