The source for Rice sports news

  • Football
    • Recruiting
    • Offer Tracker
    • Roster
    • Schedule
    • NFL Owls
  • Premium
    • Patreon
    • Season Preview
    • Join / FAQ
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Store
    • News
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • About
    • Contact
  • Login

Rice Baseball: Sunday comeback averts home sweep vs UTSA

March 24, 2019 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice baseball salvaged a tough weekend series against UTSA with a come from behind win on Sunday, their first victory when their opponent scored first this season.

It was another up and down weekend for Rice baseball as the Owls dropped the first two games against UTSA before rallying for a Sunday victory. The win snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Owls and an 0-5 start in conference play. Here’s a wrap up on each of the three games and some closing thoughts on the Owls’ second CUSA series.

FRIDAY | UTSA 4 – Rice 2

Rice ace Matt Canterino put together a career-long outing in the series opener on Friday, throwing 8 2/3rds innings before being relieved in the ninth by Kendall Jeffries for one final out. As was the case in his outing against FAU, Canterino was sharp for the duration, save for one crooked number which would prove to be the decider.

Canterino retired the first 10 batters he faced, hurtling through his start until the seventh inning where two triples, a single and a wild pitch put his team behind 3-0. Rice would respond with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame, leaving the tying run on third after a triple of their own.

UTSA would tack on an insurance run on a two-out double in the ninth, leaving Rice one more chance to even the score. With two men on in the ninth, Cade Edwards struck out to end the game.

SATURDAY | UTSA 9 – Rice 3

Jackson Parthasarathy, bumped up from his typical Sunday slot in the starting rotation, lasted two innings in the second game of this series. He was ticketed for four earned runs on five hits before being replaced by Addison Moss out of the bullpen in what felt like a crucial game for Rice tow in.

Not only was Moss unable to stop the bleeding, he had his second consecutive poor outing, allowing four earned runs on five hits, walking two. Trailing 8-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, Rice was unable to get enough big hits to make a meaningful dent in the sizable deficit.

Andrew Dunlap and Dominic Cox each picked up two hits and scored all three of the Owls’ runs on the afternoon. The bullpen combination of Blair Lewis and Dalton Wood held the Roadrunners scoreless over the final four innings, but it proved to be too little too late.

SUNDAY | Rice 8 – UTSA 3

Rice entered the final game of the series in desperate need of a victory to stop a seven-game skid. Evan Kravetz held his own early, but trouble in the third allowed UTSA to strike first. At that point, Rice was 0-14 when their opponents scored the first run.

Sensing the need to right the ship, Rice flipped the script in the bottom half of the inning. Following an RBI single from Bradley Gneiting, the Owls took the lead on a drooping double from Cade Ewards which landed on the right side of the right field line, scoring two to give Rice a 3-1 lead. UTSA evened the score the following frame with a two-run homer to left field.

Momentum seemed to shift toward the Owls in the fifth. In the top half of the inning, Braden Comeaux gunned down the would-be go ahead run at the plate. In the bottom half, Cade Edwards punched a bullet into center field, scoring Andrew Dunlap to give Rice a 4-3 lead.

TAKEAWAYS | UTSA wins series 2-1

1. If the starting rotation stumbled, Rice is in trouble

The combination of Matt Canterino, Jackson Parthasarathy, Evan Kravetz and Addison Moss have been ticketed as the biggest assets this team has in 2019. Canterino has a future in the big leagues, while the others have each achieved legitimate collegiate successes.

The bullpen has been hit or miss. The lineup has struggled through injuries and been inconsistent when healthy. The starting rotation isn’t all this team has to turn things around, but it’s unquestionably the greatest weapon in the arsenal. But Canterino is losing ball games. Moss and Parthasarathy didn’t make it through three innings. Kravetz was marginally better on Sunday, throwing 4 1/3rd innings and allowing three runs.

Nobody else has emerged to help right the ship. Rice’s big guns need to step up. If the starting rotation doesn’t turn things around Rice is going to lose a lot more 4-2 games.

2. The lineup wasn’t deep … and then came the injuries

Dominic DiCaprio will miss the remainder of the season with recurring back injuries. A senior, it looks like DiCaprio has played his last games ever for the Blue and Gray. He ends his career with a .299 average, 173 hits and 85 RBI. DiCaprio hadn’t been the same since injuries spoiled his junior season, but his veteran presence in the lineup will be missed.

