Friday, March 18
Houston, Texas
6:30 PM
Rice University
vs
UAB
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
16th C-USA Season Opens with UAB
3/17/2022 5:26:00 PM | Baseball
Thee-game series begins Friday
Rice opens its 16th season of Conference USA action this weekend when the Owls host UAB for a three-game series. Friday's opener is set for 6:30, followed by a 2 p.m. matchup on Saturday and wrapping up with a noon game on Sunday.
How to Follow:
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: Online / Rice Mobile App
Live Stats
Rice-UAB Did You Know?
Rice leads the all-time series 33-15 (see page two) with all games played as members of Conference USA... Rice leads the series at Reckling 19-4 (18-4 in the regular season, 1-0 at the C-USA Championship)...The Owls have won all seven series played at home and has won four of seven in Birmingham including taking three of four games last year.
For Openers
Rice has compiled a 263-134-3 as a member of Conference USA, but has a 6-9 mark in season openers (including lossses in the last four). The Owls last won their C-USA opener in 2015, winning 9-4 at UTSA. This will mark only the sixth time The Owls have opened C-USA play at Reckling Park (1-3)... This will be the first time Rice has kicked off a C-USA season against UAB. Rice has opened with Southern Miss three times (1-2) and Marshall, ODU and UTSA each twice (1-1 vs. each). The Owls have not met either WKU or Middle Tennesse to open a conference campaign.
Bixby Family Head Coach José Cruz Jr.
One of the cornerstones of Rice's rise to prominence in college baseball, José Cruz Jr. was named the 22nd head baseball coach at Rice on June 9, 2021. Cruz returned to the Owls from the Detroit Tigers, where he was in his first season with the club as a coach, focusing on hitting instruction and working with the outfielders under manager A.J. Hinch. He is the first former Rice player to be named as the Owls head baseball coach since Harold Stockbridge (1949-52). Cruz's association with Rice began in 1992 when he chose to remain home and sign with the Owls after leading Houston's Bellaire High School to the top ranking in the country in 1992. The signing of the local standout, whose father, Jose Cruz Sr., remains one of the most popular players in Houston Astros history, was a turning point in legendary coach Wayne Graham's efforts to attract top talent to Rice. Cruz shared national freshman of the year honors from Collegiate Baseball and one year later was the consensus conference player of the year and first-team All-America. In his final season at Rice, Cruz hit .377 in 1995 with 16 home runs and 76 RBIs before Seattle made him the third overall pick in the 1995 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut with Seattle on May 31, 1997 but was traded to Toronto at the trade deadline. He went on to finish second to Nomar Garciaparra in the 1997 American League Rookie of the Year voting, slamming 26 homers and driving in 68 runs in a combined 104 games. He played the next five years with the Blue Jays, twice topping 30 home runs and he became a member of the 30-30 Club in 2001. He became a free agent after the 2002 season and signed with San Francisco where he helped lead the Giants to the playoffs, hitting .250 with 20 homers and 68 RBI and winning a Gold Glove. He went on to play five additional seasons with the Rays, Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Dodgers and Padres before retiring as a member of the Houston Astros in 2008. While he was with the Astros, Cruz was reunited with a pair of former Rice teammates (Lance Berkman and Tim Byrdak), the first time three Owls were teammates at the major league level.
Cruz is aided by associate head coach and fellow former Owl, Paul Janish (Rice, 2004; fifth year), first year pitching coach Colter Bostick (St. Mary's 2014) and Trevor Putzig (Tenn Tech, 2018; second year).
Houston All the Way
Jose Cruz Jr. is one of three former Owls to have played baseball at the high school, college and Major League levels in Houston. Philip Barzilla was the first to do so, playing at Dulles HS and Rice before appearing in one game with the Astros in 2006. Cruz completed the list when he joined the Astros in 2008. Lance Pendleton (Kingwood HS) become the most recent, appearing with the Astros in 2011.
