As a freshman in 2005, Savery stepped into the starting lineup as opening-day pitcher and a regular in the batting lineup. Savery earned second- and third-team all-America honors while being named National Freshman of the Year and Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He was named first-team all-WAC at pitcher and first base after leading the conference with a .382 batting average and finishing second with a 2.49 ERA. In the postseason, Savery helped Rice to an upset NCAA regional win over LSU at formidable Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge. In the NCAA super regional against top-ranked Tulane, Savery broke his right hand in the opening game while making a sliding catch against the Turchin Stadium fence. The injury prevented Savery from hitting, but he pitched into the seventh inning and allowed only one run in Rice's Game 2 loss. Tulane advanced to the 2005 College World Series with a win in Game 3.