Sunday, March 12
Houston, Texas
1 PM
Rice University
vs
HCU
Owls Host Huskies to Close Out Homestand
3/9/2023 8:24:00 PM | Baseball
Rice closes its five-game homestand with three games against Houston Christian over the weekend: 6:30 on Friday, 2:00 on Saturday and 1:00 pm Sunday. All three games will be broadcast on CUSAtv.
How to Follow:
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: Online / Varsity Network
Live Stats: Sidearm stats
Pitching Matchups
Friday
RHP Parker Smith (0-0, 2.04/0.96), vs. Rye Gunter (0-1, 4.60/1.47)
Saturday
TBA vs. Matthew Charles (0-1, 6.30/1.7)
Sunday
TBA vs. Will Ripoll (0-1, 6.48/1.80)
Full Game Notes
Owl on the Hill
#26 Parker Smith
6-4 230 So. Houston, Texas
Making his fourth start of the year, all as the Friday starter....1-0 in his career vs. the Huskies... Made his staring debut vs. HBU last year and worked six shutout innings, allowed a pair of hits and struck out four while throwing just 56 pitches to earn both his and his head coach Jose Cruz Jr.'s first career victories… Named to the 2023 Shriners Children's College Classic All-Tournament team after he tossed six shutout innings against Texas Tech, which came into the game hitting .351 and scoring 12.1 runs per game (6,3,0,0,1,8).... Averaging 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings this year (18 in 17.2), compared with 4.8 as a freshman (23 in 43)... Went 5.2 innings against #2 Stanford on 2/24, allowed six hits, four runs (one earned), walked one, and struck out five… Worked six innings against Louisiana in his debut in the Friday starting slot (6,5,3,31,5)... Appeared in 13 games with 10 starts (tied for second on the team) in his freshman campaign… Finished the season with a 2-3 record and a 4.19 ERA, tops among the starters… Was 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in four games (three starts) in Conference USA action… Winning pitcher in the Owls' first and last wins of 2022… Made his collegiate debut at Texas on 2/20 and his starting debut three days later against then-HBU… Closed the season with a win at FIU in the season finale, (5.1, 3,1,0,1,0)… 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA in seven games (five starts) on the road while holding hitters to a .226 batting average.
The Roommates
Jose Cruz Jr. and HCU head coach Lance Berkman were teammates and roommates on road trips for the Owls in their lone season together (1995). Cruz hit .377 with 16 homers and 76 RBI in his junior season on his way to All-America honors and becoming the third overall pick in the MLB Draft. Berkman hit .322 with six homers and 46 RBI in 62 games and earned SWC Newcomer of the Year honors. The duo homered in the same game three times that season, the first coming in their second game together. After opening the season with a 20-3 win at SFA on 2/8, the Owls hosted SW Texas State at Cameron Field in the home opener two days later. Cruz homered three times and drove in a school-record 10 while Berkman hit his first career homer and drove in three in a 15-3 win. On 3/19, Berkman went 4x7, hit for the cycle, and drove in three while Cruz homered and was walked four times in a 21-5 win over Texas A&M (largest margin ever against the Aggies) in a game played at Cougar Field as part of the SWC First Pitch Tournament. They last homered in the same game on 4/21 vs.TCU, driving in all seven Owls' runs in a 7-6 win. Cruz was 3x5 with two homers and four RBI, Berkman 2x5 with three RBI and a home run.
Last Time Out: Midweek Split
Rice is now 3-1 in midweek action after splitting games with UTRGV and Texas A&M. The Owls took control early against the Vaqueros with a nine-run second inning and never looked back as Connor Walsh hit a pair of home runs in a game for the second time in his career. The following night, J.D. McCracken worked a career-high 5.1 innings and struck out a career-best five, but gave up four runs in the second and A&M went on to win 6-1.
Formidable Slate Ahead
Rice's 2023 schedule currently ranks as the 27th toughest in the nation (and tops in Conference USA) through games of 3/9 The Owls faced the 52nd toughest schedule in the nation last year, the highest since they faced the 24th toughest in 2018. This year's lineup of 34 teams averaged 33 wins last year, highlighted by three games at Stanford (2022 CWS), two vs. Texas A&M (2022 CWS) and three-game series against NCAA tournament teams Louisiana, Louisiana Tech and Dallas Baptist.
Season Sweep2 of Bearkats
Benjamin Rosengard's fourth-inning, opposite-field grand slam, Rice's first on the road in nearly four years, keyed a six-run fourth and set the course for an 11-4 win for Rice of Sam Houston at Don Sanders Stadium on 2/28. The win was the Owls' fourth consecutive win in the series and their sixth straight at Don Sanders Stadium. Rice has swept the series with Sam Houston in consecutive years for the first time since winning all three in 1996 and both games in 1997 & 1999.
By Any Means
Rice has 10 bases-loaded RBI in the first 13 games without putting the ball in play. Aaron Smigelski has been hit by a pitch with the bases loaded three times in seven plate appearances (twice on 2/28 at Sam Houston). Manny Garza has also driven in one run with an HBP while Garza, Trey Duffield, Drew Holderbach, Jack Riedel Christian Salazar and Connor Walsh have each drawn walks with the bases full.
