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Rice Baseball 2021: HBU opening weekend series preview

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Opening weekend for Rice baseball will look different than expected, but games will still be played. Here’s everything you need to know.

The 2021 Rice baseball scheduled changed before it ever began. The impacts of winter storm Uri reached onto the diamond, forcing the cancelation of the Owls’ previously scheduled opener against Arkansas-Little Rock and Washington. Both teams will not travel to Houston this weekend because of the weather.

Instead, Rice will square off with crosstown foe Houston Baptist. The Owls and Huskies were originally meant to play on Sunday. Now they’ll play a three game series with the Huskies starting on Saturday.

Game Notes

Times: Saturday 12:30 p.m. | Sunday – 12:30 p.m. | Monday – 1:30 p.m.
Venue: Reckling Park
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal

Possible Rice Baseball Starters

Friday | Roel Garcia
Saturday |Blake Brogdon
Sunday | Mitchell Holcomb

Previewing Houston Baptist

Houston Baptist was on the 2020 schedule but that game, along with many others, was stricken from the slate by COVID-19. The Owls took two of three from the Huskies during a three-game weekend series in 2018 with the only loss coming in extra innings. Outfielder Brandon Bena hit .313 in his last complete season in 2019. He’ll lead the Huskies’ offense again this year.

Previewing Rice Baseball

Make sure you check out our in-depth Rice Baseball season preview, detailing what to expect from the Owls in all phases. Roel Garcia will lead Rice on the mound. The bullpen is deeper than it was last year, and boasts a few new important pieces. To round it out, a host of veteran bats and incoming hitters will look to buoy the offense.

On Deck | Full 2021 Rice Baseball Schedule

As things currently stand, Rice baseball does not have any more home games scheduled in the month of February. The Owls will next play in Beaumont against Lamar before traveling for a three-game weekend series against Louisiana.

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Rice Athletics: All Friday events postponed, multiple games impacted

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Rice Athletics will not host any events on Friday. Winter Storm Uri has altered schedules for multiple sports. Here is the latest.

The effects of winter storm Uri continue to impact Houston, stretching beyond the personal impacts and into the upcoming Rice Athletics schedule. Rice baseball’s opening weekend round robin including games against Washington, Arkansas-Little Rock and Houston Baptist has seen multiple games called off because of the conditions.

Both Washington or Little Rock announced they would not be able to travel to Houston because of the inclement weather. The Huskies have already added a three game series with UC-Irvine, who Rice played last year. Little Rock is in the process of scheduling additional games this weekend. They won’t be playing in Houston.

For the time being, the Sunday contest between Houston Baptist and Rice is on as scheduled. The two intra-city teams don’t have to worry about coordinating flights, but more conversations will take place before that weekend schedule is finalized.

If both programs are able, it would seem possible for baseball to add additional games with Houston Baptist over the weekend. If and when those games might be played would be dependent on several factors. Per a release from Rice, “an update on the schedule will be provided Friday at 12:00 p.m.”

As for basketball, after originally being bumped back a day, the men’s series against Marshall has been canceled. On top of the weather, the Owls have experienced COVID-19 issues within the program. The women’s series against Marshall is still on for the time being, but the schedules will be adjusted. Originally set for Friday and Saturday, the series has been moved to Saturday and Sunday.

This is a developing situation.

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Rice Baseball: 2021 Season Preview

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Rain, snow or shine, Rice baseball is set to begin their 2021 season soon. Here’s a rundown of the Owls on the mound and in the batter’s box.

The long wait is finally over for Rice baseball. The Owls saw their 2020 season come to a premature end because of COVID-19 and they’re anxious to get back onto the field at Reckling Park this weekend.

The pitching staff

The weeks leading up to the regular season is really where the rubber meets the road when it comes to how Rice baseball will deploy its pitchers. Head coach Matt Bragga has a general idea for which guys will get the nods to be at the top of the pitching rotation, but the finalized plan regarding how to divvy up the innings are still coming together.

Bragga knows he’ll need almost every capable arm in some capacity this season. The revised 2021 schedule includes grueling four-game weekends, including a Saturday double header. As a result, it’s going to require teams to find at least 15 more outs every weekend. That means more arms.

“I think this year could lend itself to playing more guys and pitching more guys,” Bragga said, going on to note a particularly important truth, “Our depth is definitely better.”

Projected weekend rotation

  1. Roel Garcia, RHP
  2. Blake Brogdon, RHP
  3. Mitchell Holcomb, RHP
  4. Brandon Deskins, LHP

Next up, Possible midweek starters

  • Alex DeLeon, RHP
  • Dillon Janac, RHP
  • Garret Zaskoda, RHP

The top of the rotation isn’t much of a surprise. Roel Garcia has the arm talent to be a true ace for Rice when he’s healthy. According to Bragga, Garcia feels as good as he’s felt in the past several years and “a Friday-night type of young man” and “a game one starter”. Having him fully healthy would be huge for the Owls.

