Rice University will host the Sam Houston Bearkats at Reckling Park on April 14 as part of a homestand that also includes three games against Memphis and a Silver Glove Series game against Houston. The game is set for 6:35 p.m., with coverage available through RiceOwls.com, the Varsity Network app, and ESPN+.
The matchup comes after Rice completed its first series sweep in Charlotte since 2017. The team has shown strong recent form, winning four consecutive games while batting .344 and maintaining a pitching staff ERA of 2.72 during that stretch. The bullpen has contributed with a combined record of one win, an ERA of 1.54, and two saves.
At home this season, Rice holds a record of 12-6 at Reckling Park and has won three out of four home series. Since David Pierce took over as Bixby Family Head Baseball Coach, the Owls have posted a .588 winning percentage at home (20-14). This marks an improvement from previous seasons; between 2019 and Pierce’s arrival, the team had recorded only a .393 home winning percentage across 178 games.
This year marks Rice’s third streak of at least four consecutive wins; earlier stretches included six straight victories from February to March and another four-game run from late March into April. In contrast to previous years—when the program experienced multiple losing streaks—the current squad has not lost more than two consecutive games over its last twenty-nine contests.
The history between Rice and Sam Houston is long-standing; they have played every full season since 1975 except for disruptions caused by the pandemic in 2020. Rice leads the all-time series with a record of 68-55-1 overall (35-32-1 on campus). Notably, David Pierce began his head coaching career at Sam Houston before joining Rice as head coach.
