University of Houston Athletics
Tuesday, March 10
Houston, Texas
6:30 p.m.
University of Houston
11-5
13
vs
1
Rice
9-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Rice
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
3
2
Houston
2
0
2
3
1
0
0
5
13
14
0
Photo by: Erik Williams
Cougars Maul Owls to Open Silver Glove Series
3/10/2026 11:36:00 PM | Baseball
Three homer while Cooper deals 5.1 shutout innings to win rivalry opener
HOUSTON – The Houston Baseball team trounced Rice in the first game of the Silver Glove Series, hitting three homers while holding the Owls to just three hits at Don Sanders Field at Darryl and Lori Schroeder Park Tuesday night.
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Freshman Caden Cooper (1-0) picked up his first career win, tossing 5.1 shutout innings while fanning two. He led a Houston (11-5) pitching staff that ceded just three hits and one run against Rice (9-8). Jeremiah Arnett (2-1) took the loss for the Owls, allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk.
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PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
NOTABLES
KEY INNINGS
1st | Houston struck first, wasting no time as redshirt sophomore Xavier Perez launched a two-run homer in the second at-bat of the game to take a 2-0 lead.Â
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3rd | The Cougars added another pair of runs in the third. With a pair of runners in scoring position, freshman Blake Fields drove in senior Dylan Maxcey with a sac-fly. Senior Carsten Sabathia III scored in the next at-bat as sophomore Jackson LaLima hit his second double of the game to push the lead to four.
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4th | Maxcey hit the Cougars second sac-fly of the game in the fourth to score senior Tyler Cox, making the score 5-0. Sabathia III added another pair of runs to the tally immediately after, hitting his fifth homer of the season to extend the edge to seven.
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5th | Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Houston in the bottom of the fifth and Perez picked up his third RBI of the contest with a fielder's choice that scored freshman Peyton Dickens.
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8th | While Rice got on the board with a lone run in the top of the inning, Houston sealed the run-rule win with a five-spot in the home half of the frame. A double, walk and single filled the bases again for Houston and senior Carter Sintek drew a walk to force a run home. Cherrington crushed a 430-foot grand slam to left to end the game immediately after, walking off the Owls and locking in a 13-1 win.
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UP NEXT
Houston starts Big 12 Conference play this weekend as it hosts Kansas State for a three-game series at Schroeder Park. The slate starts at 6:30 p.m., Friday, before continuing at 6:30 p.m., Saturday and concluding at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
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SUPPORT THE COUGARSÂ
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Baseball by providing NIL opportunities and by joining the Dugout Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Baseball for needs beyond its operating budget.
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STAY CONNECTEDÂ Â
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarBB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Cougar Baseball. Fans can also follow the team on Instagram at @uhcougarbb.
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Freshman Caden Cooper (1-0) picked up his first career win, tossing 5.1 shutout innings while fanning two. He led a Houston (11-5) pitching staff that ceded just three hits and one run against Rice (9-8). Jeremiah Arnett (2-1) took the loss for the Owls, allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk.
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PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
- Justin Cherrington: 1-2, HR, 4 RBI, R
- Xavier Perez: 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, HBP
- Jackson LaLima: 3-5, 2 2B, RBI, RÂ
- Carsten Sabathia III: 1-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
- Alex Solis: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
NOTABLES
- Houston has won the last seven games against Rice and picked up its 25th win against the Owls under Head Coach Todd Whitting.
- The Cougars have scored double-digit runs in each of the last four games against Rice, outscoring the Owls 56-12 over that span.
- Sophomore Justin Cherrington hit the team's second grand slam of the season.
- The 12-run win is Houston's largest win since last year's Silver Glove Series, when the Cougars defeated Rice 15-3 on April 15, 2025.
- The first run of the game marked the 21,000th run in program history.Â
KEY INNINGS
1st | Houston struck first, wasting no time as redshirt sophomore Xavier Perez launched a two-run homer in the second at-bat of the game to take a 2-0 lead.Â
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3rd | The Cougars added another pair of runs in the third. With a pair of runners in scoring position, freshman Blake Fields drove in senior Dylan Maxcey with a sac-fly. Senior Carsten Sabathia III scored in the next at-bat as sophomore Jackson LaLima hit his second double of the game to push the lead to four.
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4th | Maxcey hit the Cougars second sac-fly of the game in the fourth to score senior Tyler Cox, making the score 5-0. Sabathia III added another pair of runs to the tally immediately after, hitting his fifth homer of the season to extend the edge to seven.
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5th | Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Houston in the bottom of the fifth and Perez picked up his third RBI of the contest with a fielder's choice that scored freshman Peyton Dickens.
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8th | While Rice got on the board with a lone run in the top of the inning, Houston sealed the run-rule win with a five-spot in the home half of the frame. A double, walk and single filled the bases again for Houston and senior Carter Sintek drew a walk to force a run home. Cherrington crushed a 430-foot grand slam to left to end the game immediately after, walking off the Owls and locking in a 13-1 win.
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UP NEXT
Houston starts Big 12 Conference play this weekend as it hosts Kansas State for a three-game series at Schroeder Park. The slate starts at 6:30 p.m., Friday, before continuing at 6:30 p.m., Saturday and concluding at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Â
SUPPORT THE COUGARSÂ
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Baseball by providing NIL opportunities and by joining the Dugout Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Baseball for needs beyond its operating budget.
Â
STAY CONNECTEDÂ Â
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarBB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Cougar Baseball. Fans can also follow the team on Instagram at @uhcougarbb.
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– UHCougars.com –
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cooper, Caden (1-0)
L: Arnett, Jeremiah (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Ashlock, Mason 1
RBI: Davila, Landis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Webb, Kutter-Gage 1
CS: Robson, Colin 1
HBP: Davila, Landis 1
Batting:
2B: LaLima, Jackson 2 ; Winfield, Easton 1
HR: Sabathia III, Carsten 1 ; Perez, Xavier 1 ; Cherrington, Justin 1
RBI: LaLima, Jackson 1 ; Sabathia III, Carsten 2 ; Perez, Xavier 3 ; Maxcey, Dylan 1 ; Cherrington, Justin 4 ; Sintek, Carter 1 ; Fields, Blake 1
SH: Savattere, Antonelli 1
SF: Maxcey, Dylan 1 ; Fields, Blake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LaLima, Jackson 1 ; Sabathia III, Carsten 2 ; Cox, Tyler 1 ; Perez, Xavier 2 ; Savattere, Antonelli 1 ; Helton, McClane 1 ; Maxcey, Dylan 1 ; Cherrington, Justin 1 ; Dickens, Peyton 1 ; Sintek, Carter 1 ; Weems III, Irvin 1
SB: Cox, Tyler 1 ; Dickens, Peyton 1
HBP: Perez, Xavier 1 ; Maxcey, Dylan 1 ; Sintek, Carter 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
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RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF/1B
/ BaseballINF
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INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballHighlights: Houston 11, UTRGV 3
Friday, February 20
Media Availability: HC Todd Whitting, Antoine Jean, Malachi Lott
Friday, May 23
Media Availability: HC Todd Whitting, Connor McGinnis, Andres Perez
Thursday, May 22
Highlights: Houston 9, Kansas State 2
Thursday, May 22