Three unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning were the difference in a 6-4 loss to Central Arkansas by Sam Houston in the third and decisive game in a Southland Conference baseball series between the two teams Sunday afternoon at Bear Stadium in Conway, Arkansas.
UCA won the first and third games in the series with the Kats taking Saturday's contest in 13 innings. Sam Houston returns to Huntsville with a 14-16 overall record and a 7-5 slate in conference play. The Bears upped their won-loss mark for the year to 14-8 and own an 8-4 record in Southland action.
Sam Houston never led the game, but the Bearkats were down by only a run 2-1 after four-and-a-half innings. With one out, UCA catcher Travis Hull doubled to left field then scored on an error on a ground ball hit by designated hitter Nate Ferrell. Right fielder Braxton Phillips two-out double down the right field line brought home two more runs to put the Bears up 5-1.
Shortstop Miles Manning scored the Kats' first run in the fourth inning, reaching base on a walk. He moved to third on singles by second baseman Jake MacWilliam and first baseman Spence Rahm then scored on a double play grounder with the bases loaded.
Ferrell gave Central Arkansas a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a two-out RBI triple to right field. Third baseman Hayden Steele scored another run for UCA in the second inning rounding the bases via a walk, a balk and two wild pitches.
Sam Houston rallied for three late runs. Rahm hit a solo home run, his fifth of the year, in the eighth inning. With one out in the top of the ninth, center fielder Colt Atwood walked and reached third on a Manning double down the left field line. Atwood and Manning scored with two outs on designated hitter Dylan Ebbs single up the middle.
The Bearkats out-hit UCA 10-8. Both teams left 11 runners stranded. Both teams used four pitchers. Reliever Andrew Kemmerer (1-1) was the winning pitcher for Central Arkansas. The Bears' Bo Stitch was credited with his second save.
SHSU starting pitcher Hayden Nixon (0-1) took the loss. Alex Bisacca, Seth Holbert and Jordan Church all threw in relief.
The Bearkat baseball team continues its current road swing with a non-conference contest in College Station against Texas A&M at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Kats' next Southland Conference series is Thursday through Saturday in Nacogdoches against Stephen F. Austin.