Starting Pitchers
Friday: Cooper Chandler (0-4, 7.16 ERA) vs. Jackson Reynolds (1-1, 2.28 ERA)
Saturday: Roel Garcia (0-0, 4.30) vs. Tyler O'Clair (1-0, 8.27 ERA)
Sunday: Parker Smith (1-1, 3.86) vs. Brooks Walton (3-0, 2.91 ERA)
#43 Cooper Chandler (6-2, 200, Graduate Student Frisco, Texas)
Making his fifth start (all in the Friday night slot)... Started the season opener at Texas and the home opener vs. Lamar... Fanned six vs. Harvard, the most since he struck out six at FIU in his final start of the shortened 2020 season (2/29/20)... Career-high total of 10 came vs. Akron his second start of 2020... Leads the team with 22 K's this year... Returned home to Texas for his final collegiate season after posting a 12-5 record and 3.17 ERA over 147.2 innings (98 strikeouts/45 walks) for the Waves and earning Freshman All-American honors in 2018. He pitched in six games with three starts last season at Pepperdine.
#29 Roel Garcia (6-4, 245, Graduate Student Deer Park, Texas)
Making his fourth start of the year and 29th of his career... 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA in two games (one start) vs. UAB in his career... Tossed his first career complete game against the Blazers, but was a tough-luck loser, 2-1 in the first game of a DH on 5/8 (6,6,2,1,2,4)...Has not allowed an earned run in his last two starts while giving up six hits, walking two and striking out 12 in eight innings... Locked up in a strikeout duel with Texas Tech's Brandon Birdsell in his last start as they combined to fan 17 in the first three innings... Ended with a career-high nine, the most by an Owl this season... Worked a career-high 53.2 innings in 2021 as he completed a return to the mound for his first consistent action since 2018… Tied for the team lead with 13 starts and did not allow a run in his first two outings (4,3,0,0,0.3 vs. HBU on 2/22 and 4,1,0,0,2,8 at Louisiana on 2/28).
#26 Parker Smith (6-3, 230, Freshman Houston, Texas)
Making his fifth start and second in the weekend rotation... Has posted a 3.93 ERA in his four starts, tops on the staff.. Made his collegiate debut in relief against Texas on 2/20 (2,2,1,1,0,0) and followed that with a midweek start at HBU in the first meeting between former Rice and Astros teammates José Cruz Jr. and Lance Berkman. Smith worked six shutout innings in which he allowed a pair of hits and struck out four while throwing just 56 pitches. Smith prepped at Houston's Bellaire HS, the same school that sent Cruz to Rice in 1992.
Rice-UAB Series History (33-15)
5/9/2021 Birmingham W 10 - 5
5/8/2021 ` Birmingham, W 7 - 0 (7)
5/8/2021 Birmingham, L 1 - 2 (7)
5/7/2021 Birmingham W 6 - 1
5/13/2018 Reckling Park W 6 - 3
5/12/2018 Reckling Park L 3 - 5
5/11/2018 Reckling Park W 8 - 5
5/20/2017 Birmingham, L 4 - 9 (8)
5/19/2017 Birmingham W 26 - 17
5/18/2017 Birmingham W 12 - 4
4/10/2016 Reckling Park W 3 - 0
4/9/2016 Reckling Park L 2 - 6
4/8/2016 Reckling Park W 7 - 3
4/12/2015 Birmingham W 13 - 5
4/11/2015 Birmingham L 4 - 14
4/10/2015 Birmingham L 0 - 4
4/20/2014 Reckling Park W 5 - 3
4/19/2014 Reckling Park W 5 - 3 (11)
4/18/2014 Reckling Park W 2 - 0
5/22/2013 Reckling Park W 3 - 1
5/5/2013 Birmingham W 7 - 3
5/4/2013 Birmingham W 5 - 4
5/3/2013 Birmingham L 9 - 10
5/13/2012 Reckling Park L 5 - 6 (12)
5/12/2012 Reckling Park W 8 - 6
5/12/2012 Reckling Park W 12 - 2
5/25/2011 Pearl, Miss. L 8 - 9
4/23/2011 Birmingham L 7 - 8 (12)
4/23/2011 Birmingham L 2 - 7
4/22/2011 Birmingham W 9 - 5
5/22/2010 Reckling Park L 5 - 8
5/21/2010 Reckling Park W 9 - 2
5/20/2010 Reckling Park W 5 - 2
5/21/2009 Hattiesburg, Miss. W 8 - 1
5/16/2009 Birmingham L 12 - 15
5/15/2009 Birmingham W 10 - 6
5/14/2009 Birmingham L 5 - 7
5/21/2008 New Orleans, La. L 2 - 8
4/13/2008 Reckling ParK W 12 - 8 (10)
4/12/2008 Reckling Park W 11 - 4
4/11/2008 Reckling Park W 13 - 11
4/29/2007 Birmingham W 6 - 3
4/28/2007 Birmingham W 7 - 1
4/27/2007 Birmingham W 8 - 2
5/24/2006 Reckling Park W 9 - 3
4/9/2006 Reckling Park W 7 - 3
4/8/2006 Reckling Park W 8 - 7
4/7/2006 Reckling Park W 2 - 1
Explosive Middle of the Week
After scoring 56 runs in their first 16 games, the Owls scored 32 in midweek wins over SFA and Sam Houston. The 32 runs in two games were the most for the Owls in consecutive games since they scored 38 at UAB on May 18-19, 2017. Rice has scored at least three runs in six of their last 16 innings after doing it only six times in the first 16 games.
