Posted on: Friday, April 15, 2005
Rice playing final series here as WAC member
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Nationally ranked Rice is on the second-to-last leg of its farewell tour of the Western Athletic Conference in a three-game series against Hawai'i starting tonight at Les Murakami Stadium.
After this season, the eight-time defending conference champion Owls (24-12 overall, 6-6 WAC), ranked 15th in the nation by Baseball America, depart for Conference USA.
In most of their eight years in the WAC, the Owls have dominated. But this season, they find themselves in the middle of a congested conference where only four games separate first (San Jose State at 8-4) and last (Hawai'i and Louisiana Tech each at 4-8). The Owls and Rainbows (17-20 overall) were supposed to be battling for the top spot. Instead, both are trying to stay alive in a race that nobody can be counted out of just yet.
WHO: No. 15 Rice (24-12 overall, 6-6 WAC) vs. Hawai'i (17-20, 4-8)
WHERE: Les Murakami Stadium TICKETS: $7 blue and orange sections; $6 adults in red section; $5 for 65-years-and-older; $3 for UH students and students ages 4-18. PARKING: $3 RADIO: KKEA (1420 AM) will broadcast all games live.
TV: KFVE (channel 5) will broadcast only Sunday's game. But Graham likes his team's chances for a second-half run in the WAC. After this series, the midway point for both UH and Rice, the Owls have four of their final five series at Reckling Park.
"It's not we're in good shape, but we're in a little better shape than it looks," Graham said.
The Owls are fourth in the conference, two games ahead of UH and Louisiana Tech, but two games behind first-place San Jose State.
"We've shown flashes of being a real good ball club because obviously, we won 24 ball games, so we're not bad," Graham said. "The only glitch of our season was going into San Jose and opening the season 0-3. That's what sort of put us behind the 8-ball. We've won our last three series, but we haven't swept anybody."
Today, 6:35 p.m.—RH Josh Geer (7-2, 1.83) vs. RH Stephen Bryant (4-3 , 3.19).
Tomorrow, 6:35 p.m.—RH Eddie Degerman (4-0, 2.49) vs. RH Colby Summer (1-2, 4.29). Sunday, 1:05 p.m.—RH Joe Savery (3-4, 2.32) vs. RH Justin Costi (1-3, 3.47). PROMOTION: Nonperishable food items can be redeemed for a coupon to buy two tickets for the price of one for tonight's game only. This is in conjunction with the Hawai'i Food Bank. "We're still in the hunt for the WAC," UH second baseman Isaac Omura said. "We're right with everybody else. It's going to be a good series."
Omura has been the steadiest Rainbow, leading the conference in batting (.420), slugging (.688), on-base percentage (.500), hits (58), doubles (17) and total bases (95). He shares the lead in RBIs with Fresno State's Beau Mills with 38.
Right up there with Omura is Rice freshman first baseman/pitcher Joe Savery. He is second in batting (.391) and on-base (.486). On the mound, the left-hander is third in ERA (2.32) and second in strikeouts (71).
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
"The bad thing is we don't get to go to Hawai'i, Reno and San Jose anymore," Rice coach Wayne Graham said in reference to his favorite venues of WAC opponents. "On the other hand, we'll have saved class time and our economic situation will be better."
Wayne Graham
"I'm surprised they're in the same shape we're in," Graham said of the Rainbows. "They have a pretty solid club."
WAC BASEBALL
Meanwhile, the Rainbows need to keep winning to chip away because being four games out of first with 18 conference games left is still within striking distance.
PROBABLE STARTERS
