They looked for a television carrying the game and went searching on the Internet for updates.

Finally, Rice coach Wayne Graham and about two dozen of his players huddled around a small computer screen in the middle of the team’s clubhouse Saturday afternoon to watch one of their own chase baseball immortality.

They hung on every pitch.

Every swing, every miss.

Eight years after Philip Humber last pitched for the Owls, his former coach was still offering tips in the ninth inning as the White Sox starting pitcher was on the brink of the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history.

Pitching in Seattle, Humber fell behind 3-0 to the Mariners’ Michael Saunders to lead off the ninth inning. He came back to strike him out.

One out.

Then came pinch-hitter John Jaso.

“Throw ‘em a slider; he’ll chase it,” Graham yelled.

Jaso flied out to right field.

Two outs.

Finally, on the brink of history, Humber worked a full-count to pinch hitter Brendan Ryan.

Then came the moment – a check-swing strikeout of Ryan to end the game and seal the perfect moment for Humber in a 4-0 win over the Mariners.

The Owls’ clubhouse erupted in celebration.

“It doesn’t get better than that,” Rice sophomore designated hitter Michael Aquino said. “You don’t get those every day.”

During his college career from 2002-04, Humber was a three-time All-American, national co-freshman of the year and the winning pitcher for the Owls in the 2003 national title game against Stanford.

“He’s one of our own,” senior outfielder Daniel Gonzales-Luna said.

The perfect game capped a wild and emotional day for the Owls, who rallied to beat East Carolina 6-2 on a walk-off home run by Craig Manuel in the 10th inning.

“We’ve had a lot of emotion around here lately,” Graham said. “I don’t need much more.”