HUNTSVILLE ? Senior shortstop Ryan Weber hit a grand slam home run in the second inning and a run-scoring triple in the seventh to lead Sam Houston State to an 8-7 non-conference baseball victory over Centenary Wednesday at Don Sanders Stadium
Centenary scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning on two hitter batters, four walks, and a ground out to make the game close. But Guillaume Duguay struck out the final batter for his first save of the season.
Weber's grand slam erased a 2-1 Gent lead to put Sam Houston up 5-2. His triple scored Jamie Rohlmeier, who started the seventh with a single.
The grand slam was the second of the season for the Bearkats. Third baseman Seth Hammock hit a grand slam in the Bearkats' second game of the season against Lamar at the Texas-Pan American tournament in Edinburg in February.
Weber's and Hammock's blasts this year are the first Bearkat grand slams since 2005. The home run was Weber's first of the season. The SHSU baseball team has hit 48 home runs in 41 games this season.
Sam Houston upped its season record to 26-15. Centenary fell to 22-16.
Todd Sebek scored the first run for Sam Houston, leading off the bottom of the first inning with a single then crossing the plate on a double by Keith Stein.
Ryan Trevino singled to start the bottom of the sixth, moved to third on a single, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Zaleski to put Sam Houston up 6-3.
After Weber's triple score one run, he scored from third on a wild pitch to give the Bearkats an 8-3 lead.
Will Skelton spread seven hits over five innings as the Bearkat starter, improving his season record to 3-3.
Stephen Price took over on the mound in the sixth inning. Matt Shelton entered with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. Jon Lindenberger struck out the first batter in the ninth, but hit a batter and walked three more to give up a run. After Adam Albright walked one and hit another, Guillaume Duguay took to the mound to get the save.
Sam Houston State returns to Southland Conference action in a weekend series at Texas-San Antonio that begins Friday evening.
Sam Houston St 8, Centenary 7 (Apr 23, 2008 at Huntsville, TX)
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Centenary........... 020 100 004 - 7 9 1 (22-16)
Sam Houston St...... 140 001 20X - 8 9 0 (26-15)
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Pitchers: Centenary - Joe Hagen; Chris LaLonde(7). Sam Houston St - Skelton, Will;
Price, Stephen(6); Shelton, Matt(7); Lindenberger, Jon(9); Albright, Adam(9);
Duguay, Guillaume(9).
Win-Skelton, Will(3-3) Save-Duguay, Guillaume(1) Loss-Joe Hagen(0-4) T-2:34 A-387
HR SHSU - Weber, Ryan.
Weather: Clear
Hagen faced 2 batters in the 7th.
Albright, A faced 2 batters in the 9th.
Game: SAMBB41
