Box Score

HOUSTON -- The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (14-25, 3-10 WAC) fell to the Rice Owls (33-8, 15-1 WAC) in front of 2,005 fans at Reckling Park Thursday. Chris George (4-3) suffered the loss for UH while Steven Herce (9-1) got the win.

Hawai`i jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Brent Cook drove in Arthur Guillen before scoring on a Rice error. But the Owls didn't take long getting back into the game as Adam Kolkhorst hit a leadoff home run to cut the lead to one. Rice then tied the game in the second inning when Dane Bubela scored on a play in which the 'Bows got a double play.

Hawai`i then got two two-out hits in the third inning, before a wild pitch scored Gregg Omori to give the Rainbows back the lead. A.J. Porfirio then tied the game in the bottom of the fourth before a sacrifice fly by Kolkhorst put Rice up 4-3. The Owls then extended their lead with two more runs in the inning to go up 6-3.

Rice then got three more runs in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 9-3. Scooter Martines was able to drive in another run in the eighth inning, but it wasn't enough as the Rainbows fell 9-4.

Omori led the way for Hawai`i, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a double. Martines went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a double while Brian Bock added a 2-for-4 performance.

Jason Piepmeier supplied the best pitching performance out of the bullpen, going two innings, giving up just one hit and no runs.

The Owls and Rainbows will play again tomorrow with a 7 p.m. start. Sean Yamashita will get the start for UH while Phillip Humber will go for Rice.