Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Rice
Baseball Swept By No. 3 Rice
3/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 31, 2002
HOUSTON - Fresno State (17-16, 5-4 WAC) dropped its fourth consecutive game, losing 16-4 against Rice (26-5, 9-0 WAC). The Bulldogs were tagged with double-digit runs for the second straight day as the Owls pounded out 16 runs on 17 hits.
Senior RHP Zach Minor suffered his third loss of the season going five innings while giving up seven runs on eight hits.
The Owls used a nine-run sixth inning to pull away after the Bulldogs cut Rice's lead to 4-3.
Rice shortstop Justin Janish and third baseman Hunter Brown led the way at the plate, combining for five hits, five runs and five RBI. Brown hit his fifth home run of the season in the fifth inning.
For Fresno State junior Brian Pierce (Fresno, Calif.) was the lone star, coming off the bench to pinch hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning. It was his seventh of the season , which ties him for the team-lead.
Fresno State used six different pitchers in the game as four of them gave up at least three runs each. Freshman RHP Matt Scott (Merced, Calif.) and senior RHP Francisco Nieves (Oakland, Calif.) combined to pitch two scoreless innings to end the game.
The loss marked the seventh straight for the Bulldogs at Reckling Park dating back to 2000.
Sophomore third baseman Casey McGehee (Santa Cruz, Calif.) extended his hitting streak to nine games, going 3-for-5 on the day and is now batting .366 which leads the team.
Fresno State will at home next against Louisiana Tech for a three-game set as the Bulldogs continue their WAC schedule.
