Tulane at Rice Preview

HOUSTON (Interstat) — Tulane visits Rice on Thursday for an American Athletic Conference doubleheader at M.O. Campbell Center, with first pitch of the afternoon game set for 1 p.m. and the nightcap for 6 p.m. The forecast calls for 84 degrees and cloudy.

Rice (31-22) enters as the hotter team, having won seven of its last 10 games, while Tulane (25-28) has lost eight of 11.

Players to Watch

Tulane right fielder Jason Wachs has been the Green Wave’s most consistent producer. Over his last 10 games, the slugger is batting .323 (10-for-31) with three home runs, 12 RBIs and a 1.024 OPS. He went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs in Tulane’s 9-5 win over South Florida on Sunday.

Rice right-hander Zach Fetchel pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in the Owls’ 14-3 loss at Houston on Tuesday. The reliever has a 5.50 ERA over 19 appearances this season.

Recent Results

Tulane took two of three from South Florida last weekend, winning 9-5 and 9-8 before losing 16-6. The Green Wave are 3-6 on the road.

Rice split its last two series, winning two of three at East Carolina (10-5, 5-3, 0-3) before losing to Houston. The Owls are 16-8 at home.

The Matchup

Interstat’s game simulator projects a Rice 7-4 victory. The Owls hold a 3.5-game lead over Tulane in the American standings and are seeking a series sweep ahead of Friday’s game.

Thursday’s doubleheader marks the first of a three-game set. The teams play again Friday and Saturday, both at M.O. Campbell Center.

Injury Report

No injuries reported for either team.

The Green Wave last swept a doubleheader on April 11 against Memphis. The Owls have not played a twin bill since April 3 against Charlotte.