Colonels use big fourth inning to pull away from Bearkats in 13-3 win

By Gene Schallenberg Staff Reporter

HUNTSVILLE - A day after belting a season-high 17 hits and scoring 12 runs, the Sam Houston offense was nowhere to be found on Sunday.

The Colonels continued where they left off Saturday and pounded the Bearkats pitching staff for 13 runs off 13 hits, including a grand slam and a solo home run, to run-rule Sam Houston 13-3 in seven innings in the rubber match of the series.

"It was disappointing," SHSU head coach Mark Johnson said. "We didn't pitch well and we didn't hit well. We didn't do a good job to start with.

"It always starts on the mound, but we didn't do a good job offensively making adjustments. I was surprised that we weren't ready to play better than how we did. I don't want to take away from (Nicholls), but I thought we would compete and get after it pretty good today. It wasn't a good day for us."

The Colonels (10-11 in SLC play, 20-19 overall) jumped ahead, scoring two runs in the first inning.

Despite putting a pair of runners on the basepaths in the first, attempting to counter Nicholls' offensive output, Sam Houston (9-12, 16-25) wasn't able to take advantage and struck out twice to end the inning.

Though the Bearkats were held hitless through the next two innings, the deficit didn't worsen.

It wasn't until the fourth when the game got away from the Bearkats. 

The Colonels led off the inning with three consecutive singles to load the bases. Looking to drive a run in, catcher Kevin Schlegel unleashed on an offering from Sam Houston starter Brandon Kimbrel (3-1) and drove it over the left-field wall for his first homer of the season.

"We don't really work on hitting deep balls. We really work on hitting the ball the other way," said Colonels center fielder Bear Comer, who batted .600 in the three-game series. "Coach (Chip Durham) told (Schlegel) right before he hit that ball to drive a run in here and luckily he drove in four of them."

Following Schlegel's grand slam, the Colonels continued to tally base hits.

Nicholls batted through its entire lineup in the inning before recording an out. When the top of the fourth was finally done, the Colonels had scored eight runs to take a 10-0 lead.

"We came out excited after a long game yesterday," Comer added. "It took everything we had and today we showed a lot of heart. We just wanted to work hard and make the routine plays. We stayed with our game and drove the ball hard."

Relief pitcher Andrew Massey attempted to quiet the Colonels offense, but didn't have any better luck. Nicholls scored three more runs, including a solo home run by second baseman Steven Gauthe to lead off the fifth.

Designated hitter Chris Andreas tried to ignite the Bearkats offense, blasting a solo home run over the right-field wall. Sam Houston just couldn't figure out starting pitcher Tyler Minto (4-2).

"He wasn't overpowering, but he throwing his slider away and had good control on it," Johnson said. "He was nipping on the corner and making us reach. We knew that going in. We knew the scouting report but we didn't adjust to it. That's disappointing."

The Bearkats scored two more runs in the sixth inning to pull within 10 runs, but could't draw any closer.

The series loss moved Sam Houston to ninth in the Southland Conference standings.

After a midweek game at home against Houston on Tuesday, the Bearkats will host second-place Stephen F. Austin in another important three-game series beginning Friday at Don Sanders Stadium.

Learning the basics - Following Sunday's game more than 100 Little Leaguers wearing their uniforms  had the privilege of having practice and position drills courtesy of the Bearkats baseball team.