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Rice Baseball battles through rain to sweep Houston Christian

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Rice baseball picked up its first home series sweep of the season, battling through the rain to take all three games against Houston Christian at Reckling Park.

It was all smiles at Reckling Park following a weekend sweep of a team from across town. Rice baseball moved to 8-11 on the season with conference play looming ahead. “All in all, it was an excellent weekend for us. We were challenging the guy on the offensive side to be more than they have been, get on the plate and create some more issues on the offensive side and they really did,” head coach Jose Cruz Jr said.

“They took it personally and they were swinging the bat. They were confident. They battled with two strikes. They got hits with guys on base. They had more stolen base attempts, executed bunts. All that was really good. That’s the kind of attitude that we just need to have moving forward.”

FRIDAY | Rice 10 – HCU 7

It became evident this would not be a pitcher’s duel when Rice ace Parker Smith was lifted after three innings that required 62 pitches to get through. The Owls were in front 4-3 when Smith departed, but ceded that advantage in the fifth inning when Smith’s relief, Tom Vincent, surrendered a pair of two-out RBI hits.

Last Time Out: Rice Baseball drops series to Hawaii

Trailing 7-6, Rice went quietly in the sixth before getting something going in the seventh. The first three batters reached, setting up a bases-loaded situation with no outs. Two strikeouts later, the burden fell to Trey Duffield who delivered in style, mashing the two-out delivery over the left field fence for a grand slam. Vincent followed with a scoreless eighth before Davion Hickson stepped in for the ninth, earning his second save of the season.

SATURDAY | Rice 7 – HCU3

Rice were visitors in their home park after weather forced the Saturday contest, previously scheduled to be played at Houston Christian, back to South Main. They found themselves trailing after the first inning, giving up a pair to HCU via a pair of errors in the infield, before rallying back in the top of the second.

The Owls hung three on HCU starter Parker Edwards, who they’d knock out of the game early in the fourth. JD McCracken settled in quickly, working through five allowing just two earned runs as the bats continued to tack on runs, steadily increasing their advantage. Treyton Rank’s two-RBI double in the eighth left plenty of cushion for Tyler Hamilton, who earned the last six outs and his first save of the season.

SUNDAY | Rice 10 – HCU 6

There was no Rice deficit to be seen in the series finale. The Owls struck for two in the first inning before hitting around in the second, sending 11 to the plate in a seven-run outburst that gave the home team a commanding 9-0 lead entering the third. At that point, all Ryland Urbancyzk had to do was hold the line. He worked 4.2 innings in relief, handing the ball to Mauricio Rodriguez who earned the win.

Kyte McDonald, Jack Riedel and Nathan Becker all had three-hit games as Rice baseball unloaded the bench and was able to get a host of position players into the game in the later innings. HCU was eventually able to get a bit closer, threatening with bases loaded in the ninth, but Davion Hickson came in and shut the threat down quickly, earning the save and clinching the sweep.

THREE FOR THE ROAD

Rice baseball needed a weekend to get right and did just that against Houston Christian. Three straight wins, regardless of opponent, are a boon for morale. Here are three takeaways from the series:

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1. Left on Board

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ON DECK | at UH (Tues), vs UH (Wed), vs Tulane (Fri-Sun)

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Bats go cold as Rice Baseball drops series at Hawaii

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Rice baseball got things started with a Friday night win, but couldn’t hang on, dropping the four-game series 3-1 at Hawaii.

FRIDAY | Rice 5 – Hawaii 2

Treyton Rank and Brendan Cumming picked up RBI hits in the second inning to stake Parker Smith to an early lead on Friday night. The Owls’ ace would allow one run on three hits, working five innings before giving way to the bullpen. The pitching staff would be given a bit more cushion as the offense tacked on an additional run in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings, getting to the bottom of the ninth with a 5-2 lead.

Last Time Out: Rice Baseball  tops PVAMU in midweek battle

It was at that point that Davion Hickson, in his second inning of work, ran into a bit of trouble. With the potential tying run at the plate and one out, he was lifted in favor of Garrett Stratton. After walking a batter to load the bases, Stratton induced a game-ending double-play, the Owls’ fourth of the game.