Midweek Magic
Rice improved to 3-2 this year in midweek games with the wins over SFA and Sam Houston. The Owls were 5-1 last year in the non-conference midweek action.
In Check
Texas Tech came into Reckling Park hitting .285 as a team and had slugged 18 homers in its first 14 games, but the Owls held them to a .254 average on the weekend and surrendered only one home run. The Owls held the Red Raiders, who had scored 12 runs in the first inning over their first 14 games, to one unearned run in the first inning of the three games.
Punchouts
Owls pitching topped double figures in strikeouts in three consecutive games last week (Houston 11 & Texas Tech 10 & 13) for the first time since they did it in each game of the series vs. Southern last year (March 19-21) and have reach double digits in five of the last six games. In their last 63 innings (seven games), Owls pitchers have fanned 73.
Getting it Done in a Pinch
Rice pinch hitters are 8x20 so far this year and have already surpassed their total from 2021 (7x36). Nathan Becker (3x4) leads the team, matching Ben Dukes (3x10) total as the team leader last year. One the other side of things, Rice pitchers have held opposing pinch hitters to a .158 average so far (3x19).
Clearing the Bases
The Owls are hitting .346 with the bases loaded in the early going (9x26) including three grand slams. The Owls have hit their last five slams here at Reckling Park:
Nathan Becker, 5th inning vs. SFA 3/15
Guy Garibay Jr. 2nd inning vs. SFA 3/15
Austin Bulman, 8th inning vs. Lamar 2/27
Hal Hughes. 1st inning vs. Charlotte 5/16/21
Connor Walsh, 8th inning vs. Southern 3/19/21
Rice's last grand slam on the road came on April 12, 2019 when Justin Collins and Andrew Dunlap each slammed one in the first inning at Charlotte
How to Follow:
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: Online / Rice Mobile App
Live Stats
Rice-UAB Did You Know?
Rice leads the all-time series 33-15 (see page two) with all games played as members of Conference USA... Rice leads the series at Reckling 19-4 (18-4 in the regular season, 1-0 at the C-USA Championship)...The Owls have won all seven series played at home and has won four of seven in Birmingham including taking three of four games last year.
For Openers
Rice has compiled a 263-134-3 as a member of Conference USA, but has a 6-9 mark in season openers (including lossses in the last four). The Owls last won their C-USA opener in 2015, winning 9-4 at UTSA. This will mark only the sixth time The Owls have opened C-USA play at Reckling Park (1-3)... This will be the first time Rice has kicked off a C-USA season against UAB. Rice has opened with Southern Miss three times (1-2) and Marshall, ODU and UTSA each twice (1-1 vs. each). The Owls have not met either WKU or Middle Tennesse to open a conference campaign.
Bixby Family Head Coach José Cruz Jr.
One of the cornerstones of Rice's rise to prominence in college baseball, José Cruz Jr. was named the 22nd head baseball coach at Rice on June 9, 2021. Cruz returned to the Owls from the Detroit Tigers, where he was in his first season with the club as a coach, focusing on hitting instruction and working with the outfielders under manager A.J. Hinch. He is the first former Rice player to be named as the Owls head baseball coach since Harold Stockbridge (1949-52). Cruz's association with Rice began in 1992 when he chose to remain home and sign with the Owls after leading Houston's Bellaire High School to the top ranking in the country in 1992. The signing of the local standout, whose father, Jose Cruz Sr., remains one of the most popular players in Houston Astros history, was a turning point in legendary coach Wayne Graham's efforts to attract top talent to Rice. Cruz shared national freshman of the year honors from Collegiate Baseball and one year later was the consensus conference player of the year and first-team All-America. In his final season at Rice, Cruz hit .377 in 1995 with 16 home runs and 76 RBIs before Seattle made him the third overall pick in the 1995 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut with Seattle on May 31, 1997 but was traded to Toronto at the trade deadline. He went on to finish second to Nomar Garciaparra in the 1997 American League Rookie of the Year voting, slamming 26 homers and driving in 68 runs in a combined 104 games. He played the next five years with the Blue Jays, twice topping 30 home runs and he became a member of the 30-30 Club in 2001. He became a free agent after the 2002 season and signed with San Francisco where he helped lead the Giants to the playoffs, hitting .250 with 20 homers and 68 RBI and winning a Gold Glove. He went on to play five additional seasons with the Rays, Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Dodgers and Padres before retiring as a member of the Houston Astros in 2008. While he was with the Astros, Cruz was reunited with a pair of former Rice teammates (Lance Berkman and Tim Byrdak), the first time three Owls were teammates at the major league level.