That alone would be a concern for a thin Rice lineup which is already coping with a string of injuries. Braden Comeaux returned to the lineup this weekend after missing a week with a back injury. Brandt Frazier eased back in last weekend against FAU after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Justin Collins didn’t miss extended time, but a midweek scare on a backswing against Texas State made all Rice fans hold their breath. Rice absolutely must stay healthy, particularly with one of their senior bats being put on the shelf.

3. Consistency is needed from Six – Seven – Eight – Nine

Health aside, Rice has been able to find relatively consistent production from their top half of the lineup. The Owls have five players hitting better than .300 on the season, but the rotation of outfielders and whomever draws the start at first base has been problematic.

Dominic Cox, who had four base hits on the season entering the UTSA series, had his best weekend yet with three hits from the bottom third of the order. Outside of his strong weekend, the bottom four spots in the lineup hit a meager 7-for-33 (.212) with nine strikeouts, salvaged by a big seventh inning on Sunday against multiple UTSA relievers.

The bottom third of most lineups in college baseball will punch below the level of the top third; there are only so many bats to go around.  Expecting a .400 hitter to emerge from the eight-hole isn’t realistic, but finding someone who can make contact consistently and put balls in play at a reasonable clip is doable. Rice has yet to find the combination which makes that happen.

ON DECK | at Texas State (Tues),  at Old Dominion (Fri-Sun)

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: North Texas
  • College Football Returning Production woes in the AAC
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: UTSA
  • The Roost Podcast | Ep 203 – 2025 Rice Football Opponent Previews: North Texas

Filed Under: Archive, Baseball Tagged With: Addison Moss, Dominic Cox, Jackson Parthasarathy, Matt Canterino, Rice baseball

Rice Baseball: Previewing the UTSA series

March 22, 2019 By Matthew Bartlett

After kicking off conference play on the road against FAU, Rice baseball returns home to Reckling Park for their first CUSA home games against UTSA.

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

[Read more…]

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: North Texas
  • College Football Returning Production woes in the AAC
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: UTSA
  • The Roost Podcast | Ep 203 – 2025 Rice Football Opponent Previews: North Texas

Filed Under: Archive, Baseball Tagged With: Rice baseball

Rice Baseball: Slow starts dooms Owls against Texas A&M

March 20, 2019 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice baseball missed an opportunity, falling to Texas A&M in a midweek contest before returning to conference play against UTSA over the weekend.

Kel Bordwine got the start in Rice’s midweek bout with fellow lone star power Texas A&M. On a night when no pitcher went three innings for either side, Borwdine’s early exit proved to be troublesome. He left after 1.1 innings, allowing four runs on four hits with two walks. He wasn’t as locked in as he’d been in recent starts, putting Rice behind the eight ball on the road.

Rice would rally with a run in the third, but a three spot from Texas A&M in the fifth gave the Aggies a hefty 7-1 lead. An Andrew Dunlap two-run home run in the seventh was all the offense Rice had left, falling 8-3.

1. Garrett Gayle is back

The Rice bullpen got off to a rough start, but perhaps no pitcher’s beginnings were more confusing than Gayle’s. The stuff was always good, but the command had seemingly vanished. Gayle walked seven batters over his first 7.2 innings. Since his appearance against Oklahoma, he’s now thrown 8.1 innings, walking just two and striking out eight.

He was almost perfect out of the pen against Texas A&M. On a night when the bullpen got a fair amount of work from different relievers, he was the only man to hold the Aggies hitless while striking out at least one batter.

2. Loss to Texas A&M a missed opportunity

Losing to a ranked team in a midweek game on the road isn’t going to spoil the season for Rice. Still, the woulda-coulda-shoulda factor of Tuesday’s defeat could have repercussions down the line. Rice owns wins over ranked programs TCU and Baylor. Adding Texas A&M to that list would have given Rice a trifecta of big wins over power programs to bolster their case for postseason play.

When it comes to building a resume, non-conference are important. Texas A&M was one of this squad’s last marquee games outside of Conference USA play. Dropping this game in the fashion they did has to be a bit disappointing.

3. Can this team bounce back?

It’s been a hot and cold season for Rice.  Rice won two of three, then they dropped five of six. Then they picked up their big wins over Baylor and TCU and won for games in seven days. Now they’ve lost four out of their last five. In the obvious downswing of their streaky spring, can this team right the ship?

When it looked like this team might be headed down a forgettable path they bounced back with a pair of marquee wins. They don’t have a ranked team on their schedule for some time, so it’s time to get back to the basics and take care of business in conference play.

