Box Score May 8, 2013
Final Stats
RUSTON, La. - The No. 18 Rice Owls (32-15) recorded season-highs in several offensive categories and defeated Louisiana Tech (16-33), 15-2, in front of 904 fans Wednesday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park in Ruston.
Rice started scoring early and never let off as the Owls scored runs in seven of the nine innings played Wednesday and put up season highs in hits, runs, doubles and runs batted in to take the season series over the Bulldogs.
"Rice is good and their midweek arms are so much better than everybody else's midweek arms, so it is hard to get anything going on them," head coach Wade Simoneaux. "They pitch, play great defense and it is hard to score many runs on them. All of our focus has to be on Dallas Baptist now, and we have to play it one day at a time."
Freshman right hander Kevin McCanna (3-1) started for the Owls and earned the win for Rice after allowing two runs - both earned - off seven hits in 6.0 innings of work. McCanna struck out five batters and walked two for his third win of the season. Matt Ditman relieved McCanna in the seventh and pitched two full innings of one-hit baseball, while striking out three. Tyler Spurlin closed out the victory for Rice in the ninth and did not allow a base runner in the final inning.
Freshman Adam Derouen (1-1) was charged with the loss after allowing four runs - all earned - off seven hits in three full innings in the start. The Bulldogs sent seven different pitchers to the mound in Wednesday night's defeat.
The Owls scored multiple runs in the second, fourth, sixth and seventh innings and totaled 21 hits - a season-high - in the win. Rice hitters recorded 10 extra-base hits - eight doubles and two home runs - on its way to a road victory.
Rice was led at the plate by Michael Aquino and Shane Hoelscher, who were each 4-for-6 on the night. Aquino totaled two doubles and five RBI, while every one of Rice's starters hit safely in the contest. Leon Byrd, Christian Stringer, Michael Ratterree, Keenan Cook and Geoff Perrott each had two hits apiece for the Owls.
For the Bulldogs, junior center fielder Taylor Burch led with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate with and run scored, while Tyler Qualls hit his second home run of the season over the right field fence in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1. Colby Johnson, Taylor Terrasas, Kyle Arnsberg, Ryan Jones and Austin Hedges each had one hit in the loss for a total of eight Tech base knocks on the night.
LA Tech returns to action at 6:30 p.m. Friday to take on Dallas Baptist in a three-game conference series at Horner Ballpark in Dallas Texas.
For complete coverage of Bulldog Baseball, please follow @LATechBSB on Twitter or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech athletics at www.LATechSports.com.
