Anderson Walks Off Senior Day

Saturday, May 16

Reckling Park

1:05 PM

Rice University

34-22, 16-11

Tulane

25-31, 10-17

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Tulane	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	5	6	5
Rice	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	2	1	6	10	0

Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics

5/16/2026 6:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Owls earn third seed in the American Conference Championship

By: Chuck Pool (cpool@rice.edu)

Houston: Aric Anderson made his final home game at Rice one to remember, driving in the winning run in the bottom of the 11^th to give the Owls a 6-5 win over Tulane Saturday afternoon and complete a sweep of the Green Wave.

How it Happened: What had been a tight battle for eight innings turned into a wild final three frames as Tulane twice re-took the lead only to see the Owls respond to tie it. The Green Wave struck first with a two-run homer in the third, and the teams traded scoreless innings in the middle third of the game. Rice finally broke through on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh, cutting the lead to 2-1 on a single and an error. Tulane got that run back on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the ninth, but the Owls were ready to turn their thoughts to the postseason. Masa Chilcutt led off the inning with a double, but Tulane retired the next two. JC Davis and Paul Smith walked to load the bases, and Hiram Bocachica Jr., who had entered the game as a pinch runner, slapped a two-run double to right to tie the game 3-3. Tulane immediately answered with a pair of runs in the top of the tenth, only to see Rice come back with two in the bottom half of the inning. Anderson led off with a single, and Cole Green and Chilcutt loaded the bases via walks. Anderson scored on a double play ball to cut the margin to 5-4, and Green followed him home on a wild pitch to tie it again. Carson Kuhn put an end to the Green Wave's scoring streak, retiring the side on six pitches, and Rice took full advantage of the opportunity. Pinch hitter Landon West led off and moved into scoring position thanks to a throwing error. Bocachica worked a full count before slicing a single to center to move West to third. Tulane chose to walk Kutter-Gage Webb and face Anderson with the bases loaded. The senior from Las Vegas fell down in the count 0-2, fouled off a third pitch, and dropped a ball to left that was deep enough to score West and give the Owls their 34^th win of the year and close the season with a seven-game winning streak at Reckling Park.

Next Up: Rice will be the third seed at the American Conference Baseball Championship in Clearwater, Florida and open play at 1 p.m. on Thursday against the winner of a play-in game between Florida Atlantic and Wichita State on Wednesday.

Notes

Rice doubled its win total from 2025, ending the regular season 34-22 after finishing last year 17-39 in the regular season. proved to 33-22 on the season.
The Owls' 17-win improvement is the largest in Division I.
The Owls finished the season 20-10 at home and 16-11 in the American Conference.
The conference sweep was the third this season for Rice, which took all three on the road at Charlotte and swept home series with UAB and Tulane.
The win was the third this season for the Owls when trailing after the eighth inning, after entering the season winless in their last 89 games when trailing after eight.
Rice improved to 11-2 in one-run games.
Zachary Daigre was 3x6 to lead the Owls and is now hitting .479 (23x48) in 14 games since moving into the starting lineup.