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Rice Baseball: Previewing the Charlotte series

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A road trip to Charlotte, NC looms for Rice baseball who is once again looking to snap out of a cold streak with a series win on the road.

Listen online // Watch Friday (CUSA TV) // Watch Saturday (CUSA TV) // Watch Sunday (CUSA TV)

The last time Rice went on the road in conference play they swept Old Dominion. The Owls will need to recapture that magic after dropping a home series to struggling FIU over the weekend. Charlotte has fallen on a similar rough spell, dropping four in a row and without a win in their last six CUSA games (five losses, one tie).

Here’s how Charlotte will line up against Rice:

Projected Pitching Matchups

Friday – 5:00 pm: Matt Canterino (3-4, 3.02) vs Ryan Czanstkowski (1-3, 5.97)
Saturday – 5:00 pm: Evan Kravetz (2-2, 5.36)  vs Bryce McGowan (2-4, 4.89)
Sunday – 11:00 am: Jackson Parthasarathy (3-5, 4.50) vs Carson Pinkney (2-3, 5.97)

Charlotte Pitching

For the most part, Rice has had their starting weekend rotation locked in for most of the season. Barring a few switches and tweaks due to injury, it’s been the same few faces. The same can’t be said for Charlotte, who have had eight different pitchers with two or more starts this season and none with more than seven.

Two 49ers have sub-3.00 ERAs, Patrick Szczypinski and Colby Bruce. That duo has been the backbone of the Charlotte bullpen this year, striking out 50 batters between them in 25 appearances. After that things get pretty thin. Chase Gooding has shown flashes, but he’s had some issues with his command. 

Charlotte Hitting

The offensive attack has been every bit as strong as the pitching staff has been feeble. Catcher Harris Yett and first baseman Dominick Cammarata have been key drivers. Yett leads the conference with 17 doubles while Cammarata leads the team with a whopping 1.015 OPS.

Those are two of five different of the 49ers’ regulars batting above .300, neither of which is hitting as well as Todd Elwood. The stud outfielder owns the third-best batting average in conference, slashing .398/.448/.466. He might not have the same power as Yett or Cammarata, but he might be the best contact hitter in CUSA.

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Rice Baseball: Texas Longhorns edge Owls in Austin

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Rice baseball took a midweek contest with the Texas Longhorns down to the wire but couldn’t find the clutch hit, falling 3-1.

Another tough midweek test went against Rice as the Owls dropped a close one to Texas in Austin on Tuesday evening. The win gave Texas a sweep of the season series with Rice in their final scheduled meeting of the season. A third bout between the two Texas teams would require both teams to make the postseason. Here are a few things to take away from the defeat.

More arms to trust

In a rematch of an 11-4 February game at Reckling Park, pitching proved to be the deciding factor even though each staff was stretched thin. Rice used six arms; Texas threw five. None allowed more than one run and only the starters (Kel Bordwine for Rice and Ty Madden for Texas) allowed more than two hits.

The same Rice bullpen which was beaten up the first time around proved much more capable in their encore performance. After falling to FIU over the weekend, Coach Matt Bragga said he had five relievers he felt he could trust to produce consistently. That number could be growing.

Drake Greenwood allowed five runs in the first game with the Longhorns, but worked a scoreless inning on five pitches on Tuesday. Dalton Wood had a scoreless frame while Blair Lewis pumped strikes, allowing a single earned run in two innings. The pen isn’t perfect, but this was a step in the right direction.

A Justin Collins conundrum

Collins was hit on a ricochet in the series finale against FIU. He stayed in the game to catch, but was removed in the ninth inning without swinging the bat following the injury. Brandt Frazier suited up behind the plate against Texas. He’s hitting .152 on the season. Collins has a .267 average with a .408 on base percentage, leading the team with 27 walks. The advantage he provides at the plate and behind hit is significant.

Bragga has yet to give an indication on when Collins will return to the lineup. The longer he’s out, the larger the problem. He’s one of the few position players Rice can ill afford to lose for any meaningful amount of time.

