Do-or-die scenario is unusual for Owls
Wayne Graham has one main directive for his pitching staff in the Conference USA Baseball Championships opener against Florida Atlantic on Wednesday.
“It’s just a matter of more strikes,” said the 81-yearold Rice coach, who’s seen many of these tournaments but never under the current circumstances for his team. “If we get more strikes, we could survive this tournament.”
It’s simple, sure. But it’s the only missing piece for Rice, which has brought everything else together and given new life to its season over the last month.
Rice’s chances to complete a remarkable turnaround will be increased with a win over No. 3-seed Florida Atlantic. The teams meet at 9 a.m. at MGM Park in Biloxi, Miss.
22 straight NCAA bids
Rice (27-29, 16-14 C-USA) started the year 6-17, putting in serious jeopardy its quest for a 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. But the Owls have won 14 of their last 18 conference games and took five consecutive conference series to get a No. 6 seed.
This is not the same team that dropped two of three against FAU (33-19-1, 18-12) in early April in Boca Raton, Fla. But the pressure is on Rice, which makes this tournament different than its past 22 in C-USA or the Western Athletic Conference.
“Unless something unusual unfolds, we absolutely have to win the tournament,” Graham said.
Graham said earlier this season that his staff was giving up too many walks, and the statistics don’t lie. Only Middle Tennessee State’s 297 walks allowed are more than Rice’s 263 in C-USA.
If it’s strikes Graham wants, freshman righthander Matt Canterino seems a good choice to make the start Wednesday. He’s pitted against FAU righthander Kyle Marmand.
Canterino, named to the conference’s All-Freshman team on Tuesday, has 89 strikeouts this year. He has logged a team-high 792⁄3 innings and has held opposing batters to a .192 average.
The usual arms such as Zach Esquivel, Glenn Otto, Dane Myers and Willy Amador will be leaned on in relief. But don’t be surprised to see one given a rare start.
Reliever Evan Kravetz started a game in the conference tournament last year and had an encouraging start against Texas State last week when Rice was merely looking for someone who could provide some innings in a midweek game.
“We’re just hoping that we’ll catch them on up days,” Graham said of his pitching staff. “If we do, we’re in business.”
Progress at the plate
Its lineup is a major reason Rice has a chance to save the season. Sophomore catcher Dominic DiCaprio — a second team allconference pick — leads the way with his .369 average.
But it seems like the whole lineup is rounding into form. Rice scored 26 runs against UAB on Friday — its most since scoring 26 against Cal in 2010.
“We’re healthy. That’s for sure,” Graham said. “I believe we’re going to play good defense. Hitting comes and goes, but our hitting is better now than it has been all year.”