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Rice Baseball 2023: MLB Owls update – May 31

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The 2023 MLB season is underway and Rice baseball alums are busy on the mound and at the plate. Here’s the latest from the MLB Owls.

J.T. Chargois – Miami Marlins

Chargois has returned to a more regular rhythm this week following his return to the big league team after more than a month off. He’s pitched in three games over the past six days. He earned his first save of the year on Sunday, working a scoreless ninth inning against the Angels. Over the course of the week, he allowed one run in 3.0 innings of work.

Through May 31, Chargois has a 2.70 ERA with a 1.100 WHIP. He’s averaging 6.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Lucas Luetge – Atlanta Braves

After consecutive rough outings, Luetge was designated for assignment. He’s had a tough go as of late since returning to the majors after injury that kept him off the field for several weeks.

Through May 31, Luetge has a 10.24 ERA with a 2.172 WHIP. He’s averaging 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Injured List

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

Despite earlier reports that Rendon was close to returning, there is no updated timetable for when the former Rice Baseball slugger will be activated from the 10-day injured list. He hasn’t appeared in a game for the Halos since May 13, a span of more than two weeks and counting.

Through May 31, Rendon is hitting .301 with five extra-base hits, 19 walks and 15 strikeouts. His OPS is .784 and he’s collected 20 RBI.

Glenn Otto – Texas Rangers

Otto did not appear on the Rangers Opening Day roster despite making 27 starts for the club last season. Instead, he began the year on the injured list, landing on the 60-day IL on March 30 with a right shoulder strain. As the calendar turns to June, Otto could be in line to begin rehab work and chart a course back to the big league team.

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DBU, Charlotte represent Conference USA Baseball in NCAA Tournament

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Conference USA Baseball will have two representatives in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, regular season champ DBU and tournament champ Charlotte.

Charlotte was the first team handed a loss in the 2023 Conference USA Baseball Tournament. They were also the first C-USA squad to clinch an NCAA Tournament spot, rallying through the loser’s bracket to claim the conference crown. The 49ers knocked off 1-Seed and tournament favorite Dallas Baptist in the championship game to earn an automatic bid. DBU was selected to the field as an at-large.

Dallas Baptist

In their first year as members of Conference USA, DBU earned a No. Seed in the Stillwater Regional. They’ll open up NCAA Tournament play against 3-Seed Washington. Also in their regional are 1-Seed Oklahoma State and 4-Seed Oral Roberts.

More: Parker Smith’s journey from hometown kid to Rice Baseball ace

This is DBU’s ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and their 12th all-time. Against regional opponents this season, DBU is 4-1. They swept a three-game series against Oral Roberts in March and split a pair of midweek games against Oklahoma State, winning the most recent matchup at home on March 28.

The Stillwater Regional is paired with the Nashville Regional, home of No. 6 National Seed, Vanderbilt.

Charlotte

Charlotte secured automatic entrance to the NCAA Tournament field by virtue of their Conference USA Baseball Tournament championship, their first in program history. However, the 49ers aren’t newcomers to the postseason by any means. This NCAA appearance will be the second in the past three years for the 49ers and the seventh overall. They will be the 3-Seed in the Clemson Regional.

The 49ers have some history with their regional opponents. Their first opponent, 2-Seed Tennessee, was Charlotte’s first-ever NCAA Tournament opponent in 1993. Charlotte met 1-Seed Clemson in their first midweek game in February, falling 9-5. They did not play Tennessee or 4-Seed Lipscomb this season.

The Clemson Regional is paired with the Auburn Regional, home of No. 13 Seed, Vanderbilt.

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Rice Baseball wrestles with tough Year 2 with Jose Cruz Jr.

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Rice Baseball will have a sour taste in its mouth after a tough 2023 campaign, forced to reckon with a challenging season as they depart C-USA.

Watching Florida Atlantic celebrate on their own field was not quite how Rice baseball had envisioned watching their 2023 season come to a close. Even after battling well into the final weekend to earn the final spot in the Conference USA Tournament, an appearance without any wins seemed a hollow achievement when compared to preseason hopes.

“Obviously, we have some work to do,” head coach Jose Cruz Jr. said in the moments following the Owls’ final game of the year. “I’m already kind of formulating a plan for the fall and a plan to be back here and do a little more damage.”

Getting back to the postseason is a must, even with the leap to the American conference, which will officially take place this offseason. But before the Owls get there, they’ll be forced to reckon with a year of frustrations.

In addition to the more crushing defeats, Rice baseball was 5-11 in one-run games. They were 3-7 when tied after seven innings. Beyond just bad luck, when things were bad, they were really bad. The Owls’ longest winning streak of the season was three games. Their longest losing streak, nine games, tied the modern program record and was the longest of any Rice team since 1987.