Start a new streak

One loss has led to two for Rice too many times this season. In games following a loss Rice is 7-13, turning a single deficit into a losing streak four times in eight opportunities. The Owls have had losing streaks of 5, 2, and 7 and are in the midst of a three-game skid. Conversely, they’ve won more than three games in a row once this year.

Rice has always had some sort of answer to a bad week, but the margin for error has shrunk as the season grows older and older. Rice is seven games under .500 and six games back in the CUSA standings. If they’re going to rally, there’s no better time than the present.

UP NEXT | at Charlotte (Fri – Sun)
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Rice Baseball: Owls drop FIU series following dismal double header

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Rice baseball looked to have settled into some sort of rhythm, but a bad day of baseball led to a dropped double header and a series loss to FIU.

Winners of four straight entering the weekend, Rice was looking to reinsert themselves into the thick of the conference race with a strong showing against FIU over the weekend. Things got off to a strong start, but Rice struggled in a Saturday double header, dropping the series to an FIU team which had been scuttling prior to their trip to Texas.

The Owls’ record moves to 14-20 following the 1-2 weekend. Here’s a rundown of each result and three key things we learned about this team over against FIU.

FRIDAY | Rice 8 – FIU 5

It wasn’t a perfect night from Matt Canterino, but the Owls’ ace delivered his first complete game performance of his career in a winning effort to kick the series off on the right foot. Canterino had one rough inning, allowing four runs in the second, before settling down for the remainder of the contest.

The Rice offense bookended the game with big innings. Andrew Dunlap started things off with a two run home run in the first, his seventh long ball of the season. Rice scratched across one more run over the next five innings before getting the offense up and running once more in the seventh.

Trailing 5-3, Rice battled back with five runs in their final two trips to the plate. Bradley Gneiting picked up an RBI single in each inning. Trei Cruz and Braden Comeaux picked up RBI, too. The rally marked the first time this season Rice had won a game when trailing after six innings, breaking an 0-13 stretch.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON | FIU 13 – Rice 7

Flashes of offense on Friday night turned into a cavalcade of runs in the first half of the Saturday double header. The teams combined for 20 runs on 27 hits. The biggest difference was the dispersion of those runs. Rice scored five of their seven in a single inning, the second. FIU tacked on at least one run in six of the nine innings, putting up two or more on four separate occasions

It looked like the two teams were going to duke it out after Rice answered a 4-0 start by FIU with five runs of their own in the third inning. After a Comeaux triple scored two, Gneiting followed with an RBI single to bring Rice within one. Rice tied the game and took the lead on a pair of one-out singles by Dunlap and Justin Collins.

From that point onward it was all FIU. In relief of Evan Kravetz, who allowed five earned runs in 4.2 innings, Garrett Gayle, Jackson Tyner and Matt Deskins all allowed runs with Tyner allowing three to score while recording only one out. Rice snuck back two runs after falling behind 13-5, but was unable to do enough to climb out of the sizable hole.

SATURDAY NIGHT| FIU 5 – Rice 2

The bats cooled down for both sides as Jackson Parthasarathy and Franco Aleman strung together two of the better outings by any of the pitchers who took the mound this weekend. A two run home run by Jose Garcia put FIU in the lead in the second as the Rice batters struggled to string hits together.

Parthasarathy earned the win in long relief of Addison Moss last Saturday, earning a spot back in the rotation against FIU. His strong start gave Rice chances to get back into the game, holding the visitors to five hits and three runs, striking out three.

Rice would go to Aleman at the end of his outing, forcing him from the game after two runs in the eighth. That would be it for Rice, who dropped the game and the series in rather disappointing fashion.

TAKEAWAYS | FIU wins series 2-1

1. The offense is slowly heading in the right direction

There were moments this season where it felt like Rice needed all the stars to align for their offense to be successful over the course of nine full innings. The Owls scored 13 runs in three games against FAU and 13 in three games against UTSA. A 3-1 victory in the series opener against Old Dominion gave way to a 25 run finish over the final two games, a pace Rice maintained into the following weekend.

