The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Rice
Baseball preview: at Rice
02.13.2020 | Baseball
The Longhorns open the 2020 season with a three-game series at Rice.
TEXAS (0-0, 0-0) at RICE (0-0, 0-0)
February 14-16, 2020
Where: Houston, Texas (Reckling Park)
Time: Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 5 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m.
TV: CUSA TV
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn/1260 AM
Live stats
All-time series: Texas leads, 229-58-2
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
FRIDAY–Texas Jr. RHP Bryce Elder (2-4, 2.93) vs. Rice Jr. RHP Alex DeLeon (N/A)
SATURDAY–Texas So. RHP Ty Madden (4-1, 3.40) vs. Rice So. RHP Blake Brogdon (0-0, 27.00)
SUNDAY–Texas So. Coy Cobb (1-3, 3.45) vs. Rice TBA
THE MATCHUP—For the third time in the last six seasons, Texas and Rice meet on Opening Day. The teams opened the 2017 season with a four-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field and in 2015 the Longhorns traveled to Reckling Park for a four-game set. After sweeping a pair of midweek games last season, Texas holds a 6-4 advantage over Rice since 2015.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS—Texas Baseball embarks on the 2020 season with several fresh faces, including 13 true freshmen and three junior college transfers. Those 16 new faces will pair up with 17 returning letterwinners. On offense, the Longhorns return their leading hitter from last season in outfielder Eric Kennedy. The pitching staff returns its ace in Bryce Elder and a number of young pitchers that contributed in 2019.
PIERCE AND THE OWLS—Texas head coach David Pierce served nine seasons as an assistant coach at Rice from 2003-11, helping lead the Owls to the 2003 National Championship and four College World Series appearances. Since becoming a head coach in 2012, Pierce has faced his former employer 13 times and has a 9-4 record. At Sam Houston State from 2012-14, Pierce faced Rice annually and went 5-2 with a win in the 2012 NCAA Regional at Reckling Park. In his first season at Texas, Pierce and the Longhorns hosted Rice for four games to open the season and split the series. Texas also went 2-0 against the Owls in 2019.
NEXT UP—The Longhorns open their 2020 home slate against UTSA on Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m. The matchup with the Roadrunners kicks off a six-game homestand at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
TULO—Longhorns' Head Coach David Pierce made a splash during the offseason, with the hiring of 13-year Major League Baseball shortstop and five-time All-Star Troy Tulowitzki as an assistant coach. Tulowitzki, who was also a two-time All-American at Long Beach State, will coach the infielders and work with the hitters, alongside Philip Miller. With the hire of Tulowitzki, assistant coach Sean Allen assumes the role of pitching coach, a role he last held as an assistant at Florida International University from 2008-11. Texas also added Longhorn Legend and two-time MLB All-Star Huston Street to the staff as a student assistant.
PRESEASON PICKS—Junior right-handed pitcher Bryce Elder and sophomore outfielder Eric Kennedy were named to the 2020 Preseason All-Big 12 team. Elder was one of three unanimous selections to the team and Kennedy was one of only three sophomores selected. A second-team selection to the 2019 All-Big 12 team, Elder finished the year with a 2.93 ERA in 83 innings pitched. He led the Longhorns with 86 strikeouts and nine quality starts. The Longhorns' leading hitter as a freshman in 2019, Kennedy batted .310 with eight doubles, three triples and two home runs. During his debut season on the Forty Acres, he scored 41 runs and had 28 RBI to go with nine stolen bases.
PRESEASON RANKINGS—The Longhorns landed on a trio of preseason polls, checking in at No. 22 in the Collegiate Baseball poll, No. 24 in the Perfect Game poll and No. 30 in the NCBWA poll. In the Big 12 preseason coaches' poll, Texas was selected to finish fifth behind preseason favorite Texas Tech (62), Oklahoma State (52), TCU (45) and Oklahoma (40).
DRAFTED—Texas saw three players selected in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft: RHP Blair Henley (Astros, 7th round, No. 226), INF David Hamilton (Brewers, 8th round, No. 253) and INF Ryan Reynolds (Cubs, 14th round, No. 432).
HONORING A LEGEND—Longhorn Legend Huston Street will have his jersey number retired during the 2020 season. A three-time All-American and the 2002 College World Series Most Outstanding Player, Street becomes the seventh former Texas Baseball star to have his jersey retired. One of the greatest closers in college baseball history, Street holds the Texas record with 41 career saves and ranks 13th in NCAA Division I history in career saves. His 1.31 career ERA ranks second all-time at Texas and his .172 opponents' batting average is the third-best in Longhorn history. In his three-year career at Texas, Street made 105 appearances and pitched 178.1 innings. He struck out 177 batters and posted an 18-3 record to go along with his 41 saves.
PACKING THE HOUSE—Last season Texas set and re-set attendance records at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Longhorn fans showed up in droves to see Texas host Texas A&M on April 2, 2019, establishing a new regular season record crowd of 7,952. The April 2 crowd topped the previous regular season record of 7,879, set earlier in the season against Texas Tech (3/16/19). The total attendances for the three-game series against LSU (22,434) and Texas Tech (22,729) were also program records. Texas ranked sixth in the country, and first in the Big 12, in total attendance (175,768) and average attendance (5,493) last season. The Longhorns have led the Big 12 in attendance for 14-consecutive seasons.
THE SCHEDULE—The 2020 schedule features 32 home games at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, including a marquee non-conference series with Cal State Fullerton, March 6-8. In addition to 32 home games, Longhorn fans from around the state of Texas will have an opportunity to see the team play. Texas will play seven total games in Houston, with a season-opening series at Rice before returning two weeks later for the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park. In Big 12 Conference play, the Longhorns will host Oklahoma State, Baylor, TCU and Kansas and travel to Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Kansas State and West Virginia.
PRO PARKS—Including the early season trip to Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas will play in a total of three professional ballparks during the regular season. The Longhorns take on UT Arlington at Dr Pepper Ballpark, home of the Double-A Frisco Roughriders, on March 18. Texas then plays at Whataburger Field, home of the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks, against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on April 13. Also for the 21st time, the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship will be played in Oklahoma City. The Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, home of the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, plays host to the event.
HEAR 'EM—In partnership with Learfield IMG College, Texas games will be broadcast on the Austin Radio Network, primarily on 104.9 The Horn and AM 1260. Craig Way handles primary play-by-play duties alongside Roger Wallace and Quan Cosby.
WATCH 'EM—All but one Texas home game will be broadcast on Longhorn Network this season. The team of Lowell Galindo, Keith Moreland, and Greg Swindell will return to the booth to call the action.
