Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, February 13
Houston, Texas
2:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
0-1
6
at
7
Rice
1-0
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9
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H
E
Northwestern
0
3
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6
9
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RICE
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X
7
10
0
'Cats Fall in Opening Day Doubleheader at Rice
2/13/2026 10:55:00 PM | Baseball
HOUSTON – Northwestern dropped a pair of one-run contests in an Opening Day doubleheader at Rice on Friday, Feb. 13. Rice picked up a 7-6 victory in the opener and edged the 'Cats, 3-2 in game two.
Game One
Northwestern fell 7-6 to the Owls in a slugfest that saw seven combined home runs from both teams in game one of the season-opening doubleheader.
Rice (1-0) threw the first punch, plating a pair on solo home runs by OF Colin Robson and INF JC Davis to go up 2-0 after the first frame.
Northwestern (0-1) responded immediately with a pair of its own homers. OF Jackson Freeman slugged the first home run of the season for the 'Cats to get NU on the board. Later in the inning, C Jay Slater followed that up with a dinger of his own, scoring INF Nick Barron to put the 'Cats in front, 3-2.
Trailing 7-3, the 'Cats continued to chip away at the deficit. With the bases loaded in the sixth, Barron recorded his first RBI in a Wildcat uniform with a sacrifice fly, scoring INF Ryan Kucherak. INF Noah Ruiz followed with his first RBI in purple and white, scoring Freeman with an RBI single up the middle to trim the Owls' lead to 7-5.
In the top of the eighth, Freeman slugged his second homer of the game, a solo blast to right field to cut the deficit to one. Freeman's multi-HR game marks the second of his career and first since March 31, 2024.
RHP Ethan Sanders closed it out with a spotless ninth to earn the save, giving up one run on three hits in 3.2 innings of action, striking out four.
RHP Sam Hliboki (0-1) is credited with the loss, surrendering five runs, all earned, on six hits and one walk in 4.0 innings of work.
LHP Brayden Sharp (1-0) secured the win for the Owls, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks, fanning eight in 5.1 innings pitched.
First-year arms LHP Jake Rifenburg and LHP Justin Fryer both made their debuts in the opener. Rifenburg allowed two runs on three hits in 2.0 innings pitched. Fryer allowed just one hit in 2.0 scoreless innings, recording a strikeout.
Game Two
Rice rallied late with three runs in the eighth to claim the series victory in a 3-2 win over Northwestern in game two of the doubleheader.
After a slugfest to open the doubleheader, game two was a pitcher's duel, with both offenses unable to scratch a run across through the game's first five innings.
INF Owen McElfatrick broke the deadlock with a solo homer in the top of the sixth, putting Northwestern (0-2) up 1-0. McElatrick's home run marked the 25th of his career, moving him into sole possession of seventh place on NU's career home run leaderboard, passing Paul Snieder (2009-12), Matt Huff (1992-93) and Joe Girardi (1983-86).
Northwestern scratched across a run when Ruiz scored on a balk to cut the lead to one, but was unable to complete the comeback, falling 3-2.
RHP Matt Kouser is credited with the loss, allowing three runs, all unearned, on one hit and one walk, recording one strikeout.
RHP Jeremiah Arnett gets the win for Rice, working 2.0 scoreless frames, conceding two hits and two walks, fanning one.
Sunday's series finale is set for 1:05 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
Game One
Northwestern fell 7-6 to the Owls in a slugfest that saw seven combined home runs from both teams in game one of the season-opening doubleheader.
Rice (1-0) threw the first punch, plating a pair on solo home runs by OF Colin Robson and INF JC Davis to go up 2-0 after the first frame.
Northwestern (0-1) responded immediately with a pair of its own homers. OF Jackson Freeman slugged the first home run of the season for the 'Cats to get NU on the board. Later in the inning, C Jay Slater followed that up with a dinger of his own, scoring INF Nick Barron to put the 'Cats in front, 3-2.