Cruz is aided by associate head coach and fellow former Owl, Paul Janish (Rice, 2004; fifth year), first year pitching coach Colter Bostick (St. Mary's 2014) and Trevor Putzig (Tenn Tech, 2018; second year).
Houston All the Way
Jose Cruz Jr. is one of three former Owls to have played baseball at the high school, college and Major League levels in Houston. Philip Barzilla was the first to do so, playing at Dulles HS and Rice before appearing in one game with the Astros in 2006. Cruz completed the list when he joined the Astros in 2008. Lance Pendleton (Kingwood HS) become the most recent, appearing with the Astros in 2011.
Starting Pitchers
Friday: Cooper Chandler (0-4, 7.16 ERA) vs. Jackson Reynolds (1-1, 2.28 ERA)
Saturday: Roel Garcia (0-0, 4.30) vs. Tyler O'Clair (1-0, 8.27 ERA)
Sunday: Parker Smith (1-1, 3.86) vs. Brooks Walton (3-0, 2.91 ERA)
#43 Cooper Chandler (6-2, 200, Graduate Student Frisco, Texas)
Making his fifth start (all in the Friday night slot)... Started the season opener at Texas and the home opener vs. Lamar... Fanned six vs. Harvard, the most since he struck out six at FIU in his final start of the shortened 2020 season (2/29/20)... Career-high total of 10 came vs. Akron his second start of 2020... Leads the team with 22 K's this year... Returned home to Texas for his final collegiate season after posting a 12-5 record and 3.17 ERA over 147.2 innings (98 strikeouts/45 walks) for the Waves and earning Freshman All-American honors in 2018. He pitched in six games with three starts last season at Pepperdine.
#29 Roel Garcia (6-4, 245, Graduate Student Deer Park, Texas)
Making his fourth start of the year and 29th of his career... 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA in two games (one start) vs. UAB in his career... Tossed his first career complete game against the Blazers, but was a tough-luck loser, 2-1 in the first game of a DH on 5/8 (6,6,2,1,2,4)...Has not allowed an earned run in his last two starts while giving up six hits, walking two and striking out 12 in eight innings... Locked up in a strikeout duel with Texas Tech's Brandon Birdsell in his last start as they combined to fan 17 in the first three innings... Ended with a career-high nine, the most by an Owl this season... Worked a career-high 53.2 innings in 2021 as he completed a return to the mound for his first consistent action since 2018… Tied for the team lead with 13 starts and did not allow a run in his first two outings (4,3,0,0,0.3 vs. HBU on 2/22 and 4,1,0,0,2,8 at Louisiana on 2/28).
#26 Parker Smith (6-3, 230, Freshman Houston, Texas)
Making his fifth start and second in the weekend rotation... Has posted a 3.93 ERA in his four starts, tops on the staff.. Made his collegiate debut in relief against Texas on 2/20 (2,2,1,1,0,0) and followed that with a midweek start at HBU in the first meeting between former Rice and Astros teammates José Cruz Jr. and Lance Berkman. Smith worked six shutout innings in which he allowed a pair of hits and struck out four while throwing just 56 pitches. Smith prepped at Houston's Bellaire HS, the same school that sent Cruz to Rice in 1992.
