
Rice Owls Fall Short Against East Carolina in Championship Game
The Rice Owls dropped a 4-3 decision to East Carolina on Friday night at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida, a loss that puts their championship hopes on the line.
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The Rice Owls dropped a 4-3 decision to East Carolina on Friday night at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida, a loss that puts their championship hopes on the line.

East Carolina survived a late rally to beat Rice 4‑3, advancing to meet the winner of the UTSA‑Memphis matchup, while Rice now faces UAB in a do‑or‑die game.

The Rice Owls open the 2026 American Conference Baseball Championship as the third seed, marking their highest conference tournament placement since 2015 and setting the stage for a storied rivalry with Wichita State.

Sophomore outfielder Jason Wachs was selected to the American Conference’s 2026 First Team All-Conference after leading the Green Wave in multiple offensive categories and starting every game this season.

The Owls erupted early, built a comfortable lead, and held off a late Tulane rally to improve to 33-22 and lock a top-three seed in next week’s American Conference Baseball Championship.

With the regular season winding down, Tulane's baseball squad faces Rice in a high‑stakes series that could shape both teams' postseason hopes.