The bats never got going as Rice Baseball dropped their first midweek contest of the season against Louisiana, falling to 2-2.
In their first midweek tilt of the season, Rice Baseball was forced to rally from behind. Starter Jackson Blank waded through three grueling innings, interspersing four strikeouts amidst four walks and four hits. The Rice bats were unable to muster any initial support of their own, getting one runner to second base in the first five innings.
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Rice would have their chances, stranding two in the sixth and two in the seventh. Both of those innings with strikeouts, of which Louisiana would rack up 11 on the night.
A solo home run by the Cajuns in the ninth provided some extra insurance, but it wouldn’t be needed. Reliver Cody Brasch entered the game and struck out the side, quickly retiring all three batters he faced to secure to win for Louisiana.
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Few members of the roster received more glowing reviews before the season began than freshman pitcher Ethan Sanders. The newcomer had impressed just about everyone on campus in his stint at South Main to this point, including his head coach.
“He’s kind of a model for a lot of guys,” head coach David Pierce declared, giving him the consummate baseball badge of honor: “Bulldog”.
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Sanders’ wow factor continued to increase when he stepped onto the mound in a competitive setting. He worked 3.2 innings of relief in the Owls’ Opening Day win over Northwestern, striking out four while allowing three hits and one run.
Against Louisiana, Sanders did even better, throwing four innings of shutout ball while striking out six. He walked one, but did not allow a hit. If he can pitch with this level of consistency, it’s only a matter of time before a starting spot is his, and it might not just be a midweek nod.