The Owls of Rice University entered the American Conference Tournament in Clearwater, Florida, as the No. 3 seed, only to see their championship hopes dim after a 4-3 loss to East Carolina.
East Carolina's Early Surge
East Carolina struck first, building a 4-1 lead with two runs each in the third and fourth innings. The early onslaught set the tone, and the Owls found themselves playing catch‑up for the remainder of the game.
A bright spot arrived in the sixth inning when Jack Herring homered and Braden Burress scored on a single and two wild pitches, pulling Rice within one run. Moments later, a pair of RBI doubles by Grady Lenahan and Herring extended the lead to 4-1 for East Carolina.
Rice refused to go quietly. In the sixth, JC Davis delivered a single that plated a run, and Garet Boehm followed with a double that narrowed the gap to 4-2. The Owls added another run in the ninth, but the effort fell short, leaving the final score at 4-3.
The defeat drops Rice into an elimination bracket showdown against No. 4 seed UAB later on Friday. The upcoming matchup offers the Owls a final chance to revive their tournament run.