Playing a Southland Conference game for the first time since winning the league title on Sunday, the Sam Houston baseball team continued right where it left off.

The Kats broke out for 12 runs on Thursday night to knock off Central Arkansas 12-2. Caleb Smith improved to 8-4 on the season by throwing six innings, allowing just a run on four hits. Taylor Holt pitched the final three innings to pick up his first save of the season.

The Bearkats (35-17, 23-8) collected 12 hits with freshman Colt Atwood leading the way with three.

The Bears scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. But the Kats answered back with six in the next half inning and never looked back.

In addition to Atwood, four other Kats had multi-hit games, with Ryan O'Hearn, Corey Toups, Greg Olson and John Hale all with two hits in the game. Olson drove in three runs, with Atwood and Toups picking up two each.

Eight of the nine Bearkats in the starting lineup scored a run, with Jake Arrington crossing home plate three times.

The Kats and Bears will be back at it on Friday night at 6 p.m.