Rice University Athletics
Tuesday, March 19
College Station, TX
6:32 pm
Rice University
at
Texas A&M
Rice Plays At Texas A&M Tuesday Night
3/18/2019 6:32:00 PM | Baseball
Showdown Scheduled For SEC Network Telecast
Listen online (pregame show 15 min. before start)
Rice Game Notes PDF
Mar. 19 (Tues.) 6:30 pm; Rice at No. 13 Texas A&M Watch online Live Stats
Rice Concludes Road Swing Tuesday Night At No. 13 Texas A&M
Owls Return Home To Host UTSA In Weekend Series
The Rice baseball team, 8-14 this season, concludes the current road swing with a Tuesday night clash at No. 13 ranked Texas A&M. First pitch against the 17-5 Aggies is set for 6:30 pm in College Station. The Owls then return home to Reckling Park for three-game Conference USA weekend series against state foe UTSA on March 22-24.
Watch Tuesday's Game On SEC Network
Tuesday's game at Texas A&M is slated for a live broadcast on the SEC Network. Broadcasters Mike Morgan and Todd Walker have the call from Blue Bell Park in College Station.
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 454-406-2. 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.
That's 22 Games In 31 Days
Rice has finished an early portion of the schedule that featured playing 22 games in a 31-day span. As of March 17 (Sun.) Rice shared the Division I lead in games played with Florida, Texas and Texas A&M.
Last Time Out: FAU Defeats Rice Sunday, 12-4
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic recorded 16 hits for a 12-4 Conference USA win over the visiting Rice baseball team Sunday afternoon in Boca Raton, Fla.... Florida Atlantic scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. FAU led 5-0 when Rice struck for a run in the fourth as Justin Collins doubled home Andrew Dunlap. In the top of the fifth Cade Edwards launched a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left for a solo home run. The blast was his second of the season and made the score 5-2, but FAU was quickly back on the board for runs in the fifth and sixth for a 7-2 advantage. Rice put together a two out rally to score twice in the seventh, but five more FAU runs in the final two frames closed out a 12-4 final... The Rice trio of Collins, Andrew Dunlap and Trei Cruz all finished with two hits. Kendal Jefferies was the best of five Rice pitchers on the day. The senior right-hander allowed four hits and a walk in 4.0 innings... Rice is now 8-14 on the season and 0-3 in conference. Florida Atlantic improved to 14-7 overall and 3-0 in C-USA.
Many Ranked Foes
Playing nationally ranked teams is nothing new for Rice. One month into the season the Owls have already played seven games against five ranked opponents. Rice has posted two victories against ranked teams this season (Big 12 foes Baylor and TCU).
Cruzin' Among The C-USA Leaders
Sophomore shortstop Trei Cruz has jumped out to the Conference USA lead in a host of statistical categories. Cruz leads C-USA in triples (3) and respected hitter shares the league lead in walks (17). He is also tied for second in total bases (52) and tied for third in runs scored (21) and RBI (22). Cruz is also tied for fifth with 28 hits in 22 games played.
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
4-4 in blue Old English jersey with pinstripe pants
1-3 in all-white
1-4 in all-pinstripes
0-1 in blue Old English jersey with white pants
0-1 in blue blue "R" jersey with gray pants
0-1 in all-gray
Here's Who's Hot
Trei Cruz is one of the Owls' hottest hitters heading into the Texas A&M game. The Houston native (Episcopal H.S.) is 8-for-22 (.364) recently with two doubles and a triple for a .545 slugging percentage. He's also drawn four walks and scored four runs in the last five games... Senior left fielder Andrew Dunlap had a sound and solid weekend at Florida Atlantic. The Owl veteran went-5-for-12 (.417) with six RBI in the three league games. He also knocked a homer and a double for a .750 slugging percentage over the weekend.
18 Career Homers For Andrew Dunlap
Andrew Dunlap's Saturday home run at Florida Atlantic was his fourth of the season and the 18th of his collegiate career. That's the most homers for an active Rice player since Michael Ratterree reached 31 in 2013. So far Dunlap has belted seven home runs at Reckling Park and eleven other round-trippers at ten different ballparks.
Oklahoma Boy, Cinderella Story
Consider the true college baseball tale of Rice senior Daniel Russell. Four years ago Russell played high school baseball in his hometown of Stillwater, Okla., then enrolled at Rice and pursue a double-major in History and Religious Studies. Russell (the everyday student) completed three years at Rice plus the 2018 fall semester. He then decided for the final half of his senior year he would serve the baseball program as a much-needed bullpen catcher for the Owls' 2019 season. The role was set up as bullpen catcher, but sometimes life throws you a curve. A month into the season Russell has not only worked his way into playing in five Division I games, he's collected three base hits in six at bats (.500), has two RBI and scored a run. The former bullpen catcher has also drawn a walk and been hit by a pitch for a .625 on-base percentage.
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.
Comeaux Named Bragan Slugger Award Watch List
Braden Comeaux been named to the initial watch list for the 2019 Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award. From its headquarters in the DFW Metroplex, the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation has combined a passion for baseball and providing youngsters with the incentive and opportunity to pursue a college education for more than 25 years. One position player from a Division I baseball school in the five-state region of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico will be presented with the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award. Since its inception in 2017 the award is based on performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity. The winner of the award will be announced in May and honored at a gala in the fall. This year Comeaux is hitting .338 with five doubles, 16 runs scored and three stolen bases in 17 games. As one of just four Owls to start all 59 of Rice's games last spring, Comeaux finished third on the team, and tied for ninth in Conference USA overall, with 76 hits. He shared the team lead and tied for eighth in the conference, in at bats (238) and ranked eleventh in C-USA in total plate appearances (278). The Lake Charles, La., native hit safely in a team-best 16-consecutive games during one stretch and he collected two or more hits in a game 22 times.
