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Rice Baseball 2022: Early miscues doom Owls at UH

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Rice Baseball was unable to overcome a costly early error, dropping the game and the Silver Glove Series to Houston on Wednesday night.

Winners of their last two midweek games, Rice baseball saw that streak come to an end on Wednesday night against the Houston Cougars. After a scoreless first inning, both teams traded runs in the second. The modest start continued into the third, but after Owls’ reliever Garret Zaskoda collected two quick outs, a fateful error extended the inning.

Last Time Out : Rice baseball battles back to take two of three vs WKU

Instead of heading back to the dugout in a tied, 1-1 game, things began to unravel. The next three Houston batters reached base, including a two-run double followed by a two-run home run. Instead of a close game, Rice found themselves trailing 5-1 after three innings.

Having dropped the first game of the series in March, the Silver Glove was at stake and Rice was already in a sizable hole.

Houston would extend their lead with a run in the fourth. Rice got that one back in the sixth but would go on to leave eight runners on base throughout the course of the game. The big hit that Houston collected would go on to evade Rice. The Cougars had five two-out RBI. Rice had one. That alone would prove to be the difference on Wednesday night.

What it means | Focus back on C-USA

For better or worse, Rice baseball can now fully turn its attention to conference play. The Silver Glove was the last non-conference achievement the Owls had to look toward this season, two-midweek games against Louisiana notwithstanding.  If Rice wants to make the Conference USA Baseball Tournament, they have to win and win a lot in their final nine conference games.

What does that look like, from a practical standpoint, head coach Jose Cruz Jr. was crystal clear regarding just how sizable the task at hand will be. “We’re basically gonna have to win every series to even have a chance,” he said. “We need at least need six wins. If we can get a seventh that’d be even better.”

Every team talks about turning the page and moving on to the next game. This time, more than ever, Rice needs to be locked in and ready to go when they make the trip to Charlotte this weekend.

ON DECK | at Charlotte

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Rice Baseball compiles complete performances in WKU series win

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Rice Baseball took a much-needed weekend series against Western Kentucky, staying alive in the race for the Conference USA Tournament.

THREE FOR THE ROAD | Rice baseball wins the series 2-1

Rice baseball dropped the opening game before storming back to take the series thanks to a pair of one-sided affairs that ended in landslide victories on Saturday and Sunday. The pitching was good, the defense was stellar and the bats were explosive.

The series win is the Owls’ first since taking two of three from Marshall in later March. Rice is now 13-30 overall and 6-15 in conference play. Here are a few takeaways from the weekend.

1. Bring out the bats

Rice baseball scored five runs against Southern Miss last weekend across three games. They followed that up with a three-run outing on Friday night. Then the bats woke up. And when they did, they shook Reckling Park for the remainder of the weekend. Rice scored 24 runs over the final 20 innings of the weekend.

While it was the usual suspects who led the charge, Rice got contributions up and down the lineup. That’s what enabled the Owls to cobble together so many crooked numbers. Rather than wait for Austin Bulman, Guy Garibay or Aaron Smigelski to deliver the big hit, the entire lineup contributed in key moments.

Last Time Out: Rice baseball swept by No. 6 Southern Miss on the road

Pierce Gallo went 4-for-5 on Saturday with four RBI while hitting from the sixth spot. Hal Hughes was a perfect 2-for-2 on Sunday, scoring twice and doubling along the way. Catchers Justin Long and Manny Garza each had RBI hits during the weekend. Great players can drive in runs here and there, but it truly takes a village to score like the Owls did this weekend.

2. Sneaky strong starting pitching

Despite not having Cooper Chandler on Friday night, Rice starting pitching produced one of their most competitive weekends of the season. Thomas Burbank had the shortest outing, only going 2.2 innings, but things would only get better from there.

On Saturday, David Shaw through five innings, allowing one earned run on just three hits. It was Alex DeLeon’s turn to dazzle on Sunday, hurling five innings of one-run ball himself. Both of those outings allowed the offense time to work on the Western Kentucky staff with tremendous results.

