THIBODAUX, LA ? Nick Zaleski, Tyler Knight and Mark Wyatt each produced three RBIs and Jacob Howard threw a seven-inning five hit shutout as Sam Houston State run-ruled Nicholls State 11-0 in a Southland Conference baseball game at Didier Field Saturday.
The victory extends Sam Houston's winning streak to six games and marks the Bearkats' second consecutive shutout of the Colonels in the pair's SLC weekend series. SHSU won 6-0 Friday night.
The two wins over Nicholls also put Sam Houston skipper Mark Johnson over the century mark in cogaching wins with the Bearkat program. Johnson, who ranks No. 18 among NCAA Division I active coaches with a 24-year record of 977-495-3, has won 101 games and lost 62 in his three seasons at Sam Houston. Johnson directed the Kats to the NCAA Regionals in his first two seasons at SHSU.
Howard struck out six batters and walked only one, facing 25 batters in his seven innings of work. His performance marked the second complete game of the 2009 season for a Kat hurler.
Braeden Riley went 3-for-5 to lead SHSU at the plate as the Bearkats totaled 15 hits. Wyatt started the scoring in the third inning with a two-run double. Knight also had a run scoring single in the third to put Sam Houston up 3-0.
The Kats scored in each of the final five innings including a four-run seventh.
Sam Houston stands 24-13 for the season and is 13-7 in Southland Conference play. Nicholls State fell to 17-20 for the year and 8-12 in league action.
The two teams will play the final contest of the weekend series at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Line Score:
Sam Houston St 12, Nicholls 0 (Apr 18, 2009 at Thibodaux, La.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Houston St...... 003 212 4 - 12 15 0 (24-13, 13-7 SLC)
Nicholls............ 000 000 0 - 0 5 5 (17-20, 8-12 SLC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Sam Houston St - Howard, Jacob. Nicholls - Cooper, R.; Guidroz, L.(4);
Rochelle, Z.(5); Harding, R.(6); Delatte, B.(7).
Win-Howard, Jacob(4-2) Loss-Cooper, R.(3-1) T-1:51 A-127
