HUNTSVILLE -- Logan Boyd tossed a complete game shutout to lead Sam Houston State to an 11-0 win over New Orleans in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Don Sanders Stadium. With the win the Bearkats claimed their first Southland series win of the year.
The junior left-hander struck out five batters and allowed just five hits with one walk. With Boyd going the distance the Bearkats have their first complete-game win of the season.
Second baseman Zach Smith was 3-for-5 at the plate with one RBI and one run scored. He had a pair of doubles in the game and got the Kats on the board early.
Just as they did Friday night, the Bearkats grabbed the lead with one run in the first inning. Center fielder Colt Atwood reached on an error to lead off the game and immediately stole second base. Smith drove him in with a double to right-center field. He then stole third base but was gunned down trying to score on a fly ball to left field.
With one down in the second first baseman Spence Rahm doubled the Bearkat lead with a line-drive solo home run to left field. The homer was his team-leading third of the season.
Still in the second, catcher Collin Yelich singled to right field and moved to second on a balk by UNO pitcher Shawn Semple. Third baseman Ryan Brinley followed with a five-pitch walk. Shortstop Jake MacWilliam loaded the bases when he reached on an error.
Atwood drove in a run with a fielder's choice ground out. Brinley scored the team's fourth run on an errant pickoff throw.
MacWilliam had a bit of instant redemption in the top of the third inning. He allowed the lead-off batter to get on with an errant throw but he was able to erase him with a nicely turned 6-3 double play.
New Orleans' first serious threat of the game came in the top of the fifth when the Privateers got a one-out double by first baseman Preston Marsh. The runner advanced to third base on a ground out but was stranded there.
With one out in the fifth Atwood doubled deep down the right field line and moved to third on a ground out. Right fielder Travis Lee drove Atwood in with a two-out single to left-center field.
The Privateers started the sixth inning with back-to-back bunt singles. Second baseman Samuel Capielano dropped down a third straight bunt but Boyd made a great defensive play to cut down the lead runner at third base for the first out. Boyd then got a pop out and a groundout to end the threat.
Rahm led off the sixth by legging out a cue-shot infield single. Yelich followed with an RBI-double down the left-field line. After a wild pitch advanced Yelich to third base, Brinley drove him in with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Smith opened the bottom of the seventh with his second double of the game. Lee followed with a single to left field to put runners on the corners. Left fielder Hayden Simerly delivered a two-run triple down the right field line to plate both Smith and Lee. Simerly scored on an RBI-ground out by designated hitter Dylan Ebbs that made the score 10-0.
The Kats tacked on one more run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single by substitute Dalton Perry.
