2003 Rice Owls baseball team

American college baseball season March 2026 August 2023 May 2022 2003 Rice Owls baseball Rice Owls logo.svg 150 Western Athletic Conference WAC 58–12 25–5 Wayne Graham (12th year) David Pierce (1st year) Mike Taylor (3rd year) Zane Curry (4th year) Reckling Park College World Series championsWestern Athletic Conference champions 250px The 2003 Rice Owls baseball team represented Rice University in the 2003 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Owls played their home games at Reckling Park. The team was coached by Wayne Graham in his 12th season at Rice. The Owls won 30 consecutive games to open the season 33–1 and won the Western Athletic Conference championship. Rice went on to win the College World Series, defeating the Stanford Cardinal in the championship series. It was the first national title that Rice had ever won in a team sport in the school's 91-year history. Roster 2003 Rice Owls roster Pitchers 21 Philip Humber – Sophomore 33 Jeff Niemann – Sophomore 30 Wade Townsend – Sophomore 20 Josh Baker – Junior 14 David Aardsma – Junior 24 Colin Matheny – Freshman 34 Steven Herce – Senior 10 Lance Pendleton – Freshman 17 Justin Farris* – Senior 8 Marcos Ramos** – Sophomore   *Injured reserve **not on postseason roster Infielders 1 Sean Hirsch – Junior 5 Drew Skaggs* – Senior 11 Paul Janish – Sophomore 13 Enrique Cruz – Junior 15 Matt Moake – Sophomore 22 Matt Ueckert – Freshman 23 Craig Stansberry – Junior 27 Vincent Sinisi – Junior Outfielders 2 Matt Emerson – Freshman 3 Matt Cavanaugh – Freshman 4 Jeff Jorgenson – Sophomore 7 Chris Kolkhorst – Junior 9 Austin Davis – Sophomore 16 Dane Bubela – Senior Catchers 12 Jeff Blackinton – Junior 19 Justin Ruchti – Senior 29 Jon Gillespie – Sophomore 35 Lyndon Duplessis – Freshman Schedule background:#002469;color:white; 2003 Rice Owls baseball game log ! style="background:#5e6062;color:white;"| Regular season |- valign="top" y background:#FFF;color:#002469; February Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Rice Decision Attendance Overall record WAC record |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | February 11 || 2003 UTSA Roadrunners University of Texas at San Antonio Texas-San Antonio || Reckling Park || 6–4 || Baker (W; 1–0) || 2,432 || 1–0 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | February 14 || 2003 Texas A&M Aggies Texas A&M University Texas A&M || Minute Maid Park || 10–5 || Niemann (W; 1–0) || 8,405 || 2–0 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | February 15 || 2003 Baylor Bears Baylor University Baylor || Minute Maid Park || 4–3 || Humber (W; 1–0) || 14,484 || 3–0 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" | February 16 || 2003 Alabama Crimson Tide University of Alabama Alabama || Minute Maid Park || 5–6 || Ueckert (L; 1–0) || 10,416 || 3–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | February 18 || at 2003 Houston Cougars University of Houston Houston || Cougar Field || 3–0 || Townsend (W; 1–0) || 1,116 || 4–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | February 19 || at 2003 Texas State Bobcats Texas State University Southwest Texas State || Bobcat Baseball Stadium || 6–0 || Matheny (W; 1–0) || 1,608 || 5–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | February 22 || 2003 Stetson Hatters Stetson University Stetson || Reckling Park || 11–6 || Humber (W; 2–0) || 2,323 || 6–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | February 22 || 2003 Ole Miss Rebels University of Mississippi Mississippi || Reckling Park || 6–0 || Niemann (W; 2–0) || 2,562 || 7–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | February 23 || 2003 Texas–Arlington Mavericks University of Texas at Arlington Texas–Arlington || Reckling Park || 1–0 (10) || Aardsma (W; 1–0) || 2,657 || 8–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | February 28 || Southwest Texas State || Reckling Park || 8–3 || Niemann (W; 3–0) || 2,054 || 9–1 || – |- y background:#FFF;color:#002469; March Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Rice Decision Attendance Overall record WAC record |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | March 1 || Southwest Texas State || Reckling Park || 7–5 || Baker (W; 2–0) || 2,317 || 10–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | March 2 || Southwest Texas State || Reckling Park || 10–4 || Humber (W; 3–0) || 2,275 || 11–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | March 4 || Houston || Reckling Park || 4–3 || Aardsma (W; 2–0) || 2,618 || 12–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 7 || at 2003 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Louisiana Tech University Louisiana Tech || J.C. Love Field || 4–3 || Niemann (W; 4–0) || 529 || 13–1 || 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 8 || at Louisiana Tech || J.C. Love Field || 5–3 || Humber (W; 4–0) || 1,011 || 14–1 || 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 9 || at Louisiana Tech || J.C. Love Field || 12–0 || Baker (W; 3–0) || 827 || 15–1 || 3–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 11 || Texas || Reckling Park || 2–1 (10) || Aardsma (W; 3–0) || 4,525 || 16–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 14 || at 2003 Hawaii Warriors University of Hawaii Hawaii || Les Murakami Stadium || 9–4 || Niemann (W; 5–0) || 2,919 || 17–1 || 4–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 