Much Rides on UCA Road Series This Weekend
5/16/2012 5:40:00 PM | Baseball
With a 22-8 record going into the series, Sam Houston could set a new Southland record for most league victories in a season. The University of Texas at San Antonio and Texas State hold the record with 24 victories. The Roadrunners posted 24 wins in taking the 2007 Southland title and Texas State equaled that mark in both 2009 and 2011.
After a 5-0 loss to No. 5 Rice Tuesday night, victories over the Bears are important to Sam Houston's NCAA tournament hopes as well as the Kats seek to maintain a high NCAA Division I RPI. The SHSU baseball team stood No. 49 in the RPI going into Tuesday's game.
Sam Houston can assure itself of an NCAA berth by winning the Southland tournament next week in San Marcos. But in the 19-year history of the event, the No. 1 seed has won the tournament only twice. The Bearkats want to keep alive hopes of an at-large berth with a series victory at UCA.
Sam Houston and Central Arkansas begin action at 6 p.m. Thursday, then play Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Bears have a lot riding on the series as well. UCA stands 24-26 overall and 15-15 in league play. The Bears are in sole possession of sixth place, and are hoping to stay there. The top eight teams in the final regular-season standings earn berths in the postseason tournament that begins Wednesday in San Marcos, Texas.
One victory by the Bears assures them a tournament berth. The two teams that could possibly knock the Bears out, Northwestern State and Nicholls State, have to sweep their final series against Texas State and Stephen F. Austin, respectively.
UCA is coming off an impressive 2-0 shutout victory over Southeastern Conference foe Mississippi State on Tuesday night in Starkville, Miss.
The series will feature the two best hitting teams in the SLC. UCA is No. 1 at .293 while SHSU is second at .291.
The Bearkats are second in team fielding percentage (.972), followed by the Bears in third (.968). Sam Houston has considerably better numbers on the mound, with a 3.41 team earned-run avearge, good for third in the league. UCA is 10th at 4.58.
The Bears have won all five of their home conference series this season, including three-game sweeps of Lamar and Nicholls State. The Bearkats have a 12-9 road record this season, as opposed to 22-8 at home.
Sam Houston, 34-17 for the season, has won nine of its 10 Southland series including three-game sweeps of Texas State, UTSA and Northwestern State. For the season the Bearkats are 12-9 away from Don Sanders Stadium. Sam Houston is 10-5 in road league contests this spring.
