HOUSTON (Interstat) — The Houston Cougars erupted for nine runs in the bottom of the first inning and cruised to a 14-3 victory over the Rice Owls on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at M.O. Campbell Center.

Rice struck first in the top of the first inning. Daigre singled to right center, Davis singled through the left side, and Ashlock grounded out to the pitcher, advancing Davis to second. Smith struck out looking, but Daigre had already been picked off second base earlier in the inning, leaving the Owls with no damage. Rice took a 3-0 lead on a Daigre single that scored three runs, though the play-by-play shows Rice scored no further runs in the inning after Daigre’s hit. The top of the first ended with Rice holding a three-run advantage.

Houston answered emphatically in the bottom of the first. Cox walked, Broussard singled, stole second, and Climie walked to load the bases. After an infield fly, Perez doubled to left center, scoring Cox and Broussard and moving Climie to third. Jackson doubled to shallow center, driving in Climie and advancing Perez to third. Sabathia walked, and Rice changed pitchers, bringing in Brown for Arnett. Fields walked with the bases loaded, forcing in Perez. Kimble struck out, but Cox singled to right center, scoring Jackson and Sabathia and moving Fields to third. Cox advanced to second on a throwing error by Rice shortstop Webb, and Fields scored on the same error. Broussard singled, scoring Cox, then stole third. Climie walked, and Broussard scored on another muffed throw by Webb, this time unearned. Savattere was hit by a pitch, and Rice made another pitching change, bringing in Jackson for Brown. Perez lined out to short to end the inning with Houston ahead 9-3.

The Cougars continued to pour on runs. In the bottom of the second, Jackson singled, Sabathia doubled, and after a groundout and a walk to Kimble, Cox singled up the middle for two more runs, making it 11-3. Broussard singled, but a strikeout and fielder’s choice ended the inning. In the third, Perez singled, Jackson walked, and after a fielder’s choice, Fields hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Perez to push the lead to 12-3.

Rice managed three runs in the top of the fourth, all unearned. Smith singled, Boehm singled, and a throwing error by Houston third baseman Climie loaded the bases. Green reached on another error by Climie, scoring Smith and Boehm. Davila then hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Bocachica. But the rally stalled when Anderson walked and Daigre hit into a fielder’s choice. Houston added two more in the fourth on walks and a bases-loaded walk to Jackson and a bases-loaded walk to Sabathia, making it 14-3.

Houston’s pitching staff shut down Rice the rest of the way. Alex Solis threw two innings of one-hit ball with two strikeouts. Tyler Bryan worked two innings, allowing one hit and striking out one. Chris Scinta allowed two hits in his one inning but no earned runs. For Rice, Zach Fetchel and Carson Kuhn each struck out two in scoreless innings. However, Rice starter Jackson Blank took the loss, allowing three earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Shortstop Tyler Cox led Houston’s offense, going 2 for 4 with four RBIs. Catcher Riley Jackson was 2 for 2 with two RBIs. Right fielder Xavier Perez went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, and center fielder Tre Broussard collected three hits in five at-bats with one RBI. Rice managed only six hits in the game, with Daigre and Davis each recording two.

Rice fell to 31-22 on the season, while Houston improved to 23-29. The Owls won two of three at East Carolina last weekend, while the Cougars took two of three at Arizona. Rice returns home to face Tulane for a three-game series starting Thursday. Houston hosts Arizona State for a three-game set beginning Thursday.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Rice 7, Houston 4, but the Cougars’ ELO system gave Houston a 63.20 percent probability to win.