Friday, April 29
Houston, Texas
6:30 PM
Rice University
vs
WKU
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Owls Welcome Hilltoppers to Reckling
4/28/2022 5:08:00 PM | Baseball
Series opens at 6:30 p.m. on Friday
Owls Welcome Hilltoppers to Reckling
Rice Baseball returns to Reckling Park this weekend to host Western Kentucky for the first time since since 2018. The series opens on Friday night at 6:30, followed by a 2 p.m. game on Saturday and a finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
How to Follow:
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: Online / Varsity Network / Rice Mobile App
Live Stats
Pitching Matchups
Friday: RHP Cooper Chandler (1-7, 5.51) vs. LHP Devyn Terbrak (5-3, 5.55)
Saturday: LHP David Shaw (1-0, 6.55) vs. TBA
Sunday: RHP Alex DeLeon (2-2, 5.86) vs. TBA
Owls on the Hill
#32 Cooper Chandler
6-2, 200, Gr. Frisco, Texas)
Making his 11th start (all in the Friday slot), the most since Matt Canterino started all 15 Friday games in 2019)... 10 starts are two shy from his career high of 12 when he was a Freshman All-American at Pepperdine in 2018...Has struck out a career-high 58 and is 19.1 innings away from matching his 2018 total...1-3 with a 4.72 ERA in six C-USA starts... Worked a season-high seven innings while allowing only one run in a tough 1-0 loss at #6 Southern Miss in his last start (7,5,1,1,0,4)... First C-USA pitcher to work seven innings and hold Golden Eagles to a run... Tied for seventh in C-USA in strikeouts both in all games (58) and conference gmaes (36)... Fourth in C-USA with 12 struck out looking... Picked up his first win as an Owl and his first in two years overall at Marshall on 3/25 (6,4,2,2,2,7)... Last previous win came in his final start of 2020 for Pepperdine vs. FIU (2/29)... Has worked six innings in four of his last five starts... Tied for sixth in the league in season strikeouts (54) and as well as in C-USA games (32)... Has struck out at least five in every start this year... Started the season opener at Texas and the home opener vs. Lamar... 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.
#14 David Shaw
6-7 205, Fr. Houston, Texas
Making his collegiate starting debut after posting a team-leading 18 appearances in relief... Worked a career-best 3.2 innings at Southern Miss on 4/23 (3.2,2,1,1,1,2) and is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in his last five appearances (9,6,2,2,1,8)... Earned his first career win coming on in relief at Sam Houston on 4/12... Came into a 2-1 game with two outs in the third and a runner at second to face the nation's leader in RBI (Carlos Contreras) and retired him on a fly ball to center...Made his collegiate debut at Texas on 2/20, striking out Trey Faltine with the bases loaded and two out.
#17 Alex DeLeon (6-0, 190, Sr. Lago Vista, Texas)
Making his seventh start of the year, sixth consecutive (all in the weekend rotation), and the 11th of his career... Took the loss in his last start @Southern Miss on 4/23 (4.1,6,5,5,1,3)...Held the Golden Eagles to one run through four innings... Seven starts this season are a career-best, surpassing his total of three in the shortened 2020 campaign... Opened the year with five relief outings before making a start in the fourth game vs. Harvard and picking up the win... Second win came in relief vs. UAB on 3/18... ND in his last start (4/3 at Marshall) but struck out a career-high six in 4.1 innings... 1-0 in four career conference starts...Win came in a rain-shortened, five-inning shutout of Charlotte in the final game of 2021 (5,3,0,0,1,2).
