After splitting the midweek series with rival Houston, Rice baseball will take on the Cougars one more time in 2019 with the Silver Glove on the line.
Rice beat Houston 5-3 on their own field before the Cougars returned serve with a come-from-behind 8-2 victory at Reckling Park. Tied up at a game apiece, the cross-town rivals will play one final game at neutral-site Constellation Field for all the marbles.
Houston took the series last year, and Rice the year before. If the Owls want to maintain the back-and-forth, they’ll need to find a way to win one more over the Cougars on Tuesday.
When and Where
- When: Tues., May 19 at 7:00 p.m. CT
- Where: Constellation Field — Sugarland, Tx
- Watch: No feed available
- Listen: Stretch Radio
Projected pitching matchup – Drake Greenwood vs — Brayson Hurdsman
Both teams have used a series of arms in each of their previous matchups so the two arms who start the game might both be out of the picture by the fourth inning.
From the onset, Drake Greenwood will be the presumed starter for Rice. He was penciled in to take the ball first against Lamar before the game was rained out last week. With Kel Bordwine a potential relief option when the time comes to make a change, Rice likely has two arms scheduled to throw.
Houston is an entirely different story. The Cougars have had one pitcher (Nolan Bond) last at least three innings this series. They’ve given Brayson Hurdsman (1 IP, 3H, 2 ER) and Spencer Hynes (1.2 IP, 5H, 3 ER) starts in this series. It could be any of those guys first, and more than one of them could throw before the night is through.
Names to know from the plate
Third baseman Jared Triolo had the big hit for the Cougars in the last meeting, blasting a double down the right-field line. His hit erased a 2-0 Rice lead. Houston would go on to win in extras. He’s coming off a red-hot stretch, hitting 10-for-17 with eight RBI over the last four games.
Left fielder Tyler Bielamowicz and first baseman Joe Davis have done some damage, too. The offense as a whole is playing some of their best baseball. It could be a high-scoring affair in the series finale.
ON DECK | at Marshall (Thr-Sat)
