HUNTSVILLE – It took just under two hours for the Sam Houston State Bearkats to finish off a Southland Conference series sweep of UTSA with a 5-1 win on Sunday afternoon at Don Sanders Stadium.
Brandon Kimbrel got the start for the Bearkats (17-8, 4-5 Southland) a worked 7 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and just the one run. Kimbrel (2-1) fanned three batters in the victory.
The Kats jumped on UTSA (7-18, 1-8) early in the game, posting a pair of runs in each of the first two innings. Chris Andreas started the scoring for the Kats with an infield single to bring home Greg Olson. Mark Hudson followed with a double play that brought home Ryan Mooney.
In the second, Oney ripped a double to left and Kevin Miller came around for the third run of the game. Mooney followed with a groundball to third that brought home Oney.
UTSA got a run back in the third inning on an RBI double by Ryan Hutson to score Matthew James.
Mooney gave the Kats their final run of the game on a single in the seventh to score Oney for the second time in the game. Oney led the offense for the Kats with a three-hit day, two runs and an RBI.
The Bearkats will travel to Dallas Baptist on Tuesday then play host to Rice Wednesday, March 30, in the first of three games against teams included in the special $20 Bearkat Baseball "Super Weekday Pack" on sale now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets .
The "Super Weekday Pack" includes a reserved seat ticket for Sam Houston baseball versus the Rice Owls on Wednesday, March 30; the Baylor Bears on Tuesday, April 5 and the Houston Cougars on Tuesday, April 12.
Sam Houston head coach Mark Johnson, the 44th coach in NCAA Division I baseball history to roll up more than 1,000 career victories, has announced his retirement at the end of the 2011 season. This will be an opportunity to see history in the making as the Bearkats play host to three in-state Division I rivals.
For more information go to www.gobearkats.com/tickets or contact the Sam Houston athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
