Houston: On HBCUs and web gems
By Jonathan Yardley - June 01, 2007
We're going to the fifth inning, and Rice still leads 2-0. It's been business as usual so far for the Owls, but Prairie View is hanging around.
We've got a great crowd on hand for this one, packing the chair-back seats and the bleachers down both foul lines. It's also a more diverse crowd than at most college baseball games, since Prairie View is quite close and is a Historically Black University. Great atmosphere at the ballpark, and both sets of fans have actually had plenty of opportunities to cheer both teams.
By the way, on the topic of HBCUs, the Houston Chronicle's M.K. Bower (another Rice alumnus) had a great piece today on PV head coach Michael Robertson. You can read it here.
But anyway, this game has had some really good defensive plays, but most of the big-time fielders have also erred. Rice's Diego Seastrunk made a flashy sliding play in the third inning but made an error in the top of the fourth. My photographer got an excellent picture of that play, but I'm awaiting upload instructions. PV shortstop Michael Richard has made some showy grabs behind second but has had two throws go awry. Panther first baseman Paul Johnson almost started a sensational 3-6-1 double play, but the return throw short-hopped starter Chase.
Speaking of Matthew Chase, he has settled in quite nicely and found a groove by throwing his breaking ball for a strike. The wide strike zone has aided both pitchers, but Rice has been more threatening and currently leads 5-1 in hits.
Posted by Jonathan Yardley at 08:12 PM on June 01, 2007
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