Baseball opens season Friday
2/18/2009 1:00:00 AM | Baseball
With 19 lettermen including all six starting pitchers from the 2008 team that earned Sam Houston State its second consecutive NCAA Division I national tournament berth, the Bearkat baseball team opens its 2009 schedule this weekend against the Creighton Blue Jays.
The teams will play four times, beginning with a 6:30 p.m. contest Friday night at Don Sanders Stadium. The two also will meet in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a 1 p.m. single game Sunday.
Sam Houston State rolled to a 37-25 record last year. The Bearkats swept unbeaten through the Southland Conference post-season tournament held at Don Sanders Stadium in Huntsville. Sam Houston defeated No. 2 seed Lamar 15-7 in the finals. In the NCAA Regional in Houston, the Kats battled No. 1 seed Rice to the last out, falling 3-2. Sam Houston fell to No. 2 seed Texas in the second round.
The NCAA Regional appearance capped another outstanding season for coach Mark Johnson's baseball team. In his two years, Johnson has directed Sam Houston to 40 victories in 2007 and 37 in 2008. Those 77 wins represent the most wins in consecutive seasons by a Bearkat team since SHSU won 45 and 44 games in 1986 and 1987.
Creighton, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, rolled up a 37-21 record last season. The Blue Jays have made eight NCAA post-season appearances in their history, the last in 2007.
Ninteen lettermen return in 2009, but the Bearkats have some major holes to fill. Gone are All-Southland Conference outfielders Keith Stein (.355, 10 HR), Bobby Verbick (.343, 14 HR) and Todd Sebek (.357, 5 HR). Stein set a Sam Houston record with his .379 career batting average. Verbick was an All-American in 2007 and Sebek in 2008. Verbick was SLC tournament "Most Valuable Player."
Heading the list of returning players are senior third baseman Seth Hammock and sophomore pitcher Dallas Gallant. Hammock was a first-team All-SLC selection. His .380 batting average was the 8th best in SHSU NCAA Division I play. Gallant also earned All-SLC honors, rolling up a 7-1 won-loss record in league play. A finalist for Freshman All-America honors, Gallant picked up two of the Bearkats' four victories in the SLC playoffs to receive All-Tournament recognition as well.
Nick Zaleski, the only three-year letterman on the 2009 squad, returns at first base. The senior hit .317 last season. Seniors Heath Pugh (.284) and Mark Wyatt (.343) give the Bearkats two talented catchers. Braeden Riley and Daniel Nottebart saw extensive action in the infield as true freshmen.
Sam Houston returns a host of talented hurlers who performed well in their first NCAA Division I season last year including right-handers Guillaume Duguay, Ryan Tepera and Zach Neal and lefties Brent Powers and Matt Shelton.
Jacob Howard, an All-Southland Conference selection in 2007 who missed most of the 2008 season with an injury also returns.
Gallant and Tepera are scheduled to start the first two games. Newcomer Jordan Westra will draw the third starting assignment. Johnson is still undecided on who will start the series final game Sunday.
Again, the Bearkats have strengthened their lineup with several top off-season signings.
Transfers include pitchers Nicholas Daniels (McLennan) and Jordan Westra (Kellogg), shortstop Jon Reed (Iowa Western) and outfielders John DeLaGarza (New Mexico JC), Tyler Knight (Neosho County, Tyler Lundy (Iowa Western), Justin Keithley (Richland) and Jared Wondra (Louisville).
Talented freshmen with the opportunity to make their mark include infielders Jordan Bunch (Pearland) and Peter Goudeau (Houston Lamar) and pitcher Sean Weatherford.
