Saturday, May 15
Houston
1 pm
Rice University
22-28-1, 10-19-1
11
vs
8
Charlotte
36-15, 23-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Charlotte
0
1
4
0
0
3
0
8
9
0
Rice
4
2
3
0
2
0
X
11
12
0
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Rice & Charlotte Split Games Saturday
5/15/2021 9:34:00 PM | Baseball
Owls Take Opener 11-8; Charlotte Wins Nightcap 6-4
SCHEDULE UPDATE - In order to avoid possible rain and lightning on Sunday (May 16), the series finale vs. Charlotte was changed to a new 10 a.m. first pitch.
HOUSTON, Texas — The Rice baseball team got offensive to claim an 11-8 victory over No. 18 ranked Charlotte in the first game of a Conference USA doubleheader Saturday at Reckling Park, but the visiting 49ers won the nightcap in extra innings, 6-4. The outcome, along with other scores around the league, means Rice is not one of the eight teams advancing to the upcoming C-USA Tournament.
For The Record
With the twinbill split Rice is now 22-29-1 overall and 10-20-1 in C-USA action. Charlotte is 37-17 on the season and 24-7 in league play.
Game 1
The Owls came out swinging to start the day, scoring a total of nine runs over the first three frames in the opening game. Freshman Nathan Becker blasted a big three-run homer to right to highlight a four-run bottom of the first. The Blue & Gray added two in the second, and freshman Justin Long knocked a two-run homer to spark a three-run third.
Rice had nine runs on the scoreboard on the strength of ten hits, but Charlotte was able to keep the margin to within four, 9-5. In the bottom of the fifth Braden Comeaux hit a bases-loaded single through the left side for a pair of insurance runs. The 49ers used a three-run homer in the sixth to cut the lead back down to three 11-8. Charlotte tried to put something together in the seventh, but the Owls ended the game turning a double-play for a win over a Top 20 opponent.
Game 2
Charlotte opened the second game with a run, but was able to add an additional score when the Owls made a fielding error on what would have been the third out of the inning. The 49ers took a 4-0 advantage with two more in the second, but Rice continued to fight.
The Owls proceeded to scratch out single runs in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to tie the game, 4-4. Rice starting pitcher Blake Brogdon, who had battled back to pitch well after getting charged with the four early runs, worked his way out of danger by halting a Charlotte rally in the top of the seventh.
The game was only scheduled to go seven innings per league rule, but Brogdon was still hard at work on the mound and again stopped the 49ers with a scoreless eighth. The Owls had a chance to win it in the bottom of the frame after loading the bases with one away, but this time Charlotte held firm to send it to the ninth. The 49ers scored twice in the top of the ninth and then held off a Rice rally for a 6-4 final.
News & Notes
* In order to avoid possible rain and lightning on Sunday, the series finale was changed to a new 10 a.m. first pitch.
* Starter Blake Brogdon gave his team a chance to win allowing only three earned runs in 8.0 innings. He finished the day with five strikeouts.
* Third baseman Braden Comeaux was sensational in long 16-inning day of baseball by going a combined 6-for-8 with three RBI and three runs scored.
* Comeaux raised his season batting average to a team-best .351. He has 66 hits in 51 games played this year.
* Two Owl freshmen, Guy Garibay and Justin Long, are having good series against the nationally ranked 49ers. Garibay is 3-for-6 with a home run and Long is 4-for-10 with a pair of walks and three runs scored.
* Not only did Bradley Gneiting extended his current hitting streak to a season-best seven games, he officially earned his Masters degree in Accounting in the University's graduation festivities.
* Rice is now 10-6 in its all-time series vs. Charlotte.
HOUSTON, Texas — The Rice baseball team got offensive to claim an 11-8 victory over No. 18 ranked Charlotte in the first game of a Conference USA doubleheader Saturday at Reckling Park, but the visiting 49ers won the nightcap in extra innings, 6-4. The outcome, along with other scores around the league, means Rice is not one of the eight teams advancing to the upcoming C-USA Tournament.
