Rice University
6-11
Houston Christian
7-11
Duffield's Slam Lifts Owls Past Huskies
3/16/2024 12:02:00 AM | Baseball
Two-out shot in the seventh
The Details: After a wait of 90 minutes, the teams traded body blows in the early going, with HCU scoring in the first and Rice answering with three in the bottom of the frame. They traded runs in the second and after the Huskies scored one in the top of the third, Rice answered with a pair in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-3 lead. HCU scored one in its half of the fourth and held Rice scoreless for the first time in the game in the bottom of the fourth. The Huskies then grabbed the lead with three in the top of the fifth and held onto the lead until the fateful seventh. Nathan Becker opened the inning with a double to right and Manny Garza followed with a single to right on the next pitch. Jacob Devenny loaded the bases with his third walk of the night, but HCU retired the next two to bring Duffield to the plate. The sophomore from Strake Jesuit who hit his first career homer two games earlier in Honolulu and was hitless in his only previous career at bat with the bases loaded, drilled a 1-0 pitch well over the wall in left to clear the bases and put the Owls ahead to stay. Tom Vincent earned the win by working a career-high five innings in relief, retiring the last 10 HCU batters after the Huskies scored three unearned runs off him in the fifth. He struck out a career-high six including two of the last three he faced.
Up Next: Game Two of the series will be moved to Recklilng Park at 1 p.m. on Saturday with HCU as the home team. The series finale is set for Reckling Park on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Notes:
- Rice improved to 6-11, 3-7 at home and 3-2 in series openers.
- Rice is 29-4 all-time vs. the Huskies and has won the last nine consecutive.
- The Owls hit two doubles in the game and have 18 doubles in the last eight games after collecting just seven in the first 10 games.
- Rice turned its 21st double play of the season, which matches Coastal Carolina for the most in the nation.
- Duffield's slam was the first by an Owl since Connor Walsh hit one against Prairie View on May 16, 2023.
- Vincent has appeared in three of the last five games and has posted a 1.86 ERA (2 ER in 9.2 IP)
- Davion Hickson earned his second save of the season, allowing one hit and striking out two in the ninth.
- Jack Riedel's sixth-inning single extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
- Devenny scored a pair of runs after reaching base four times without a hit. He walked three times and also reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt that resulted in an error.
- Tobias Motely made his second consecutive start and was 1x4 with his first career RBI. He has gone 3x7 in his two starts.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Vincent, Tom (1-0)
L: Baumann, Baylor (0-1)
S: Hickson, Davion (2)
Batting:
2B: Roper, Trevor 1 ; Jewell, William 1 ; LaRue, Dylan 1
RBI: Roper, Trevor 2 ; LaRue, Tyler 1 ; LaRue, Dylan 1 ; Baker, Trent 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Roper, Trevor 1 ; Jewell, William 1 ; LaRue, Dylan 1 ; Halligan, Katcher 1 ; Hodge, Ty 1 ; Baker, Trent 2
SB: Hodge, Ty 1 ; Baker, Trent 1
HBP: Halligan, Katcher 1 ; Prinner, Josh 1
Batting:
2B: Becker, Nathan 1 ; Garza, Manny 1
HR: Duffield, Trey 1
RBI: Riedel, Jack 1 ; Garza, Manny 2 ; Gallo, Pierce 1 ; Motley, Tobias 1 ; Duffield, Trey 4
SH: Devenny, Jacob 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McDonald, Kyte 1 ; Riedel, Jack 1 ; Becker, Nathan 2 ; Garza, Manny 2 ; Devenny, Jacob 2 ; Duffield, Trey 2
SB: Gallo, Pierce 1
HBP: Becker, Nathan 1 ; Garza, Manny 1