ON DECK | vs UTSA (Fri-Sun)

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: North Texas
  • College Football Returning Production woes in the AAC
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: UTSA
  • The Roost Podcast | Ep 203 – 2025 Rice Football Opponent Previews: North Texas

Filed Under: Baseball, Archive Tagged With: Garrett Gayle, Rice baseball

Rice Baseball falters in first conference road series, falling to FAU

March 17, 2019 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice baseball got off to a rough start in conference play, falling to FAU in three games on their first true road series of the season.

Things weren’t clicking for Rice during a rainy weekend in Boca Raton. The starting pitching wasn’t at it’s best and the hitting remained up and down. The Owls improved in the field, but with the other two phases faltering, it wasn’t enough. Here’s a rundown of the action and three thoughts from the tough weekend.

FRIDAY | FAU 4 – Rice 2

One week removed from earning his first win of the season, Rice ace Matt Canterino had one rough inning which cost him dearly. FAU struck early, putting up four runs on five hits in the opening frame. Canterino would recover quickly, allowing no runs and just two additional hits through the remainder of his six innings of work.

Trailing 4-0, Rice had their chances. They sent the minimum to the plate twice in nine innings. The Owls had runners in scoring position five times but failed to collect any run-scoring hits in those opportunities.  A fifth inning double by Andrew Dunlap which followed a Justin Collins single as well as a sixth inning sac fly were the only offense Rice could muster, falling in a close opener on the road.

SATURDAY | FAU 12 – Rice 7

The woes at the plate which plagued Rice on Friday night didn’t seem to carry into their matinee tilt with FAU on Saturday. In fact, Rice struck first. Andrew Dunlap launched a ball over the right field fence, driving in three runs to give the visiting team their first lead of the series. Rodrigo Duluc followed with a sac fly to add to the lead in the same inning.

Up 4-0. Rice was able to hold onto their lead through the first four innings. Then the dam broke. Evan Kravetz couldn’t finish the fifth, walking two and allowing two hits and two runs before he was relieved by Addison Moss with one out. Moss, who up to this point had been viewed as one of the most reliable bullpen options, wasn’t able to close the door.

By the time Kravetz’s runners had been driven in and Moss left the ball game in the sixth, Rice was staring and a 10-5 deficit from which they would never recover.

SUNDAY | FAU 12 – Rice 4

When it rains it pours. Jackson Parthasarathy entered the weekend with a 2.05 ERA and looked as dialed in as ever when the game got under way. Then, with two outs in the first inning, a sharp comebacker bounced off his leg. A double would follow, then a home run. All of a sudden, Rice was down 3-0.

Parthasarathy never settled in. He was lifted after allowing five runs on seven hits in two long innings. Kendall Jeffries came in out of the pen and kept the game within reach as the Rice offense chipped away.

As has been the case, the Owls had their chances, none better than a bases loaded situation in the fifth inning. Andrew Dunlap, who already had a big home run in the series, struck out. Justin Collins hit a hard hit liner, but it went straight to the third baseman to end the inning. Dunlap would push two across with a single in the seventh, but that was the end of Rice’s scoring on the day.

FAU took advantage of rough outings from Jackson Tyner and Blair Lewis to break the game open late, winning 12-4.

TAKEAWAYS | FAU wins series 3-0

1. You’re allowed to have one bad game

That’s a message Matt Bragga has preached all season long. Even the best aren’t immune to off nights from time to time. Mistakes will happen, but once they become a regularity changes have to be made. Rice had a few “one bad games” against FAU.

Canterino wasn’t the sharpest he’s been in his win over Oklahoma, but he found a way to win. It was just one bad inning against FAU, but the lineup behind him was unable to recover. Moss had by far his worst outing of the season.

For the most part, these are guys who have been consistent. The pitching staff has been far from infallible, but Canterino and Moss have been and are supposed to continue being the anchors. They get a pass, but the pressure is going up on each of their next appearances.

2. Double the Dunlap

Andrew Dunlap has locked himself into the core of the Rice line up. The rest of the lineup has been reconfigured around him, but his spot in the middle of the order remains secure. He came through several times this weekend, going 2-for-3 with and RBI on Friday and kicking things off with his three-run home on Saturday. He added a 2-of-4 showing on Sunday with 2RBI.

While Andrew was expected to be a key contributor to the team in 2019. the younger Dunlap, Justin (unrelated), has become a pleasant surprise. The highly touted freshman has forced his way onto the lineup card in recent weeks. His versatility and ability to make contact could keep him there for some time. Justin picked up three hits against FAU, walking five times.

