Ex-Catholic star Lewis coming home as visitor

• By SCOTT HOTARD
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jun 4, 2009

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For each of the Rice baseball players, this weekend’s super regional is a chance to make a splash.

For Ryan Lewis, it’s more than that. It’s a homecoming.

Lewis, a freshman outfielder, could be the happiest Owl — certainly, he’ll be the most comfortable — when Rice works out at LSU this afternoon.

“I kind of grew up around LSU,” Lewis said, “so it will be fun to come back there and play. It’s pretty exciting.”

Lewis is one of only two players on Rice’s 25-man postseason roster who isn’t from Texas. The other is pitcher Craig Manuel, from Satellite Beach, Fla.

So Lewis, a Catholic High grad, can show his teammates around town. And tell them some stories.

Before enrolling at Rice as a scholarship football player, Lewis won The Advocate’s Athlete of the Year award following his senior year at Catholic High. He played quarterback in football and batted cleanup in baseball.

“I’m not sure which is his better sport,” said Catholic baseball coach Kyle Achord.

Lewis isn’t sure, either. But his priority is football.

After redshirting last season, Lewis worked at quarterback this spring. He is part of a three-player competition to replace Chase Clement, who passed for 4,119 yards and 44 touchdowns as a senior.

“They didn’t declare a starter out of spring ball,” said Lewis, who is battling John Thomas and Nick Fanuzzi for the job. “They’re saying I have a chance.”

His football obligations forced Lewis to miss about a month of his freshman baseball season.

But the 6-foot-3, 210-pound lefty has emerged — mostly as a designated hitter — since the Owls began their march to the super regional.