College Baseball Poll - Collegiate Baseball Newspaper

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Monday (June 9, 2003)

RICE NO. 1 IN COLLEGIATE BASEBALL NEWSPAPER (www.baseballnews.com) POLL

TUCSON, Ariz. — Rice University (53-11) has been ranked No. 1 in Collegiate Baseball newspaper’s NCAA Division I poll for the third consecutive week.

The Owls won their Super Regional over Houston two games to one as Rice now heads to the College World Series for the second consecutive year and fourth time in the last seven seasons.

The Owls, which have  won seven of their last eight contests, have a superb pitching staff which is extremely deep. The team ERA is 2.74 as the staff has struck out 610 batters while only walking 196. Three pitchers have 10 or more wins, including Jeff Niemann (16-0), Wade Townsend (10-1) and Philip Humber (10-3).

The staff also features one of the top closers in the nation in David Aardsma. In 36 appearances this season, he has saved 11 games and has a 3.25 ERA. The Owls’ team defense is equally impressive with a .980 fielding percentage (second in the nation).

The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1957 college baseball season.

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