Friday, May 2
3 PM
Rice University
2
vs
0
Charlotte
Hickson's Gem Leads Owls over Charlotte
5/2/2025 7:40:00 PM | Baseball
First complete game, 1-hitter by an Owl since 2012
Reckling Park: Davion Hickson outdueled Charlotte's Blake Gillespie by throwing the first complete game, one-hit shutout by an Owl since 2012 as Rice took the opening game of its weekend series with Charlotte, 2-0 on Friday afternoon.
How it Happened: The start of the game was moved up to 3 p.m. due to the forecast of storms in Houston for Friday night, and both pitchers set an early torrid pace, retiring 24 of 28 combined hitters they faced while completing four innings in an hour. The only hits through the first four were a single to left by Charlotte's Chandler Riley with one out in the third and Michael Zito's two-out bunt single in the fourth off Gillespie. The only thing that could slow their race through the lineups was a 50-minute delay due to lightning in the area, but both immediately picked up where they left off when play resumed with a pair of strikeouts by each in the fifth. The Owls broke the ice with two outs in the sixth when Collin Robson singled to center and then scored on a double to right center by Blaine Brown. Charlotte mounted its most serious challenge to Hickson in the eighth with a leadoff walk to pinch hitter Juan Rivera who became the only 49er to second courtesy a sacrifice with the top of the lineup due next. But Hickson needed only eight pitches to end the threat, striking out both Riley and Connor Maryniak. Paul Smith rewarded Hickson with an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a solo homer, his first of the year. Hickson returned for the ninth and struck out Cody Gunderson after being extended to a 3-2 count and then closed with a pair of foul outs to complete his gem. Up Next: Rice and Charlotte meet at 2 p.m. on Saturday for the middle game of the series before wrapping things up with a noon start on Sunday.
Notes
How it Happened: The start of the game was moved up to 3 p.m. due to the forecast of storms in Houston for Friday night, and both pitchers set an early torrid pace, retiring 24 of 28 combined hitters they faced while completing four innings in an hour. The only hits through the first four were a single to left by Charlotte's Chandler Riley with one out in the third and Michael Zito's two-out bunt single in the fourth off Gillespie. The only thing that could slow their race through the lineups was a 50-minute delay due to lightning in the area, but both immediately picked up where they left off when play resumed with a pair of strikeouts by each in the fifth. The Owls broke the ice with two outs in the sixth when Collin Robson singled to center and then scored on a double to right center by Blaine Brown. Charlotte mounted its most serious challenge to Hickson in the eighth with a leadoff walk to pinch hitter Juan Rivera who became the only 49er to second courtesy a sacrifice with the top of the lineup due next. But Hickson needed only eight pitches to end the threat, striking out both Riley and Connor Maryniak. Paul Smith rewarded Hickson with an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a solo homer, his first of the year. Hickson returned for the ninth and struck out Cody Gunderson after being extended to a 3-2 count and then closed with a pair of foul outs to complete his gem. Up Next: Rice and Charlotte meet at 2 p.m. on Saturday for the middle game of the series before wrapping things up with a noon start on Sunday.
Notes
- Rice improved to 7-12 in the AAC and 14-15 all-time vs. Charlotte and 7-8 vs. the 49ers at Reckling Park.
- The win snapped a three-game losing streak against Charlotte at home.
- The win was the Owls' second in a series opener this year.
- Hickson is the first Owl to throw a one-hit shutout since Matthew Reckling defeated East Carolina 2-0 on 4/20/2012 at Reckling Park. Reckling walked two and struck out 10.
- The last Owl to throw a complete game shutout was Blake Fox at FIU on 5/7/16.
- In two starts since he returned to the rotation, Hickson is 1-1 with a 1.62 ERA (3 ER in 16.2 IP) while allowing just four hits and striking out 19.
- In two career appearances vs. Charlotte (one start, one in relief) Hickson has given up three hits and no runs in 14 innings with a win and a save and has struck out 19.
- Smith has made his first two starts of the year in the last two games, and he is 5x7 with three doubles and a home run.
- Zito's bunt single in the fourth extended his hitting streak in conference games to 16.
- Brown has driven in 23 runs in his last 20 games.
Players Mentioned
LHP/OF
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RHP
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C
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INF
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