Rice was picked to finish eighth in the preseason conference polls and earned the eighth seed in the conference tournament. In some respects, the season was on par with the hand they’d been dealt. The next objective for Cruz Jr. and company is to find a way to take that next step. Should the roster survive excess attrition from the draft and the transfer portal, there’s reason to keep the faith.

“We do have a lot of pieces. We will be an older team and we’ll have a little more experience now that we know what it’s like,” Cruz Jr. said. “What this tournament is like and the intensity you need to have in order to succeed here.”

Freshman standout Ben Royo will be back, as will sophomore ace Parker Smith. Veterans and core players like Pierce Gallo, Connor Walsh, Jack Riedel, Guy Garibay, Manny Garza, Justin Long and Matthew Linskey all have eligibility remaining, too. And that’s not an exhaustive list.

More: Parker Smith’s journey from hometown kid to Rice Baseball ace

Add in the right pieces from the incoming recruiting class and another transfer or too and the Owls have the makings of a roster that should be more experienced and talented than the 2023 squad was. Ultimately, they’ll have to prove it on the field.

That can’t happen until next February, though. For now, Rice baseball and Jose Cruz Jr. have to continue to press what they believe to be the right buttons and continue to build a team that can compete night in and night out. It’ll be another busy offseason on South Main once again.

“All in all, I’m pretty optimistic for the future,” Cruz Jr. said. “We’re getting better. We’re getting better.”

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Rice Baseball 2023: MLB Owls update – May 25

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The 2023 MLB season is underway and Rice baseball alums are busy on the mound and at the plate. Here’s the latest from the MLB Owls.

J.T. Chargois – Miami Marlins

Chargois saw his first MLB action in more than a month this week, returning from an extended stint on the injured list to make three appearances in the span six days. He earned his first win of the season on Saturday against the Giants and picked up his second hold against the Nationals. His first earned runs charged to his ledger came this past Monday, against the Rockies.

Through May 25, Chargois has a 2.57 ERA with a 0.571 WHIP. He’s averaging 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

Lucas Luetge – Atlanta Braves

Luetge also returned from an injured list stint this past week, making his first appearances since April 12. He threw one scoreless inning against Seattle on Saturday and another scoreless frame against the Dodgers on Monday. Altogether, he struck out three of the seven batters he faced.

Through May 25, Luetge has a 6.23 ERA with a 1.500 WHIP. He’s averaging 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Injured List

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

Rendon, who was placed on the 10-day Injured List on May 15, received some positive news this week. Manager Phil Nevin said the Angels “don’t think it’ll be very long at all” before he returns to the lineup.

Through May 25, Rendon is hitting .301 with five extra-base hits, 19 walks and 15 strikeouts. His OPS is .784 and he’s collected 20 RBI.

Glenn Otto – Texas Rangers

Otto did not appear on the Rangers Opening Day roster despite making 27 starts for the club last season. Instead, he began the year on the injured list, landing on the 60-day IL on March 30 with a right shoulder strain. He will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

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Rice Baseball eliminated from Conference USA Tournament by FAU

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Rice Baseball concluded a short stint at the Conference USA Tournament on Thursday, eliminated by FAU by the final score of 6-1.

JD McCracken and Parker Smith were essentially the only bonafide starting pitchers Rice baseball had at its disposal entering the Conference USA Tournament. If they were going to go on any sort of run, getting quality innings from both was absolutely essential.

When Smith left the mound on Wednesday after allowing 10 runs in 3+ innings, McCracken’s 6-run effort in Thursday’s do-or-die game was the nail in the coffin. To McCracken’s credit, it didn’t look like he would last through the second, but he wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam to earn himself a few more innings before the Owls’ 2023 season reached its unsatisfying conclusion.

The pitching woes were magnified by another quiet day from the bats. Pierce Gallo collected the Owls’ only hit in the first five innings, reaching second after an error but failing to score. He would be the last Owl to reach scoring position until the sixth, but that effort was scuttled by a double play.

More: Parker Smith’s journey from hometown kid to Rice Baseball ace

Rice would scratch across a single run in the ninth inning. Guy Garibay drove in Manny Garzza, who doubled to get in scoring position. It wouldn’t be enough to get the Owls back in the game.

“[We] definitely did not play our best here these last two games,” head coach Jose Cruz Jr. said in the aftermath. “We got here, but still I’m not very satisfied about it. Obviously, we have some work to do.”

Rice baseball ends the season 21-37, winless in its first Conference USA Tournament games since 2019. With the conclusion of the season, the Owls bid adieu to the conference and will make the transition to the American official later this summer.

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