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HOUSTON — No. 7 Rice scored five runs in the second inning and cruised to a 9-1 victory against UTSA on Tuesday night at Reckling Park.
The Owls (16-6) added single runs in both the fifth and seventh and two more in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
Meanwhile, the Roadrunners (10-11) managed their lone run in the final stanza.
Jeremy Rathjen was 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Christian Stringer went 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs.
Andrew Benack (4-0) struck out three and held UTSA scoreless in a predetermined three-inning start.
The Owls kicked off their offensive onslaught with a Shane Hoelscher lead-off homer in the second. After the next three batters singled, freshman starter Logan Onda induced a pop out, but Stringer then cleared the bases with a triple to right field. He then scored on Chase McDowell's ground out to complete the five-run outburst.
A J.T. Chargois sacrifice fly in the fifth and his run-scoring single two panels later stretched the advantage to 7-0.
The Owls capped their scoring in the eighth on Stringer's solo round-tripper and Rathjen's RBI double.
UTSA picked up its lone tally in the final frame off Chargois on senior Matthew James' run-scoring triple to center, which plated junior Daniel Rockett.
Onda (0-1) surrendered five runs on seven hits in his four innings of work.
UTSA returns to Southland Conference play this weekend at Stephen F. Austin (7-13, 2-4 SLC). The three-game series begins at 3 p.m. on Friday.