Texas A&M-Corpus Christi completed a Southland Conference series sweep over Sam Houston State with an 6-4 victory Saturday afternoon at Don Sanders Stadium.  

Sam Houston ended the regular season with the wrong kind of momentum, but the Kats were upbeat after connecting for 11 hits and having plenty of scoring chances in Saturday's regular-season finale at Don Sanders Stadium.

"We wanted at least one or two because it was coach (Mark) Johnson's last game here," Bearkats third baseman Kevin Miller said of his coach's impending retirement. "It seemed that the energy was a lot more positive than it has been. A lot of guys were more energized and more ready to go."

Even after squandering several scoring opportunities early in the game, the Bearkats had a chance to tie the contest in the bottom of the ninth.

Senior designated hitter Chris Andreas was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Miller got his third hit of the day with a single up the middle. Center fielder Mark Hudson then advanced the two baserunners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Following a strikeout by right fielder Greg Olson, catcher John Hale represented not only the final out, but the winning run as well.

Hale, who single twice, launched the ball into the left-center field gap. However, the ball hung up long enough for left fielder Chris Vergne to make the catch and hand Sam Houston its fourth straight loss.

"We had a lot of opportunities to score. We had a lot of guys in scoring position and put pressure on their pitchers. In that last inning, John gets a good shot out to left, but it just happens to get run down," Sam Houston senior pitcher Brent Powers said.

In the sixth inning, the Bearkats loaded the bases with no outs thanks to a leadoff walk by Hudson and a pair of bunt singles by Olson and Hale. Sam Houston, which trailed 6-3 at the time, could only bring one run across on an RBI single by first baseman Daniel Nottebart. Left fielder Luke Plucheck struck out and both second baseman Ryan Mooney and shortstop Braeden Riley popped out in foul territory to end the inning.

Then in the seventh, the Kats occupied second and third base, but Hale flied out to center field to end the threat.

"The more we can do what we did today and the more people we get on base, the more we'll score and win games," Miller said.

After being held to one hit through the first three innings by Sam Houston starter Caleb Smith (4-3), the Islanders were able to get hit after hit and exploded for five runs in the fourth, which proved to be enough.

Powers came in following Islander designated hitter Omar Garcia's bases-clearing double in the fourth that gave Texas A&M-Corpus Christi a 5-1 lead and kept the damage to a minimum through the eighth inning. The only run the senior allowed was off a balk in the fifth.

"I was pleased with Brent. I thought he did good," Johnson said. "Caleb did well until he got men on base and then he struggled. He's a freshman and that's part of it."

With the regular season now in the books, the Bearkats can finally turn their attention to the SLC tournament, which will be held in San Marcos this week.

Sam Houston drew the fifth seed and will play fourth-seeded Southeastern Louisiana in the first round on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Bobcat Baseball Ballpark. The Kats are also on the same side of the bracket as eighth-seeded Nicholls and regular-season champ Texas State.

In their series earlier this season, Southeastern Louisiana took two of three from the Kats in Huntsville. Both of the Lions' wins over Sam Houston were by a combined three runs.

"I think we'll come out in practice Monday with a lot more energy and a lot more focus on things we need to get done," Miller added. "I think we'll be fine going into Wednesday's game."

The seeds and firsts round pairings for next week's tournament.

1. Texas State
2. Stephen F. Austin
3. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
4. Southestern Louisiana
5. Sam Houston State
6. UTSA
7. Lamar
8. Nicholls State

Wednesday Games:
No. 6 UTSA vs. No. 3 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 9 a.m.
No. 7 Lamar vs. No. 2 Stephen F. Austin, Noon
No. 5 Sam Houston State vs. No. 4 Southeastern Louisiana, 4 p.m.
No. 8 Nicholls State vs. No. 1 Texas State,  7 p.m.

All games from the tournament will be streamed live at www.southland.org . Sam Houston games will be broadcast live via internet on www.gobearkats.com .