Sam Houston readies for Southland stretch run
4/18/2013 4:59:00 PM | Softball
With three weeks to go in the Southland Conference softball season, Sam Houston is one of five teams chasing league leader McNeese State in the race for the regular season title.
The Cowgirls stand 29-10 for the year and own a one-and-half game lead over their nearest competitor with a 10-3 conference mark.
Northwestern State (28-9, 9-5) stands in second place while Sam Houston (23-18, 9-6) and Lamar (18-23, 9-6) are tied for third. Southeastern Louisiana (23-14, 8-7) and Nicholls State (18-20, 8-7) are knotted in fifth place.
The road ahead for the Bearkats is challenging as Sam Houston plays host this weekend to Nicholls and to McNeese State the next week then closes out the schedule on the road at Northwestern State.
“Going head-to-head with three of our four top challengers can work in our favor,” Sam Houston head coach Bob Brock said. “There's a lot of softball yet to be played.”
The Bearkats field one of the top hitting lineups in the league. Sam Houston's .304 team batting average ranks third in the Southland.
Center fielder Tori Benavidez is the league's No. 3 hitter with a .420 season average. The senior leads the conference in total hits (55), stands second in stolen bases (14) and is fourth in the conference in triples (3).
Designated hitter/infielder Hillary Adams ranks second in the Southland in home runs (9) and third in runs batted in (36).
As a team, Sam Houston has produced 39 home runs this year, second only to the Lamar Cardinals.
To succeed in a final push towards the top of the league in the final three weeks, Sam Houston will need strong pitching and defense.
Meme Quinn (8-5, 3.37 ERA), Shelby Lancaster (9-7, 3.11 ERA) and Haley Baros (8-7, 3.71 ERA) all have been productive in the pitching circle this year.
Sam Houston owns a .956 fielding average and the Bearkats' 18 double plays so far this season leads the league.
Next action for Sam Houston is a three-game home series with Nicholls this Saturday and Sunday at the Bearkat Softball Complex. Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game both begin at 1 p.m.
