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Tuesday - April 17, 2007

Game 42: Texas at Rice

No. I didn't go to Houston for the game. I did manage to hear most of it on the radio, though.

Texas went down in order to start the game. Austin Wood started on the mound for the Horns and gave up a lead-off triple to start the game. Yikes! The next batter hit a sac fly to lf to drive the runner home and give the Owls a 1-run lead to start things off. Thankfully, Austin settled down and followed that up with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings. Preston Clark hit a 2-out single in the 2nd but he was stranded at 1b. Travis Tucker hit a 1-out single in the 3rd and stole 2b but was unable to score.

In the 4th, Kyle Russell led things off with a walk. Bradley Suttle tried to move Kyle over with a sac bunt but both tries went foul. With an 0-2 count, he hit a nice single to rf. Runners at 1b and 2b with no outs. Russell Moldenhauer did get a sac bunt down along the 3b line to move the runners to 2b and 3b. Preston Clark grounded out to ss (rbi). Kyle scored and Bradley held up at 2b. Tie game. Nick Peoples flew out to rf for the 3rd out. The Horns got the first batter out in the bottom of the 4th but Austin hit the second and walked the third. Buenger singled to lf to score the runner from 2b. Rice up 2-1. Runners at 1b and 2b, 1 out. After Austin threw 2 balls to the next batter, Skip Johnson changed pitchers. Pat McCrory went to the mound with a 2-0 count to Dodson. Pat threw 3 pitches to strike Dodson out! Bradley Suttle then made a great play to knock down a ball headed to the lf corner and beat the runner (from 2b) to the 3b bag to make the final out. Wow. 'Wish I could've seen it.

Sadly, the Horns went down in order in the 5th. And, the bottom half of the 5th did not start well for the Horns as Pat McCrory walked the first two Rice batters. The next batter hit a sac bunt to advance the runners. The 4th batter grounded out to 3b (rbi). The runner at 2b stayed there. With 2 out and a runner at 2b, the Horns then intentionally walked (ugh) Savery. The next batter doubled (rbi) moving the intentionally walked batter to 3b. I just [sarcasm alert] love intentional walks. Keith Shinaberry went in for Pat and got the next batter to fly out. The intentionally walked batter did not score. Whew.

In the 6th, Kyle Russell hit his record-breaking 21st homerun of the season to lf! It was a 1-out solo shot to get the Horns back to within 2. Bradley Suttle was then hit by a pitch. Alas, he was stranded at 1b. In the bottom of the inning, Rice pulled off a 2-out rally and scored 2 (double, walk, double). Hunter Harris went in for Keith Shinaberry to get the final out of the inning.

In the 7th, Nick Peoples singled to start things off. Chais Fuller followed that with a single to put runners at 1b and 2b. Travis Tucker then reached on a fielder's choice. Lonergan (who'd gone in to pitch at the beginning of the inning) made a bad throw to 3b, allowing Nick to score, Chais to move to 3b, and Travis to move to 2b. He then threw a wild pitch to allow Chais to score and Travis to move to 3b. Texas was suddenly within 2 runs with a runner at 3b and no outs. Rice sent St. Clair to the mound. Jordan Danks grounded out on a drag bunt attempt. Chance Wheeless then struck out swinging. Yikes. Kyle Russell walked. And, then Bradley Suttle popped out. In the bottom of the inning, Savery homered to start things off and move the margin back to 3 runs. With 2 on (via walks) and 2 out, Randy Boone went to the mound and got the final out of the inning.

In the 8th, the Horns went down in order for the 3rd time in the game. Alex Posey went in to pitch in the bottom of the inning. He gave up one single but that was it.

In the 9th, Chais Fuller struck out. Travis Tucker battled off several pitches but ended up flying out to rf. Jordan Danks ended the game with a ground out to 2b.

And, thus ends the Texas win streak over Rice. Texas had won their last 10 meetings. We all knew it had to come to an end someday, didn't we? Too bad today was the day. Texas loses 4-7.

Posted by Joanna at 10:27 PM