Rice-WKU Series
Rice leads the overall series 16-7, including a 10-4 mark in Houston (4-2) at Reckling Park, but the Hilltoppers have won the last five. They swept the Owls in a three-game series in Bowling Green in 2019 and took the last two games of a three-game set at Reckling in 2018. The schools have never met at the C-USA tournament and have not played an extra-inning game in the series. WKU played at Cameron field from 1988-90 with Rice winning the first five and the Hilltoppers the last two. The series resumed for a single game in 1995 when Rice hosted WKU, Oklahoma State and Wyoming for the Marriott-Medical Center Rice Invitational. Rice head coach Jose Cruz Jr. was 0x4 with a run scored as the Owls won that game 7-6. The series did not resume until 2015 when WKU joined Conference USA. The Owls' last win in the series came at Reckling on 3/23/18 as Matt Canterino carried a no-hitter into the 8th and combined with Jackson Parthasarthy on a one-hit shutout. Canterino struck out 11 and walked just one in eight innings while Parthasarthy struck out the side in the ninth. The Owls were clinging to a 1-0 lead until they added three in the sixth, two of them coming on a triple by Trei Cruz. Dalton Wood is the only current Owl to face WKU: (2.1,1,1,1,0,4) on 5/3/19.
Rice vs. WKU (16-7)
5/5/2019 Bowling Green L 4 - 6
5/3/2019 Bowling Green L 5 - 9
5/3/2019 Bowling Green L 3 - 6
3/25/2018 Reckling Park L 0 - 4
3/24/2018 Reckling Park L 4 - 5
3/23/2018 Reckling Park W 4 - 0
4/22/2017 Bowling Green W 10 - 5
4/22/2017 Bowling Green W 13 - 2
4/21/2017 Bowling Green W 8 - 4
4/16/2016 Reckling Park W 5 - 2
4/16/2016 Reckling Park W 3 - 2
4/15/2016 Reckling Park W 9 - 3
4/26/2015 Bowling Green W 3 - 2
4/24/2015 Bowling Green W 3 - 2
4/24/2015 Bowling Green W 11 - 4
3/3/1995 Cameron Field W 7 - 6
3/10/1990 Cameron Field L 1 - 2
3/9/1990 Cameron Field L 0 - 3
3/11/1989 Cameron Field W 6 - 4
3/10/1989 Cameron Field W 3 - 1
3/9/1989 Cameron Field W 8 - 7
3/12/1988 Cameron Field W 14 - 1
3/11/1988 Cameron Field W 8 - 2
Solid Up the Middle
In 15 games since Hal Hughes returned to the starting lineup at short (after missing 25 games with a preseason injury) and Pierce Gallo moved to second, the duo has handled 138 chances without an error while turning 10 double plays. The Owls had 11 combined errors at the two positions in the first 25 games. Gallo has not committed an error in 70 chances at second while Hughes has not committed one in his last 118 chances (27 games) dating back to last year.
Lights Out Linskey
Matthew Linskey is ninth in C-USA with four saves, which is two shy of the Owls' team total from 2021... He did not allow a run in his first 14 appearances and has struck out 38 in 17.2 innings (19.4 per nine innings)... Worked a career-best three innings at LA Tech on 4/10 and struck out eight (also a career-high and one less than the season-high for any Owl in 2021). On the season, he is holding opposing hitters to a .159 batting average (10x63). Opposing hitters are hitting .143 (4x28) with runners on base.
Punchouts
Owls pitching topped double figures in strikeouts in three consecutive games vs. Marshall, the second time they have done so this year. The last time Rice pitchers topped double figures in more than three consecutive games was from 4/13-26/19 (Charlotte, MTSU-3, LA Tech).
Doubling Up
Owls hitters have 70 doubles in 40 games, three more than they totaled in 53 games last year.
Getting it Done in a Pinch
Rice pinch hitters are hitting .344 (11x32) the Owls' most pinch hits since they collected 19 in 2007 (19x57). Nathan Becker (3x5) leads the team, matching Ben Dukes (3x10) total as the team leader last year. On the other side of the diamond, Rice pitchers have held opposing pinch hitters to a .194 average so far (6x31).
Coming in Bunches
Rice has scored at least three runs in an inning 21 times in the last 24 games after doing it only six times in the first 16 games.
Quick Hits
• Nathan Becker Leads the Owls with a .333 average and a .431 on-base percentage and is third with a career-high 39 hits... Opened the season by reaching base in 26 games (the longest streak by an Owl since 2017) and has reached in 29 of his 30 starts.
