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Rice Baseball: Owls stunned by walk-off loss to Southern Miss in CUSA Tournament

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Matt Canterino’s gem was wasted. The Rice baseball bullpen caved again as the Owls fell to Southern Miss at the Conference USA Baseball Tournament.

The formula for Rice advancing in the Conference USA Baseball Tournament was simple: Pitch well and take advantage of opportunities at the plate. Matt Canterino answered the call. The bullpen did not as the Owls fell to 2-Seed Southern Miss 6-4 in 10 innings.

More: CUSA Tournament Bracket, news and notes

The staff ace, Canterino was every bit as special as the Owls needed him to be. He was sharp as ever through 7.1 innings, striking out nine, walking two and allowing one run on three hits. With the Southern Miss offense confounded, even a slight lead felt commanding.

To that point, the offense had been sturdy. Braden Comeaux reached based on each his first four plate appearances, coming in to score three times. Trei Cruz blasted a two-run dinger in the third. Rice led 4-0 at the seventh inning stretch.

Owls fall by walk-off for the fourth straight game

When Canterino left the game Rice fans held their breath. The bullpen was coming off their worst week of the season. It took guts for Bragga to pull Canterino when he got into the seventh inning jam. While it might have been ideal to ride Canterino as far as he could carry them, he’s already thrown 100 pitches. His availability the rest of the week would have been factored into Bragga’s decision to turn to the pen.

With Garrett Gayle on the mound, Rice coughed up the four run lead including three runs scored in the ninth inning. Rice needed one more out to advance. On multiple tries, they failed to get it. A walk-off home run by Southern Miss slugger Matt Wallner ended any hope of a late rally.

Rice isn’t going to advance without a few big outings from their bullpen. They came close Wendesday, but fell painfully short once again.

UP NEXT | Louisiana Tech – Thursday 9:00 am

Rice will play Louisiana Tech in the loser’s bracket. The Bulldogs dropped their first-round game to Marshall in 12 innings., the longest game (by time) in CUSA Tournament history. Rice swept Louisiana Tech at home earlier this season.

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Rice Baseball 2019: Previewing CUSA Tournament game vs Southern Miss

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Rice baseball takes on Southern Miss in the opening round of the Conference USA Baseball Tournament. Here’s how both teams match up.

A battle of CUSA heavyweight programs will reconvene in Biloxi. Rice and Southern Miss have won five of the last six Conference USA Baseball Tournament championships. Southern Miss won in 2018 with Rice winning the year prior.

The Owls have undergone plenty of changes since, most notably with the hiring of head coach Matt Bragga. If either program wants to return to the top they’ll need to get past the other this week.

How to watch and game info

Previous meetings

Rice and Southern Miss will meet for the fourth time in the 2019 season on Wednesday during the first round of the 2019 Conference USA Baseball Tournament. 7-Seed Rice will look to do what they’ve already accomplished twice this season, an upset of the Golden Eagles.

How Rice wins

Rice blew three late-inning leads in their final regular season series against Marshall. The sound of the Marshall bats pounding out three straight walk-off hits might still be ringing in the ears of the Rice bullpen, a low point for that group. If the Owls have it their way, they’ll be able to minimize the risk that bullpen might add in a survive-and-advance setting.

Staff ace Matt Canterino has been superb this season, but so also have fellow starters Evan Kravetz and Jackson Parthasarathy. The Owls’ trio of starting pitchers is the only set of starters who have each been named CUSA Pitcher of the Week this season. Canterino will presumably start against Southern Miss. If he’s throwing well, it’s going to be hard for coach Bragga to take him out a before the sixth or seventh inning at the earliest.

A complete game from Canterino or a strong start with a few well-executed innings by a select bullpen arm or two have proven to be enough to keep the Southern Miss bats at bay. That combination, plus a big hit or two from the likes of Trei Cruz, Bradley Gneiting or Andrew Dunlap are the recipe Rice needs to employ to move on.

