No. 23 Texas travels to Houston to face Rice

The No. 23 Texas Longhorns got off to a promising start after taking two of three games on the road against the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns last weekend and are now in Houston to face off against the Rice Owls on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. Central on C-USA TV.

The match up at Reckling Park reprises the longtime rivalry between the two traditional baseball powers before the Longhorns return to Austin to open the home schedule against the Boilermakers this weekend.

Both teams enter the game with matching 2-1 records after splitting a four-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in 2018.

Texas will have to slow down Rice shortstop Trei Cruz, who started the season on a tear against Rhode Island by hitting .444 (8-of-18) with two home runs, two triples, ten RBI, five runs scored, and two stolen bases. Third baseman Braden Comeaux is also capable of getting the offense going, as he finished third in Conference USA last season with 76 hits. Overall, he hit .319.

The task of subduing the Rice hitters will fall on the right arm of freshman Ty Madden, a promising power pitcher who was throwing between 90 and 94 miles per hour when he signed with Texas in 2017. Madden throws three pitches, including a changeup that the Longhorns coaches hope will become a strikeout pitch for him in college.

The Owls haven’t announced a starting pitcher yet.

Texas leads the all-time series 227-58-2.