• Jack Ben-Shoshan Moved into the starting role in center vs. UTSA and singled in his first at-bat, breaking an 0-22 streak after singling in his first career at-`bat on 2/19. Hit safely in all three games vs. UTSA (4x12) along with his first two RBi and his fourth stolen base (tied for the team lead)... Has started five of the last six in center.
• Austin Bulman Leads the Owls in doubles (11), homers (7), and total bases (76) and is second with 29 RBI... Has hit in 16 of 18 conference games… Slammed a pair of homers at Marshall in his return to his home state. Owls' active career leader with 16 homers... Has three of the Owls' six homers on the road...12-game hitting streak this year was the longest by an Owl since 2018.
• Antonio Cruz 2x5 with two doubles (career-best) and three RBI (tied career-best) after entering the game vs. Texas A&M CC... Has scored five runs in his last seven games.
• Justin Dunlap Made his first start since 3/12 at Southern Miss on 4/24 and was 1x3 with a walk.
• Pierce Gallo Leads the Owls with a .313 average in C-USA games (21x67)... Became the fourth Owl this season to collect four hits in a game with a 4x6 effort vs. UTSA on 4/17 while also matching his career-high with four RBI... Has driven in 21 runs in his last 25 games after driving in just one in the first 14.. Has started the last 15 at second base after opening the year with 24 starts at short.... Leads C-USA with 125 assists overall (2nd in conference games with 51)... Tied for fourth with 22 double plays in all games.
• Guy Garibay Jr. Leads the team in hits (45), multi-hit games (14), and runs (33), second with 10 doubles, third with 27 RBI... All totals are career highs... Collected a career-best four hits vs. SFA and matched it the next night vs. Sam Houston... After hitting his first career homer at Louisiana on 2/28/21 he has hit his last nine homers at Reckling Park.
• Manny Garza. Started two of three at Southern Miss and threw out all three attempting to steal... Has hit in two of three starts (6x9) since returning to action after missing 30 games with an injury… Returned to the lineup vs. UTSA on 4/16 with a splash, collecting a career-high four hits (4x4), including his first career double.
• Johnny Hoyle Has made 10 starts this year (four at 3B, 3 at 2B, 2 in CF, 1 at 1 at 1B). Three hits in a start vs. Sam Houston were his career high.
• Hal Hughes Returned to action after recovering from a preseason injury and delivered an RBI single in his first at-bat (3/30 vs. A&M CC)... Has started the last 15 at short.... Committed only one error over his last 40 games dating back to last season and none in his last 27 (118 chances).
• Justin Long Leads the team with a career-high 24 walks... 7x19 over his last six starts, including three two-hit games... Picked up his first multi-RBI game of the year vs. Sam Houston driving in a pair on a sac fly when his bases-loaded drive to center was snagged by the diving Bearkats centerfielder who was unable to regain his footing in time to hold the runners.
• Jack Riedel Has started the last 11 at third... Has collected three hits in a game three times (tied for second on the team).
• Aaron Smigelski Leads the team lead with 30 RBI and with eight multi-RBI games...Looking to become the first freshman to lead the Owls in RBI since Trei Cruz tied for the lead with 45 in 2018... Drove in a career-high five while going 3x5 vs. HBU on 4/5… Singled twice and drove in three runs in the Owls' 11-run fifth innings… Broke an 0x13 stretch with a double vs. A&MCC on 3/30... Collected a hit in 15 of the first 17 games of his college career (19x51), the first two as a pinch hitter and the last 13 as a starter... Slugged homers in three consecutive at-bats (his last vs. SFA and his first two vs. UAB)... His first homer against the Blazers was measured by StatCast at 444 feet, the longest by an Owl at home this season.
• Connor Walsh Tied for the team lead with four stolen bases.
• Drew Woodcox Fifth on the team with six doubles and has eight extra-base hits in his last 16 games after collecting none in his first 13 games.
