Sunday, April 14
Reckling Park
1:00 p.m.
Rice University
vs
UAB
Owls Face UAB on Blue-Gray Weekend
4/11/2024 9:20:00 PM | Baseball
Series opens at 6:30 on Friday
Blue-Gray Weekend Brings Homestand to a Close
Rice hosts the UAB Blazers for three games this weekend to wrap up an eight-game homestand for the Owls. The homestand is part of a full weekend of events on campus as part of the annual Blue-Gray Weekend. In addition to baseball, Rice football will draw the curtain on spring football with the annual Blue-Gray Spring Game on Saturday at 5 p.m. Earlier on Saturday, both the men's and women's tennis teams will be holding their final dual matches of the year and honoring their senior team members.
Watch ESPN+
Listen: Online / Varsity Network
Live Stats: Sidearm
Full Game Notes: RiceOwls.com
On the Air
J.P. Heath returns for his 16th season behind the mic calling Rice baseball. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Heath providing the commentary as a simulcast with his radio call.
Pitching Matchups
UAB Series
The Owls and Blazers have met continuously since 2006 when Rice joined Conference USA. Rice leads the overall series 37-17, including a 20-6 mark, at Reckling Park, but the schools are 3-3 in the last two meetings in Houston. The Blazers won the final two games of the series at Reckling in 2021 to win the series in Houston for the first time. Rice rebounded last year, sweeping the three games in Birmingham while holding UAB to one run in each game.
Double Digits
Jack Riedel is the third Owl in the last three seasons to reach double figures in home runs, connecting on his 131st at-bat of the season. for a two-run homer vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Wednesday night. Ben Royo hit his 10th in his 134th at-bat last season (finished with 13) while Austin Bullman did it on his 218th and final at-bat as an Owl at FIU on 5/21/22. The last Owl to reach double figures home runs in fewer than 131 at-bats was Andrew Dunlap who hit his 10th of the year on his 102nd at-bat of the 2019 season (4/5 vs. FIU).
Doubling Up the Outs
Thanks to their second game with four double plays this season (3/28 at Wichita State) Rice leads the AAC and ranks fifth nationally with 35 double plays in the first 34 games and 11th nationally with 1.03 per game. They finished 199th in the nation last year with 33 twin killings and 230th overall with an average of .57 per game. The last time the Owls averaged more than a double play per game was 2013 when they turned 69 in 66 games (1.08). They ranked sixth nationally in total double plays that year.
In the AAC Stats
Kyte McDonald tied for the AAC lead (and is 32nd nationally) with a career-high three triples... Jack Riedel is tied for the conference lead with 10 home runs, is second with .29 home runs per game and fourth with 77 total bases... Davion Hickson is tied for fifth with four saves (.. Manny Garza leads the AAC with 12 runners caught stealing, and second with 292 total chances, and 264 putouts... Treyton Rank leads the conference with 30 double plays, 295 chances and 268 putouts.
Rice hosts the UAB Blazers for three games this weekend to wrap up an eight-game homestand for the Owls. The homestand is part of a full weekend of events on campus as part of the annual Blue-Gray Weekend. In addition to baseball, Rice football will draw the curtain on spring football with the annual Blue-Gray Spring Game on Saturday at 5 p.m. Earlier on Saturday, both the men's and women's tennis teams will be holding their final dual matches of the year and honoring their senior team members.
Watch ESPN+
Listen: Online / Varsity Network
Live Stats: Sidearm
Full Game Notes: RiceOwls.com
On the Air
J.P. Heath returns for his 16th season behind the mic calling Rice baseball. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Heath providing the commentary as a simulcast with his radio call.
Pitching Matchups
- Friday: RHP Parker Smith (2-3, 4.26/1.51) vs. RHP Blayze Berry (3-1, 2.37/1.30)
- Saturday: LHP J.D.McCracken (2-4, 5.36/1.65) vs. RHP Braxton Shelton (1-3, 4.04/1.54)
- Sunday: RHP Tucker Alch (0-1, 3.24/1.38) vs. RHP Colin Daniel (5-2, 3.46/1.46)
UAB Series
The Owls and Blazers have met continuously since 2006 when Rice joined Conference USA. Rice leads the overall series 37-17, including a 20-6 mark, at Reckling Park, but the schools are 3-3 in the last two meetings in Houston. The Blazers won the final two games of the series at Reckling in 2021 to win the series in Houston for the first time. Rice rebounded last year, sweeping the three games in Birmingham while holding UAB to one run in each game.
Double Digits
Jack Riedel is the third Owl in the last three seasons to reach double figures in home runs, connecting on his 131st at-bat of the season. for a two-run homer vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Wednesday night. Ben Royo hit his 10th in his 134th at-bat last season (finished with 13) while Austin Bullman did it on his 218th and final at-bat as an Owl at FIU on 5/21/22. The last Owl to reach double figures home runs in fewer than 131 at-bats was Andrew Dunlap who hit his 10th of the year on his 102nd at-bat of the 2019 season (4/5 vs. FIU).
Doubling Up the Outs
Thanks to their second game with four double plays this season (3/28 at Wichita State) Rice leads the AAC and ranks fifth nationally with 35 double plays in the first 34 games and 11th nationally with 1.03 per game. They finished 199th in the nation last year with 33 twin killings and 230th overall with an average of .57 per game. The last time the Owls averaged more than a double play per game was 2013 when they turned 69 in 66 games (1.08). They ranked sixth nationally in total double plays that year.
In the AAC Stats
Kyte McDonald tied for the AAC lead (and is 32nd nationally) with a career-high three triples... Jack Riedel is tied for the conference lead with 10 home runs, is second with .29 home runs per game and fourth with 77 total bases... Davion Hickson is tied for fifth with four saves (.. Manny Garza leads the AAC with 12 runners caught stealing, and second with 292 total chances, and 264 putouts... Treyton Rank leads the conference with 30 double plays, 295 chances and 268 putouts.
Players Mentioned
RHP
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RHP
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