How to Follow:
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: Online / Varsity Network
Live Stats: Sidearm stats
Pitching Matchups
Friday
RHP Parker Smith (0-0, 2.04/0.96), vs. Rye Gunter (0-1, 4.60/1.47)
Saturday
TBA vs. Matthew Charles (0-1, 6.30/1.7)
Sunday
TBA vs. Will Ripoll (0-1, 6.48/1.80)
Full Game Notes
Owl on the Hill
#26 Parker Smith
6-4 230 So. Houston, Texas
Making his fourth start of the year, all as the Friday starter....1-0 in his career vs. the Huskies... Made his staring debut vs. HBU last year and worked six shutout innings, allowed a pair of hits and struck out four while throwing just 56 pitches to earn both his and his head coach Jose Cruz Jr.'s first career victories… Named to the 2023 Shriners Children's College Classic All-Tournament team after he tossed six shutout innings against Texas Tech, which came into the game hitting .351 and scoring 12.1 runs per game (6,3,0,0,1,8).... Averaging 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings this year (18 in 17.2), compared with 4.8 as a freshman (23 in 43)... Went 5.2 innings against #2 Stanford on 2/24, allowed six hits, four runs (one earned), walked one, and struck out five… Worked six innings against Louisiana in his debut in the Friday starting slot (6,5,3,31,5)... Appeared in 13 games with 10 starts (tied for second on the team) in his freshman campaign… Finished the season with a 2-3 record and a 4.19 ERA, tops among the starters… Was 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in four games (three starts) in Conference USA action… Winning pitcher in the Owls' first and last wins of 2022… Made his collegiate debut at Texas on 2/20 and his starting debut three days later against then-HBU… Closed the season with a win at FIU in the season finale, (5.1, 3,1,0,1,0)… 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA in seven games (five starts) on the road while holding hitters to a .226 batting average.
The Roommates
Jose Cruz Jr. and HCU head coach Lance Berkman were teammates and roommates on road trips for the Owls in their lone season together (1995). Cruz hit .377 with 16 homers and 76 RBI in his junior season on his way to All-America honors and becoming the third overall pick in the MLB Draft. Berkman hit .322 with six homers and 46 RBI in 62 games and earned SWC Newcomer of the Year honors. The duo homered in the same game three times that season, the first coming in their second game together. After opening the season with a 20-3 win at SFA on 2/8, the Owls hosted SW Texas State at Cameron Field in the home opener two days later. Cruz homered three times and drove in a school-record 10 while Berkman hit his first career homer and drove in three in a 15-3 win. On 3/19, Berkman went 4x7, hit for the cycle, and drove in three while Cruz homered and was walked four times in a 21-5 win over Texas A&M (largest margin ever against the Aggies) in a game played at Cougar Field as part of the SWC First Pitch Tournament. They last homered in the same game on 4/21 vs.TCU, driving in all seven Owls' runs in a 7-6 win. Cruz was 3x5 with two homers and four RBI, Berkman 2x5 with three RBI and a home run.
Last Time Out: Midweek Split
Rice is now 3-1 in midweek action after splitting games with UTRGV and Texas A&M. The Owls took control early against the Vaqueros with a nine-run second inning and never looked back as Connor Walsh hit a pair of home runs in a game for the second time in his career. The following night, J.D. McCracken worked a career-high 5.1 innings and struck out a career-best five, but gave up four runs in the second and A&M went on to win 6-1.
Formidable Slate Ahead
Rice's 2023 schedule currently ranks as the 27th toughest in the nation (and tops in Conference USA) through games of 3/9 The Owls faced the 52nd toughest schedule in the nation last year, the highest since they faced the 24th toughest in 2018. This year's lineup of 34 teams averaged 33 wins last year, highlighted by three games at Stanford (2022 CWS), two vs. Texas A&M (2022 CWS) and three-game series against NCAA tournament teams Louisiana, Louisiana Tech and Dallas Baptist.
Season Sweep2 of Bearkats
Benjamin Rosengard's fourth-inning, opposite-field grand slam, Rice's first on the road in nearly four years, keyed a six-run fourth and set the course for an 11-4 win for Rice of Sam Houston at Don Sanders Stadium on 2/28. The win was the Owls' fourth consecutive win in the series and their sixth straight at Don Sanders Stadium. Rice has swept the series with Sam Houston in consecutive years for the first time since winning all three in 1996 and both games in 1997 & 1999.
By Any Means
Rice has 10 bases-loaded RBI in the first 13 games without putting the ball in play. Aaron Smigelski has been hit by a pitch with the bases loaded three times in seven plate appearances (twice on 2/28 at Sam Houston). Manny Garza has also driven in one run with an HBP while Garza, Trey Duffield, Drew Holderbach, Jack Riedel Christian Salazar and Connor Walsh have each drawn walks with the bases full.
Players Mentioned
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