DeLeon tipped his cap to the herculean defensive efforts of his outfielders behind him like Connor Walsh. “It makes you kind of calm down out there, kinda relax and get back into a groove,” he said.

Few teams are able to turn in three quality starting outings from their weekend rotation on a consistent basis. That said, it’s hard to be upset with what the Rice staff was able to accomplish this weekend.

3. Building momentum?

Head coach Jose Cruz Jr. acknowledge it would take some time to get the program to where he wanted it to be shortly after taking the job last year. The year has been filled with road bumps, but this weekend served as a positive note as the calendar turns to May. It’s too late to rewrite box scores from March and April — that damage has been done — but Rice still controls what happens from this point onward.

The teams that are remembered are the ones that win in May. To regurgitate an age-old sports adage, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Because they were able to take a series this weekend they’ll now have the opportunity to win back-to-back series for the first time this year. That’s how all good runs start, by winning the next game.

“We’re basically going to have to win every series to even have a chance,” Cruz Jr. said, aware of how large the task at hand is for his team. “We’re just going to have to show up and play the best ball we’ve played. Right now we’re trending in that direction.”

THE PLAY BY PLAY

FRIDAY | WKU 5 – Rice 3

Western Kentucky jumped out in front early on Friday night, scoring twice in the second inning off Rice starter Thomas Burbank, who went 2.2 innings before ceding to Brandon Deskins, who escaped a jam and kept WKU off the board for the remainder of his outing.

Rice would tally 11 hits on the afternoon but was unable to turn them into runs until the seventh inning. At that point, Western Kentucky had taken a 4-0 lead and Rice was forced to play catch up. Home runs by Austin Bulman and Manny Garza in the late innings helped narrow the gap, but Rice would fall 5-3.

SATURDAY | Rice 13 – WKU 8

Rice fell behind in the second game of the series, but they wouldn’t spend long trailing. The Owls took the lead with a two-run second inning. Then Rice exploded for 10 runs in the second inning, the most runs Rice has scored in a single inning in conference play since scoring 10 at Charlotte in 2019. Aaron Smigelski and Pierce Gallo each had multiple RBI hits in the frame, putting Rice in front 12-1.

Western Kentucky cobbled together seven additional runs over the course of the next seven innings, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Owls’ sizable early lead. Cristian Cienfuegos would come on to pitch the final two innings to preserve the win.

SUNDAY | Rice 8 – WKU 2

After swapping runs in the first inning, Rice took their first lead of the rubber game on a sacrifice fly from Guy Garibay in the third inning. Garibay would extend the lead himself in his next plate appearance, diving to right field to score one just before Austin Bulman delivered a two-run blast.

Leading 5-2 at that point, the Rice offense struck for three more in the sixth courtesy of doubles from Jack Reidel and Hal Hughes plus a wild pitch. Alex DeLeon was terrific on the mound, holding WKU to two runs in five innings. Matthew Linskey came on to close things out in the eighth, endured a 49-minute lightning delay, then finished out the ninth to lock down the win.

ON DECK | at Charlotte (Fri-Sun)

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Rice Baseball: 2022 MiLB Owls late-May update

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While several Rice Baseball alums are producing at the highest level, others are working their way up the ladder. Here’s the latest on the MiLB Owls.

Triple-A

Jon Duplantier (Dodgers) has made six appearances out of the pen so far this season, dazing with a 1.04 ERA. He’s allowed just one run so far and did not surrender a hit in five of his six outings, the longest of which lasted two innings.

Tristan Gray (Rays) started has gotten off to a slower start through the first 17 games of the 2022 season. He’s hitting .180, a good clip below his lifetime .238 MiLB average, but he has hit four home runs and driven in 11 runs.

Ford Proctor (Rays) has been right by Gray in the Durham Bulls’ lineup with a modest .236 average and a .348 on-base percentage. Both marks are on the lower end of his career MiLB averages.