Rice managed 17 runs against FIU, the collection of which came from a variety of sources. Comeaux and Dunlap had big weekends, but they’re batting at the top half of the order precisely for that reason. It was players like Aaron Beaulaurier, Dominic Cox, and Cade Edwards who’ve had strong at bats as well.

Those parts stumbled on Saturday. Head coach Matt Bragga was noticeably frustrated with his team’s performance, “There is no magic answer,” he said, “If there was I would be doing it and we would be [winning].” Outside of the series finale, the offense has been moving in the right direction. Next week will be another test of the Owls’ ability to rebound.

2. Three, please

Canterino, Moss, Parthasarathy and Moss have what it takes to be weekend starters in Conference USA. It’s not reasonable to expect scoreless outings from whichever of the three are named to the weekend rotation each time. With that said, Rice hasn’t had a weekend where all three starters through well since they won two of three in the Shriner’s College Classic. The math doesn’t add up.

“When you pitch, you have a chance,” Bragga recounted. He was right. The result of a three-run game can be swung in a single inning. Too often things have been swinging the wrong for this rotation.

Rice has too much talent on the mound to be digging out of at least one sizable hole every weekend. This unit should regularly be throwing at least five innings without leaving the game early with a large crooked number on the board against them. The upside here is they’re capable of flipping the switch. The downside is they’re running out of weekends to put it all together.

3. And now for the home stretch

Even though it feels as if conference play just began, Rice is more than halfway through the 2019 season. The Owls have 34 games under their belt with 22 regular season games to play. It’s been a bumpy ride. Bragga summed it up best, “Good teams aren’t streaky. Good teams win.”

The Owls are within striking distance of .500 in conference play and have wins over in-state powerhouses Baylor and TCU. They have proof they’re capable of going toe-to-toe with most anyone, but the bigger number in the loss column speaks to the inconsistency with which they’ve struggled with all year.

Rice has one of the better arms in the league with a host of guys who could be great on a given night. The lineup is coming together and the fielding has improved by leaps and bounds. They’ll only be able to capitalize on those strengths by putting together more complete games in April and May.

ON DECK | at Texas (Tues),  at Charlotte (Fri-Sun)

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Rice Baseball: Previewing the FIU series

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Rice baseball hopes to extend their recent hot streak with a series win over FIU who visits Reckling Park this weekend. Here’s everything you need to know.

Listen online // Watch Friday (CUSA TV) // Watch Saturday (CUSA TV) // Watch Sunday (CUSA TV)

It’s been a very different week for FIU and Rice baseball. The Owls have won four straight and five of their last six, sweeping Old Dominion on the road last weekend before an emphatic Tuesday night win over Sam Houston State. FIU has been less fortunate, losing eight in a row with a 3-9 record away from home.

Rice will have a real shot to gain ground in Conference USA and regain level footing after an 0-5 start. Here’s everything you need to know for the weekend:

Projected Pitching Matchups

Friday – 7:30 pm: Matt Canterino (2-4, 2.62) vs Logan Allen  (3-2, 1.05)
Saturday – 3:00 pm: Evan Kravetz (2-1, 4.82)  vs Nick MacDonald (0-3, 3.34)
Sunday – 12:00 pm: Addison Moss (1-1, 9.98) vs Franco Aleman (0-2, 4.24)

FIU Pitching

Friday night looks like it’s going to be a pitcher’s duel between two of the most trustworthy aces in CUSA. Canterino has been strong, but FIU’s Logan Allen has been near perfect. The sophomore lefty leads the conference in ERA, strikeouts and batting average against. FIU has won five of the last six games he’s started and he’s pitched at least a five inning shutout in each of those wins.

Behind him the options grow more uncertain. Nick McDonald will throw Saturday, but neither team has officially named a Sunday starter yet. After starting Christian Santana against Houston on Wednesday,  Franco Aleman is the probable choice.

