Baylor
Rice (Astros College Classic)
Three-Run First Sinks Baseball Against Rice
2/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2003
HOUSTON, Texas - A three-run first inning proved to be the difference Saturday night as No. 2 Rice squeaked past No. 10 Baylor, 4-3, on the second day of the Minute Maid Park College Classic.
For the third year in a row, Rice (3-0) beat Baylor (3-3) by a single run at the home of the Houston Astros. In 2001, the Owls beat the Bears 1-0 in 10 innings, and a year ago, Rice defeated Baylor 10-9 in 12 innings.
Saturday, it was a three-run first for the Owls against Baylor starter Trey Taylor (0-1) that sunk the Bears. After falling behind 3-0, the Bears scored once in the third when Josh Ford doubled in Paul Witt, but Rice struck right back in the fourth to go up 4-1.
In the fifth, the Bears loaded the bases with nobody out on singles by Chris Durbin and David Murphy. Rice starter Philip Humber (1-0) walked Ford to load the bases, then gave up an infield single to Ross Bennett that cut the lead to 4-2. After Michael Griffin struck out for the first out, Zach Dillon hit what looked to be a sacrifice fly to left that would have brought the Bears within a run.
Murphy, however, was ruled out for leaving third too early, erasing the run from the scoreboard and instead ending the inning.Third base coach Steve Johnigan and head coach Steve Smith each argued the play with home plate umpire Danny Mascorro, but to no avail.
In the eighth, Griffin tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Jared Clements as the Bears closed within one. Durbin doubled in the ninth and Murphy followed with a walk, but both runners were stranded as Rice reliever Wade Townsend got the final two outs for his first save.
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Bears. Baylor wraps up its play in the College Classic Sunday at 3 p.m. against Louisiana-Lafayette.