15 || at Hawaii || Les Murakami Stadium || 9–2 || Humber (W; 5–0) || 3,426 || 18–1 || 5–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 16 || at Hawaii || Les Murakami Stadium || 11–1 || Baker (W; 4–0) || 2,271 || 19–1 || 6–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 18 || 2003 Nebraska Cornhuskers University of Nebraska Nebraska || Reckling Park || 4–1 || Townsend (W; 2–0) || 3,359 || 20–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 19 || at Houston || Cougar Field || 7–6 (11) || Aardsma (W; 4–0) || 2,271 || 21–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 21 || 2003 Liberty Flames Liberty University Liberty || Reckling Park || 20–1 || Humber (W; 6–0) || 2,851 || 22–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 22 || Liberty || Reckling Park || 10–4 || Baker (W; 5–0) || 2,412 || 23–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 23 || Liberty || Reckling Park || 5–4 || Niemann (W; 6–0) || 2,348 || 24–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 25 || 2003 Baylor Bears Baylor University Baylor || Reckling Park || 4–3 || Townsend (W; 3–0) || 3,683 || 25–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 28 || 2003 San Jose State Spartans San Jose State University San Jose State || Reckling Park || 12–2 || Humber (W; 7–0) || 2,180 || 26–1 || 7–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 29 || San Jose State || Reckling Park || 21–1 || Niemann (W; 7–0) || 2,837 || 27–1 || 8–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 30 || San Jose State || Reckling Park || 8–1 || Baker (W; 6–0) || 3,118 || 28–1 || 9–0 |- y background:#FFF;color:#002469; April Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Rice Decision Attendance Overall record WAC record |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 1 || Houston || Reckling Park || 11–0 || Townsend (W; 4–0) || 3,320 || 29–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 4 || Hawaii || Reckling Park || 11–0 || Humber (W; 8–0) || 3,215 || 30–1 || 10–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 5 || Hawaii || Reckling Park || 2–0 || Niemann (W; 8–0) || 2,835 || 31–1 || 11–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 6 || Hawaii || Reckling Park || 8–1 || Baker (W; 7–0) || 2,614 || 32–1 || 12–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 8 || Texas A&M || Reckling Park || 8–0 || Townsend (W; 5–0) || 4,414 || 33–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | April 9 || 2003 Lamar Cardinals Lamar University Lamar || Reckling Park || 5–7 || Aardsma (L; 4–1) || 2,417 || 33–2 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | April 11 || at 2003 Fresno State Bulldogs Fresno State University Fresno State || Pete Beiden Field || 3–7 || Humber (L; 8–1) || 2,727 || 33–3 || 12–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 12 || at Fresno State || Pete Beiden Field || 9–2 || Niemann (W; 9–0) || 2,724 || 34–3 || 13–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 13 || at Fresno State || Pete Beiden Field || 3–2 || Townsend (W; 6–0) || 2,564 || 35–3 || 14–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | April 15 || at 2003 Sam Houston State Bearkats Sam Houston State University Sam Houston State || Don Sanders Stadium || 1–8 || Aardsma (L; 4–2) || 481 || 35–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | April 16 || at Houston || Cougar Field || 1–5 || Herce (L; 0–1) || 1,672 || 35–5 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 18 || 2003 Nevada Wolfpack University of Nevada Nevada || Reckling Park || 10–5 || Matheny (W; 2–0) || 3,103 || 36–5 || 15–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 19 || Nevada || Reckling Park || 3–0 || Niemann (W; 10–0) || 3,314 || 37–5 || 16–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | April 20 || Nevada || Reckling Park || 5–6 || Herce (L; 0–2) || 2,313 || 37–6 || 16–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | April 22 || at Lamar || Vincent–Beck Stadium || 5–9 || Matheny (L; 2–1) || 1,406 || 37–7 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 24 || Louisiana Tech || Reckling Park || 2–1 || Humber (W; 9–1) || 2,715 || 38–7 || 17–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 25 || Louisiana Tech || Reckling Park || 13–3 || Niemannn (W; 11–0) || 3,156 || 39–7 || 18–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 26 || Louisiana Tech || Reckling Park || 8–2 || Baker (W; 8–0) || 3,044 || 40–7 || 19–2 |- y background:#FFF;color:#002469; May Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Rice Decision Attendance Overall record WAC record |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 7 || Sam Houston State || Reckling Park || 10–5 || Herce (W; 1–2) || 2,820 || 41–7 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 9 || at Nevada || William Peccole Park || 13–11 || Humber (W; 10–1) || 1,206 || 42–7 || 20–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 10 || at Nevada || William Peccole Park || 7–4 || Niemann (W; 12–0) || 1,636 || 43–7 || 21–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | May 11 || at Nevada || William Peccole Park || 7–8 (10) || Aardsma (L; 4–3) || 1,875 || 43–8 || 21–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 14 || at 2003 Saint Mary's Gales Saint Mary's College of California Saint Mary's || Louis Guisto Field || 10–6 || Matheny (W; 3–1) || 356 || 44–8 