The win keeps the Rainbows (18-20 overall, 5-8 WAC) tied for fifth in the WAC with Nevada (5-8), a 10-8 winner against San Jose State. Both are one game back of the fourth-place Owls (24-13, 6-7), who are ranked 15th by Baseball America.

Adam Roberts' two out, two-run double in the fourth inning, followed by Schafer Magana's RBI single against Rice starter Josh Geer (7-3) provided all of UH's scoring.

It was Bryant's first win since March 10, when he beat Florida State, 15-0. Bryant (5-3), who had lost his last three decisions, allowed two runs on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts. He gave up back-to-back doubles in the seventh with two outs that closed the Owls to 3-2, but struck out Matt Moake, stranding the tying run on second. It was his longest outing since the FSU game. The right-hander did it despite a blister on the right index finger.

"He just battled and put up zeros," UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

Bryant said he split open his blister three weeks ago.

"I didn't have much tonight, but I stuck with it," Bryant said. "Kept my fastball down, kept my changeup down, and got my curveball when I needed it."

Bryant allowed more than one base runner only twice, but he escaped one with a double play in the sixth and minimized damage on the successive doubles in the seventh. But Wright never gave the Owls a chance.

"That's what I want behind me coming in," Bryant said. "He was lights out."

Steven Wright

"It gets your adrenaline going," Wright said of the tight ball game. "It can really do wonders."

The crowd of 1,620 stood up when Wright reached a 1-2 count on Josh Rodriguez. After a ball and a foul, he fanned Rodriguez drawing loud cheers.

The other relievers — Darrell Fisherbaugh, Guy McDowell, Rich Olsen and Ricky Bauer — all are rested and available to back tonight's starter Colby Summer.

"It helps when your starter can give you seven innings," Trapasso said.

The Owls jumped in front in the first. Tyler Henley grounded a single up the middle, one out later he stole second, advanced to third when Joe Savery flied out to left and scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0.

But the Rainbows got to Geer in the fourth, when the right-hander walked Derek Dupree and Isaac Omura to start the inning. Both advanced on Nate Thurber's sacrifice. Geer struck out Matt Inouye, but Roberts drilled the first offering to the right-center alley, scoring two, then scored himself when Magana chopped a single over third to make it 3-1. That was UH's last hit of the game, as Geer retired 12 of the next 13 batters; the only blemish was when center fielder Henley dropped Luis Avila's fly for a two-base error. After retiring the first two Rainbows in the eighth, Geer was pulled for Bobby Bell, who got Omura to fly out to center.

Geer struck out 10 and walked two. He struck out five Rainbows in a row during one stretch.

The series resumes at 6:35 tonight. Summer will face right-hander Eddie Degerman of Rice.

NOTE

UH recruit Landon Hernandez, a catcher at Desert Chapel High in California, attended the game, but not on an official recruiting visit. He signed with the Rainbows in November.