Three key homeruns including a late inning walk-off shot in game one of a two game doubleheader lifted Sam Houston State to a 3-2 win and 7-0 victory in a sweep of Abilene Christian at Don Sanders Stadium on Saturday.
In game one, Sam Houston State shortstop Corey Toups drilled a two-out solo homerun over the left field wall to give the Bearkats a 3-2 victory in 11 innings over the Wildcats.
Alan Scott was masterful in the win allowing just one hit while striking out three in 4.1 innings pitched of relief duty after coming in for Sam starter Tyler Eppler in the seventh inning. Eppler pitched 6.2 innings allowing just four hits on one earned run to go along with six strikeouts and one walk.
The Bearkats got on the board early thanks to a double from Anthony Azar to drive home Colt Atwood in the first. With two outs in the inning Carter Burgess would tack on another as a soft single fell in between second and right field to plate Azar and Sam Houston claimed a 2-0 lead.
Abilene Christian would score in its portion of the third by way of a two out single up the middle from Aaron to plate Jordan Forrester.
Two innings later, ACU added on after a Bearkat error allowed Forrester to reach. After stealing second, he was driven in on a two out single from Tyler Eager.
The game remained dead even as neither squad could muster a run over the next four innings and the Bearkats and Wildcats headed to extra innings tied at two.
In extras, Sam Houston had its chances including a bases loaded opportunity in the 10th inning to win it. The Bearkats grinded out 10 hits, six of which came from Atwood, Burgess and MacWilliam.
In the second game, the long bombs continued with Anthony Azar hitting his eighth home run of the year to left followed by a shot from Hayden Simerly over the right field wall.
In the fifth, Dylan Ebbs led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third by way of a hit-and-run single from Hunter Courson.
MacWilliam would drive home Ebbs on a sacrifice fly. After Atwood reached on a single to continue the inning, he would come around to score thanks to an Azar single putting the Bearkats up 5-0.
Azar continued his hot night in the seventh driving home Wyatt Powell and Toups to up the lead to 7-0.
On the mound, Sam Odom was lights out, allowing just four hits over seven innings and no runs against the Wildcats.
The Bearkats have now won six straight and will look to continue the hot stretch at home on Tuesday against the No. 7 Houston Cougars with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m.
