Nacogdoches - Sam Houston State took advantage of seven Lumberjack errors as the Bearkats won the first contest of a three-game Southland Conference weekend series with a 5-1 victory over first place Stephen F. Austin Friday afternoon.
SFA out-hit the Kats 10-7, but Sam Houston took advantage of the defensive miscues as four of the Kats' five runs were unearned
Brandon Kimbrel produced his third complete game of the season, limiting the Southland's top hitting team to only one run and spreading 10 hits over nine innings. The win ups Kimbrel's season mark to 6-2. He faced 36 batters, striking out six and walking only run.
Sam Houston (31-17, 14-11) jumped in front quickly, scoring two runs in the top of the first, both coming as a result of errors. Second baseman Ryan Mooney walked and moved to second as designated hitter Chris Andreas was hit by a pitch. Mooney stole third and scored on a throwing error. Andreas later scored on an error on a ground ball hit by third baseman Kevin Miller.
Stephen F. Austin scored its only run in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single. Sam Houston's only earned run came on a two-out RBI double by Miller in the top of the third inning.
Mooney reached first on an error in the fourth inning, later scoring on a single by shortstop Braeden Riley. Mooney added a run-scoring single in the eighth inning.
Jared West was the losing pitcher for Stephen F. Austin.
The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. single game and will wrap up Sunday at 1 p.m.
