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The Rice Raiders’ varsity baseball team finished the year with one of their strongest offensive days of the season at the plate in the season finale against the Palacios Sharks. They hit double digits as they found a lot of success with their hitting attack. However, they did not have nearly as much success on the defensive end as they struggled to slow down the Sharks from putting up double-digit hits of their own. Their difficult outing on defense undermined their success on offense as they eventually fell to Palacios in a 13-7 defeat to finish the season.
The offense became the story for the Raiders as they had their highest run total since earlier in April against Hallettsville and their seventh time scoring seven or more runs in a game this season. They racked up 11 hits as many hitters made solid contact from the plate. The Raiders responded to the Sharks’ four runs in the top of the first inning with three runs of their own at the bottom. The Raiders did not score again until the bottom of the fourth inning with three more runs for the offense. However, Palacios scored five combined runs in the third and fourth innings to push the lead to a 9-6 advantage. Rice got one run closer in the fifth after holding Palacios scoreless and picking up a single run. The Raiders never got any closer as they not only failed to score a run in the last two innings, but they also allowed two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings. The Sharks finished the game with a 1311 advantage in hits and drew eight walks to the Raiders’ four.
The Sharks took advantage of several wild pitches as the Raiders struggled through a tough pitching performance to end the season. Palacios moved up through the bases using 12 total errors by the Raider pitchers.
Daedrick Johnson had the biggest day offensively as he not only had the highest total of hits, but also had a couple of multiple-base hits as well. Johnson went 3-for-4 with two doubles and brought in three runners for scores as he added major contributions to the offense. Josue Belman added a double as well with two hits in the game. D’Neriyan Fuller also added two hits and an RBI while Ruston Krenek added two RBIs with his lone hit. Omarion Johnson and Jalen Porch were the only Raiders to draw a walk as they each picked up two free bases.
With the completion of their regular season finale, the Raiders finish the season with a 4-20-1 record after winning three games against the Louise Hornets and tying a fourth in a high-scoring affair in early March.
