The Bearkats had to dig out of an early hole against Prairie View A&M on their way to a 10-3 win Tuesday night at Don Sanders Stadium. Sam Houston finished the game with 17 hits and eight stolen bases.

“We did a nice job of not panicking and not getting too jumpy. We just played our game and let the game come to us. Ultimately they cracked a little bit and we made the most of it,” SHSU head coach Matt Deggs said. “It's a good win. We're still a work in progress and we've got to continue to work to get better every day. But I like the way we're headed.”

After trailing 3-0, Sam Houston tied it in the third, took the lead in the sixth and scored insurance runs in the seventh and eighth.

Senior pitcher Derrick Hadley got the start and made his first career appearance for Sam Houston. He was pitching for the first time in more than two years.

Hadley struck out four batters in two innings pitched. He got into a little trouble in the second and allowed the first three runs of the game on a bases-clearing double down the left field line.

“It was great to see Derrick Hadley get back on the mound after nearly a three-year break. It was big for him to go back out there and I thought he did a good job for us.”

First baseman Spence Rahm had a second straight big game at the plate. He was 3-for-5 with three doubles and four RBI. Catcher Collin Yelich had his biggest day at the plate for Sam Houston, going 4-for-4 with two RBI.

The Bearkats got two runs back in the bottom of the second inning. Third baseman Jake MacWilliam and designated hitter Ryan Farney each singled with one out. MacWilliam scored on an errant pickoff throw and Farney came home on Yelich's first hit of the game.

Sam Houston turned to reliever Alex Bisacca with one runner on and no outs in the top of the third and the senior got three groundouts to get out of the jam. He tossed three scoreless innings and allowed just one hit.

“I'm just working on hitting the bottom of the zone and trusting the coaches,” Bisacca said. “It makes it really easy when you have the defense we have behind you. I know that no matter what I throw someone is going to make a play for me. I trust them at all times.”

First baseman Spence Rahm tied the ballgame in the third with a two-out double to right field that plated second baseman Zach Smith. Smith was 2-for-5 with a run scored in his second start.

Freshman pitcher Reid Garrett made his first career appearance for Sam Houston and struck out two batters in the sixth. He earned the win after the Kats took the lead in the next half inning.

With one out in the sixth Farney was hit by a pitch and Yelich doubled down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Senior Colt Atwood came into the game as a pinch hitter and loaded the bases with a walk.

Left fielder Hayden Simerly delivered the game-winning hit with a two-run double into the right field gap that gave SHSU a 5-3 lead.

In the seventh inning right fielder Travis Lee walked, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. He scored on another double by Rahm. The 6'5 first baseman then stole third base and scored on a squeeze bunt by MacWilliam.

Farney kept the inning alive with a single to right field. He stole second base and scored on Yelich's fourth hit of the game to make the score 7-3.

Rahm smacked his third double of the game in the eighth inning to drive in two more runs and make the score 10-3.

Seth Holbert pitched scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth and Hayden Nixon tossed a scoreless ninth inning.

The Bearkats are scheduled to travel to Louisiana-Monroe for a three-game weekend series starting Friday at 6:00 p.m.