Double-A

Matt Canterino (Twins) made the jump from High-A to AA to start the season and has fit right in at the higher level. He’s started four games as an opener, never going longer than three innings while compiling a 2.79 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting .152 against him this season.

Dane Myers (Tigers) is pummeling the baseball through the first few weeks of the year. He’s hit eight extra-base hits in 17 games, helping lead to a .935 slugging percentage. Myers’ .323 average leads the Erie Seawolves by a wide margin. None of his teammates are hitting better than .294.

More on Rice Baseball: Latest from the MLB Owls

Ricky Salinas (Reds) has made four long relief appearances through the young MiLB season, striking out 11 batters in 11.1 innings pitched. He owns a 3.18 ERA, which would be the best mark of his MiLB career.

Single-A

Trei Cruz (Tigers, High-A) rose from rookie ball to High-A in his first pro season and that’s where he begins his sophomore campaign. Through 15 games he’s hitting .224 with a .764 OPS, a positive step after an inconsistent start at the plate last season. He has drawn 14 walks, pushing up his OPS to .397.

Evan Kravetz (Reds, High-A) jumped through several teams last season but has found a home in Dayton with the Reds’ High-A affiliate to start the season. He’s appeared in four games with one start and has a 4.38 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 12.1 innings pitched.

Addison Moss (Rays, High-A) has gotten off to a masterful start in his third minor league season. He’s appeared in three games so far, not allowing an earned run in 5.0 innings pitched. In addition to a sterling 0.00 ERA, Moss has surrendered just four hits.

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Rice Baseball: 2022 MLB Owls update – Apr 27

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The 2022 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.

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angles

Rendon’s bat has started to heat up. After sporting a .118 average through five games, Rendon has hit .278 over his last 10 contests, including his second home run of the season and three doubles. Meanwhile, his glove remains as amazing as ever.

Through April 27, Rendon is hitting .226 with five extra-base hits, 10 walks and 13 strikeouts. His OPS is .750 and he’s collected six RBI.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Duffey’s first outing of the season was rocky, but he bounced back quickly, putting together much better appearances over the course of the next few weeks. Duffey has allowed two earned runs in his last five appearances, whittling his season ERA down from 18.00 to 6.00. He picked up his first win and his first hold of the season during that time.

Through April 27, Duffey has a 6.00 ERA with a 1.500 WHIP. He’s averaging 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings.

Lucas Luetge – New York Yankees

Luetge has been busy over the last few weeks. Since April 13, he’s appeared in five games, three of which were spotless, one inning relief appearances in which he allowed no runs. He picked up his first hold of the season in that span as well.

His last outing was more tenuous. Luetge allowed three runs to the Orioles in 0.2 innings. Fortuantely for him, the Yankees still won 12-8.

Through April 27, Luetge has a 6.00 ERA with a 1.500 WHIP. He’s averaging 12.0 strikeouts per nine innings.

J.T. Chargois – Tampa Bay Rays

Shortly after his first appearance of the season, the Rays were forced to play Chargois on the injured list with an oblique injury. Manager Kevin Cash told reporters this week Chargois has begun playing catch, but there does not appear to be an official timetable for his return.

Through April 27, Chargois has a 0.00 ERA with a 0.000 WHIP. He’s averaging 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

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Rice Baseball bats quiet in sweep by No. 6 Southern Miss

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Rice Baseball was swept by No. 6 Southern Miss despite numerous chances to make the series much closer early in the weekend.

THREE FOR THE ROAD | Rice baseball drops series 3-0

From a pitcher’s duel to a blowout-shortened game, Rice baseball saw everything in their weekend sweep by Southern Miss — everything except for runs. The Owls have lost four consecutive conference series and enter the last few weeks of the regular season with an 11-29 overall record, 4-14 in conference play. Here are a few takeaways from the weekend.

1. Situational hitting

Finding base runners was challenging this weekend, but for the most part, Rice had opportunities to drive in runs but did not capitalize. Rice was 1-for-2 with runners in scoring position in Friday night’s 1-0 pitcher’s duel, then 2-for-12 on Saturday and 1-for-6 on Sunday.