After Garcia, Brogdon will look to build on a strong, albeit short, 2020 campaign. He went five innings in three of his five starts and had 18 strikeouts 19.1 innings. An improvement in command and a few less walks are key things for him to take the next step in his game this season.

Rounding out the rotation will be some combination of intriguing young arms or veteran pieces. Of that group, transfer Mitchell Holcomb looks like the most likely to clinch a weekend spot. A four-year weekend starter at Penn, Holcomb has impressed in his time at South Main, particularly catching Bragga’s eye with his superb command.

The last spot truly is up for grabs. Deskins was electric in fall intrasquad practices. DeLeon was the opening day starter a year ago. Janich is an intriguing freshman with a power arm and a great slider. Zaskoda is a bit of a wild card, but finished second on the team in ERA this fall (behind Holcomb) and showed tremendous improvement from his freshman season.

At first glance, the rotation lacks the punch of Rice rotations of old, but there’s still a lot to like. That said, the Owls have more options in the rotation than they did last spring. If Garcia steps into his role as an ace and someone else seizes the No. 2 role, the depth should be good enough to keep Rice in games and win a few of them almost on their own.

Key bullpen pieces (in no particular order)

  • Dalton Wood, RHP
  • Drake Greenwood, RHP
  • Kel Bordwine, RHP
  • Matthew Linskey, RHP
  • Micah Davis, RHP
  • Reed Gallant, RHP
  • Cristian Cienfuegos, RHP
  • AC Plum, RHP
  • Caleb Burgess, RHP

Rice baseball could be in line for a step change in their bullpen production compared to where things stood when Bragga arrived on campus. 16 of the 20 pitchers than threw in the fall hit speeds of at least 90 miles per hour. Bragga himself said, “that doesn’t win you games,” but it’s “an extra weapon that you have.”

That starts with Dalton Wood. A power armed righty that missed most of last year recovering from injury, he has the potential to be a shutdown option out of the pen Rice was earnestly searching for last spring.

After wood, guys like Greenwood and Bordwine should see work in the middle innings. Both have starting experience and have proven to be dependable for the Owls in the past. Others like Cienfuegos and Plum have shown flashes, but hope to build upon that with improved consistency.\

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Freshman Reed Gallant, Matthew Linskey and Micah Davis have inserted their names into the mix. Both stood out during scrimmage outings. Rice will need someone to shut things down in key moments. Could Davis’ and his 96 mph fastball get the call? It’s certainly possible.

Having this many options is a good problem for Bragga to have. As with the back end of the rotation, the key will be finding the handful of most dependable options as quickly as possible. This is a spot where the incoming freshman class could shine. The quantity of top-notch arm talent is exciting. Getting a few key innings out of the up-and-coming arms could elevate the whole group tremendously.

The Lineup

There will be several difficult decision Rice baseball head coach Matt Bragga will have to make before the Owls’ regular season arrived on Feb. 19. Piecing together the majority of the starting lineup shouldn’t be one of them. As Bragga himself admitted the lineup is, “truthfully, not that big of a secret.”

The straightforwardness of the Owls’ attack is generated by a strong contingent of returning veterans plus a few new live bats that could prove to be difference makers for Rice this spring.

Projected Lineup

1B – Austin Bullman
2B – Cade Edwards
SS – Hal Hughes
3B – Brayden Comeaux
C – Will Karp / Justin Collins
RF – Guy Garibay
CF – Connor Walsh
LF – Bradley Gneiting
DH – Nathan Becker

The Infield

There’s certainly no mystery here. With the exception of Trei Cruz, a third round MLB Draft selection of the Detroit Tigers last year, the remainder of the Rice infield returns for 2021 thanks in part to the extra year of eligibility afforded to all players. Upperclassmen Austin Bulman, Cade Edwards and Brayden Comeaux all figure to be top of the order bats with plus fielding attributes.

The newcomer on the dirt is LSU transfer Hal Hughes. The junior started 63 games as a true freshman for the Tigers and 109 games in his LSU career. His biggest asset is his glove. He holds a career .955 fielding percentage and has position flexibility, able to slide over to third or second should the Owls’ need it.

Designated Hitter and Catcher

As it has been over the past two years under Bragga, the designated hitter spot will likely start as a rotation of sorts until someone seizes the job (hopefully) for good. True freshman Tyler LaRue started at DH on Opening Day last spring, making it seem reasonable to expect another up-and-coming bat will get a crack at the spot early in the season. Freshman Nathan Becker, a highly-regarded first base recruit, is the favorite to get the first look.

Rice baseball could be turning to a new face at catcher in 2021. Bragga indicated he expected newcomer Will Karp, a grad transfer from Haverford, to get the nod behind the dish. Former starter Justin Collins’ availability was in question. While Bragga did go as far as sharing that his absence was “COVID-related”, he did not go into details. The positive note on the catching front was the impressive spring Karp has put together.

