Baseball improves record to 7-1

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by John Fredland

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Perhaps they showed they still have a few jagged edges, but the baseball team has to feel optimistic about their season after last weekend's series with Tulane University.

Although they were facing a quality opponent, one that figures to have a chance at an NCAA Regional berth at the end of the season, Rice sent the Green Wave back to New Orleans with three sound defeats.

As a result, the Owls, who improved to 7-1 by beating Sam Houston State University 6-5 on Tuesday, re-entered the national rankings. They are ranked 25th in the nation by Baseball America and 27th by Collegiate Baseball .

"That was probably the most gratifying early series that we have ever played," Head Coach Wayne Graham said. "Tulane's even better than people imagine. I personally think that at the end of the year they will be fighting for a regional bid. We just played very well -- as well as I've had a team play this early."

Last season Rice had problems getting consistent starting pitching. None of the Owls' 15 Southwest Conference victories were recorded by their starting pitchers.

So far, the weakness appears to have been transformed into a strength.

Against Tulane, strong starts by junior Shawn Onley and senior Mark Taylor spurred the Owls towards victory.

Onley, a junior college transfer, dominated the Green Wave on Saturday.

Demonstrating good command of his slider, he allowed only one hit over six innings while striking out nine and walking one in the 7-3 victory.

On the season, Onley has allowed one hit in nine innings, while striking out 13 -- not bad for someone still recovering from a preseason back injury.

"Everything seemed to be working well," Onley said. "It can only get better from here on in. The slider's there. The velocity will take a little time to get up. You can't just come out the first day and throw 94 [miles per hour]. That's just a matter of time."

Taylor's performance on Sunday was not as pretty, but he did a good job of stranding Tulane runners on base -- and he picked up the 9-6 victory by allowing two runs in six innings.

"I got in some jams, but I just came back and threw strikes," Taylor said.

Graham was pleased with the performances of Onley and Taylor.

"Taylor has a tendency for wildness, so he's still finding his way," Graham said. "But he has great stuff. Onley has a chance to be as good as any pitcher in the conference, as does Taylor."

Another significant event in the series was the emergence of senior Jacques Landry.

Landry, the streak-prone Owl third baseman, had been held to one hit in his first 16 at-bats of the season before he hit a three-run home run to cement Saturday's victory.

He followed that by driving in five runs with first- and third-inning doubles to give Rice an early lead on Sunday.

"I feel good up there," Landry said. "Things are coming around."

Graham has high expectations of Landry. "He's still got some emerging to do since he's hitting just .222 right now," Graham said.

"But he did pick us up in two ballgames. He's got talent, and he can really carry a ballclub when he's hitting well."

In Friday's series opener, the Owls used an explosive sixth inning to clinch a 14-8 victory.

Tied 3-3, Rice broke the game open with a 10-run deluge.

Both junior Tim McLaughlin and sophomore Lance Berkman hit bases-loaded home runs in the uprising.Rice did receive a scare that inning when freshman center fielder Bubba Crosby was hit in the face with a pitch.

Crosby suffered a broken nose, but he returned to the lineup on Sunday, aided by a facemask on his batting helmet, and singled in his first at-bat.

"He's a very strong-willed young man," Graham said. "He plays hard all the time. That's the kind of player we need for this program.

"Relief pitching has been spotty, but in general it has been pretty good.

"We had a couple of tough outings from [Adam] Herndon and [Paul] Doyle, but sophomore Jeff Shaddix, senior Allen Brown and sophomore Matt Anderson have had outstanding performances."

This weekend, Rice hosts the Big Ball Sports/Rice Classic.

The Owls will play the University of Texas at San Antonio today at 4:30 p.m., the University of Louisville tomorrow at 1 p.m. and Lamar University Sunday at 3:30 pm.

This item appeared in the Sports section of the February 23, 1996 issue.

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