Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Rice
Baseball Drops Decision To Owls, 5-1
5/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 25, 2003
HOUSTON - Wade Townsend stifled Fresno State on four hits as second-ranked Rice stopped Fresno State 5-1 in the final game of a Western Athletic Conference series at Reckling Park Sunday afternoon.
Townsend equaled his career-high with 12 strikeouts over 7.2 innings to win his seventh game in eight decisions. He allowed a first-inning run, but combined with Steven Herce to blank the Bulldogs the rest of the game.
Enrique Cruz was Rice's hitting star Sunday, knocking in four of the Owls' five runs. He had his ninth home run of the season, a three-run blast in the first inning, and added a final run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly.
The win, Rice's 11th in its last 14 games, sends the Owls into the post-season with a 48-10 record. The Owls' Reckling Park was named Sunday as one of 16 host venues for NCAA regionals which begin next Friday. The full 64-team bracket will be announced Monday (ESPN-2, 11:30 am).
On Sunday, Fresno took a 1-0 lead in the first on Ryan Haag's double up the alley in left-center, a sacrifice bunt by Scott Beshears and Casey McGehee's infield out. After that, Townsend and Herce, who retired the last four Fresno batters, only allowed two Bulldogs to reach scoring position the rest of the day.
Rice quickly regained momentum in the first. Chris Kolkhorst led off with a double to left, moved to third on Dane Bubela's ground out, and scored on Vincent Sinisi's single up the middle.
Sinisi stayed alive when Fresno first-baseman Brian Pierce threw wide to second on Austin Davis' ground ball, and both Owls scored on Cruz' home run to left.
Kolkhorst, Sinisi, Paul Janish and Craig Stansberry led Rice's 10-hit attack with two hits each.
Rice finished its seventh consecutive WAC championship season at 25-5, while Fresno State ended its year at 30-29 overall and 14-16 vs. the league.
WAC College Baseball at Reckling Park, Houston
Rice 5, Fresno State 1
Fresno State 100 000 000 - 1 4 1RICE OWLS 400 010 00x - 5 10 1
Cody Smith, David Griffin (7), Chad Edwards (8) and Brandon Marcelli. Wade Townsend, Steven Herce (8) and Justin Ruchti.
W- Townsend, 7-1. L- Smith, 8-5.
Save- none.
2B- FS: Ryan Haag, Scott Beshears; Rice: Chris Kolkhorst,
Paul Janish.
3B- none.
HR- Rice: Enrique Cruz (9).
Time- 2:10. Att.- 3,105.
Team Records: Fresno State 30-29, 14-16. Rice 48-10, 25-5.
