Baseball Drops Final Game of Series to Rice

Sunday, March 21

Salt Lake City, UT

1:00 PM

University of Utah

Rice

6/21/1999 12:00 AM | Baseball

March 21, 1999

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah baseball team was 1-2 in a three-game series with Rice. The Utes dropped the first game 12-1, won the second 9-8 and lost the third 5-2. The series brings Utah to a 13-13 record with a 1-5 WAC mark. In the first game, the Rice Owls established their lead in the first inning when all-American shortstop Damon Thames cracked a home run to score three RBI.

The Utes scored their solo run in the first when senior Ryan Hilts singled and was brought in by a double by Eric Wallace. Rice kept Utah at one while scoring eight more runs to win the game. Utah had one run on seven hits with three errors. In the second game, Rice jumped to an early 4-1 lead by the third inning. Utah came back to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth when the Utes scored three runs on two hits.

It see-sawed back and forth when both teams scored two runs in the fifth inning. Rice regained the lead in the seventh with a two-run home run by all-American Damon Thames. Utah tied the score in the eighth. The game was decided in the tenth inning when Jared Larsen hit a single driving in Eric Wallace for the 9-8 victory.

In the final game, Rice established a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. The Utes answered back scoring one run in the fourth when Adam Castleton stroked a triple and was brought in by a single by Larsen. Rice scored three runs in the fifth. Although the Utes stopped the Rice Owl batting brigade they were only able to score one run in the sixth giving up a 5-2 game.

The Utes return to action March 26-28 against New Mexico. The games will be held at Franklin Covey Field.