How Southern Miss wins

Southern Miss is playing far from their best brand of baseball, going 3-6 in their last nine conference games. Even in defeat, though, the markings of an NCAA Tournament-worthy team have been apparent. Walker Powell is a top of the line starting pitcher who tossed nine innings in his most recent outing against UAB, striking out eight while allowing one earned run. He’ll go toe-to-toe with the Owls’ Canterino.

The lineup is where Southern Miss will hope to exploit their advantage. The Golden Eagles entering the CUSA Tournament with the third best batting average in CUSA and the second-most long balls on the season (54). Outside of an off weekend in Houston, the Southern Miss offense has tallied 21 runs or more in every conference series they’ve played this season — including the series losses.

Both teams can pitch and both teams can hit. But Southern Miss has proven more capable of stringing those hits together and producing runs consistently. They just haven’t done it against Rice. Which side blinks first?

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Conference USA Baseball Tournament 2019 Preview, schedule, how to watch

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The Conference USA Baseball Tournament returns to Biloxi, Mississippi for what promises to be another exciting final week with an NCAA bid on the line.

An eventful regular season has boiled down to one week in Biloxi. Eight Conference USA teams will enter, but only one will clinch an NCAA Tournament bid. With the possible exception of 1-Seed FAU or 2-Seed Southern Miss, the rest of the league will need to win the tournament to have a realistic shot at the NCAA Tournament as an at large team.

All games will be streamed on ESPN+ with the exception of the tournament championship, available on CBS Sports Network scheduled for Sunday, May 26 at 1:00 pm. The first four games are scheduled to be played on Wednesday, May 22. The full schedule and updated bracket are available on the CUSA Baseball website.

Assessing the field

The favorites | Southern Miss and FAU are arguably the two most complete teams in Conference USA. They each possess the depth to make a run through the loser’s bracket should they need to, although the field isn’t far behind.

The darkhorse | Old Dominion is playing their best baseball of the season when it matters most. The Monarchs might not be thought of as a baseball power, but they could sneak up on a team caught looking ahead.

The wild card | Rice might be the scariest team in this regional. Their bullpen has been as erratic as the starting pitching has been dominant. If they can manufacture something out of the pen, Rice could stun several higher seeded teams.

The bracket

Game 1 – 9:00 AM | (6) Marshall vs (3) Louisiana Tech

How they got here | It took a strong finish on the final weekend of the regular season for Marshall to clinch a spot in the CUSA Tournament field. The Thundering Herd swept Rice, setting up a rematch with Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs had a more comfortable journey, winning seven of their 10 CUSA series.

The matchup | Louisiana Tech took two of three from Marshall in the regular season, but it’s worth noting Marshall won the series opener. With just short of a full week’s rest to rest their pitching, this could be a close one.

Game 2 – 12:30 PM | (7) Rice vs (2) Southern Miss

How they got here | Southern Miss was in contention for the No. 1 overall seed until the final weekend of conference play. Their series loss to eventual top-seed FAU cost them the top spot and set them up for a matchup with hot and cold Rice. The Owls ricocheted to a low point in their final series, being swept by Marshall on three consecutive walk-off losses.

The matchup | Had it not been for a shaky bullpen, Rice might have swept Southern Miss in the regular season. Rice took two of three from the Golden Eagles. The caveat of the inconsistent bullpen throws any reasonable expectation for how this game might end up right out the window.

Game 3 – 4:00 PM | (8) UTSA vs (1) FAU

How they get here |  FAU baseball seized their opportunity, following a series win over then top-seeded Southern Miss with wins in five of their final six conference games. That gave them the regular season crown. They’ll face off with UTSA who clinched their spot on the final weekend, taking two of three from Charlotte.

The matchup |  UTSA managed one win in three tries against FAU during the regular season. The lone victory came by way of a two-hit complete game performance from Slater Foust. Silencing FAU’s offense won’t come easy, even with ace Karan Patel on the mound.

Game 4 – 7:30 PM | (5) Old Dominion vs (4) WKU

How they get here |  Playing in the CUSA Baseball conference tournament for the first time in school history, WKU road a stout offense to their first such postseason berth. Old Dominion was swept at home by Rice in late March and proceeded to win their last seven CUSA series to rocket back into the postseason mix.