Rice Game Notes PDF
Mar. 19 (Tues.) 6:30 pm; Rice at No. 13 Texas A&M Watch online Live Stats
Rice Concludes Road Swing Tuesday Night At No. 13 Texas A&M
Owls Return Home To Host UTSA In Weekend Series
The Rice baseball team, 8-14 this season, concludes the current road swing with a Tuesday night clash at No. 13 ranked Texas A&M. First pitch against the 17-5 Aggies is set for 6:30 pm in College Station. The Owls then return home to Reckling Park for three-game Conference USA weekend series against state foe UTSA on March 22-24.
Watch Tuesday's Game On SEC Network
Tuesday's game at Texas A&M is slated for a live broadcast on the SEC Network. Broadcasters Mike Morgan and Todd Walker have the call from Blue Bell Park in College Station.
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 454-406-2. 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.
That's 22 Games In 31 Days
Rice has finished an early portion of the schedule that featured playing 22 games in a 31-day span. As of March 17 (Sun.) Rice shared the Division I lead in games played with Florida, Texas and Texas A&M.
Last Time Out: FAU Defeats Rice Sunday, 12-4
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic recorded 16 hits for a 12-4 Conference USA win over the visiting Rice baseball team Sunday afternoon in Boca Raton, Fla.... Florida Atlantic scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. FAU led 5-0 when Rice struck for a run in the fourth as Justin Collins doubled home Andrew Dunlap. In the top of the fifth Cade Edwards launched a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left for a solo home run. The blast was his second of the season and made the score 5-2, but FAU was quickly back on the board for runs in the fifth and sixth for a 7-2 advantage. Rice put together a two out rally to score twice in the seventh, but five more FAU runs in the final two frames closed out a 12-4 final... The Rice trio of Collins, Andrew Dunlap and Trei Cruz all finished with two hits. Kendal Jefferies was the best of five Rice pitchers on the day. The senior right-hander allowed four hits and a walk in 4.0 innings... Rice is now 8-14 on the season and 0-3 in conference. Florida Atlantic improved to 14-7 overall and 3-0 in C-USA.
Many Ranked Foes
Playing nationally ranked teams is nothing new for Rice. One month into the season the Owls have already played seven games against five ranked opponents. Rice has posted two victories against ranked teams this season (Big 12 foes Baylor and TCU).
Cruzin' Among The C-USA Leaders
Sophomore shortstop Trei Cruz has jumped out to the Conference USA lead in a host of statistical categories. Cruz leads C-USA in triples (3) and respected hitter shares the league lead in walks (17). He is also tied for second in total bases (52) and tied for third in runs scored (21) and RBI (22). Cruz is also tied for fifth with 28 hits in 22 games played.
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
4-4 in blue Old English jersey with pinstripe pants
1-3 in all-white
1-4 in all-pinstripes
0-1 in blue Old English jersey with white pants
0-1 in blue blue "R" jersey with gray pants
0-1 in all-gray
Here's Who's Hot
Trei Cruz is one of the Owls' hottest hitters heading into the Texas A&M game. The Houston native (Episcopal H.S.) is 8-for-22 (.364) recently with two doubles and a triple for a .545 slugging percentage. He's also drawn four walks and scored four runs in the last five games... Senior left fielder Andrew Dunlap had a sound and solid weekend at Florida Atlantic. The Owl veteran went-5-for-12 (.417) with six RBI in the three league games. He also knocked a homer and a double for a .750 slugging percentage over the weekend.
18 Career Homers For Andrew Dunlap
Andrew Dunlap's Saturday home run at Florida Atlantic was his fourth of the season and the 18th of his collegiate career. That's the most homers for an active Rice player since Michael Ratterree reached 31 in 2013. So far Dunlap has belted seven home runs at Reckling Park and eleven other round-trippers at ten different ballparks.
Oklahoma Boy, Cinderella Story
Consider the true college baseball tale of Rice senior Daniel Russell. Four years ago Russell played high school baseball in his hometown of Stillwater, Okla., then enrolled at Rice and pursue a double-major in History and Religious Studies. Russell (the everyday student) completed three years at Rice plus the 2018 fall semester. He then decided for the final half of his senior year he would serve the baseball program as a much-needed bullpen catcher for the Owls' 2019 season. The role was set up as bullpen catcher, but sometimes life throws you a curve. A month into the season Russell has not only worked his way into playing in five Division I games, he's collected three base hits in six at bats (.500), has two RBI and scored a run. The former bullpen catcher has also drawn a walk and been hit by a pitch for a .625 on-base percentage.
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.
Comeaux Named Bragan Slugger Award Watch List
Braden Comeaux been named to the initial watch list for the 2019 Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award. From its headquarters in the DFW Metroplex, the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation has combined a passion for baseball and providing youngsters with the incentive and opportunity to pursue a college education for more than 25 years. One position player from a Division I baseball school in the five-state region of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico will be presented with the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award. Since its inception in 2017 the award is based on performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity. The winner of the award will be announced in May and honored at a gala in the fall. This year Comeaux is hitting .338 with five doubles, 16 runs scored and three stolen bases in 17 games. As one of just four Owls to start all 59 of Rice's games last spring, Comeaux finished third on the team, and tied for ninth in Conference USA overall, with 76 hits. He shared the team lead and tied for eighth in the conference, in at bats (238) and ranked eleventh in C-USA in total plate appearances (278). The Lake Charles, La., native hit safely in a team-best 16-consecutive games during one stretch and he collected two or more hits in a game 22 times.
Players Mentioned
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