The Outfield

The outfield was somewhat of a work-in-progress last year, but Rice will be much deeper at the position this time around. True freshman Guy Garibay and redshirt freshman Connor Walsh, an Ole Miss transfer, both come to Rice with high expectations and should be fixtures in the lineup from the start. Both swing the bat well.

As was the case last season, left field should prove to be more contentious. There are a host of guys who will probably cycle through that position with repeat outings possible for those who earn extended playing time. Veteran Bradley Gneiting will get the first crack at the job and will probably see some time at designated hitter as well. Other returners like Justin Dunlap, Antonio Cruz and Daniel Hernandez are thought to be in the mix.

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Rice Baseball: Owls ready for unique 2021 season

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The schedule is strange. Rosters are deep. But more than anything, Rice baseball wants to get back onto the field as soon as they can.

Almost a year removed from an abridged 16-game season, Rice baseball is ready to give it another go. The Owls had barely begun conference play last spring when COVID-19 brought a swift halt to their season. The ripple effects from that strenuous week are still being felt.

The most notable deviation from “normal” will be the 42 players listed on the roster this season. In a typical year, rosters are capped at 35 individuals. Rice will have seven more this season, primarily composed of seniors who believed their last year of college baseball was going to wrap up last summer. Veterans like Braden Comeaux, Cade Edwards and Bradley Gneiting will don pinstripes for one more ride.

Head coach Matt Bragga is excited about the depth, which along with an influx of talent, should help him navigate this team to a better season than last year’s shortened start. But his optimism don’t stop at the walls of Reckling Park. In his estimate, “this should be one of the best years in the history of college baseball.”

The MLB Draft was shortened from 40 rounds to five rounds. Roster limitations have been suspended for the season. Every roster has more talent, more weapons, than they thought they’d have before the pandemic arrived. Now each team will have to make the best of it that they can.

“We’re anxious to get back out,” Bragga said, “I really like this crew. The product continues to get better, as it should.”

The return to action includes a revised schedule with less distanced travel and a few interesting twists. There are less midweek games. When conference play arrives on March 26 they’ll play just one team outside of C-USA.

Conference weekends will look different too. Rather than the standard Friday to Sunday three-game slate, there will be four games played each weekend, with a Saturday doubleheader of seven-inning games injected to increase the chances of playing as many games as possible. Bragga wanted four full nine-inning games but was in the minority

Whether it’s three-game weekends or four, Bragga just wants to get back onto the grass.  “I don’t like being judged on 28% of a season,” he said, recalling a disappointing 2020 start. He and the Owls will have their chance in a few short weeks. Opening Day against Arkansas Little Rock is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 19. Stay tuned for future updates on the pitching staff and the lineup.

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Rice Baseball: 2021 schedule dates, opponents announced

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The 2021 Rice Baseball schedule has been announced. After a truncated 2020 season, the Owls are slated to have a busy spring this year.

There are 56 games on the 2021 Rice Baseball schedule as currently constructed. That includes 31 home games. Per a release by Rice Athletics, the department is “working with the University’s Crisis Management Team to determine the seating layout and how many fans will be allowed at each game for the 2021 season.”

The slate also includes another appearance in the College Classic at Minute Main Park. This year’s the Owls are scheduled to face Sam Houston State, Texas State and Texas Tech. The Owls played both Texas State and Texas Tech in last year’s shortened season.

Conference USA will play four game series each weekend, including a double header, currently scheduled for the middle day of the series. That’s a new adjustment given current safety and travel limitations. Rice has less C-USA East teams on their schedule, but otherwise it’s still a fairly full slate.

Opening Day is set for Feb. 19 against Arkansas Little Rock. The Conference Tournament is scheduled to begin on May 26.

Here is the complete schedule

February

Feb 19. Arkansas Little Rock
Feb 20. Washington
Feb 21. Houston Baptist
Feb 23. at Lamar
Feb 26-28. at Louisiana

March

Mar 3. Prairie View A&M
Mar 5. Sam Houston
Mar 6. Texas State
Mar 7. Texas Tech
Mar 9. Houston Baptist
Mar 10. Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Mar 12. Northern Illinois
Mar 13. Kansas State
Mar 14. Northern Illinois / Kansas State
Mar 17. at Texas State
Mar 19-21. Southern
Mar 23. at Texas A&M
Mar 26-28. UTSA

April

Apr 1-3. at MTSU
Apr 9-11. at LaTech
Apr 13. Incarnate Word
Apr 16-18. at ODU
Apr 23-25. at UTSA
Apr 30-May 2. So Miss

May

May 7-9. at UAB
May 14-16. Charlotte

We’ll have a few more updates on the team in the coming weeks. Stay tuned and get ready for some sunny days at Reckling Park in the not-too-distant future.

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