The Owls scored the next five runs of the game to extend their lead to 7-3 after five innings. Rice retook the lead in the third on a two-run home run by 1B/C Paul Smith, scoring Davis. INF Kutter-Gage Webb extended the lead with a solo shot in the fourth, and the Owls added two more in the fifth with RBI from INF Cole Green and Webb..@jslater_26 mashes a two-run HR in his first AB as a Wildcat for the early lead! ?? pic.twitter.com/nL4t28OChe
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) February 13, 2026
Trailing 7-3, the 'Cats continued to chip away at the deficit. With the bases loaded in the sixth, Barron recorded his first RBI in a Wildcat uniform with a sacrifice fly, scoring INF Ryan Kucherak. INF Noah Ruiz followed with his first RBI in purple and white, scoring Freeman with an RBI single up the middle to trim the Owls' lead to 7-5.
In the top of the eighth, Freeman slugged his second homer of the game, a solo blast to right field to cut the deficit to one. Freeman's multi-HR game marks the second of his career and first since March 31, 2024.
RHP Ethan Sanders closed it out with a spotless ninth to earn the save, giving up one run on three hits in 3.2 innings of action, striking out four.
RHP Sam Hliboki (0-1) is credited with the loss, surrendering five runs, all earned, on six hits and one walk in 4.0 innings of work.
LHP Brayden Sharp (1-0) secured the win for the Owls, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks, fanning eight in 5.1 innings pitched.
First-year arms LHP Jake Rifenburg and LHP Justin Fryer both made their debuts in the opener. Rifenburg allowed two runs on three hits in 2.0 innings pitched. Fryer allowed just one hit in 2.0 scoreless innings, recording a strikeout.
Game Two
Rice rallied late with three runs in the eighth to claim the series victory in a 3-2 win over Northwestern in game two of the doubleheader.
After a slugfest to open the doubleheader, game two was a pitcher's duel, with both offenses unable to scratch a run across through the game's first five innings.
INF Owen McElfatrick broke the deadlock with a solo homer in the top of the sixth, putting Northwestern (0-2) up 1-0. McElatrick's home run marked the 25th of his career, moving him into sole possession of seventh place on NU's career home run leaderboard, passing Paul Snieder (2009-12), Matt Huff (1992-93) and Joe Girardi (1983-86).
Rice (2-0) threatened in the seventh, putting runners on the corners, but RHP Ryan Weaver was able to escape with a strikeout to preserve the lead. Weaver departed the game after 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just three hits and three walks, striking out three.OMAC GOES OPPO! ?? pic.twitter.com/v6YQGvlm3W
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) February 14, 2026
Rice plated three runs on one hit, one error, one walk and one hit by pitch in the bottom of the eighth to seize a 3-1 lead.GUTSY. @ryanweaver21 gets the strikeout to strand a pair and preserve the lead! pic.twitter.com/nB1avX8yWu
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) February 14, 2026
Northwestern scratched across a run when Ruiz scored on a balk to cut the lead to one, but was unable to complete the comeback, falling 3-2.
RHP Matt Kouser is credited with the loss, allowing three runs, all unearned, on one hit and one walk, recording one strikeout.
RHP Jeremiah Arnett gets the win for Rice, working 2.0 scoreless frames, conceding two hits and two walks, fanning one.
Sunday's series finale is set for 1:05 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sharp, Brayden (1-0)
L: Hliboki, Sam (0-1)
S: Sanders, Ethan (1)
Batting:
HR: Freeman, Jackson 2 ; Slater, Jay 1
RBI: Freeman, Jackson 2 ; Barron, Nick 1 ; Ruiz, Noah 1 ; Slater, Jay 2
SF: Barron, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kucherak, Ryan 1 ; Freeman, Jackson 3 ; Barron, Nick 1 ; Slater, Jay 1
CS: McElfatrick, Owen 1
HBP: Ruiz, Noah 1
Batting:
2B: Green, Cole 1
HR: Robson, Colin 1 ; Davis, JC 1 ; Smith, Paul 1 ; Webb, Kutter-Gage 1
RBI: Robson, Colin 1 ; Davis, JC 1 ; Smith, Paul 2 ; Green, Cole 1 ; Webb, Kutter-Gage 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Robson, Colin 1 ; Davis, JC 2 ; Smith, Paul 1 ; Ashlock, Mason 1 ; Green, Cole 1 ; Webb, Kutter-Gage 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
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OF
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LHP
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RHP
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RHP
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INF
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INF
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C
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LHP
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