Quick Pitches
• Thomas Burbank Picked up his first career win in a start vs. HBU on 4/5 (5,1,0,0,2,5) and came back five days later to work five innings in a start vs. LA Tech (5,7,3,3,0,2) to take a tough 3-1 loss.. Made his second appearance out of the bullpen on Sunday in the finale at Marshall and took the loss... Worked three innings in relief against Texas Tech on 3/11 and struck out a season-high four (3,2,1,1,1,4)... Made three starts on the weekend to open the year and started the last two Sunday games (UTSA, @Southern Miss) vs. UTSA on 4/17... Also started three midweek games.
• Brandon Deskins Broke a four-game losing streak by picking up the win in relief vs. UTSA on 4/17, matching his season-high with 3.2 innings out of the pen while giving up one hit and fanning three... Worked a scoreless eighth in the win at Sam Houston on 4/12.
• Roel Garcia Tied for second on the team with 38 strikeouts Tossed two scoreless innings out of the pen at Sam Houston on 4/12... Worked a team-high 4.0 innings in relief vs. FAU on 4/2 (4,5,2,2,0,4) but was tagged with the loss... Picked up his first win of the year with three shutout innings in relief at Marshall on 3/26 (3,1,0,0,2,3)... Fanned six in two innings at LA Tech on 4/9... Opened the year with a relief outing at Texas and then made four weekend starts… Walked four in 2.1 innings vs. Longhorns, but has walked only five in his last 23.1 innings while striking out 25... Struck out a career-high nine in four innings in a start vs. Texas Tech on 3/12 (4,2,2,0,1,9).
• Mark Perkins Pitched two scoreless innings in relief vs. UTSA on 4/16 and has allowed just one run over his last 7.2 relief innings (five appearances).. Made his second start at Sam Houston on 4/12 (2.2, 2,1,1,4,0)... .Made his starting debut in his last outing (vs. A&MCC on 3/30: 2.1,1,3,3,3,2)... Picked up his first career win with a career-long three innings against SFA on 3/15. After being touched for a pair of doubles and walking a batter without recording an out in his debut at Texas, he's allowed two runs in 7.2 innings (five appearances).
• David Shaw Leads the team with 18 appearances... Worked a career-best 3.2 innings at Southern Miss on 4/23 (3.2,2,1,1,1,2) and is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in his last five appearances (9,6,2,2,1,8)... Earned his first career win coming on in relief at Sam Houston on 4/12... Came into a 2-1 game with two outs and a runner at second and retired the nation's leader in RBI (Carlos Contreras) and retired him on a fly ball to center.
• Parker Smith Has made six starts (three in the weekend rotation) but has been out since a start at Marshall on 3/26 (1,3,4,2,0,2)... 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 road roommates 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 as he and head coach Jose Cruz Jr. each earned their first collegiate wins. Smith prepped at Houston's Bellaire HS, the same school that sent Cruz to Rice in 1992.
• Tom Vincent Picked up his first career win in relief against Sam Houston on 3/16.
• Garret Zaskoda Worked a season-high 3.2 innings vs. UTSA on 4/15 (3.2,5,1,1,0,2) and has three outings this year of at least three innings. Tied his career-high with four K's (in three innings) vs. Houston... Has worked at least an inning in 10 of 11 appearances.
Clearing the Bases
The Owls are hitting .339 with the bases loaded (21x62) including three grand slams. The Owls have hit their last five slams 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.
Midweek Work
The Owls' win at Sam Houston on 4/12 was the Owls' final mid-week game until they make the short trip to face Houston on May 4 in the second game of the Silver Glove Series. Rice is 5-4 this year in midweek games with the wins over HBU and Sam Houston (twice) and SFA. The Owls were 5-1 last year in the non-conference midweek action.
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.
A Perfect Memory
MLB celebrated the 10th anniversary of Philip Humber's perfect game for the Chicago White Sox against the Seattle Mariners on April 21. Later this season, former Owl and current Yankee Lucas Luetge will commemorate his part in a combined no-hitter by Seattle against the Dodgers. He was one of five relievers who followed Kevin Millwood to the mound in a 1-0 win on June 8, 2012. Luetge was the first of two former Owls to contribute to a combined no-hitter. Tony Cingrani was the second of four Dodger relievers to follow Walker Buehler to hold San Diego hitless on May 4, 2018 in a game played in Monterey, Mexico.