SATURDAY | Hawaii 4 – Rice 3

Rice starter JD McCracken battled through five innings and pitched rather well on Saturday, with one tough inning that would prove problematic for the Owls. Hawaii tagged McCracken for three runs in the fourth, collecting four hits, only one of which left the infield.

Trailing by three, Rice chipped away. Jack Riedel doubled in one run in the sixth before Kyte McDonald’s third home run in the eighth, his third of the season, tied the game. The deadlock wouldn’t last long. Tyler Hamilton allowed a solo shot in the bottom of the inning, which proved to be the difference in the one-run game.

SUNDAY | Hawaii 12 – Rice 1

Following a pair of tight games, the third rendition was anything but close. Hawaii struck for seven runs in the first inning, knocking starter Ryland Urbaczyk from the game quickly and taking out the rest of their fury against reliever Mauricio Rodriguez. Rice would never recover.

The rest of the bullpen struggled with free passes, walking a combined 11 batters on the afternoon and surrendering additional crooked numbers in the fifth and eighth innings. Rice scored their only run of the day in the second on a home run from Trey Duffield.

MONDAY | Hawaii 7 – Rice 5

Things looked dire early on in the series finale when Rice starter Robert Fernandez was ambushed for three runs in the first inning via a bases-clearing double. Fernandez settled in and got through another inning and change, giving way to Tom Vincent who got the Owls through five innings without further damage.

The fifth was when Rice offense started to wake up. Kyte McDonald and Treyton Rank each delivered RBI doubles, one in the fifth and another in the sixth, give Rice a 4-3 lead. Hawaii would answer with a three-spot of their own in the bottom of the sixth, taking a 6-4 advantage. Rice would not lead again, dropping the game and the series.

THREE FOR THE ROAD

Rice baseball leaves another weekend with a series loss, turning in several competitive outings with only one win to show for it. Here are three takeaways from the series:

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ON DECK | vs Houston Christian (Fri-Sun)

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Rice Baseball bounces back with midweek win over PVAMU

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Rice Baseball got back in the win column on Tuesday night, taking care of business against Prairie View A&M at Reckling Park, 6-1.

Prairie View struck first on Tuesday night, launching a second inning pitch from Rice baseball starter Robert Fernandez over the right field wall to take the lead. The Owls were able to respond immediately, softening any lingering concerns about the offensive woes showcased in their weekend series loss to Stanford with a trio of multi-run frames.

Last Time Out: Rice Baseball swept by Stanford

Ben Royo collected the first RBI in the bottom of the second, moving the line with a single to left center. Max Johnson followed with a sacrifice fly to put Rice in front, 2-1. Staked to a modest lead, Fernandez and the bullpen, patrolled this time by Jackson Mayo and Mauricio Rodriguez, keep the Panthers’ bats quiet.

PVAMU had two hits and two walks, never posing any meaningful threats outside of that isolated home run ball early on. Rice would add two more runs of their own in the fifth, courtesy of a double from Nathan Becker. The final two would cross in the sixth on a sac fly from Pierce Gallo and a wild pitch.

For the night, Rice outhit PVAMU 11-2 and the Rice pitching staff worked nine innings of one-run ball, striking out eight while allowing six total base runners, including one hit batter and one who reached via an error.

What it means | The price of victory

With the outcome essentially decided, the injury bug snuck up and bit Rice baseball again in the ninth inning. Max Johnson went down in a heap, stretching for a ball thrown off the bag before collapsing to the turf in pain. He had to be helped off the field by trainers and didn’t look to be able to put much weight on his leg.

Johnson had yet to register his first hit of the season but had earned the trust of the coaching staff for his improved competitiveness at the plate as well as his defense. His 10-pitch at bat against Stanford on Sunday that kept the Owls in it late drew positive reviews from head coach Jose Cruz Jr afterward.

“I thought Max had really good at bats,” Cruz said, singling out that crucial at bat. “I’m happy for that progress.”

If Johnson does indeed miss time, Rice will have to reshuffle the lineup again after settling in on Johnson as the first baseman for the time being. That would likely put Treyton Rank back on the infield and keep Ben Royo at shortstop. At some point, it’s a numbers game, and Rice is running out of options with the season just a few weeks old.

ON DECK | vs Hawaii (Fri-Mon)

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Rice Baseball swept by Stanford

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Rice baseball left Reckling Park without a win this weekend, falling in three straight games to Stanford.

