Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
Owls Host Panthers to Open Final 2023 Homestand
5/15/2023 9:31:00 PM | Baseball
First pitch at 6:30 on Tuesday
Rice opens the final set of home games for the 2023 baseball season by hosting Prairie View A&M on Tuesday at 6:30. After wrapping up the 2023 non-conference schedule by facing the Prairie View, Rice will host the FIU Panthers in the Owls final Conference USA regular season series, Thursday-Saturday at Reckling Park
Watch CUSAtv
Listen: Online / Varsity Network
Live Stats: Sidearm
Complete Game Notes
Pitching Matchup
RHP Garret Zaskoda (1-1, 11.25/2.19) vs. TBA
Owl on the Hill
#38 RHP Garret Zaskoda
6-1, 195 RHP, Jr. Sealy, Texas
Making a career-high fourth start (started three games in 2021)... Making his first start at home since 5/10/22 vs. Louisiana (4,6,2,1,0,6)... Has posted a 4.76 ERA in four appearances at home this year (5.2,4,3,3,4,4)... Started the final game of the Stanford series and in midweek games at Texas A&M and Houston... Earned the win in the finale of the Silver Glove Series for the second consecutive year with a three-inning relief stint (3,0,0,0,1,2)... Named to the All-Silver Glove team in 2022... He appeared in relief in each game of the series, compiling a 1.29 ERA in seven innings and picked up the win in the finale, tossing 3.0 shutout innings as the Owls won 5-4 in 12 innings... Came on in relief of JD McCracken vs. Louisiana on 2/19 and did not allow a run in 1.2 innings.. Led the team with a 3.60 ERA at home last season (10 ER in 25 IP).
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Owls and Panthers
Rice's 2023 schedule ranked as th
Formidable Slate
Rice's 2023 schedule ranked as the 39th toughest in Division I through games of May 15th. 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), three vs. Texas A&M (2022 CWS) and three-game series against NCAA tournament teams Louisiana, Louisiana Tech and Dallas Baptist.
Long Balls
Rice hit four home runs in a game in the win over Houston on 5/10, the third time this year the Owls have hit at least four in a game this year. The last time the Owls hit at least four home runs in three games in a season was in 2017 when the Owls had two games with four long balls in addition to a seven-homer game at UAB. They have hit 11 in the last five games, including seven last weekend vs. UTSA. The Owls have hit 52 homers this year, three shy of their best total since the NCAA adopted new bat standards in 2011 (55 in 2017).
In Good Company
Ben Royo is tied for seventh in C-USA with seven homers in conference games as well as seventh with 13 homers overall and has moved into a tie for third with his head coach, Jose Cruz Jr., for the most home runs by a freshman in school history.
1. Anthony Rendon 20 2009
2. Aaron Luna 16 2006
3. Jose Cruz Jr. 13 1993
Ben Royo 13 2023
Frosh Shortstop Sluggers
Royo is tied with Wehiwa Aloy of Sacramento St. for second in the nation in home runs by freshmen shortstops. Alex Lodise of North Florida leads the pack with 16. His 13 homers are the most for an Owl since Andrew Dunlap hit 13 in 2019… The last Owls with more than 13 in a season were Anthony Rendon (26) and Rick Hague (16) in 2010.
Lehman Makes MLB Managerial Debut
Former Owls catcher Danny Lehman, who is in his first year as the Bench Coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, earned his first major league win in his managerial debut on May 6 as the Dodgers defeated the Padres 2-1. Lehman stepped in for Dave Roberts while the Dodgers manager attended his son's college graduation. Lehman joins Eddie Dyer as the only Owls to register wins as major league managers. Dyer who was an All-SWC selection in both football and baseball while lettering from 1919-21, managed the St. Louis Cardinals from 1946-50 and compiled a career record of 446–325. He also guided the Cardinals to the World Series title in 1946. Lehman was a three-year starter at catcher for the Owls from 2005-07 and has been a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers' staff since 2015. He is in his first year as bench coach, replacing former major league manager Bob Geren.
Watch CUSAtv
Listen: Online / Varsity Network
Live Stats: Sidearm
Complete Game Notes
Pitching Matchup
RHP Garret Zaskoda (1-1, 11.25/2.19) vs. TBA
Owl on the Hill
#38 RHP Garret Zaskoda
6-1, 195 RHP, Jr. Sealy, Texas
Making a career-high fourth start (started three games in 2021)... Making his first start at home since 5/10/22 vs. Louisiana (4,6,2,1,0,6)... Has posted a 4.76 ERA in four appearances at home this year (5.2,4,3,3,4,4)... Started the final game of the Stanford series and in midweek games at Texas A&M and Houston... Earned the win in the finale of the Silver Glove Series for the second consecutive year with a three-inning relief stint (3,0,0,0,1,2)... Named to the All-Silver Glove team in 2022... He appeared in relief in each game of the series, compiling a 1.29 ERA in seven innings and picked up the win in the finale, tossing 3.0 shutout innings as the Owls won 5-4 in 12 innings... Came on in relief of JD McCracken vs. Louisiana on 2/19 and did not allow a run in 1.2 innings.. Led the team with a 3.60 ERA at home last season (10 ER in 25 IP).
.
Owls and Panthers
Rice's 2023 schedule ranked as th
Formidable Slate
Rice's 2023 schedule ranked as the 39th toughest in Division I through games of May 15th. 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), three vs. Texas A&M (2022 CWS) and three-game series against NCAA tournament teams Louisiana, Louisiana Tech and Dallas Baptist.
Long Balls
Rice hit four home runs in a game in the win over Houston on 5/10, the third time this year the Owls have hit at least four in a game this year. The last time the Owls hit at least four home runs in three games in a season was in 2017 when the Owls had two games with four long balls in addition to a seven-homer game at UAB. They have hit 11 in the last five games, including seven last weekend vs. UTSA. The Owls have hit 52 homers this year, three shy of their best total since the NCAA adopted new bat standards in 2011 (55 in 2017).
In Good Company
Ben Royo is tied for seventh in C-USA with seven homers in conference games as well as seventh with 13 homers overall and has moved into a tie for third with his head coach, Jose Cruz Jr., for the most home runs by a freshman in school history.
1. Anthony Rendon 20 2009
2. Aaron Luna 16 2006
3. Jose Cruz Jr. 13 1993
Ben Royo 13 2023
Frosh Shortstop Sluggers
Royo is tied with Wehiwa Aloy of Sacramento St. for second in the nation in home runs by freshmen shortstops. Alex Lodise of North Florida leads the pack with 16. His 13 homers are the most for an Owl since Andrew Dunlap hit 13 in 2019… The last Owls with more than 13 in a season were Anthony Rendon (26) and Rick Hague (16) in 2010.
Lehman Makes MLB Managerial Debut
Former Owls catcher Danny Lehman, who is in his first year as the Bench Coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, earned his first major league win in his managerial debut on May 6 as the Dodgers defeated the Padres 2-1. Lehman stepped in for Dave Roberts while the Dodgers manager attended his son's college graduation. Lehman joins Eddie Dyer as the only Owls to register wins as major league managers. Dyer who was an All-SWC selection in both football and baseball while lettering from 1919-21, managed the St. Louis Cardinals from 1946-50 and compiled a career record of 446–325. He also guided the Cardinals to the World Series title in 1946. Lehman was a three-year starter at catcher for the Owls from 2005-07 and has been a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers' staff since 2015. He is in his first year as bench coach, replacing former major league manager Bob Geren.
Players Mentioned
P
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