Rice Baseball returns to Reckling Park this weekend to host Western Kentucky for the first time since since 2018. The series opens on Friday night at 6:30, followed by a 2 p.m. game on Saturday and a finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
How to Follow:
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: Online / Varsity Network / Rice Mobile App
Live Stats
Pitching Matchups
Friday: RHP Cooper Chandler (1-7, 5.51) vs. LHP Devyn Terbrak (5-3, 5.55)
Saturday: LHP David Shaw (1-0, 6.55) vs. TBA
Sunday: RHP Alex DeLeon (2-2, 5.86) vs. TBA
Owls on the Hill
#32 Cooper Chandler
6-2, 200, Gr. Frisco, Texas)
Making his 11th start (all in the Friday slot), the most since Matt Canterino started all 15 Friday games in 2019)... 10 starts are two shy from his career high of 12 when he was a Freshman All-American at Pepperdine in 2018...Has struck out a career-high 58 and is 19.1 innings away from matching his 2018 total...1-3 with a 4.72 ERA in six C-USA starts... Worked a season-high seven innings while allowing only one run in a tough 1-0 loss at #6 Southern Miss in his last start (7,5,1,1,0,4)... First C-USA pitcher to work seven innings and hold Golden Eagles to a run... Tied for seventh in C-USA in strikeouts both in all games (58) and conference gmaes (36)... Fourth in C-USA with 12 struck out looking... Picked up his first win as an Owl and his first in two years overall at Marshall on 3/25 (6,4,2,2,2,7)... Last previous win came in his final start of 2020 for Pepperdine vs. FIU (2/29)... Has worked six innings in four of his last five starts... Tied for sixth in the league in season strikeouts (54) and as well as in C-USA games (32)... Has struck out at least five in every start this year... Started the season opener at Texas and the home opener vs. Lamar... 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.
#14 David Shaw
6-7 205, Fr. Houston, Texas
Making his collegiate starting debut after posting a team-leading 18 appearances in relief... Worked a career-best 3.2 innings at Southern Miss on 4/23 (3.2,2,1,1,1,2) and is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in his last five appearances (9,6,2,2,1,8)... Earned his first career win coming on in relief at Sam Houston on 4/12... Came into a 2-1 game with two outs in the third and a runner at second to face the nation's leader in RBI (Carlos Contreras) and retired him on a fly ball to center...Made his collegiate debut at Texas on 2/20, striking out Trey Faltine with the bases loaded and two out.
#17 Alex DeLeon (6-0, 190, Sr. Lago Vista, Texas)
Making his seventh start of the year, sixth consecutive (all in the weekend rotation), and the 11th of his career... Took the loss in his last start @Southern Miss on 4/23 (4.1,6,5,5,1,3)...Held the Golden Eagles to one run through four innings... Seven starts this season are a career-best, surpassing his total of three in the shortened 2020 campaign... Opened the year with five relief outings before making a start in the fourth game vs. Harvard and picking up the win... Second win came in relief vs. UAB on 3/18... ND in his last start (4/3 at Marshall) but struck out a career-high six in 4.1 innings... 1-0 in four career conference starts...Win came in a rain-shortened, five-inning shutout of Charlotte in the final game of 2021 (5,3,0,0,1,2).
Rice-WKU Series
Rice leads the overall series 16-7, including a 10-4 mark in Houston (4-2) at Reckling Park, but the Hilltoppers have won the last five. They swept the Owls in a three-game series in Bowling Green in 2019 and took the last two games of a three-game set at Reckling in 2018. The schools have never met at the C-USA tournament and have not played an extra-inning game in the series. WKU played at Cameron field from 1988-90 with Rice winning the first five and the Hilltoppers the last two. The series resumed for a single game in 1995 when Rice hosted WKU, Oklahoma State and Wyoming for the Marriott-Medical Center Rice Invitational. Rice head coach Jose Cruz Jr. was 0x4 with a run scored as the Owls won that game 7-6. The series did not resume until 2015 when WKU joined Conference USA. The Owls' last win in the series came at Reckling on 3/23/18 as Matt Canterino carried a no-hitter into the 8th and combined with Jackson Parthasarthy on a one-hit shutout. Canterino struck out 11 and walked just one in eight innings while Parthasarthy struck out the side in the ninth. The Owls were clinging to a 1-0 lead until they added three in the sixth, two of them coming on a triple by Trei Cruz. Dalton Wood is the only current Owl to face WKU: (2.1,1,1,1,0,4) on 5/3/19.