FRIDAY | Stanford 6 – Rice 2

The home crowd exploded with cheers when Jack Riedel launched a seventh-inning pitch over the left field berm for a no-doubt, leadoff home run. While the blast was impressive, it also represented the Owls’ first hit of the night in a game they trailed 5-0 before that ball crossed over the fence.

Last Time Out: Rice Baseball drops midweek bout with LSU

Stanford starting pitcher Matt Scott had allowed just two base runners to that point, both on walks. Smith outdueled Rice ace Parker Smith who had labored through six innings, earning the loss. A late-inning rally would prove too little, too late.

SATURDAY | Stanford 8 – Rice 2

Following a spectacular complete game the weekend prior, Rice pitcher JD McCracken was not as fortunate this time out. He labored through 5.2 innings, leaving in a precarious spot in the sixth before two more runs were added to his ledger on a double surrendered by Jack Ben-Shoshan.

Trailing 8-0 with one hit of their own, Rice couldn’t mount a meaningful comeback. Jack Riedel gave the Owls their only offensive spark of the day, lifting a two-out home run over the wall to prevent a shutout. That salvaged some pride but had no impact on the Owls’ chances at a comeback.

SUNDAY | Stanford 4 – Rice 3

Although Stanford did strike first once again, things were much closer on Sunday in the series finale. After the Cardinal put up a two-spot in the first, Rice rallied to tie the game in the second inning. Treyton Rank delivered a key RBI double to even the score at 2-2.

The game would remain deadlocked there until the fifth inning when Stanford chased Rice start Ryland Urbanczyk from the game and moved ahead on a two-run homer off his successor, Tom Vincent. Rice got one back in the bottom half of the inning but wouldn’t score again.

Rice had a chance to break through in the eighth but stranded the bases loaded. Davion Hickson was a bright spot in the late innings, striking out five in 3.1 scoreless.

THREE FOR THE ROAD

Rice baseball wrapped up a rough week on the diamond with a weekend sweep at the hands of Stanford. Here are three takeaways from the series:

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ON DECK | vs PVAMU (Tues), at Hawaii (Fri-Mon)

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Rice Baseball drops midweek bout to No. 3 LSU

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A rocky start was too much to overcome as Rice Baseball fell at home to defending champion LSU who scored early and often.

To beat championship-caliber teams you have to play championship-caliber ball. Wednesday night fully encapsulated the degree to which Rice baseball isn’t on the same level as the reigning national champions. And it all came to bear in the span of two half-innings that made all the difference.

Left field Brendan Cumming lost a ball in the lights in the second inning. A few at bats later, he came up inches short of a diving play in the outfield. Had both balls been caught, Rice very well could have been out of the inning with a zero on the board. Neither were. LSU got three.

Last Time Out: Pitching powers Rice Baseball to series win over Louisiana

An inning later, Rice got the first two outs. Instead of retiring the next batter though, reliever Jake Melvin hit him. The next man hit a home run. LSU proceeded to tack on four additional two-out runs. After coming so close to putting up back-to-back zeroes, Rice trailed LSU 9-0 through three innings.

Rice put together four runs of their own, but another large crooked number in the seventh — courtesy of another mammoth home run blast from LSU catcher Brady Neal, his second of the night — ended any illusions of a comeback. Rice fell 16-4.

What it means | Bright lights, strong winds, bad mix

The lights in the outfield were replaced the week before the season began. The new lights are bright. Someone on staff from a visiting team at Reckling Park this season mentioned they’d seen players struggle with similar lighting setups, particularly in the outfield. The first four games proceeded without notice. Then came Wednesday night.

What the scorebook shows is not fully indicative of what really happened in the field. Both left fielders misplaced balls in the air. Multiple balls dropped in between the triangle formed between the left fielder, third baseman and the shortstop. Officially these were ruled as hits because no fielder directly misplayed the baseball. But for those watching the game it was more than evident the field was playing tricks on everyone.

Rice baseball head coach Jose Cruz Jr. was more concerned with the wind that the lights.”I don’t think it was lights at all the lights were great. It’s it’s as bright as it’s ever been here at Rice,” he said. “But we were both playing on the same field.”

ON DECK | vs Stanford (Fri-Sun)

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