Texas edges Rice in extra innings

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If a three-hour rain delay weren't enough, the Rice Owls went extra innings in a 3-2 loss to Texas that ended early Sunday morning.

That's nothing compared to the possible road ahead.

The top-seeded Owls must now win two games Sunday, beginning with a 3 p.m. elimination game against Texas A&M to remain alive in the Houston Regional.

To extend their season, the Owls will then need to beat Texas – which is 2-0 in the double-elimination regional – twice to avoid not advancing as a opening-round host for the second time in three years.

The Longhorns reached the regional final when Brooks Marlow delivered a RBI single off Jon Duplantier to score Zane Gurwitz from second base in the top of the 11th. Marlow went 4-for-6 in the game.

"Our team has battled all year," said Rice catcher John Clay Reeves, who had a RBI single in the second inning. "We've had adversity the whole season. It's nothing new to us.

For us it's one of those times your back is against the wall yet again.

We've been down and out quite a few times this year."

The Owls lived on the edge throughout the game, as starter Blake Fox worked out of trouble on a few occasions to keep the game close. Texas left 13 runners on base.

"We were fortunate to hold them down," Rice coach Wayne Graham said. "We fight. We'll continue to fight."

UT starter Parker French allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings. John Curtiss threw four shutout innings in relief, retiring the heart of the Owls' batting order in the final inning.

Rice's Chase McDowell (30) throws his bat after striking out to end the game during the eleventh inning of a Houston NCAA baseball regional game, won by Texas, 3-2, Saturday, May 31, 2014, at Reckling Park in Houston. less Rice's Chase McDowell (30) throws his bat after striking out to end the game during the eleventh inning of a Houston NCAA baseball regional game, won by Texas, 3-2, Saturday, May 31, 2014, at Reckling Park in ... more Photo: Eric Christian Smith, For The Chronicle Photo: Eric Christian Smith, For The Chronicle Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close Texas edges Rice in extra innings 1 / 24 Back to Gallery

"Their pitchers held us down," Graham said.

Texas tied the game, 1-1, in the sixth on back-to -back doubles by Mark Payton and Tres Barrera.

French was in cruise control, retiring 11 of 12 batters, until the bottom of the sixth when Shane Hoelscher hit a single up the middle and Skyler Ewing crushed a pitch off the left-field wall to put the Owls ahead 2-1.

Mark Payton led off with a double in the eighth, advanced to third on Barrera's single and scored when C.J. Hinojosa lifted a single to shallow right field.

Fox, who had never faced Texas in his career, received a no-decision after allowing two runs and nine hits in seven innings.

Righthander Chase McDowell will start for Rice against the Aggies.

joseph.duarte@chron.com

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