[ RAINBOW BASEBALL ]
Rainbows strike out
in WAC openerRice’s ace pitcher sits 13 Hawaii
batters down in a 5-3 win
HOUSTON >> Jeff Niemann has the talent to be selected in the first round of this year's Major League First-Year Player Draft. Some publications speculate the All-American and the top collegiate pitcher in 2003 will be the No. 1 pick.
Except for a brief moment, Niemann lived up to his billing yesterday against Hawaii.
The junior tied his career high with 13 strikeouts to lead Rice to a 5-3 Western Athletic Conference victory over the 'Bows (14-8, 0-1 WAC) last night in front of 3,064 fans at Reckling Park.
Rice coach Wayne Graham turned to Wade Townsend, tomorrow's scheduled starter and another projected first-round pick, to protect the lead in the ninth, and the junior right-hander fanned two more Rainbows.
Hawaii has not seen this caliber of pitching since the season-opening Texas series.
Rainbow starter Ricky Bauer also had a solid outing in pitching his second complete game, but the only offensive support he received came in the fourth inning when UH scored all its runs to almost wipe out Rice's early 4-0 lead.
Following the 'Bows' rally, Bauer retired the Owls (15-5, 4-0) in order for the first time in the bottom of the fourth. After Davis' two-run homer in the third, Bauer settled into a groove and sat down 11 consecutive Owls before Rodgers beat out an infield single to deep short with one out in the seventh.
"At one point I didn't think Ricky would get through the fourth, but he settled down and did fine," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "I was proud of him. He battled through it and made some adjustments. He went straight to his two-seam fastball and let the life on that pitch take care of things."
Niemann also found a rhythm, a strikeout rhythm. He fanned four UH batters in the first four innings. Over the next four, nine Rainbows were strikeout victims of the 6-foot-9 right-hander. After Andrew Sansaver doubled home two runs in the fourth, Niemann did not give up another hit until Matt Inouye singled to center with two out in the eighth.
"We had opportunities, but just didn't do anything (against Niemann) except in the fourth inning," Trapasso said. "I wouldn't say he dominated us, but he is not the national pitcher of the year for nothing. You have to execute against someone like Niemann and we didn't. We missed signs and couldn't put the ball in play on three hit-and-run situations."
The three 'Bows thrown out attempting to steal second came on hit-and-run plays. When Isaac Omura missed the hit-and-run sign and Greg Kish, on first with UH's first hit, was thrown out stealing. After striking out, Trapasso replaced Omura with Schafer Magana.
The Owls scored a run in the first inning when leadoff batter Chris Kolkhorst lined a double to left and scored on consecutive infield grounders by Paul Janish and Matt Ueckert.
Rice scored again in the second after Bauer retired the first two batters. Adam Rodgers drove a 3-2 pitch off the left-center field-wall, 375 feet from home plate, for a double. Josh Rodriguez followed by bouncing a 2-2 pitch up the middle into center to score Rodgers.
The Owls struck again with two outs in the third. Janish lined a one-out double down the left-field line and scored on Austin Davis' third home run of the season, a drive over the right-field wall on a 3-1 pitch.
The Rainbows finally got to Niemann in the fourth after he retired the leadoff batter. Brian Finegan singled to right and Inouye singled to left, with Finegan stopping at second. With the runners moving, Jaziel Mendoza dumped a first-pitch single into center, scoring Finegan with Inouye stopping at second.
Niemann, who had hit just two batters coming into the game, hit his third in four innings when he plunked Rocky Russo for the second time with a fastball to load the bases. Sansaver lined the first pitch he saw from Niemann to left for a two-run double to cut the Rice lead to 4-3.
The Owls picked up an insurance run in the eighth when Janish blooped a one-out single over first base and moved to second on Ueckert's slow roller back to the mound. After Davis was intentionally walked, Bauer's only free pass of the night, Adam Morris ripped a double just inside the third-base bag to score Janish.
Rice has defeated UH 13 consecutive times.
"This was a typical Friday game in our league decided by one or two runs. You just don't know what might have happened if we didn't miss signs and executed," Trapasso said.
The teams play again tonight.
WAC standings
Yesterday
Conference All games W L Pct. GB W L Pct. Rice 4 0 1.000 -- 15 5 .750 Louisiana Tech 1 0 1.000 1 1/2 10 14 .417 Nevada 0 0 -- 2 10 11 .476 Fresno State 0 0 -- 2 12 14 .462 Hawaii 0 1 .000 2 1/2 14 8 .636 San Jose State 0 4 .000 4 10 11 .476
Rice 5, Hawaii 3
Louisiana Tech 11, San Jose State 4
Nevada 13, Lewis-Clark State 12
Fresno State 7, Cal State Fullerton 5
Today
Hawaii at Rice, 3 p.m. Hawaii time
Louisiana Tech at San Jose State
Lewis-Clark State at Nevada
Cal State Fullerton at Fresno State
Tomorrow
Hawaii at Rice, 9 a.m. Hawaii time
Louisiana Tech at San Jose State
Lewis-Clark State at Nevada
Cal State Fullerton at Fresno State
Rice 5, Hawaii 3
E--Rodgers (2), Rodriguez (2). DP--Rice 1. LOB--Hawaii 5, Rice 4. 2B--Sansaver (6), Kolkhorst (6), Janish (6), Morris (4), Rodgers (3). HR--Davis (3). CS--Inouye (2), Kish (2), Magana (1).
Hawaii AB R H BI Rice AB R H BI Wilder cf 4 0 0 0 Kolkhorst cf 4 1 1 0 Finegan ss 4 1 1 0 Janish ss 4 2 2 0 Inouye c 3 1 2 0 Ueckert 1b 4 0 0 1 Mendoza lf 4 1 1 1 Davis lf 3 1 1 2 Russo 3b 2 0 0 0 Cavanaugh prlf 0 0 0 0 Sansaver 1b 4 0 1 2 Morris 3b 4 0 1 1 Thurber dh 2 0 0 0 Pendleton rf 4 0 0 0 Green ph 1 0 0 0 Rodgers c 3 1 2 0 Kish rf 4 0 1 0 Rodriguez 2b 3 0 1 1 Omura 2b 1 0 0 0 Hale dh 3 0 0 0 Magana 2b 1 0 0 0 Totals 30 3 6 3 Totals 32 5 8 5 Hawaii 000 300 000 -- 3 6 0 Rice 112 000 01x -- 5 8 2
HPB--by Niemann (Inouye), by Niemann (Russo), by Niemann (Russo). Umpires--Jim Garman (home), Danny Mascorro (first), Ken Eldridge (third). T--2:23. A--3,064.
Hawaii IP H R ER BB SO Bauer (L, 5-2) 8.0 8 5 5 1 3 Rice IP H R ER BB SO Niemann (W, 3-2) 8.0 6 3 3 2 13 Townsend (S, 2) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2