Kats take four-game win streak to Baylor
4/28/2014 4:20:00 PM | Baseball
The Sam Houston State baseball team will put its four-game winning streak on the line when it heads to Waco to take on the Baylor Bears Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. The Bearkats (30-14) won the first meeting with the Bears (19-25) 4-3 at Don Sanders Stadium.
Last week the Kats took down No. 12 Houston on the road before sweeping the first-place Southeastern Louisiana Lions at home. SHSU is now just two games out of first in the Southland, while the top seven teams are just separated by three games.
Catcher Anthony Azar has been a force in the middle of the Bearkat lineup for the last three seasons but his recent form has been exceptional. In the last 15 games, Azar is batting .473 with 13 RBI, 12 runs scored, seven doubles and three home runs. He has also earned 13 free passes over that stretch.
The Bearkats have the top power-hitting offense in the Southland this season with 27 homers and a .396 slugging percentage. Azar leads the Kats with nine bombs this season. Hayden Simerly has six homers while Ryan O'Hearn and Corey Toups each have four. Luke Plucheck shared the team lead with nine homers last season but hit just his first of 2014 last weekend.
Freshman righty Dylan Ebbs will make his fifth consecutive midweek start. The Santa Fe product has a 1.71 ERA in 31 2/3 innings. Ebbs' best outing of the season came in his first career start. He tossed seven innings and allowed just one run against McNeese State.
Baylor is batting just .225 as a team this season and is led by Adam Toth with a .280 batting average. Toth is one of just two Bears with more than 30 hits. The outfielder shares the team lead with 18 RBI.
Drew Tolson is slated to start for Baylor on the mound. The right-hander has a 4.96 ERA in 32 2/3 innings pitched. He has made three starts this season and 15 appearances overall.
Waco's Sam Houston State Alumni Club will host a pre-game rally for Bearkat fans before Tuesday's non-conference baseball game with Baylor.
The gathering will be held from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. at George's Restaurant at 1925 Speight Avenue in Waco. Food and drink specials will be available for purchase during the rally. Drawings will be held for Bearkat spirit gear.
For more information, please contact the Waco Alumni Club at 254 741-1424 or SHSU Alumni Relation at 936 294-1841.
SHSU returns to Don Sanders Stadium next weekend to host Stephen F. Austin.
