Softball hosts UT-Arlington Saturday and Sunday
4/16/2010 7:01:00 AM | Softball
By Cody Stark Huntsville Item
HUNTSVILLE - The funny thing about sports is that there are all kinds of superstitions, especially when a team or a player is on a hot streak.
With the Bearkats playing their best softball of the year at the most opportune time, Sam Houston State head coach Bob Brock isn't making any changes to his team's routine.
Before sweeping Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a must-win Southland Conference series last weekend, the Bearkats only had hitting practice on the eve of the opener. So, as Sam Houston gears up to play Texas-Arlington in another key SLC series, which begins with a doubleheader today at 1 p.m., Friday was another light workout.
"All we did was hit today. We are playing so well I didn't want to change a thing," Brock said Friday afternoon. "All we did was hit before we went to Corpus, so all we did was hit today."
The Bearkats are fighting to secure a berth to the Southland Conference tournament, which will he held May 13-14 in San Marcos.
Only the top six teams in the league qualify for the tournament and Sam Houston is currently tied for eighth with Northwestern State at 7-11. Texas-Arlington is currently in fourth place at 13-7 and the Mavericks stand at 23-17 overall.
Things weren't looking too good for the Bearkats heading into last week's series at A&M-Corpus Christi, which at the time was in fifth place. Sam Houston (15-23) had lost five SLC games in a row, including a three-game sweep at the hands of McNeese State in Huntsville.
But the Kats dug in and took the first two contests from the Islanders 4-2 and 9-8. Sam Houston put the icing on the cake with a 5-0 victory in the finale to get back in the hunt.
"I think we just need to keep doing what we have been doing," Brock said. "I never thought we had peaked and I didn't think we had gotten everything right. All of the sudden, with a few things happening here and there, we put things together. I still don't think we are were we can be, yet. These games are important, but I feel good going into them because of how we have been playing lately."
One of the reasons things have started to click for the Bearkats has been the fact that everybody, from starters to role players, have stepped up and made plays.
The team's recent success has brought a new attitude to the Sam Houston clubhouse.
"We just seem to be on fire right now," Brock said. "All the players are doing their job. Take for instance last weekend. I put Tiffani (Woodrum) in to play center field and she made an unbelievable catch. It was so good that she was able to throw the runner who had already rounded third out at home to kill a rally.
"We are playing as well as a team can play. They all seem to be holding each other up from a bench player to the best player. They understand that they have some crucial games coming up and they are beginning to believe they can pull it off."
Sam Houston has four SLC series left, including the matchup with UTA, and three are at the Bearkat Softball Complex. But the Kats haven't fared too well at home this season in league play with a 3-6 record.
If the Bearkats continue to play they way they have recently, Sam Houston could put an end to those woes at home.
"Right now we are playing really well," Brock added. "I was hoping Stephen F. Austin would do a little damage to UT-Arlington last weekend, but we need to take care of business. I still think that even though we have sustained a few losses, more than normal at home, I would still say we are pretty good at home.
"I do feel very good going into this one. We are prepared and we worked hard."
Tickets for Sam Houston State softball home games are on sale online at www.gobearkats.com. All Sam Houston students, faculty and staff receive free admission with their SHSU BearkatOne I.D. cards. For $2, students and faculty/staff can upgrade their seats with reserved chairback seat. Offer is available at the ticket booth the day of the game.
For more information on exciting ticket offers go to the links below or contact the Sam Houston State ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