Rice vs. WKU (16-7)
5/5/2019 Bowling Green L 4 - 6
5/3/2019 Bowling Green L 5 - 9
5/3/2019 Bowling Green L 3 - 6
3/25/2018 Reckling Park L 0 - 4
3/24/2018 Reckling Park L 4 - 5
3/23/2018 Reckling Park W 4 - 0
4/22/2017 Bowling Green W 10 - 5
4/22/2017 Bowling Green W 13 - 2
4/21/2017 Bowling Green W 8 - 4
4/16/2016 Reckling Park W 5 - 2
4/16/2016 Reckling Park W 3 - 2
4/15/2016 Reckling Park W 9 - 3
4/26/2015 Bowling Green W 3 - 2
4/24/2015 Bowling Green W 3 - 2
4/24/2015 Bowling Green W 11 - 4
3/3/1995 Cameron Field W 7 - 6
3/10/1990 Cameron Field L 1 - 2
3/9/1990 Cameron Field L 0 - 3
3/11/1989 Cameron Field W 6 - 4
3/10/1989 Cameron Field W 3 - 1
3/9/1989 Cameron Field W 8 - 7
3/12/1988 Cameron Field W 14 - 1
3/11/1988 Cameron Field W 8 - 2
Solid Up the Middle
In 15 games since Hal Hughes returned to the starting lineup at short (after missing 25 games with a preseason injury) and Pierce Gallo moved to second, the duo has handled 138 chances without an error while turning 10 double plays. The Owls had 11 combined errors at the two positions in the first 25 games. Gallo has not committed an error in 70 chances at second while Hughes has not committed one in his last 118 chances (27 games) dating back to last year.
Lights Out Linskey
Matthew Linskey is ninth in C-USA with four saves, which is two shy of the Owls' team total from 2021... He did not allow a run in his first 14 appearances and has struck out 38 in 17.2 innings (19.4 per nine innings)... Worked a career-best three innings at LA Tech on 4/10 and struck out eight (also a career-high and one less than the season-high for any Owl in 2021). On the season, he is holding opposing hitters to a .159 batting average (10x63). Opposing hitters are hitting .143 (4x28) with runners on base.
Punchouts
Owls pitching topped double figures in strikeouts in three consecutive games vs. Marshall, the second time they have done so this year. The last time Rice pitchers topped double figures in more than three consecutive games was from 4/13-26/19 (Charlotte, MTSU-3, LA Tech).
Doubling Up
Owls hitters have 70 doubles in 40 games, three more than they totaled in 53 games last year.
Getting it Done in a Pinch
Rice pinch hitters are hitting .344 (11x32) the Owls' most pinch hits since they collected 19 in 2007 (19x57). Nathan Becker (3x5) leads the team, matching Ben Dukes (3x10) total as the team leader last year. On the other side of the diamond, Rice pitchers have held opposing pinch hitters to a .194 average so far (6x31).
Coming in Bunches
Rice has scored at least three runs in an inning 21 times in the last 24 games after doing it only six times in the first 16 games.
Quick Hits
• Nathan Becker Leads the Owls with a .333 average and a .431 on-base percentage and is third with a career-high 39 hits... Opened the season by reaching base in 26 games (the longest streak by an Owl since 2017) and has reached in 29 of his 30 starts.
• Jack Ben-Shoshan Moved into the starting role in center vs. UTSA and singled in his first at-bat, breaking an 0-22 streak after singling in his first career at-`bat on 2/19. Hit safely in all three games vs. UTSA (4x12) along with his first two RBi and his fourth stolen base (tied for the team lead)... Has started five of the last six in center.
