Seven-Run Rally within the Ninth Extends Owls’ Streak to 5 Video games

Greenville, NC- Down to its final two outs, Rice shocked East Carolina with a seven-run rally within the ninth inning to down the Pirates 10-5 on Friday evening at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

How it Happened: Rice jumped out to an early 2-0 lead because of solo house runs by Colin Robson within the third and Kutter-Gage Webb within the fourth, however ECU took the lead with three runs in its half of the fourth and added two within the fifth to place the Pirates for a ninth consecutive win in opposition to the Owls. Rice threatened to reply over the subsequent three innings, loading the bases with one out within the fifth and stranding runners within the sixth and seventh with no outcomes. 

Rice starter Tanner Wiggins held the Pirates off the scoreboard after the fifth inning, avoiding a run within the sixth when Cole Green stabbed a pointy two-out grounder over the third base bag with a runner at second, and exited after putting out the facet within the seventh. Landis Davila reduce the result in 5-3 with the Owls’ third solo homer of the evening, setting the stage for a memorable ninth-inning explosion, which started when pinch-hitter Landon West slapped a single by means of the suitable facet to begin the inning

One out late, Robson doubled to place the tying runs at second and third, and Paul Smith didn’t hold them ready lengthy on the bases, smacking the primary providing from Pirate reliever Joseph Webb into the hole to tie the sport.

Garett Boehm adopted with a single, and Davila labored a stroll to load the bases for Webb, who reached on a fielder’s alternative as ECU retired pinch runner Michael Zito on the plate to maintain the sport tied with two outs.

Zachary Daigre fought off three consecutive two-out pitches to increase his at-bat after which hit a chopper to first that was bobbled by first baseman Austin Irby, permitting Daigre to succeed in and Boehm to present Rice the lead, and Davila adopted him house after Irby’s errant toss to Webb at first, which moved Webb to 3rd and Daigre to second.

JC Davis greeted new reliever Thomas Paxton with a double to left middle to attain two extra and prolonged the result in 9-5. Hiram Bocachica, who had entered the sport pinch operating for Smith, adopted with an RBI single to push the result in 10-5.  

Brayden Sharp earned the win after holding the deficit to 2 with a scoreless eighth inning, and Ty Thames closed out the sport with a scoreless ninth. 

Next Up:  Rice will look to win its first collection in opposition to ECU since 2016 and its first in Greenville since 2013 on Saturday within the second sport of the collection at 3:05 (central).  The collection wraps up at 12:05 on Sunday.

 

Notes  

• The Owls gained their fifth straight sport to enhance to 30-20 on the season, and 12-10 within the American.
• The win snapped an eight-game shedding streak in opposition to ECU.  Rice’s final win over ECU got here at Reckling Park in 2016, and the Owls’ final win in Greenville was within the final sport of the collection in 2013.
• Rice moved right into a tie for third within the convention standings with UAB, however the Owls maintain the tiebreaker with the Blazers after sweeping them final weekend at Reckling Park.
• The 12 wins within the convention are probably the most for Rice in its three seasons within the American.
• Rice reached 30 wins within the common season for the primary time because it ended the common season in 2016, 32-20.
• The 13-game enchancment the Owls have posted over their last 2025 report is the biggest enchancment at Rice since Wayne Graham led his first Rice staff to a 13-game enchancment in 1992.
• The present five-game successful streak is the fourth for the Owls this season, probably the most since that they had 4 in 2016.
• The three house runs by the Owls gave them 11 of their final 4 video games.  They had not hit one of their earlier six video games and had hit six within the month of April.
• Wiggins labored a minimum of six innings for the sixth consecutive begin and for the eighth time in 9 begins this 12 months.
• Smith is hitting .406 in his final 17 video games with 22 RBI, and his 44 RBI this season are probably the most by an Owl since Andrew Dunlap (59) and Trei Cruz (44) in 2019.
• Davis is hitting .565 in his final 5 video games and has pushed in 13 runs over that stretch.
• Robson has homered in three of his final 4 video games.
• Daigre extending his career-best hitting streak to eight video games (.467/12×26) , which matches the longest by an Owl this season.
• Boehm prolonged his hitting streak to seven video games.