|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Rice Thresher
Phone:
|
by Jose Luis Cubria thresher staff
They probably didn't quite comprehend the significance of what had taken place during the night's game, but they knew enough to realize it was special. They waited for Baugh to finish his interviews, say hello to his family and get his right arm and shoulder wrapped in ice. And then they stood in line until he got to every ball, cap and autograph book. It took a while, but you can't blame them. After all, the guy had just made history. Baugh, a senior right-hander, hurled a one-hitter and faced the minimum 27 batters in leading Rice to a 10-0 win over the University of Hawaii. He struck out 11 and didn't allow a ball to leave the infield, needing just 101 pitches to complete the masterpiece. It marked the first time a Rice pitcher had ever faced the minimum in a nine-inning game, but Baugh made it look easy. "It was vintage Kenny Baugh," senior catcher Phillip Ghutzman said. "I don't remember too many times he missed his spot with his fastball, which is the No. 1 thing any pitcher can do to beat anybody. And he had the curveball and the great changeup. It was special." Baugh (9-2, 1.54 earned run average) didn't pitch a perfect game because he allowed two baserunners. The first came in the second inning, when Hawaii's Patrick Scalabrini led off with a weak ground ball that barely eluded Baugh. Junior shortstop Eric Arnold charged and attempted a bare-hand grab for what would have been a spectacular play, but was unable to come up with the ball cleanly. It didn't matter, because before Baugh had thrown another pitch, he picked off Scalabrini trying to steal second base. Baugh proceeded to retire the next 21 batters in a row before plunking Aaron Pribble with one out in the ninth. That didn't matter either, because Baugh got Lane Nogawa to follow with a game-ending 5-4-3 double play. Baugh, named the national Pitcher of the Week and the Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week, said he knew he was on top of his game. But he also admitted to not realizing what was happening until after the game. "I had no idea going into the ninth inning," he said. "I just wanted to bring it in under 100 pitches. But I didn't have a clue. I had pretty good stuff in the bullpen [before the game]. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I thought I could get anybody out. It was definitely a special night." Baugh didn't quite do it all by himself. The Rice defense played a stellar game behind him. Most notably, junior second baseman Hunter Brown made a great adjustment on a ball that took a horrible bounce to complete a groundout in the fifth inning, and junior third baseman Bobby Bryan made a diving stop of a ground ball in the sixth. Bryan and Brown then combined for the game-ending double play. "They played great defense behind me," Baugh said. "Without a couple of great plays, anything could have happened."
- back - |
|||
|
Search the Thresher pages:
This document may be distributed electronically, provided that it is distributed in its entirety and includes this notice. However, it cannot be reprinted without the express written permission of: The Rice Thresher, Rice University MS-524, PO Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251-1892, USA. The Thresher Online Project -- ethresh@listserv.rice.edu |