• Austin Bulman Leads the Owls in doubles (11), homers (7), and total bases (76) and is second with 29 RBI... Has hit in 16 of 18 conference games… Slammed a pair of homers at Marshall in his return to his home state. Owls' active career leader with 16 homers... Has three of the Owls' six homers on the road...12-game hitting streak this year was the longest by an Owl since 2018.
• Antonio Cruz 2x5 with two doubles (career-best) and three RBI (tied career-best) after entering the game vs. Texas A&M CC... Has scored five runs in his last seven games.
• Justin Dunlap Made his first start since 3/12 at Southern Miss on 4/24 and was 1x3 with a walk.
• Pierce Gallo Leads the Owls with a .313 average in C-USA games (21x67)... Became the fourth Owl this season to collect four hits in a game with a 4x6 effort vs. UTSA on 4/17 while also matching his career-high with four RBI... Has driven in 21 runs in his last 25 games after driving in just one in the first 14.. Has started the last 15 at second base after opening the year with 24 starts at short.... Leads C-USA with 125 assists overall (2nd in conference games with 51)... Tied for fourth with 22 double plays in all games.
• Guy Garibay Jr. Leads the team in hits (45), multi-hit games (14), and runs (33), second with 10 doubles, third with 27 RBI... All totals are career highs... Collected a career-best four hits vs. SFA and matched it the next night vs. Sam Houston... After hitting his first career homer at Louisiana on 2/28/21 he has hit his last nine homers at Reckling Park.
• Manny Garza. Started two of three at Southern Miss and threw out all three attempting to steal... Has hit in two of three starts (6x9) since returning to action after missing 30 games with an injury… Returned to the lineup vs. UTSA on 4/16 with a splash, collecting a career-high four hits (4x4), including his first career double.
• Johnny Hoyle Has made 10 starts this year (four at 3B, 3 at 2B, 2 in CF, 1 at 1 at 1B). Three hits in a start vs. Sam Houston were his career high.
• Hal Hughes Returned to action after recovering from a preseason injury and delivered an RBI single in his first at-bat (3/30 vs. A&M CC)... Has started the last 15 at short.... Committed only one error over his last 40 games dating back to last season and none in his last 27 (118 chances).
• Justin Long Leads the team with a career-high 24 walks... 7x19 over his last six starts, including three two-hit games... Picked up his first multi-RBI game of the year vs. Sam Houston driving in a pair on a sac fly when his bases-loaded drive to center was snagged by the diving Bearkats centerfielder who was unable to regain his footing in time to hold the runners.
• Jack Riedel Has started the last 11 at third... Has collected three hits in a game three times (tied for second on the team).
• Aaron Smigelski Leads the team lead with 30 RBI and with eight multi-RBI games...Looking to become the first freshman to lead the Owls in RBI since Trei Cruz tied for the lead with 45 in 2018... Drove in a career-high five while going 3x5 vs. HBU on 4/5… Singled twice and drove in three runs in the Owls' 11-run fifth innings… Broke an 0x13 stretch with a double vs. A&MCC on 3/30... Collected a hit in 15 of the first 17 games of his college career (19x51), the first two as a pinch hitter and the last 13 as a starter... Slugged homers in three consecutive at-bats (his last vs. SFA and his first two vs. UAB)... His first homer against the Blazers was measured by StatCast at 444 feet, the longest by an Owl at home this season.
• Connor Walsh Tied for the team lead with four stolen bases.
• Drew Woodcox Fifth on the team with six doubles and has eight extra-base hits in his last 16 games after collecting none in his first 13 games.
Quick Pitches
• Thomas Burbank Picked up his first career win in a start vs. HBU on 4/5 (5,1,0,0,2,5) and came back five days later to work five innings in a start vs. LA Tech (5,7,3,3,0,2) to take a tough 3-1 loss.. Made his second appearance out of the bullpen on Sunday in the finale at Marshall and took the loss... Worked three innings in relief against Texas Tech on 3/11 and struck out a season-high four (3,2,1,1,1,4)... Made three starts on the weekend to open the year and started the last two Sunday games (UTSA, @Southern Miss) vs. UTSA on 4/17... Also started three midweek games.
