Tuesday, March 12
Houston, TX
6:30 pm
Rice University
vs
Lamar
Owls Host Cardinals & Bobcats This Week
3/11/2019 3:01:00 PM | Baseball
Rice To Poen C-USA Action Friday At Florida Atlantic
Listen online (pregame show 15 min. before start)
Tickets for Reckling Park
Rice Game Notes PDF
Live Stats
Mar. 12 (Tues.) 6:30 pm; Lamar at Rice Watch online
Mar. 13 (Wed.) 6:30 pm; Texas State at Rice Watch online
The Rice baseball team, 7-10 this season, wraps up the current homestand with a pair of midweek games March 12-13. The Owls host longtime foes Lamar (Tues.) and Texas State (Wed.) in 6:30 pm starts at Reckling Park. Rice then begins Conference USA league play Friday (March 15) with a three-game weekend series at Florida Atlantic.
Fun & Games At Reckling Park - Check Out The Latest Promotion
Wednesday (Mar. 13): Spend your spring break with the Owls! Anyone 12 & under receives free admission to the rematch against Texas State. Check out this link.
Watch Home Games Online Via CUSAtv
All home games at Reckling Park are slated for a live online video broadcast via CUSAtv. The broadcast is a subscription-based service which matches the play-by-play audio with a video feed to create a television-like production on the Internet (either live or in an archived format). Games that have been selected for TV broadcasts can alter the online availability.
Play-By-Play Audio On The Web
Every Rice baseball game is scheduled for a live audio broadcast on the Internet at RiceOwls.com. Tune-in to the broadcast's pregame show 15 minutes before first pitch. Veteran J.P. Heath returns to the booth for his 11th season as the Voice of the Owls. Note that different broadcasters are scheduled to call some of the upcoming games until the completion of the respective Rice men's and women's basketball seasons.
Live Stats Links Online at RiceOwls.com
Links to live play-by-play text and statistics from every game, home and away, are posted on RiceOwls.com. Look for the links on the Rice Athletics front page, the weekly series preview, and/or the baseball schedule page.
Head Coach Matt Bragga
A 19-year veteran of the head coaching ranks, Matt Bragga was named the 21st head coach in Rice baseball history on June 15, 2018. Bragga has spent the last 15 years as the Head Coach at Tennessee Tech, building that program into one of the best in the Ohio Valley Conference. The four-time OVC Coach of the Year led the Golden Eagles to three NCAA Tournament appearances, winning six OVC championships in the past 10 years while winning 40 or more games in four of the past six seasons. In 2018 he helped Tennessee Tech to its best season in school history, amassing a school and OVC-record 53 wins, the most in the country, while leading the team to the league's regular season title and its first-ever trip to the NCAA Super Regionals. The Jefferson, Ohio, native who played collegiately at Kentucky before a pro playing career, owns a Division I coaching record of 453-402-2. Bragga is aided by assistant coaches Cory Barton (Memphis, 2007, first year), Paul Janish (Rice, 2004; second year), and Connor Teykl (Rice, 2017; first year).
Two Owls Coaching On The Corners
There are two former Rice Owls on Matt Bragga's 2019 coaching staff. Former major leaguer and 2003 Rice National Champion Paul Janish is in his second year with the program. Janish (Wiess College) played professionally for 13 years with nine seasons in the major leagues, most recently in 2017 with the Baltimore Orioles. Rice graduate Connor Teykl (Baker College 2017) is in his first season as an assistant coach at his alma mater. As a four-year letterman from 2013 to 2016, Teykl helped lead the Rice baseball program to three Conference USA regular season championships and two league tournament titles. On game days Janish coaches at third base and Teykl coaches at first.
Probable Pitcher
Coach Bragga will announce this week's starting pitchers at a later time.
Last Time Out: Red-Hot Oklahoma Sooners Defeat Rice Sunday
Oklahoma scored four late runs to pull away for a 6-0 win over the Rice baseball team Sunday afternoon at Reckling Park. The Sooners opened the game with a pair of runs on two hits in the first inning and it remained just a narrow 2-0 margin all the way until the eighth. Rice starter Jackson Parthasarathy battled back for five scoreless frames after the first inning. He fanned a career high nine. Oklahoma starter Levi Prater made the 2-0 margin stand up by scattering three hits and a walk while striking out nine in 8.0 innings. The Sooners pushed across three runs in the eighth and another in the ninth for a 6-0 final... "We got a little sloppy late again today, just like yesterday," said Rice head coach Matt Bragga. "I'm proud of our guys because they are definitely fighting and working to continue to improve. From the beginning of the season, I've seen improvements from how we played our first eight or nine games compared to how we've played these last eight or so. That's something you always want to see as a coach. It feels like we've had a lot more games than practice time and practice is where you get better, and get better quicker. I was proud of Jackson today. He did a great job against a very good team. He had a rough first inning but fought through that and settled in very well. That's what I am talking about, the guys are continuing to fight when faced with adversity. Jackson was a great example of that today." Rice is now 7-10 overall. Oklahoma moved to 13-3 on the season.
