A Michael Aquino two-RBI double in the seventh inning completed a roaring comeback as Rice edged East Carolina 8-7 in Greenville, N.C. this morning.
The Owls trailed 5-1 after five innings, but erased that deficit with five runs in the top of the sixth. The Pirates took the lead back with two runs in the bottom of the frame, but Aquino’s double put Rice ahead for good.
Rice (23-11) won the series two games to one to improve to 6-3 in Conference USA. The Owls and Houston are tied for first in the standings after the Cougars beat Marshall this morning.
Batting cleanup, Aquino hit two doubles in the game. Christian Stringer, Ford Stainback and Michael Ratterree also had two hits. Stainback leads the team with 43 hits while Aquino remains tops in RBI (22).
Kevin McCanna made his third start of the season on the hill, but he did not stay there long. East Carolina chased him in the third. McCanna gave up a three-run homer to Dylan Brown in the second inning.
Chase McDowell was better in relief, allowing two runs over the next three innings, but the star of the game was Zach Lemond. The sophomore out of Waltrip High School in Houston got the last 11 outs without giving up another run.
He set the Pirates (15-17, 1-5) down in order and in seventh and ninth and gave up a two-out single in the eighth before getting Jack Reinheimer to ground out to first. Lemond improved to 4-1 on the season and lowered his ERA to 1.57.
The Owls come back to Texas, but they have another road game Tuesday at Lamar. The team returns to Reckling Park next weekend for a series with Central Florida (18-14, 4-4).
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