Shortstop Miles Manning went 3-for-5 at the plate and first baseman Spence Rahm added a three-run homer to lead Sam Houston to an 11-4 victory over Rice Wednesday at Don Sanders Stadium.
The Bearkats upped their season record to 13-14 after pounding four Owl pitchers for 13 hits. The No. 14 ranked Owls, who limited Sam Houston to two hits in a 4-0 win over the Kats Tuesday night in Houston, scored their four runs on 10 hits. Rice now stands 17-10.
Rahm, second baseman Zach Smith, center fielder Colt Atwood and catcher Collin Yelich each accounted for a pair of Bearkat hits. Jordan Church (1-1) was credited with the victory on the mound. SHSU starting pitcher Dylan Ebbs spread eight hits over four-and-two-thirds innings. Owl starter Ricardo Salinas (2-2) was the losing pitcher.
Seth Holbert and Ryan Brinley also pitched in relief for the Kats.
"Miles Manning set an incredible tone for us," SHSU head coach Matt Deggs said. "His offense is starting to match his defense which is really exciting."
Sam Houston jumped out to a quick lead as Manning and Smith led off with consecutive singles. After a successful double steal, Manning scored on a wild pitch. Smith made it 2-0 coming home on a ground out to shortstop by right fielder Bryce Johnson.
The Bearkats exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fourth. The SHSU men posted tallies with RBIs on a ground ball to first by left fielder Hayden Simerly, a two-run single by Manning and a run-scoring double down the left field line by Atwood off reliever John Williamson. Smith added a fifth run after a bases loaded wild pitch by the Owls' second relief pitcher Austin Orewiler.
Rice struck back in the top of the fifth, loading the bases on three singles before second baseman Ford Stainback brought in the Owls' first run with a sacrifice fly to left field. Designated hitter John Clay Reeves brought in two runs with a single and left fielder Kirby Taylor added another with the fifth hit of the frame as Rice cut the Kat margin to 7-4.
Manning's third hit of the inning, a single to right field, scored Yelich to extend the SHSU margin to 8-4. Yelich singled with one out in the seventh.
Rahm's home run to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning scored Atwood who led off with a single and Ebbs who walked.
Sam Houston returns to Southland Conference action this weekend with a three-game series at Central Arkansas.
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