Listen To What The Man Said
When coach Bragga addressed the media after Sunday's game against Oklahoma he stated "I've seen improvements from how we played our first eight or nine games compared to how we've played these last eight or so." At the time he did not have the benefit of any data in front of him, but the following breakdowns are offered as the hard proof that the head coach's observations and instincts are correct:
W-L Avg. ERA FLD%
First 8 games 2-6 .238 5.38 .927
Last 8 games 4-4 .270 3.73 .958
Winning Is Always In Fashion
For the fashion-minded, Rice's 2019 W-L records while wearing the various uniforms is as follows:
1-0 in blue 'flag' jersey with pinstripe pants
1-0 in blue 'flag' jersey with white pants
4-3 in blue Old English jersey with pinstripe pants
1-3 in all-pinstripes
0-1 in blue Old English jersey with white pants
0-3 in all-white
Matt Bragga Show To Debut On March 18 (Monday)
The Matt Bragga Show, the live weekly Rice baseball show featuring the Owls' new head coach, is scheduled to make its debut on March 18 at Christian's Tailgate Bar & Grill (located close to campus at 5114 Kirby). The show is available around the world on RiceOwls.com. Coach Bragga reviews games from the previous weekend and previews upcoming series. In addition to discussions on college baseball's national rankings and chase for the C-USA championship, each week's show will include current members of the team, former Owl players and special guests. Fans can catch the show on their phone by downloading the "Tune In" app. The show is a unique opportunity for baseball fans to get direct insight from the Owls' head coach.
Here's Who's Hot
Junior right fielder Bradley Gneiting enters the week on a 7-for-14 pace (.500) over the last three games. He collected his ninth multi-hit game against Oklahoma on Sunday... Junior third baseman Braden Comeaux has also hit safely in the last three games where he is 4-for-12 (.333) with two walks, a RBI and a run scored.
20th Year At Reckling Park
Other schools have tried to follow Rice baseball's lead, building bigger and more expensive stadiums, but Reckling Park remains among the best venues in college baseball. The 2019 season is now the Owls' 20th at the stadium. Rice has won an eye-opening 76 percent of its more than 630 games at Reckling Park since opening for the 2000 season.
Tickets for Reckling Park
Rice Game Notes PDF
Live Stats
Mar. 12 (Tues.) 6:30 pm; Lamar at Rice Watch online
Mar. 13 (Wed.) 6:30 pm; Texas State at Rice Watch online
The Rice baseball team, 7-10 this season, wraps up the current homestand with a pair of midweek games March 12-13. The Owls host longtime foes Lamar (Tues.) and Texas State (Wed.) in 6:30 pm starts at Reckling Park. Rice then begins Conference USA league play Friday (March 15) with a three-game weekend series at Florida Atlantic.
Fun & Games At Reckling Park - Check Out The Latest Promotion
Wednesday (Mar. 13): Spend your spring break with the Owls! Anyone 12 & under receives free admission to the rematch against Texas State. Check out this link.
Watch Home Games Online Via CUSAtv
All home games at Reckling Park are slated for a live online video broadcast via CUSAtv. The broadcast is a subscription-based service which matches the play-by-play audio with a video feed to create a television-like production on the Internet (either live or in an archived format). Games that have been selected for TV broadcasts can alter the online availability.
Play-By-Play Audio On The Web
Every Rice baseball game is scheduled for a live audio broadcast on the Internet at RiceOwls.com. Tune-in to the broadcast's pregame show 15 minutes before first pitch. Veteran J.P. Heath returns to the booth for his 11th season as the Voice of the Owls. Note that different broadcasters are scheduled to call some of the upcoming games until the completion of the respective Rice men's and women's basketball seasons.
Live Stats Links Online at RiceOwls.com
Links to live play-by-play text and statistics from every game, home and away, are posted on RiceOwls.com. Look for the links on the Rice Athletics front page, the weekly series preview, and/or the baseball schedule page.
Head Coach Matt Bragga
A 19-year veteran of the head coaching ranks, Matt Bragga was named the 21st head coach in Rice baseball history on June 15, 2018. Bragga has spent the last 15 years as the Head Coach at Tennessee Tech, building that program into one of the best in the Ohio Valley Conference. The four-time OVC Coach of the Year led the Golden Eagles to three NCAA Tournament appearances, winning six OVC championships in the past 10 years while winning 40 or more games in four of the past six seasons. In 2018 he helped Tennessee Tech to its best season in school history, amassing a school and OVC-record 53 wins, the most in the country, while leading the team to the league's regular season title and its first-ever trip to the NCAA Super Regionals. The Jefferson, Ohio, native who played collegiately at Kentucky before a pro playing career, owns a Division I coaching record of 453-402-2. Bragga is aided by assistant coaches Cory Barton (Memphis, 2007, first year), Paul Janish (Rice, 2004; second year), and Connor Teykl (Rice, 2017; first year).