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 16 || at San Jose State || San Jose Municipal Stadium || 12–6 || Aardsma (W; 5–3) || 553 || 45–8 || 22–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 17 || at San Jose State || San Jose Municipal Stadium || 11–0 || Niemann (W; 13–0) || 612 || 46–8 || 23–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | May 17 || at San Jose State || Blethen Field || 6–8 || Townsend (L; 6–1) || 553 || 46–9 || 23–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | May 23 || Fresno State || Reckling Park || 1–2 || Humber (L; 10–2) || 3,015 || 46–10 || 23–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 24 || Fresno State || Reckling Park || 13–2 || Niemann (W; 14–0) || 2,938 || 47–10 || 24–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 25 || Fresno State || Reckling Park || 3–2 || Townsend (W; 7–1) || 3,105 || 48–10 || 25–5 |- y background:#FFF;color:#002469; NCAA tournament: Houston Regional Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Rice Decision Attendance Overall record |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 30 || vs. 2003 McNeese State Cowboys McNeese State University McNeese State || Reckling Park || 3–2 (10) || Townsend (W; 8–1) || 4,014 || 49–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 31 || vs. 2003 Wichita State Shockers Wichita State University Wichita State || Reckling Park || 10–1 || Niemann (W; 15–0) || 3,769 || 50–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 1 || vs. Wichita State || Reckling Park || 5–2 || Townsend (W; 9–1) || 3,528 || 51–10 |- y background:#FFF;color:#002469; NCAA tournament: Houston Super Regional Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Rice Decision Attendance Overall record |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | June 7 || vs. Houston || Reckling Park || 2–5 || Humber (L; 10–3) || 4,427 || 51–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 8 || vs. Houston || Reckling Park || 10–2 || Niemann (W; 16–0) || 4,435 || 52–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 9 || vs. Houston || Reckling Park || 5–2 || Townsend (W; 10–1) || 4,417 || 53–11 |- y background:#FFF;color:#002469; NCAA tournament: College World Series Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Rice Decision Attendance Overall record |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 14 || vs. 2003 Missouri State Bears Missouri State University SW Missouri State || Rosenblatt Stadium || 4–2 || Niemann (W; 17–0) || 23,248 || 54–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 16 || vs. Texas || Rosenblatt Stadium || 12–2 || Townsend (W; 11–1) || 24,842 || 55–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 18 || vs. Texas || Rosenblatt Stadium || 5–4 || Aardsma (W; 6–1) || 23,170 || 56–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 21 || vs. Stanford || Rosenblatt Stadium || 4–3 (10) || Aardsma (W; 7–3) || 23,741 || 57–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | June 22 || vs. Stanford || Rosenblatt Stadium || 3–8 || Townsend (L; 11–2) || 17,907 || 57–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 23 || vs. Stanford || Rosenblatt Stadium || 14–2 || Humber (W; 11–3) || 18,494 || 58–12 |- Awards and honors Dane Bubela All-WAC First Team Enrique Cruz All-America Third Team2012 Rice Baseball Fact Book http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/rice/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/12-basebl-fact-book.pdf RiceOwls.com 2012-06-18 2012-11-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20121112131647/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/rice/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/12-basebl-fact-book.pdf dead College World Series All-Tournament TeamCWS record Book http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_cws_RB/2012/1-CWSGeneral.pdf NCAA.org 18 June 2012 All-WAC First Team Austin Davis All-WAC First Team Philip Humber All-America Second Team All-WAC First Team Paul Janish All-WAC Second Team Jeff Jorgensen All-WAC First Team Chris Kolkhorst College World Series All-Tournament Team All-WAC First Team Jeff Niemann All-America First Team College World Series All-Tournament Team WAC Pitcher of the Year Justin Ruchti All-WAC Second Team Vincent Sinisi All-WAC First Team Wade Townsend All-America First Team All-WAC First Team Owls in the 2003 MLB draft The following members of the Rice Owls baseball program were drafted in the 2003 Major League Baseball draft.2003 Rice University http://www.thebaseballcube.com/teams/stats.asp?Y=2003&T=20032 The Baseball Cube 16 June 2012 Player Position Round Overall MLB teamDavid AardsmaRHP1st22ndSan Francisco GiantsVincent Sinisi1B2nd46thTexas RangersCraig Stansberry3B5th135thPittsburgh PiratesJeff JorgensenOF7th209thHouston AstrosJustin RuchtiC9th266thSeattle MarinersEnrique CruzSS14th424thNew York YankeesSteven HerceRHP17th495thPittsburgh PiratesDane BubelaOF22nd646thTexas Rangers References External links A look at Rice's national title baseball team 10 years later http://www.chron.com/sports/rice/article/A-look-at-Rice-s-national-title-baseball-team-10-4616908.php Houston Chronicle June 22, 2013 Rice Owls Category:Rice Owls baseball seasons Rice Owls baseball Rice Category:College World Series seasons Category:NCAA Division I baseball championship seasons Category:Western Athletic Conference baseball champion seasons