The Owls had one two-out RBI. Southern Miss had eight. There wasn’t any way to squint at the boxscore and walk away feeling comfortable with what the lineup was able to do in situations where one hit had the potential to tangibly impact the bottom line.

Last Time Out: Rice baseball sweeps season series over SHSU with midweek win

For the weekend, Rice hit .167 when the bases were empty. The Owls hit .128 with runners on in any capacity, tallying five total hits when they had anyone on base in the three game series. The Southern Miss pitching was tremendous, but Rice wasn’t exactly putting their best foot forward at the plate either.

2. Strikeouts

Rice baseball hitters struck out 42 times in 25 innings, a rate of roughly 1.7 batters per inning. When more than half of your at bats don’t get the ball in play at all, you have a problem. There were several occasions where those punchouts killed golden run scoring opportunities.

Friday, Top 7. With Rice trailing 1-0 and Aaron Smigelski at second base, Pierce Gallo struck out. The runner would never advance. Rice would lose 1-0.

Saturday, Top 3. Rice had the bases loaded with no outs and had already forced Southern Miss to go to the bullpen. After an infield fly from Galo, Jack Ben-Shoshan struck out looking, handing a two-out situation to Justin Long who grounded out. Rice wouldn’t score again for the rest of the game.

It’s not an individual problem, and those two examples aren’t meant to isolate the players themselves, moreso they point to a trend that has proven extremely detrimental to this team over the past several weeks.

3. Silver linings

  • Aaron Smigelski had a sold weekend at the plate, accounting for three of the Owls’ 13 hits.
  • Manny Garza went 2-for-3 on Sunday, his second multi-hit game of the year. He’s batting .438 on the season after recently returning to the lineup after injuries kept him on the shelf for several weeks.
  • The defense turned three double-plays on Saturday, a season high. Fielding was altogether better on the whole. Rice committed four errors in three games, but had just one error in the first two games combined.
  • Cooper Chandler was fantastic on Friday night, throwing a season-long seven innings.

THE PLAY BY PLAY

FRIDAY | Southern Miss 1 – Rice 0

The first seven Rice batters struck out and the offense didn’t collect their first hit until the fourth inning. On most days, particularly away from the confines of Reckling Park, that would have left the Owls in a sizable hole. That wasn’t the case this time around, thanks to the near-flawless outing of Cooper Chandler.

Chandler allowed a leadoff double in the sixth which would come around to score on a sacrifice fly, but otherwise he was superb, allowing five hits in 7.0 innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Matthew Linskey followed with a spotless eighth, but the bats never got going. Rice managed three total hits, two of which came in the fourth inning when Nathan Becker was thrown out at the plate.

SATURDAY | Southern Miss 6 – Rice 3

Rice got another strong outing on the mound on Saturday, this time from Alex DeLeon who cruised through four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. Rice led 3-1 at the time, cobbling together a few runs in the second and third innings. It wouldn’t be enough. When DeLeon was ambushed, the situation devolved quickly.

Southern Miss led off that inning with back-to-back doubles followed by a home run. David Shaw would finish the free, but the damage had been done. Trailing 6-3, the Rice offense wouldn’t score again, despite Shaw finishing out the game with an impressive 3.2 innings of one-run ball.

SUNDAY | Southern Miss 12 – Rice 2 (7 innings)

That one crooked inning would do Rice in again on Sunday, but early on everything seemed to be in line with the beginnings of the first two contests of the weekend. Southern Miss scratched across singular runs in the second and third off starter Thomas Burbank. Rice tied the game up in the second on a two-run home run from Nathan Becker.

Even when Southern Miss answer in the fifth with three runs against Roel Garcia, it didn’t feel like the game was out of reach. But that would prove to only be the tip of the iceberg. Southern Miss erupted for seven runs in the seventh inning, ending with a grand slam to put the home team ahead 12-2. The game was called at that point, leaving Rice to head back home on a low note after two much more competitive games.

ON DECK | vs Western Kentucky (Fri-Sun)

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