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May 9, 2008

Box Score

HOUSTON -- Rice hitters J.P. Padron, Derek Myers, Aaron Luna and Deigo Seastrunk all collected three hits each to help lead the fourth-ranked Rice baseball team a 13-6 victory over crosstown rival Houston in the opener of a three-game Conference USA weekend series, and also game three in the best-of-five set for the coveted Silver Glove Trophy, Friday evening at Reckling Park in Houston.

The Owls pounded out a total of 17 hits to tie a season-high that the team had already reached twice before. The Blue & Gray now lead the series for the Silver Glove Trophy as the city's collegiate baseball champion by a count of two-games-to-one. Rice can clinch its eighth-straight Silver Glove series in Saturday's contest slated for 2 pm at Reckling Park.

Houston put together a rally for the game's first run in the top of the third inning. The Owls appeared to be headed to an easy three-up three down, but Blake Kelso singled to right field with two away and Jake Stewart was hit by a pitch. Bryan Pounds singled up the middle to drive in Kelso for a 1-0 Cougar lead.

Rice answered with a four-run outburst in its half of the frame, then four more in the fourth, one in the fifth and a three in the sixth for a total of 12 runs. With the offense in gear the Owls sent 33 men to the plate from the third to the sixth inning.

Rice put its final run on the board in the seventh for the baker's dozen and that was plenty of room for starting pitcher Ryan Berry. The sophomore right-hander from Humble, Tex., allowed just three runs in 7.0 innings while striking out four to earn his sixth win of the season.

Padron went 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored. The three-hit game was his seventh of the season. Luna was a triple shy of the cycle with his three hits. He blasted his seventh home run of the season, and the 36th of his Rice career, to go along with a double, single, three RBI and three runs. It was the sixth time this year for Seastrunk to collect three or more hits in a game. Seastrunk drove in a pair of runs and scored once. Myers followed Wednesday night's win over nationally-ranked Oklahoma State where he hit a home run with a career-high three-hits against UH. He also scored twice and had one RBI.

Rice improved to 36-11 on the year and a league-leading 16-3 in Conference USA. The Owls can clinch the conference title outright with two more wins among its next five games. Houston is now 30-19 overall and 11-8 in C-USA action.

The series continues at Reckling Park through Sunday. First pitch Saturday is for 2 pm. Sunday's game begins at 1 pm. Not only is the Silver Glove Trophy on the line in the annual C-USA showdown, Sunday's contest is the final regular season home game for seven Rice seniors.