A Miles Manning walk-off hit in game one and a dominant starting performance by Logan Boyd in game two led Sam Houston State to a doubleheader sweep of Nicholls. The final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. There will be no game Saturday.
Sam Houston took Game 1 by a score of 2-1 and in Game 2 the Bearkats won 6-2. The kats improved to 12-12 and 6-2 while the Colonels dropped to 11-10-1 and 3-5.
GAME 1:
The Bearkats and Colonels were knotted 1-1 going to the bottom of the ninth before Manning's heroics in the series opener.
First baseman Spence Rahm, who had four hits over the two games, worked a walk with one out in the ninth and was pinch-run for by senior Wyatt Powell. After a fly out, second baseman Zach Smith singled to center field to extend the inning. Powell moved to third when the center fielder misplayed the ball.
Manning then lined a 2-1 pitch into center field to score Powell and end the game.
SHSU started the game well after left fielder Bryce Johnson led off the game with a single up the middle and Colt Atwood sacrificed him to second base. The freshman moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error at shortstop. Travis Lee picked up the RBI with the ground ball to shortstop.
The Kats would then go until the seventh inning without another hit.
Nicholls tied the game in the top of the seventh. With one out designated hitter Justin Smith doubled into the gap in left center and scored on a single by second baseman Tanner Vandevere.
Starter Andrew Godail tossed seven innings and allowed just the one run on five hits. He finished with five strikeouts and didn't issue a walk in the game.
Alex Bisacca tossed the final two scoreless innings in relief and picked up the win. The senior right-hander struck out two batters and improved to 2-1 on the mound this season.
GAME 2:
The Kats started the ballgame with an offensive barrage. Center fielder Colt Atwood, Smith and Johnson each singled to start the game. Atwood came home for the first run on Johnson's single to left field.
Right fielder Travis Lee and Rahm each worked walks to plate a second run with just one out in the bottom of the first. Catcher Collin Yelich was hit by a pitch to drive in a third run.
Shortstop Miles Manning legged out an infield single to give Sam Houston a 4-0 lead going to the second inning.
Sam Houston added two more runs with two outs in the second inning. Lee singled to center field and designated hitter Dylan Ebbs worked a walk. Rahm singled to plate Lee and third baseman Hunter Courson drove in Ebbs with a single to center.
After Logan Boyd had been perfect for the first three frames, Nicholls got to him with some small ball. A bunt single started the inning. Then Boyd fielded a sacrifice bunt attempt and made a great play but the ball was dropped at first base putting two runners on with no outs. After another infield single the Colonels got on the board with a sacrifice fly.
Neither team would score the rest of the way.
Boyd went eight innings and allowed the one run on six hits. He also struck out five batters in the game. Sophomore Sam Odom tossed a perfect ninth inning in relief.
