June 4, 2006
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HOUSTON, Texas - A three-run top of the first propelled No. 1 Rice to a 7-2 victory over Baylor in Sunday's winner's bracket game at the NCAA Houston Regional at Reckling Park. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Bears (36-25) in regional play. Rice (52-10) has won 12 consecutive games and 34 of its last 36.
Eddie Degerman (12-1) fed Baylor batters crumbs, holding the Bears to a pair of unearned runs on five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts over 8.0 innings. Degerman struck out the side in the first and had at seven strikeouts through the first three innings. Cole St. Clair struck out the side in the ninth; the Bears struck out 17 times, the most times Baylor's batters have struck out in a nine-inning game this season.
Baylor did not have a base runner until Seth Fortenberry and Zach Dillon drew consecutive one-out walks in the fourth. After a groundout, both Fortenberry and Dillon scored when Chase Gerdes' ground ball went through Rice second baseman Greg Buchannan's legs.
The Bears' first hits came in the fifth; Tim Jackson led off with a single up the middle, moved to second on a Matt Sodolak sacrifice bunt and moved to third on a Drew Bias single to right. However, Rice got out of the inning on an unorthodox double play. Catcher Danny Lehmann pounced on Kevin Russo's bunt and tossed to second to force out Bias. Shortstop Brian Friday then fired home to get Jackson, who was tagged out just before touching the plate.
Rice built its lead immediately as Tyler Henley doubled off Jackson's glove down the first-base line on the game's first pitch. Buchannan followed with an RBI single to right-center and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Josh Rodriguez scored Buchannan with a double into the left-field corner, and Joe Savery capped the inning with an RBI single through the right side.
The Owls got another run in the second as Jordan Dodson led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Henley's RBI single.
After Baylor cut Rice's lead in half with the two-run fourth, the Owls got three unearned runs in the seventh to push their lead to 7-2.
Baylor starter Randall Linebaugh (6-1) suffered his first career loss, snapping a seven-decision winning streak that began last season. Linebaugh allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts over 6.1 innings.
Bias finished 2-for-3, collecting all but three of Baylor's hits. Kevin Russo singled in the ninth, extending his hitting streak to a career-high tying 12 games.
Baylor now must play No. 16 Arizona State in an elimination game Sunday at 5 p.m.
NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 125-83-1, the fourth most-played series in Baylor baseball history. Rice has won 12 of the last 14 meetings, and the Owls hold a 48-44-1 advantage in games played at Houston. Baylor is 1-3 against Rice in NCAA Tournament meetings.