• Brandon Deskins Broke a four-game losing streak by picking up the win in relief vs. UTSA on 4/17, matching his season-high with 3.2 innings out of the pen while giving up one hit and fanning three... Worked a scoreless eighth in the win at Sam Houston on 4/12.
• Roel Garcia Tied for second on the team with 38 strikeouts Tossed two scoreless innings out of the pen at Sam Houston on 4/12... Worked a team-high 4.0 innings in relief vs. FAU on 4/2 (4,5,2,2,0,4) but was tagged with the loss... Picked up his first win of the year with three shutout innings in relief at Marshall on 3/26 (3,1,0,0,2,3)... Fanned six in two innings at LA Tech on 4/9... Opened the year with a relief outing at Texas and then made four weekend starts… Walked four in 2.1 innings vs. Longhorns, but has walked only five in his last 23.1 innings while striking out 25... Struck out a career-high nine in four innings in a start vs. Texas Tech on 3/12 (4,2,2,0,1,9).
• Mark Perkins Pitched two scoreless innings in relief vs. UTSA on 4/16 and has allowed just one run over his last 7.2 relief innings (five appearances).. Made his second start at Sam Houston on 4/12 (2.2, 2,1,1,4,0)... .Made his starting debut in his last outing (vs. A&MCC on 3/30: 2.1,1,3,3,3,2)... Picked up his first career win with a career-long three innings against SFA on 3/15. After being touched for a pair of doubles and walking a batter without recording an out in his debut at Texas, he's allowed two runs in 7.2 innings (five appearances).
• David Shaw Leads the team with 18 appearances... Worked a career-best 3.2 innings at Southern Miss on 4/23 (3.2,2,1,1,1,2) and is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in his last five appearances (9,6,2,2,1,8)... Earned his first career win coming on in relief at Sam Houston on 4/12... Came into a 2-1 game with two outs and a runner at second and retired the nation's leader in RBI (Carlos Contreras) and retired him on a fly ball to center.
• Parker Smith Has made six starts (three in the weekend rotation) but has been out since a start at Marshall on 3/26 (1,3,4,2,0,2)... 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 road roommates 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 as he and head coach Jose Cruz Jr. each earned their first collegiate wins. Smith prepped at Houston's Bellaire HS, the same school that sent Cruz to Rice in 1992.
• Tom Vincent Picked up his first career win in relief against Sam Houston on 3/16.
• Garret Zaskoda Worked a season-high 3.2 innings vs. UTSA on 4/15 (3.2,5,1,1,0,2) and has three outings this year of at least three innings. Tied his career-high with four K's (in three innings) vs. Houston... Has worked at least an inning in 10 of 11 appearances.
Clearing the Bases
The Owls are hitting .339 with the bases loaded (21x62) including three grand slams. The Owls have hit their last five slams 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.
Midweek Work
The Owls' win at Sam Houston on 4/12 was the Owls' final mid-week game until they make the short trip to face Houston on May 4 in the second game of the Silver Glove Series. Rice is 5-4 this year in midweek games with the wins over HBU and Sam Houston (twice) and SFA. The Owls were 5-1 last year in the non-conference midweek action.
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.
A Perfect Memory
MLB celebrated the 10th anniversary of Philip Humber's perfect game for the Chicago White Sox against the Seattle Mariners on April 21. Later this season, former Owl and current Yankee Lucas Luetge will commemorate his part in a combined no-hitter by Seattle against the Dodgers. He was one of five relievers who followed Kevin Millwood to the mound in a 1-0 win on June 8, 2012. Luetge was the first of two former Owls to contribute to a combined no-hitter. Tony Cingrani was the second of four Dodger relievers to follow Walker Buehler to hold San Diego hitless on May 4, 2018 in a game played in Monterey, Mexico.
Players Mentioned
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/ 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