Just getting the ball rolling before heading to SFO airport for my redeye flight to Houston...

The Rice Baseball Owls return to Reckling Park for their 2014 home-opener on Tuesday afternoon (an early 4:30pm CST game start) following a successful series road win vs. the #25 ranked Stanford Cardinal; the Owls first series win in California since the 2003 national championship season (after as long string of series losses vs. the likes of San Jose St., Cal St-Fullerton, Long Beach State, Cal-Poly, the AT&T Park tourney (vs. LBSU, UC-SB, Cal) and twice to Stanford (2010m 2012).

And while a series sweep would have certainly have been enjoyable, it is appropriate and fitting that Coach Wayne Graham wins his 1000th game at Rice (he's now just one victory shy of the milestone) at home in front of the Rice faithful at The Reck. Let's come out in force on Tuesday, and honoring him with a sold out crowd.

Another year of transition for the Texas State Bobcats as they move from the Southland to the WAC and now to the Sunbelt, where they're expected to compete for a regional birth (though the conference favorite is preseason Top 25 ranked Lousiana-Laffayette). They return their top two hitters from last year's squad, and most of their pitching staff. In particular, their two left-handers (midweek starter Lemke and closer Humpal) gave us fits last year in our two meetings.

Texas State had a successful home-opening weekend hosting a tournament-- beating Michigan 8-7 and Air Force 6-0, while losing 1-6 to Washington.

Here's the Texas State game notes for tomorrow's (an early 4:30pm start) home-opener at Reckling Park...
http://www.txstatebobcats.com/news/2014/...spx...with the probable starters announced as Sr RHP Chase McDowell vs. true Freshman LHP Tyler Davenport making his college debut for the Bobcats


Texas State roster and first weekend stats...
http://www.txstatebobcats.com/roster.asp...=baseball&
http://www.txstatebobcats.com/cumestats....&year=2014



Eric Sorenson ranked Texas State #107 in his Top 302 countdown...

Quote:107- TEXAS STATE (29-29, 16-11 in the WAC)
2013 ISR: 113
Starters Returning: 5
Weekend Starters: 3
Mid-Week Starters: 0
Key Relievers (15+inns.): 6
A piece o’ crap 5-13 start soured last season, so they must avoid another cold start. Pitching should be a strength as RHPs Taylor Black (3-7, 4.43) and Scott Grist (5-2, 4.56) will be backed by bullpenners Donnie Hart (1-1, 2.13, .209OBA), Hunter Lemke (2-3, 2.28, 8svs, .227OBA), Lucas Humpal (5-2, 3.30) and Austen Williams (1-3, 3.41, .216OBA). The top four hitters also return in Cody Lovejoy (.337) and Austin O’Neal (.322-3-26).

Here's Baseball America's preview of the Sunbelt, with Texas State projected to contend for a post-season birth...
http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2...-sun-belt/

Quote:Freshman of the Year: Granger Studdard, 1b, Texas State.
A physical 6-foot-2, 185-pound lefthanded hitter, Studdard brings power to the middle of the Bobcats’ lineup, and he is an athletic defender at first.

The Bobcats need four freshmen to hit the ground running in everyday roles, but they have two skilled veteran leaders in the middle of the diamond in Sr. C Tyler Pearson and Jr. SS Garrett Mattlage. The smallish Mattlage is a switch-hitter with strength from both sides and good instincts at short, making him one of the league’s best players. Pearson is a standout catch-and-throw guy who has gotten bigger and stronger, prompting the Bobcats to predict a big year from him

Kendall Rogers and Perfect Game project Texas State to finish 3rd in the Sunbelt, behind ULaLa and Troy, but no Bobcat player was selected to their preseason all-conference team...
http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View...ticle=9350

Quote:• Texas State: After spending a season in the Western Athletic Conference, the Bobcats will test their luck in the Sun Belt Conference. The Bobcats welcome back their top two hitters in Cody Lovejoy and Austin O’Neal, who finished last season with batting averages well over.300, while the pitching staff is in good shape. Hunter Lemke is back after tallying a 2.28 ERA in 47 1/3 innings last season, while Lucas Humpal, Austen Williams and Taylor Black, all quality arms, are also back in the mix. Both Williams and Humpal are intriguing prospects to watch, with Williams a 2014 prospect, Humpal a 2015.

Who's starting P for Rice?

(02-17-2014 07:58 PM)grol Wrote:  Who's starting P for Rice?

Guy, try reading the above!!! It's Chase McDowell.

5-10, 243 pound lefty to start for Texas State. The brief bit I saw this weekend on the video makes me wonder if we'll be a better hitting team against righties than lefties but we'll see over the course of the season.

Any predictions for UH on Wednesday? I had heard nice things about Duplantier and I'd like to see him get another chance now that he has gotten his opening game jitters out of the way?

(02-17-2014 08:20 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  5-10, 243 pound lefty to start for Texas State. The brief bit I saw this weekend on the video makes me wonder if we'll be a better hitting team against righties than lefties but we'll see over the course of the season.

Any predictions for UH on Wednesday? I had heard nice things about Duplantier and I'd like to see him get another chance now that he has gotten his opening game jitters out of the way?

Yeah, I think it will be either McCarthy or Duplantier on Wednesday. We've strugged mightily against left-handed pitching for 5+ years now. Both Byrd and Stainback tend to be better from the left side. However, Cook has always hit left-handers well (usually going the other way with the pitch), and both Ewing and Aquino are strong against lefties.

And here's the Rice game notes confirming Chase McDowell as tomorrow's starter vs. Texas State...

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-basebl/...14aad.html

Did we not at least mix in a split of a 4 game set at Cal a couple years back?
In any case, glad to get off the schneide and win a series in Cali.

Maybe we'll draw Fullerton in this year's Omaha finale to continue the parallel to 2003 :)

(02-18-2014 09:45 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  Did we not at least mix in a split of a 4 game set at Cal a couple years back?
In any case, glad to get off the schneide and win a series in Cali.

Maybe we'll draw Fullerton in this year's Omaha finale to continue the parallel to 2003 :)

That was here in 2010.

http://www.d1baseball.com/2010/schools/rice.htm

(02-18-2014 09:54 AM)d1owls4life Wrote:  

(02-18-2014 09:45 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  Did we not at least mix in a split of a 4 game set at Cal a couple years back?
In any case, glad to get off the schneide and win a series in Cali.

Maybe we'll draw Fullerton in this year's Omaha finale to continue the parallel to 2003 :)

That was here in 2010.

http://www.d1baseball.com/2010/schools/rice.htm

And that was against San Diego.