Junior infielder Coby DeJesus (3) tosses the ball toredshirt sophomore first basemen Xavier Perez (37) in an NCAA baseball game on April 12, 2025 in Houston, Texas. |Karolina Navarro/The Cougar
Houston baseball brought fireworks to Rice Tuesday night, torching the Owls 15-3 in a rivalry match that snapped a four-game losing streak.
Houston has scored over 10 runs in each of its three games against Rice this season, marking the first time the Cougars have reached double digits in every game of the Silver Glove Series.
Leading the charge was junior outfielder Jake Tatom, who crushed his first two-run homer to left in the seventh inning. He also plucked the Owls wings in the second, robbing junior catcher Aric Anderson of a deep hit to left to keep Houston’s 3-1 lead. Tatom finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, a stolen base and three runs scored.
However, Tatom wasn’t the only Cougar on the prowl.
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Xavier Perez racked up three RBIs on two clutch singles. He was the heartbeat of Houston’s five-run third inning, which ripped the game out of reach from Rice.
Sophomore outfielder Tre Broussard got the Cougars’ assault started in the first with an RBI ground-rule double to bring senior infielder Aaron Lugo home. From there, Houston never let up.
Rice struggled massively with defense, committing four errors and giving the Cougars seven unearned runs. Houston didn’t hesitate to capitalize, turning every mistake into momentum.
The Cougars were unforgiving as they capitalized on the Owls’ defensive mistakes, adding seven unearned runs to their total.
Junior infielder Cade Climie chipped in with a two-RBI single in the third, while junior infielder Coby DeJesus added two more with a base hit in the seventh. The final dagger came in the ninth after a hit-by-pitch RBI for sophomore pinch-hitter Pip Smalley and another Rice error that allowed redshirt freshman catcher Cole Carbone to score.
On the mound, Houston’s pitching made sure the job was finished.
Sophomore pitcher Alex Solis set the tone with three strong innings, giving up no earned runs on five hits. After him, senior pitcher Harrison Boushele, sophomore pitcher Eric Van Valkenburg, freshman pitcher Chris Perez, junior pitcher Ryan Dollar, freshman pitcher Kendall Hoffman and junior pitcher Michael Benzor combined for six innings to keep the Owls at one earned run, striking out eight and scattering six hits.
Rice’s only spark came from a solo homer by senior outfielder Treyton Rank in the fifth. Beyond that, the game was all Cougars.
After three games, 38 runs and history made, the Silver Glove will stay put at Schroeder Park while Houston makes the short drive home.
Next up, the Cougars will travel to Stillwater, Okla. to face the Oklahoma State Cowpoke’s. The game is set to begin at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