3. It’s a long season

Sports, by their very nature, tend to produce polarizing observations. Few teams or players are penciled in as “average”, most are labeled either exceptional or atrocious. In reality, most teams, Rice included, will tend to settle in somewhere around the middle.

This team has some obvious strengths like the starting pitching. They have some holes, primarily in the bullpen. The roster is a bit lean, and injuries to some of the Owls’ middle of the lineup hitters haven’t helped the cause.

2019 is Matt Bragga’s first season at the helm in Houston and he recognizes this is a marathon, not a sprint. 0-3 is not how this team wanted to start conference play, but there are plenty of games still to be played.

ON DECK | vs Texas A&M (Tues),  vs UTSA (Fri-Sun)

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: North Texas
  • College Football Returning Production woes in the AAC
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: UTSA
  • The Roost Podcast | Ep 203 – 2025 Rice Football Opponent Previews: North Texas

Filed Under: Archive, Baseball Tagged With: Rice baseball

Rice Baseball: Previewing the FAU series

March 15, 2019 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice baseball opens conference play on the road against FAU after an up and down non-conference slate. Here’s what to expect from the other Owls.

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

Just like the Rice Owls, the FAU Owls have had a bit of an erratic start. FAU won their first three, lost the next six and has since won eight of their last nine. Prior to opening up conference play on Friday, FAU topped Quinnipiac in a pair of midweek games.

This content is for registered users only. Please login.

Let’s take a look at how the 2019 squad stacks up.

Projected Pitching Matchups

Friday – 5:30 pm: Matt Canterino (1-2, 1.50) vs Blake Sanderson (3-0, 3.33)
Saturday – 3:00 pm: Evan Kravetz (1-1, 4.35) vs  Ryan Sandberg (0-1, 2.20)
Sunday – 11:00 am: Jackson Parthasarathy (2-2, 2.05) vs  Mike Ruff (2-0, 6.75)

FAU Pitching

The FAU pitching staff is one of the most hittable units in Conference USA and they haven’t exactly faced the high caliber opponents Rice has in their nonconference games. Opposing batters are hitting .278 against FAU through 18 games against a staff which holds an uninspiring 4.22 ERA.

Their starting pitching has been serviceable. Ace Blake Sanderson has a 1.04 WHIP with 25 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched. Home runs have been his vex, though. He’s already given up four long balls on the season, the most on the team.

After him, Ryan Sandberg and  Mike Ruff have both been solid. Sanberg hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of his limited appearances this season. Ruff has allowed five runs over his last two starts, going seven innings in both games with 14 strikeouts and one walk allowed.

Then there’s the bullpen. Quite like Rice they have a few pieces they trust in high leverage situations and plenty of “hold your breath and cross your fingers”-type relievers. Jon Jon Kostantis (0.84 ERA over 10.2 innings) and Zach Sneider (15K in 14.2 innings with four saves) have emerged as the biggest pieces in their pen. Michael Schuler (2.08 ERA) and Vince Coletti (2.33 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) should also see some time over the weekend.

FAU Hitting

The offensive side of the ball is where FAU hopes to make their living this season. Francisco Urbaez is crushing the ball right now, smacking home runs in each of the team’s midweek games this week to raise his slugging percentage to a hefty .768 (for reference, Trei Cruz is slugging .584).

Urbaez isn’t the only deep threat in the FAU lineup. Eric Rivera and Gunnar Lambert have each blasted four dingers apiece, part of 22 collective home runs which are by far the most by and CUSA squad. Rivera’s 29 hits ranks second in the conference to Rice’s Bradley Gneiting who has 33.

Six players in the FAU lineup have double-digit RBI and only one of those six has struck out more than 13 times. This is a team that hits for average, packs some pop, and makes clutch hits. The Rice pitching staff is going to be tested.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: North Texas
  • College Football Returning Production woes in the AAC
  • 2025 Rice Football Opponent Season Preview: UTSA
  • The Roost Podcast | Ep 203 – 2025 Rice Football Opponent Previews: North Texas

Filed Under: Archive, Baseball Tagged With: Rice baseball

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • …
  • 104
  • Next Page »
  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3
  4. Item 4
  5. Item 5
  • 2025 Rice Football Season Preview, Rice Football
  • Jack Ben-Shoshan, Rice Baseball
  • Rice Baseball, David Pierce
  • Rice Football
  • “He’s a Bulldog”: Parker Smith’s Journey to Rice Baseball Ace
Become a patron at Patreon!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter