May 28, 2001
Box Score
HOUSTON, Texas - The eighth-ranked Rice Owls scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the 25th-ranked Baylor Bears 5-4 Monday afternoon in the championship game of the NCAA Houston Regional, played in front of 4,577 fans at Rice's Reckling Park.
Baylor (37-24) took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth with senior Josh Scott on the mound. As Scott warmed up for the ninth, Baylor head coach Steve Smith came to the mound and brought in sophomore closer Zane Carlson (1-6). Carlson allowed hits to the first two batters in the inning, putting runners on the corners with nobody out.
Brian Bormaster pinch-hit for Rice (48-18) and grounded to third base. Matt Williams checked the runner at third, but his throw to second baseman Trevor Mote sailed to the right of second base, leaving all runners safe and allowing Matt Fox to score from third, cutting the Bears' lead to 4-3.
Carlson then got Austin Davis to ground out to second, the runner at third held but Bormaster advanced to second on the out. The Bears elected to intentionally walk the next hitter, A.J. Porfirio, to load the bases, but Smith's plans went awry when Carlson's second pitch to Porfirio flew high and outside, letting Billy Jacobson score from third to tie the game and putting the winning run on third.
Kyle Edens relieved Carlson with the count at 2-0 and completed the intentional walk. Eric Arnold, however, followed with a base hit to left to score pinch-runner Isamu Nigro from third and give the Owls the win.
The blown save by Carlson wasted an excellent outing from Scott, who went eight innings, allowing just four hits and two runs, one earned. Scott outpitched Rice's all-American Kenny Baugh, who got the start on just three days rest. Baugh also allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings. Nick Martin (2-1) got the win for Rice, pitching 1.1 innings in relief.
Rice took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Scott walked Jesse Roman with the bases loaded. The Bears bounced right back to tie the game in the top of the second when freshman Trey Webb, starting in place of junior Mark Saccomanno, drove in David Murphy with an RBI single.
Rice retook the lead when Arnold led off the third inning with a solo home run, but the Bears again rebounded to score in the next inning. The score remained tied at 2-2 until the top of the eighth, when Kelly Shoppach and Matt Williams each hit solo home runs within the span of three at-bats to give Baylor a 4-2 lead.
The loss ends Baylor's season, while Rice advances to the NCAA Super Regional against Big 12 Champion Nebraska.
Shoppach, Scott, outfielder Chris Durbin and second baseman Trevor Mote were all named to the all-tournament team.