The matchup | Old Dominion took two of three from Western Kentucky in the final weekend of regular season play, capping the series off with theatrics. Trailing 10-5 in the ninth inning, Old Dominion scored seven unanswered runs to take the game and the series.

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Rice Baseball: Owls switch gears to CUSA Tournament after Marshall sweep

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Riding high after a series win over Southern Miss, Rice baseball was stopped stone-cold in their tracks by Marshall, narrowly clinching a CUSA Tournament spot.

The week began on a high note, with Rice baseball besting rival Houston to clinch the Silver Glove Series. After the Tuesday night victory, Rice hit the road to finish conference play with a three-game set in Huntington, West Virginia. Both Marshall and Rice were fighting for a spot in the Conference Tournament. Rice clinched their berth on Friday but Marshall had more work to do, eventually locking up a spot of their own after taking three straight from Rice.

Both the Owls and the Thundering Herd earned spots in Biloxi this coming week. Here’s how the series unfolded with three overarching themes as Rice enters the conference tournament.

THURSDAY | Marshall 5, Rice 4 (11)

Rice used a big fifth inning to jump ahead in the series opener. Trei Cruz broke the deadlock with an RBI single to center, scoring Aaron Beaulaurier. Andrew Dunlap followed with a three-run bomb to break things open.

Matt Canterino was in top form on the mound, holding Marshall to two earned runs in seven innings with nine strikeouts. He handed the ball to Kendal Jefferies at the start of the eighth. Jefferies, and later Garrett Gayle, were unable to hold the line. Marshall walked it off in the 11th on a two-out RBI single after holding Rice scoreless through the final six innings.

FRIDAY | Marshall 4, Rice 3 (10)

Kel Bordwine took the ball on Friday after Evan Kravetz was a late scratch. Even with the deviation in the weekend rotation, the Owls weren’t threatened early in game two. Bordwine was superb, throwing seven innings of one-run ball. The Marshall offense mustered five hits off the short-notice starter, allowing the Rice offense to slowly build a lead.

Rice climbed ahead 3-0, courtesy of a few impactful extra-base hits. Bealaurier doubled in the third, scoring Antonio Cruz. Bradley Gneiting and Antonio Cruz added solo home runs in the fourth and seventh innings, respectively.

Marshall wouldn’t score until the eighth, leveling the score at 3-3 after Blair Lewis surrendered a 2-run home run. That score would hold for one more inning until Marshall scored a final, unearned run on an infield error to win the game in the 10th.

SATURDAY | Marshall 5, Rice 4

Marshall struck first in the finale, taking a 1-0 lead on a home run in the first inning. Playing from behind for the first time in regulation, Rice was forced to muster a comeback. Trei Cruz gave Rice the lead with a fourth-inning double. Justin Collins extended the advantage to 3-1 with a solo home run in the sixth. Jackson Parthasarathy powered through the Marshall lineup as Bordwine and Canterino had before. Things were looking good.

Yet again, Rice took a lead into the later innings. Yet again, Marshall found an equalizer. The Thundering Herd knotted the game at 3-3 in the eighth, but this time Rice punched back, squeezing out the go-ahead run via a sac bunt in the top of the ninth inning. The small ball wouldn’t be enough, though, as Marshall tied and went on to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, their third walk-off win of the weekend.

TAKEAWAYS | Marshall wins series 3-0

1. Who will step up in the bullpen?

The Owls most trustworthy bullpen arms failed them in big spots against Marshall. Staked to late leads with few outs to get, nobody was able to come up with an answer. That’s not a problem the Owls were hoping to run into this late in the season, but May is the time to make the best with what you have, not to reinvent the wheel.

Coach Bragga could try to implement a quicker hook or experiment with bumping someone like Bordwine from a spot starter to a bullpen piece. Bragga will undoubtedly push all the buttons he thinks will make the most sense for the team in its current state, but he’s not able to step on the mound and physically throw the pitches.

