WACO -- The Sam Houston State Bearkats got off to a hot start Wednesday night in Baylor, but it wasn't enough against a tough Bear squad, as the Kats fell 14-4 at Baylor Ballpark.
The Bearkats (27-19) opened the game with four consecutive extra-base hits, chasing Baylor starter Wade Mackey from the game after only 10 pitches. Todd Sebek doubled, and Keith Stein followed with his eighth home run of the season. Bobby Verbick and Seth Hammock, who spent his first two collegiate seasons at Baylor, doubled consecutively to put runners at second and third with no outs.
However, Craig Fritsch spelled Mackey and struck out the next three batters to get out of the jam. Fritsch was dominant the rest of the way, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts. The strikeout total was a career high and a Baylor Ballpark record for strikeouts in relief.
Sam Houston State starter Will Skelton (3-4) took the loss. He allowed five runs, two earned, on five hits and a walk with no strikeouts over 2.0-plus innings, facing two batters in the third. The Bearkats used six pitchers on the night, five of which allowed at least one run.
Sebek led the Kats at the plate going 3-for-4 with a triple, RBI and a run scored.
Baylor was quick to answer Sam Houston State's two-run first as the Bears scored three runs on three doubles and a Bearkat error in the bottom of the inning. Hansen doubled to open the frame, moved to second on Weems' sacrifice bunt and scored on Dustin Dickson's groundout. After an error, the Bears followed with consecutive doubles to give Baylor a 3-2 lead.
The Kat followed up their two-run first with another one in the second inning. Jaime Rohlmeier reached on an error and later scored on a single by Sebek. However, the Bears' Campbell blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the third to put the Bears back in the lead at 6-3. Baylor never trailed again.
Verbick led off the fifth with a triple and scored on Hammock's sacrifice fly, but that was the last offense on the night for the Bearkats. Sebek's bunt single in the seventh was Sam Houston State's only hit after Sebek's fifth-inning triple.
The Bearkats will face Southland Conference East Division leader Northwestern State in a three-game series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Don Sanders Stadium.
