March 29, 2009

Box Score

HOUSTON -

No. 2 Rice 9, Memphis 5

Memphis (10-15; 2-4 C-USA)     000 012 020 - 5  7 1
#2 Rice (17-7; 4-2 C-USA)      220 003 20X - 9 13 0

Rice scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to open up a close game en route to a series-clinching 9-5 win over Memphis in the C-USA series finale on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers took the series-opener on Friday night, but were unable to hold off the Owls in the final two games of the series.

Rice combated two scoring innings by the Tigers with three unearned scores in the sixth and two more runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach with the 9-5 final.

Trailing 4-0 after four innings of play, Memphis got on the board with a solo home run off the bat of Shawn Ablett. The round-tripper was Ablett's first career Division I blast. Ablett led the Tiger offense with a 2-for-3 effort. He drove in three runs in the contest.

The Tigers continued to chip away at the Owls advantage with a pair of runs in the sixth. Freshman Drew Martinez led the frame off with a single and Chad Zurcher belted a triple to make it 4-2. Zurcher, who collected two hits in the game, came in to score on a ground out by Brett Bowen to close the gap to 4-3.

Brach Davis took the loss. He gave up four runs on four hits in four innings. Matt Reckling was solid for the Owls, tossing 5.1 innings and striking out three to earn the win. He allowed four hits and three runs. Jordan Rogers came in the work the final 3.2 innings to pick up his second save of the year. He fanned four.

Memphis, who has played five of its last six games against teams that have been ranked this year, will now return home for the next five games. Four of the five games will be held at AutoZone Park, beginning with an April 1 meeting with Ole Miss. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Memphis will play UCF, at AutoZone Park, in C-USA play next weekend. Game times are set for 10 a.m., 6 p.m. and 12 p.m. Tiger fans can listen to live play-by-play action on WUMR 91.7FM. The "Voice of the Tigers" Jeff Brightwell calls the action.