HOUSTON (Interstat) — A three-run home run by Kutter-Gage Webb in the third inning erased an early deficit and propelled the Rice Owls to a 5-3 victory over the Sam Houston Bearkats on Wednesday night at M.O. Campbell Center.

The Owls, improving to 24-14, overcame a shaky start from pitcher Ty Baker, who allowed all three Sam Houston runs. The Bearkats fell to 14-23 with their fourth consecutive loss.

Sam Houston struck first in the third inning. After Walker Orth walked and Diego Martinez bunted for a single, both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Colton Franden’s groundout to second base scored Orth. Two batters later, Cade Corcoran launched a two-run homer to left field, his fourth of the season, to give the Bearkats a 3-0 lead.

Rice responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning against Sam Houston starter Zachery Alarid. With two on and two out, Webb connected on a 1-0 pitch, sending it over the right-field wall for a three-run shot, his second of the year. The blast scored Manny Davis and Austin Smith, tying the game at 3-3. Jack Devenny followed with a double, ending Alarid’s night.

Connor Mondey entered in relief and escaped further damage, but the Owls took the lead for good an inning later. In the fourth, Mondey walked Nathan Davila, who then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a walk, Davis executed a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, allowing Davila to score the go-ahead run.

Rice added an insurance run later in the fourth on a sacrifice bunt by Davis that scored Davila, making it 5-3.

From there, the game belonged to the Rice bullpen, specifically Ethan Atchley. Entering in the top of the fourth after Webb’s homer had given Rice the lead, Atchley delivered a dominant performance. He silenced the Bearkats’ bats over four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out seven. His outing stabilized the game after Baker’s early struggles and provided crucial middle-inning relief.

Jackson Blank closed the door over the final two innings, striking out three and allowing one hit to secure the win.

The most important sequence of the game was Webb’s third-inning at-bat. It instantly erased Sam Houston’s momentum and the three-run advantage built on Corcoran’s homer just half an inning prior. The swing shifted the game’s trajectory completely, setting the stage for Atchley’s commanding relief appearance and the Owls’ methodical addition of insurance runs.

Sam Houston managed only four hits total, with Corcoran’s home run accounting for two of their three RBIs. The Bearkats’ bullpen, after Alarid’s departure, kept the game close with scoreless outings from Mondey, Cooper Harris, Mason Murphy and Jakob Holzer, but the offense could not mount a comeback against Atchley and Blank.

Rice finished with seven hits, led by Webb’s decisive three-run blast and two hits each from Smith and Devenny.

The Owls open a three-game home series against Memphis on Friday. The Bearkats travel to begin a series at New Mexico State on Friday.