The Tulane baseball team knew the first step they had to take to ensure making the American Conference tournament next week: win all three games in Houston against Rice. On to step two, as the Green Wave laid a series-opening egg, losing to the Owls via the mercy rule, 12-0. It's the second time Tulane has lost by the 10-run rule in a month. Nothing Working for the Green Wave This is the fifth weekend in a row that the Wave has opened a conference three-game match with a loss. In those five losses, Tulane pitchers have averaged giving up over 11-runs. The contrast is how poorly the Wave offense has performed during that same stretch, averaging 2.4-runs per game in those five weekends. Thursday starter J.D. Rodriguez struggled early giving up 10-hits and six-runs with five earned in the first 3.1-innings of work before being pulled for Jake Toporek. Things didn't get any better, though, as the lefty gave up six more runs all of them earned, the Owls piling up a 12-spot through five frames.…