Rice-UAB Series History (33-15)
5/9/2021 Birmingham W 10 - 5
5/8/2021 ` Birmingham, W 7 - 0 (7)
5/8/2021 Birmingham, L 1 - 2 (7)
5/7/2021 Birmingham W 6 - 1
5/13/2018 Reckling Park W 6 - 3
5/12/2018 Reckling Park L 3 - 5
5/11/2018 Reckling Park W 8 - 5
5/20/2017 Birmingham, L 4 - 9 (8)
5/19/2017 Birmingham W 26 - 17
5/18/2017 Birmingham W 12 - 4
4/10/2016 Reckling Park W 3 - 0
4/9/2016 Reckling Park L 2 - 6
4/8/2016 Reckling Park W 7 - 3
4/12/2015 Birmingham W 13 - 5
4/11/2015 Birmingham L 4 - 14
4/10/2015 Birmingham L 0 - 4
4/20/2014 Reckling Park W 5 - 3
4/19/2014 Reckling Park W 5 - 3 (11)
4/18/2014 Reckling Park W 2 - 0
5/22/2013 Reckling Park W 3 - 1
5/5/2013 Birmingham W 7 - 3
5/4/2013 Birmingham W 5 - 4
5/3/2013 Birmingham L 9 - 10
5/13/2012 Reckling Park L 5 - 6 (12)
5/12/2012 Reckling Park W 8 - 6
5/12/2012 Reckling Park W 12 - 2
5/25/2011 Pearl, Miss. L 8 - 9
4/23/2011 Birmingham L 7 - 8 (12)
4/23/2011 Birmingham L 2 - 7
4/22/2011 Birmingham W 9 - 5
5/22/2010 Reckling Park L 5 - 8
5/21/2010 Reckling Park W 9 - 2
5/20/2010 Reckling Park W 5 - 2
5/21/2009 Hattiesburg, Miss. W 8 - 1
5/16/2009 Birmingham L 12 - 15
5/15/2009 Birmingham W 10 - 6
5/14/2009 Birmingham L 5 - 7
5/21/2008 New Orleans, La. L 2 - 8
4/13/2008 Reckling ParK W 12 - 8 (10)
4/12/2008 Reckling Park W 11 - 4
4/11/2008 Reckling Park W 13 - 11
4/29/2007 Birmingham W 6 - 3
4/28/2007 Birmingham W 7 - 1
4/27/2007 Birmingham W 8 - 2
5/24/2006 Reckling Park W 9 - 3
4/9/2006 Reckling Park W 7 - 3
4/8/2006 Reckling Park W 8 - 7
4/7/2006 Reckling Park W 2 - 1
Explosive Middle of the Week
After scoring 56 runs in their first 16 games, the Owls scored 32 in midweek wins over SFA and Sam Houston. The 32 runs in two games were the most for the Owls in consecutive games since they scored 38 at UAB on May 18-19, 2017. Rice has scored at least three runs in six of their last 16 innings after doing it only six times in the first 16 games.
Midweek Magic
Rice improved to 3-2 this year in midweek games with the wins over SFA and Sam Houston. The Owls were 5-1 last year in the non-conference midweek action.
In Check
Texas Tech came into Reckling Park hitting .285 as a team and had slugged 18 homers in its first 14 games, but the Owls held them to a .254 average on the weekend and surrendered only one home run. The Owls held the Red Raiders, who had scored 12 runs in the first inning over their first 14 games, to one unearned run in the first inning of the three games.
Punchouts
Owls pitching topped double figures in strikeouts in three consecutive games last week (Houston 11 & Texas Tech 10 & 13) for the first time since they did it in each game of the series vs. Southern last year (March 19-21) and have reach double digits in five of the last six games. In their last 63 innings (seven games), Owls pitchers have fanned 73.
Getting it Done in a Pinch
Rice pinch hitters are 8x20 so far this year and have already surpassed their total from 2021 (7x36). Nathan Becker (3x4) leads the team, matching Ben Dukes (3x10) total as the team leader last year. One the other side of things, Rice pitchers have held opposing pinch hitters to a .158 average so far (3x19).
Clearing the Bases
The Owls are hitting .346 with the bases loaded in the early going (9x26) including three grand slams. The Owls have hit their last five slams here at Reckling Park:
Nathan Becker, 5th inning vs. SFA 3/15
Guy Garibay Jr. 2nd inning vs. SFA 3/15
Austin Bulman, 8th inning vs. Lamar 2/27
Hal Hughes. 1st inning vs. Charlotte 5/16/21
Connor Walsh, 8th inning vs. Southern 3/19/21
Rice's last grand slam on the road came on April 12, 2019 when Justin Collins and Andrew Dunlap each slammed one in the first inning at Charlotte
Players Mentioned
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Inf./OF
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