Parker Smith delivered a masterpiece on Friday night, but the rest of the weekend was less rosy for Rice Baseball, who dropped the series to FAU.
FRIDAY | Rice 1 – FAU 0
Connor Walsh belted a home run over the right field wall on Friday night and trotted around the bases, tapping home plate with his cleats. When he did so, he became the only player of the night to cross the dish and score a run. His solo blast proved to be the only meaningful offensive spark for either team in a Friday night pitcher’s duel.
More: Rice Baseball nonconference Stat of the Program
FAU managed seven hits against Rice starter Parker Smith. Rice totaled just three all against FAU starter Hunter Cooley. The visiting Owls got the hit that mattered most, clinging to Smith’s dazzling start (more on that later) to earn the series-opening win.
SATURDAY | FAU 10 – Rice 7
Both teams traded scoreless innings early on in the second game of the series but even though Rice had taken a 1-0 lead on a Ben Royo home run, the shift in pace wouldn’t be fully realized until FAU struck with a 4-run fourth inning to post the first crooked number of the weekend. Rice would get two back in the fifth, only to relinquish that edge by allowing two in the bottom of the frame.
Trailing 3-4, Manny Garza and Drew Holderbach each picked up multi-RBI hits in the sixth, taking a 7-6 lead. It would not last. Rice relievers Justin Long and Tom Vincent were both tagged with multiple runs, Vincent’s pair occurring in just 0.1 innings. The offense showed some life, but FAU’s second four-run frame — this time in the seventh — evened the series.
SUNDAY| FAU 14 – Rice 4 (8 inn.)
Behind 2-0 after the first inning, Rice had its chance to equal FAU’s multi-run frame in the second. The Owls got one run back and then loaded the bases but were unable to get the equalizing score. Coming up that one play short would be the theme of the day for the offense while the pitching staff continued on its downward trajectory from the day prior.
Rice baseball utilized six different pitchers in the series finale. Of the six, Tyler Hamilton was the only reliever to work at least an inning and not allow multiple runs. Trusted arm Matthew Linskey walked three and did not record an out, a microcosm of the day for the Owls’ pitching staff. Four runs were simply not enough when the struggles on the mound are that extreme and the game ended early via run rule in the eighth.
THREE FOR THE ROAD
Rice baseball dropped its second consecutive Conference USA series, both by 2-1 margins. The Owls fell to UTSA by that result the weekend prior before posting a 2-1 series loss to FAU this time around. Other than Parker Smith, this one felt decidedly less encouraging. Here are a few takeaways from the weekend.
1. The Parker Smith show
Subscriber content.<br />
Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.
ON DECK | at Houston (Tues), VS LA Tech (Thr-Sat)