Two Owls Coaching On The Corners
There are two former Rice Owls on Matt Bragga's 2019 coaching staff. Former major leaguer and 2003 Rice National Champion Paul Janish is in his second year with the program. Janish (Wiess College) played professionally for 13 years with nine seasons in the major leagues, most recently in 2017 with the Baltimore Orioles. Rice graduate Connor Teykl (Baker College 2017) is in his first season as an assistant coach at his alma mater. As a four-year letterman from 2013 to 2016, Teykl helped lead the Rice baseball program to three Conference USA regular season championships and two league tournament titles. On game days Janish coaches at third base and Teykl coaches at first.
Probable Pitcher
Coach Bragga will announce this week's starting pitchers at a later time.
Last Time Out: Red-Hot Oklahoma Sooners Defeat Rice Sunday
Oklahoma scored four late runs to pull away for a 6-0 win over the Rice baseball team Sunday afternoon at Reckling Park. The Sooners opened the game with a pair of runs on two hits in the first inning and it remained just a narrow 2-0 margin all the way until the eighth. Rice starter Jackson Parthasarathy battled back for five scoreless frames after the first inning. He fanned a career high nine. Oklahoma starter Levi Prater made the 2-0 margin stand up by scattering three hits and a walk while striking out nine in 8.0 innings. The Sooners pushed across three runs in the eighth and another in the ninth for a 6-0 final... "We got a little sloppy late again today, just like yesterday," said Rice head coach Matt Bragga. "I'm proud of our guys because they are definitely fighting and working to continue to improve. From the beginning of the season, I've seen improvements from how we played our first eight or nine games compared to how we've played these last eight or so. That's something you always want to see as a coach. It feels like we've had a lot more games than practice time and practice is where you get better, and get better quicker. I was proud of Jackson today. He did a great job against a very good team. He had a rough first inning but fought through that and settled in very well. That's what I am talking about, the guys are continuing to fight when faced with adversity. Jackson was a great example of that today." Rice is now 7-10 overall. Oklahoma moved to 13-3 on the season.
Listen To What The Man Said
When coach Bragga addressed the media after Sunday's game against Oklahoma he stated "I've seen improvements from how we played our first eight or nine games compared to how we've played these last eight or so." At the time he did not have the benefit of any data in front of him, but the following breakdowns are offered as the hard proof that the head coach's observations and instincts are correct:
W-L Avg. ERA FLD%
First 8 games 2-6 .238 5.38 .927
Last 8 games 4-4 .270 3.73 .958
Winning Is Always In Fashion
For the fashion-minded, Rice's 2019 W-L records while wearing the various uniforms is as follows:
1-0 in blue 'flag' jersey with pinstripe pants
1-0 in blue 'flag' jersey with white pants
4-3 in blue Old English jersey with pinstripe pants
1-3 in all-pinstripes
0-1 in blue Old English jersey with white pants
0-3 in all-white
Matt Bragga Show To Debut On March 18 (Monday)
The Matt Bragga Show, the live weekly Rice baseball show featuring the Owls' new head coach, is scheduled to make its debut on March 18 at Christian's Tailgate Bar & Grill (located close to campus at 5114 Kirby). The show is available around the world on RiceOwls.com. Coach Bragga reviews games from the previous weekend and previews upcoming series. In addition to discussions on college baseball's national rankings and chase for the C-USA championship, each week's show will include current members of the team, former Owl players and special guests. Fans can catch the show on their phone by downloading the "Tune In" app. The show is a unique opportunity for baseball fans to get direct insight from the Owls' head coach.
Here's Who's Hot
Junior right fielder Bradley Gneiting enters the week on a 7-for-14 pace (.500) over the last three games. He collected his ninth multi-hit game against Oklahoma on Sunday... Junior third baseman Braden Comeaux has also hit safely in the last three games where he is 4-for-12 (.333) with two walks, a RBI and a run scored.
20th Year At Reckling Park
Other schools have tried to follow Rice baseball's lead, building bigger and more expensive stadiums, but Reckling Park remains among the best venues in college baseball. The 2019 season is now the Owls' 20th at the stadium. Rice has won an eye-opening 76 percent of its more than 630 games at Reckling Park since opening for the 2000 season.
Players Mentioned
WBB: Rice vs. Marshall Postgame Presser
Wednesday, March 09
VB: Rice-Texas Postgame Presser
Saturday, December 04
VB: Rice-San Diego Postgame Presser
Thursday, December 02