Rice - Stanford

So far one cannot really complain. Rice won Saturday 7-1 on two big innings and Matt Reckling's breakout performance. He struggled in a few innings, had to have help from his fielders a few times, but he got the job done, no runs in 6 innings. That's why you have a team, they all get it don together. In the second all he threw were strikes and he only used nine pitches. A great performance by Reckling.

Rice had two breakout innings, 3rd and 4th I think. Four runs in the 3rd and three in the fourth. After that it looked like the kids hit first strikes and quickly moved the game along. It was a short game.

Taylor Wall pitched two innings, gave up a towering home run and a lot of hard hits right at people.

Tyler Duffey looked impressive in the ninth. But remember these two pitched mop up. By now Stanford did not have much fight in them.

Friday Rice lost 5-3 with the one of the best college pitches on the mound. Early one he was pitching 97 and 98 mph fastballs with an 84 mph change. Imagine that, hehe. He did get less accurate after three innings. The second time through the order he was less imposing. Still Rice only got one run off this guy. But he used a lot of pitches and was done after five. Rice was ahead 3-2 at one point after that but had a bad inning and gave up three on some shoddy fielding.

So if they win today this has to be considered a great series. Big if though but after Saturday you have to be confident.

Taylor Wall, after being a weekend starter last year, has lost his job. He is now mop up relief. He could get his chances again. But for now new pitchers get their chance out of fall ball and spring practice. A new guy named Simms started Friday and did very well. I am not sure who starts Sunday. It will be interesting to see who starts the mid week games Tuesday and Wednesday.