Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Rice*
Bulldogs Down No. 2 Rice, 11-4
5/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 23, 2004
FRESNO, Calif. - Junior righthander Matt Scott struck out a career high tying five batters in 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief as Fresno State defeated No. 2 Rice 11-4 in the rubber match of the series Sunday at Beiden Field. The series win for the Bulldogs is the first against the Owls since May 11-13, 2001 in Fresno.
Fresno State improved to 26-29 overall and 14-12 in the WAC while the Owls slipped to 40-11 on the season and 21-5 in conference play.
Scott (3-1) allowed just one hit and one walk for his outing and retired the last 10 batters he faced.
The Owls held a 4-0 lead after three-and-a-half innings before the Bulldogs reeled off 11 unanswered to seal the victory and highlight a 19-hit offensive attack. For the third straight game, the Owls scored in the first as Adam Rodgers delivered a two-out run scoring double. Austin Davis swatted his sixth home run of the year with a two-run round tripper in the third and Lance Pendleton hit a two-out solo homer in the fourth.
In the home half of the fourth, the Bulldogs plated three runs on a two-out bases loaded double by senior infielder Chris Patrick. Senior catcher Brandon Marcelli delivered a bases loaded triple in the fifth to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game at 6-4 chasing Rice starter Jeff Niemann. Niemann (5-3) was saddled with his third loss of the year, yielding seven runs on 10 hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings. Senior infielder Ryan Haag plated the 'Dogs fourth run of the inning with an infield single.
Fresno State tacked on three more runs in the sixth on a two-run homer by freshman infielder Christian Vitters and a run scoring single from sophomore outfielder Chase Moore. Senior infielder Kyle Wilson's seventh home run of the year to lead off the eighth capped the scoring for the Bulldogs.
All nine position starters tallied at least one hit highlighted by a four-hit performance from Wilson and three-hit games by Moore and Marcelli. Sophomore outfielder Richie Robnett collected his 23rd double of the year in the sixth inning, moving him into a tie for sixth on the school's single season records list with Joe Xavier (1984 and '85).
The Bulldogs play host to Nevada next weekend in their final series of the season. First pitch on Friday and Saturday is 6:30 p.m. with a 1 p.m. start Sunday.
No. 2 Rice 102 100 000 - 4 9 1Fresno State 000 343 01x - 11 19 0Griffin, Scott (5), and Marcelli; Niemann, Baker (5), Pennington (7), Matheny (8), and Rodgers. W- Scott (3-1). L- Niemann (5-3). S- None. Hrs: FS: Vitters (7), Wilson (7); RICE: Davis (6), Pendleton (11). T: 2:49. A: 2,400.