Out of the bullpen Rice will have to find a way to solve Jan Figueroa. He’s made 13 appearances on the season, tied for second most on the team, but has yet to allow a run. Opposing batters are hitting .129 against him. Angel Tiburcio, Will Saxton and Jose Machado should be in line to see some relief work as well.

FIU Hitting

Their offensive attack has been as scattered as their pitching staff has been reliable. FIU ranks dead last in CUSA with a .228 batting average and a lowly .367 slugging percentage. Their Friday night ace, Allen, also has the best bat on the team. He holds a .316 average and should be in the mix to see plenty of plate appearances this weekend.

After Allen, the lineup gets thin quickly. Lorenzo Hampton Jr. is the only other FIU player hitting better than .300 (he sports a .302 batting average). The team ranks dead last in the conference in doubles, 10th in triples, but fourth in home runs. That’s going to be the sticking point against Rice pitching. A few base runners plus well timed blasts will be the Panthers’ Plan A approach at the plate.

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Rice Baseball: Owls snap midweek blues with big win over Sam Houston State

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Rice baseball is in the midst of their longest winning streak of the year, tacking on a victory in a midweek contest over Sam Houston on Tuesday.

The bats struck early and finished strong as Rice evened the season series with Sam Houston at one game apiece. Rice struck first on a Trei Cruz home run in the first inning and opened things up with a five run second inning, kicked off with a Cade Edwards home run. Gneiting had a double in the frame, his first of two doubles on the night.

Sam Houston would narrow the deficit to 7-5 after the seventh inning, but that’s as close as they would get. Tenacious pitching paired with four runs across the final two innings suppressed any hope of a comeback down the stretch. After losing four of their last five midweek contests, Rice earned a much-needed win over the Bearkats. Here are a few postgame thoughts following the big win.

Loving the long ball

From March 3 to March 26, a span of 16 games, Rice hit nine home runs. They’ve blasted nine long balls in the past week, crushing seven against Old Dominion over the weekend before two more roundtrippers against Sam Houston on Tuesday. The injection of instant offense has had a calming effect on the entire lineup. Players don’t seem to be pressing as much. They’re being patience in the box and the results are encouraging.

Andrew Dunlap has led the way, but Trei Cruz and Cade Edwards broke through against Sam Houston. Multiple guys have proven they have the power to take one out of the ballpark, making the lineup that much more challenging to navigate for opposing pitchers.

Just when some counted them out

Things were looking pretty bleak midway through the Owls’ home series with UTSA less than two weeks ago. Rice had dropped seven consecutive games, starting 0-5 in conference play with an 8-17 record. Words like “rebuild” were being whispered around Reckling Park and the young season was being questioned.

Since then Rice has won five of their last six and four games in a row. They’re 4-5 in conference play and right back in the mix after falling behind early. There are still problems to be fixed and players in need of improvement, but the collective willpower of this team has proven to be undoubtedly tougher than many believed.

It’s not just the winning, it’s how Rice has won these games. Sam Houston beat Rice 10-9 a few weeks ago. Rice punched back with an emphatic 11-5 win. All phases are coming into form at the right time. This team is locked in and the results have been evident.

Take a bow, bullpen

A key piece of the recent success has been the resurgence of the Rice bullpen. They haven’t quite cemented themselves as automatic out-getters yet, but for one of the first times this season it feels like there are multiple options for coach Matt Bragga to call on out of the pen.

Tuesday night starter Kel Bordwine had trouble harnessing his command, giving way to a heavy dose of the pen against Sam Houston State. Jackson Tyner was sharp, striking out four in two innings. Blair Lewis added three K’s after him in two frames. Drake Greenwood had the lone bad outing, failing to record an out while allowing two runs. Garrett Gayle closed the door with three scoreless innings.

Those relievers plus some of the more established guys like Kendal Jeffries and converted starter Jackson Parthasarathy make for a sturdy back end on the mound.

UP NEXT | vs FIU (Fri – Sun)
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