Those same players who had rough weekends have proven capable in the past. Jefferies and Gayle have combined for nine saves, 100 percent of the team’s total on the season. And that’s the peculiar thing about baseball. The sport built upon failure will put these same pitchers in high leverage situations again, soon. They’re going to get another chance. If they capitalize on their opportunities in Biloxi, their shortcomings in Huntington will fade, quickly.

2. It’s going to be a short week if something doesn’t change

Even without a win in their final regular-season series, Rice qualified for the Conference USA Baseball Tournament. The starting pitching showcased their extraordinary depth over the weekend, digging beyond their typical weekend trio and still producing three quality starts. The bullpen and the offense can’t ask for much better than they got against Marshall, setting the stage for a game of Russian Roulette going forward.

Assuming a strong start on the mound, Rice needs to find a way to avoid joint implosions by the bullpen and the lineup. If one of those two units can produce at a level commensurate to the starting pitching, Rice has a shot to advance deep into the conference tournament. If both units fade into a repeat of this weekend. Bang. Season over.

3. CUSA Tournament set

If there is any good fortune to be found in the weekend sweep, Rice draws a familiar opponent in the opening game of the CUSA Tournament. Rice took two of three from Southern Miss a week ago, relying on their now embraced pattern of high-caliber pitching and just-enough offense.

UTSA’s loss on Saturday might prove to be fortuitous for the Owls, too. A win by the Roadrunners would have dropped Rice to the 8-seed where they’d have met 1-seed FAU in Biloxi. FAU swept Rice earlier this season and the games weren’t as close as the three Rice loss to Marshall. Nevertheless, Rice has its opponent. Now they need to execute.

ON DECK | vs Southern Miss (Wed) in CUSA Tournament

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Rice Baseball: Previewing the Marshall series

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Rice baseball is on the cusp of clinching a Conference USA Baseball Tournament berth. Can the Owls secure a trip to Biloxi this weekend against Marshall?

Listen online // Watch Thursday (YouTube) // Watch Friday (YouTube) // Watch Saturday (YouTube)

The magic number is one. Rice needs one win or any combination of one loss from UTSA or FIU to clinch a berth in the Conference USA Baseball tournament. A road trip to Marshall won’t make for the easiest weekend set, but Rice has some momentum coming off an impressive series win over league-leading Southern Miss at home over the weekend.

With that ever-important context in mind, here’s how Rice matches up with Marshall:

Projected Pitching Matchups

Thursday – 2:00 pm: Matt Canterino (6-5, 2.93) vs Joshua Shapiro (5-3 3.38)
Friday – 1:00 pm: Evan Kravetz (5-2, 3.33)  vs Wade Martin (0-3, 8.10)
Saturday – 10:00 am: Jackson Parthasarathy (4-7, 4.41) vs  Ryan Capuano (1-2, 5.86)

Marshall Pitching

Marshall ranks ninth in the conference in staff ERA. Their .253 batting average against is respectable, but 6.2 walks per game have impacted their effectiveness. Joshua Shapiro is their only starting pitcher who’s been a consistent producer, but even he has had a few rough outings of late.

Shapiro was knocked out of the UAB game after allowing five earned runs in three innings, gave up five more earned runs in 5.1 innings against UTSA before settling in with six innings and three earned runs against Old Dominion.

After Shapiro, the rest of the staff is a mixed bag. Michael Guerrero and Garrett Priestley have been two of the most reliable arms out of the bullpen. No pitcher has made more appearances than D’Andre Knight (26), but like many arms on this staff, he’s cooled off from a hot start earlier in the season.

Marshall Hitting

Starting at the top with Elvis Peralta’s sterling .369 batting average and continuing nine-deep with dangerous hitters, Marshall is one of the better offensive squads in the conference.

Peralta leads the team with 24 extra base hits, one of four players with 10 or more doubles on the season. Tucker Linker, Luke Edwards, Rey Pastrana and Geordon Blanton round out that hard-hitting quartet, all potential problems for a Rice pitching staff which faired reasonably well in their last conference outing against a talented Southern Miss squad.

Erik Rodriguez has scored a team-best 42 runs this season, another in a long list of dangerous Marshall hitters. Shane Hanon, has climbed to the forefront, slashing .382/.478/.627 in 29 games.

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