I wasn't going to post anything about this game until a) Rice scored a run, or b) no Rice batter struck out in the Owls' half-inning.

Hello, T4!

With 4 Ks in the books and down 0-2, Dukes led off with a single on a 0-1 pitch and promptly stole second.

A popup and K (#5) followed, but an E5 allowed Gallo to reach first (and then second) and Dukes to score!! (Unearned.)

The score is 1-2 ... two out, Gallo on 2nd.

Gallo gets to 3rd on a wild pitch.

But Becker wiffed on a 2-2 pitch. (K #6).

1-2, heading to B4.

B4:

After striking out the leadoff hitter, the Bulls hit two singles, putting runners at the corners.

The next batter hit a high chop in front of the plate and near the 1B line. Parker made a great short-hop catch and backhand "side shovel" to Garza, who tagged the runner out.

Bulls now at 1st & 2nd, 2 outs.

A rocket single up the middle on a 2-0 pitch. Dukes made a strong throw to the plate, but the runner's slide knocked it away.

1-3, going to T5.

T5:

Gallo pulls the first pitch for a line single to RF. He takes 2nd on a wild pitch.

2 Ks followed (on 3-2 & 22 pitches) ... then Devanny hit a solid single into center field. The CF lobbed the ball into the infield as Garza scored.

2-3.

The 3rd Rice K of the inning (#9 for the game!) ends the frame!!

9 Ks in 5 innings against a pitcher coming in with a 5.35 ERA and averaging just one K per IP. On the flip side, USF has only one batter hitting under .300, and he's hitting .286 with 10 HRs. (We have no batter hitting above .279.)

T6:

Rank hit an 0-1 pitch safely into right-center ... but the CF overran it, and Rank sped easily into 3rd!

Reidel K'd (#10) ... but Gallo hit a bouncer into the left-side hole that drove in Rank ... and Gallo beat the throw!

Becker then singled to center, and Garza barely held off on a very close 3-2 curve ball to load the bases with 1 out.

Correa lined an 0-1 pitch sharply opposite field down the left-field line! But the Bull's third baseman speared it with a full-out lunge ... and crawled to touch his glove to the bag to double off Garza! Arrgh!! But a great play by the 3B.

3-3 ... heading to B6.

(My daughter's dog just signalled to me that it needs to be walked ASAP!! So I'm out for a few minutes.)