The No. 5 ranked Owls up their season record to 37-14 as they chalked up nine hits and had seven runners reach first on walks.
Andrew Benak (7-2) was the winning pitcher, spreading five hits over seven and one third innings while striking out nine Bearkats.
Rice threatened early, five runners on base in the first two innings. But SHSU starter Cody Dickson couldn't escape unscathed in the fourth inning as first baseman J. T. Chargois and third baseman Shane Hoelscher led off with a pair of singles and catcher Geoff Perrott singled to score Chargois.
The Owls added two more runs in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run single by second baseman Christian Stringer. After a leadoff double by designated hitter Keenan Cook, Rice put two more runs on the board in the top of the eighth inning.
The Bearkats, ranked No. 29 nationally this week, totaled five hits and left six runners on base. Cody Dickson (4-4), the starter for SHSU, took the loss.
Sam Houston State completes its regular season Southland Conference with a three-game series at Central Arkansas Thursday through Saturday. The Bearkats already have clinched the 2012 regular season league title and will be the No. 1 seed at next week's Southland Conference tournament in San Marcos.
