Rice Advances; Awaits Winner of Houston, TAMU

The Rice Owls took care of business on Sunday night by bouncing the Texas Longhorns back to Austin with a 7-4 win at Reckling Park. The Rice Owls now advance to the Super Regionals next weekend in which they will host as they await for the winner between Houston and Texas A & M tonight at Olsen Field in College Station.

After being destroyed 22-4 by the Aggies on Saturday, the Houston team bounced back by beating Illinois-Chicago 14-11 in 11 innings in Sunday afternoon's elimination game. The Cougars held a 11-7 lead going into the ninth inning until the yarn unraveled as Illinois-Chicago tied it with two outs in the ninth on a past ball. The Cougars would take the lead back in the 11th inning as Chris Wallace dropped a bases loaded two-run double off the center field wall to give the Houston team the lead for good. Jared Ray would get the last two outs to seal the Houston win which advanced them to a re-match with Texas A & M later that evening.

In game two for the Houston team, the Cougars, led by freshman stud Jared Ray, held off the Aggies for a 4-3 win as the Cougars got the two-out, walk-off single from Jake Stewart to win it in the ninth. Ray, who got the save in the first game; bounced right back to pitch nine innings for the complete game win while allowing only five hits and three runs. Now, Houston and Texas A & M will do it again tonight in the Regional title game for a shot at Rice in the Super Regionals. Houstonist is praying for an all Houston Super Regional.

Olsen Field in College Station, TX

Tonight at 6:30 p.m.
Houston Cougars (42-23) v. Texas A & M Aggies (45-17)
Tickets: Texas A & M Tickets or 1-888-99-AGGIE
TV: FOX-SW (Comcast Channel 37)

Photo: Flickr user presson_on