Rice Baseball lost a compressed weekend series to Louisiana Tech, salvaging a split of a seven-inning doubleheader to avoid a sweep at home.

FRIDAY | LA Tech 6 – Rice 4

Rice starter Parker Smith looked lost in the early portions of the series opener on Friday night. His command was loose and he was hit early and often, facing seven hitters and allowing two runs in the first inning before allowing the first two batters in the second to reach base. Head coach Jose Cruz Jr. stuck with his ace. “All of a sudden, the next thing you know, he throws six innings, right?” Cruz chuckled.

Smith was lifted after 5.2 innings when an error extended an inning he should have escaped from, and eventually did thanks to a quick out from reliever Cristian Cienfuegos. The bats for those two runs back in the second, tying the game on an RBI triple from Ben Royo and a subsequent single by Manny Garza. The score would level again at 4-4 with reliever Matthew Linskey surrendering two solo home runs later before Louisiana Tech tagged Krishna Raj with two runs in the ninth to win it.

SATURDAY AM | LA Tech 5 – Rice 4 (7 inn.)

Brody Drost for Louisiana Tech and Guy Garibay for Rice exchanged solo home runs in the second in a quick but otherwise quiet offensive game through the early innings. At least, that was the case until Rice starter JD McCracken found himself in a jam in the fifth inning. After loading the bases on a single, walk and hit batsman, he gave up the lead on a single to right field and was lifted for Justin Long.

Long was unable to limit the damage, though, and it might have been the difference in the game. Louisiana Tech cleared the bases with a double then tacked on a sac fly. Leading 5-1, Rice got three runs in the seventh but stranded the tying run on first base.

SATURDAY PM | Rice 4 – LA Tech 0 (7 inn.)

Jacob Devenney, rewarded for his pinch-hit RBI single in the early game, drew the start in the finale and came around to score the go-ahead run in the first inning on a double from Aaron Smigelski. Neither team would score in the second, third or fourth innings as Rice starter Tom Vincent delivered one his best outings of the season (3 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs) and the bullpen — specifically Cristian Cienfuegos, Tyler Hamilton, Krishna Raj and Jack Ben-Shoshan — kept Louisiana Tech off the board completely.

Rice picked up insurance in the sixth inning, scoring three runs on a couple of infield singles and walks. Leading 4-0, Ben-Shoshan was able to hang on a close the door, albeit with some drama in the final moments.

THREE FOR THE ROAD

Despite outscoring its opponent this time around, Rice baseball dropped its third consecutive Conference USA series, all by 2-1 margins. Louisiana Tech had the upper hand this weekend. Here are a few takeaways from the series.

1. Unclutch

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ON DECK | vs Lamar (Tues), vs McNeese State (Wed), vs Charlotte (Fri-Sun)

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Parker Smith delivered a masterpiece on Friday night, but the rest of the weekend was less rosy for Rice Baseball, who dropped the series to FAU.

FRIDAY | Rice 1 – FAU 0

Connor Walsh belted a home run over the right field wall on Friday night and trotted around the bases, tapping home plate with his cleats. When he did so, he became the only player of the night to cross the dish and score a run. His solo blast proved to be the only meaningful offensive spark for either team in a Friday night pitcher’s duel.

More: Rice Baseball nonconference Stat of the Program

FAU managed seven hits against Rice starter Parker Smith. Rice totaled just three all against FAU starter Hunter Cooley. The visiting Owls got the hit that mattered most, clinging to Smith’s dazzling start (more on that later) to earn the series-opening win.

SATURDAY | FAU 10 – Rice 7

Both teams traded scoreless innings early on in the second game of the series but even though Rice had taken a 1-0 lead on a Ben Royo home run, the shift in pace wouldn’t be fully realized until FAU struck with a 4-run fourth inning to post the first crooked number of the weekend. Rice would get two back in the fifth, only to relinquish that edge by allowing two in the bottom of the frame.

Trailing 3-4, Manny Garza and Drew Holderbach each picked up multi-RBI hits in the sixth, taking a 7-6 lead. It would not last. Rice relievers Justin Long and Tom Vincent were both tagged with multiple runs, Vincent’s pair occurring in just 0.1 innings. The offense showed some life, but FAU’s second four-run frame — this time in the seventh — evened the series.

SUNDAY| FAU 14 – Rice 4 (8 inn.)

Behind 2-0 after the first inning, Rice had its chance to equal FAU’s multi-run frame in the second. The Owls got one run back and then loaded the bases but were unable to get the equalizing score. Coming up that one play short would be the theme of the day for the offense while the pitching staff continued on its downward trajectory from the day prior.

Rice baseball utilized six different pitchers in the series finale. Of the six, Tyler Hamilton was the only reliever to work at least an inning and not allow multiple runs. Trusted arm Matthew Linskey walked three and did not record an out, a microcosm of the day for the Owls’ pitching staff. Four runs were simply not enough when the struggles on the mound are that extreme and the game ended early via run rule in the eighth.

THREE FOR THE ROAD

Rice baseball dropped its second consecutive Conference USA series, both by 2-1 margins. The Owls fell to UTSA by that result the weekend prior before posting a 2-1 series loss to FAU this time around. Other than Parker Smith, this one felt decidedly less encouraging. Here are a few takeaways from the weekend.

1. The Parker Smith show

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