Sam Houston (16-9, 3-3 CUSA) vs Rice (9-15, 1-2 AAC)
6:30 PM | Don Sanders Stadium (Huntsville)
Friday, March 22 | 6:30 PM | ESPN+
Projected Starters
SHSU: RHP Ryan Peterson (3-1, 1.76 ERA, 30.2 IP, 30 K, 9 BB)
RICE: RHP Robert Fernandez (3-0, 2.18 ERA, 33.0 IP, 49 K, 4 BB)
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkats will try to pick up its home midweek victory of the season on Tuesday night when they host the Rice Owls and Don Sanders Stadium.
Tuesday's game vs the Owls will be aired on ESPN+ with Jason Barfield on the call.
The Bearkats are coming off a tough series vs nationally-ranked DBU, walking off the Patriots on Sunday to salvage the series. Tuesday will put an end to a stretch of five consecutive home games for the Kats as they will return to the road this weekend when they jump back into CUSA play with a series at Liberty.
SERIES NOTES vs RICE
- The Kats and Owls have played every year since 1975, with the exception of the COVID-altered 2020 campaign.
- Sam Houston has dropped each of its last 5 meetings with the Owls, which is the longest winless streak for SHSU in the series since losing 12 in a row between the 1995 and 1999 seasons.
- The Kats will be looking for their first win over the Owls at The Don since a 12-4 win in 2019.
BEARKAT NOTES FOR THE WEEKEND
- Walker Janek had his 23-game hit streak to open 2024 snapped on Saturday, a streak which extended to 27 games dating back to the final 4 games of 2023. The 23 games marks the longest hit streak to open a season in program history, while the 27 games in a row over the 2 seasons is the third longest streak in program history.
- As good as Janek has been for the Kats, his Gregory-Portland HS teammate Malachi Lott has come on strong in recent weeks. Lott's average had dipped to just .193 before the Kats went to No. 4 Texas A&M; however, he has hit safely in 8 of 9 games since with 5 multi-hit games and 12 RBI in that span, upping his average to .307 entering the DBU series.
- In fact, the GP duo has been nearly unstoppable during this 6-game stretch. The pair of Janek/Lott has hit in the 2-3 hole in each game and has combined to go 30-for-65 with 20 runs scored, 6 homers and 23 RBI between them.
- Hunter Autrey is also turning in a big start to his season with a team-best 7 home runs. He enters the DBU series having hit safely in 18 straight games and had an 8-RBI game in Game 2 at NM State, a mark tied for the second most RBI in a single game in program history.
- The Kats' pitching staff is issuing just 3.05 walks per nine innings, a mark ranking fifth in the nation.
- Sam Houston's 4.07 ERA ranks 29th in the nation and third in CUSA. But take away the Kats' lopsided 19-2 loss to Oklahoma State on Opening Weekend and that number drops nearly by a run per game, down to an ERA of 3.43 in the other 24 games of the year.
- Reliever Wyatt Tucker has been an incredible find for the Kats in 2024, joining the team after 3 years at Texas A&M. The righty has a 3.10 ERA and struck out 22 and walked just 6 in 20.1 innings with a team best 3 saves. He has a win and 2 saves in his last4 appearances, striking out 10 hitters in 5.2 innings in that span.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE OWLS
- The Owls will be opening a stretch of five consecutive road games on Tuesday against the Kats, a game they will follow with a series at Wichita State.
- Rice put an end to a four-game losing streak on Sunday with a 4-2 win over Tulane, salvaging a game from the Green Wave in the opening series of American Athletic Conference play.
- Rice will give the ball to right-hander Robert Fernandez for his fifth start of the year. He worked 2.0 innings in the Owls' 7-3 win over the Kats on 2/20.