For The Record
With the twinbill split Rice is now 22-29-1 overall and 10-20-1 in C-USA action. Charlotte is 37-17 on the season and 24-7 in league play.
Game 1
The Owls came out swinging to start the day, scoring a total of nine runs over the first three frames in the opening game. Freshman Nathan Becker blasted a big three-run homer to right to highlight a four-run bottom of the first. The Blue & Gray added two in the second, and freshman Justin Long knocked a two-run homer to spark a three-run third.
Rice had nine runs on the scoreboard on the strength of ten hits, but Charlotte was able to keep the margin to within four, 9-5. In the bottom of the fifth Braden Comeaux hit a bases-loaded single through the left side for a pair of insurance runs. The 49ers used a three-run homer in the sixth to cut the lead back down to three 11-8. Charlotte tried to put something together in the seventh, but the Owls ended the game turning a double-play for a win over a Top 20 opponent.
Game 2
Charlotte opened the second game with a run, but was able to add an additional score when the Owls made a fielding error on what would have been the third out of the inning. The 49ers took a 4-0 advantage with two more in the second, but Rice continued to fight.
The Owls proceeded to scratch out single runs in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to tie the game, 4-4. Rice starting pitcher Blake Brogdon, who had battled back to pitch well after getting charged with the four early runs, worked his way out of danger by halting a Charlotte rally in the top of the seventh.
The game was only scheduled to go seven innings per league rule, but Brogdon was still hard at work on the mound and again stopped the 49ers with a scoreless eighth. The Owls had a chance to win it in the bottom of the frame after loading the bases with one away, but this time Charlotte held firm to send it to the ninth. The 49ers scored twice in the top of the ninth and then held off a Rice rally for a 6-4 final.
News & Notes
* In order to avoid possible rain and lightning on Sunday, the series finale was changed to a new 10 a.m. first pitch.
* Starter Blake Brogdon gave his team a chance to win allowing only three earned runs in 8.0 innings. He finished the day with five strikeouts.
* Third baseman Braden Comeaux was sensational in long 16-inning day of baseball by going a combined 6-for-8 with three RBI and three runs scored.
* Comeaux raised his season batting average to a team-best .351. He has 66 hits in 51 games played this year.
* Two Owl freshmen, Guy Garibay and Justin Long, are having good series against the nationally ranked 49ers. Garibay is 3-for-6 with a home run and Long is 4-for-10 with a pair of walks and three runs scored.
* Not only did Bradley Gneiting extended his current hitting streak to a season-best seven games, he officially earned his Masters degree in Accounting in the University's graduation festivities.
* Rice is now 10-6 in its all-time series vs. Charlotte.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Deskins, Brandon (3-4)
L: Spencer Giesting (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Carson Johnson 1 ; Will Butcher 1 ; Jake Cunningham 1
HR: Carson Johnson 1 ; Nate Furman 1
RBI: Carson Johnson 3 ; LuJames Groover III 1 ; Nate Furman 3 ; Jack Dragum 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carson Johnson 2 ; LuJames Groover III 1 ; Will Butcher 1 ; Nate Furman 2 ; Jake Cunningham 1 ; Craig Keuchel 1
CS: Carson Johnson 1
Batting:
2B: Comeaux, Braden 1 ; Long, Justin 1
HR: Becker, Nathan 1 ; Long, Justin 1
RBI: Comeaux, Braden 3 ; Gneiting, Bradley 1 ; Karp, Will 2 ; Becker, Nathan 3 ; Long, Justin 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Comeaux, Braden 1 ; Gneiting, Bradley 1 ; Bulman, Austin 1 ; Karp, Will 1 ; Becker, Nathan 1 ; Hughes, Hal 3 ; Long, Justin 3
SB: Karp, Will 1
HBP: Karp, Will 1 ; Hughes, Hal 1
PO: Edwards, Cade 1 ; Garibay Jr., Guy 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
Inf.
/ Baseball
P
/ BaseballInf.
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballOF/Inf.
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballWBB: 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