The Bearkats came from 2-0 down to tie the game with two runs in the bottom of the seventh and the winning tally in the ninth for a 3-2 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the “as necessary” game Saturday afternoon at Constellation Field in Sugar Land.

With only three hits in the first six innings, the Kats (now 30-27) rallied for the victory that puts them in their seventh Southland championship game in Sam Houston's 14 trips to the league post-season event. Houston Baptist, the No. 5 seed, earned their spot in the finals with victories Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Senior pitchers Andrew Godail and Alex Bisacca combined for 14 strike outs, limiting A&M-Corpus Christi to seven hits and only one earned run.

Senior Andrew Godail, who threw six and two-thirds innings to get the victory in Sam Houston's opening night win over the Islanders, came back to start again Saturday. The left hander allowed only one earned run in six innings, striking out 10 Islanders while walking only two of the 26 batters he faced.

Bisacca faced 12 batters in the final three innings, giving up one hit and a walk while striking out four. He upped his season won-loss record to 7-2 with the victory.

The Bearkats got on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning. First baseman Spence Rahm led off with a walk and moved to second on a single through the right side by second baseman Zach Smith. Shortstop Miles Manning moved the pair up a base with a sacrifice bunt.

Catcher Collin Yelich's bunt was fielded by Islander third baseman Brandon Guilford who elected to go home on the play but muffed the throw as Rahm scored and Smith reached third. Pinch hitter Trevor Winne scored Smith with a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the game 2-2.

Sam Houston had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the eighth. But Colt Atwood was the victim of a pick-off play at third and Smith struck out.

The Kats loaded the bases again in the ninth inning with Wyatt Powell starting the rally with a one-out single, Ryan Farney's bunt was misplayed by the Islander's pitcher for an error to move Powell to second. Bryce Johnson singled to load the bases. MacWilliam's game-winning hit came after Colt Atwood struck out.

The number nine hitter Luke Hermanson had a hand in each of the Islanders' runs as they took an early 2-0 lead. The catcher led off the top of the third inning with a double down the left field line then moved to third on a bunt single and scored on a ball to left field by left fielder Jordan Lee.

In the fourth, Hermanson reached first on an infield error to score second baseman Brett Burner who slapped another double down the line in left.

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Day 1 - Wednesday, May 20
Game 1 - #6 Central Arkansas def. #3 Nicholls 7-6
Game 2 - #7 Houston Baptist def. #2 Northwestern State 4-1
Game 3- #8 A&M-Corpus Christi def. #1 Southeastern Louisiana 4-2
Game 4 - #5 Sam Houston def. #4 McNeese State 5-1

Day 2 - Thursday, May 21
Game 5 - #2 Northwestern St. def. #3 Nicholls 4-3 (Nicholls eliminated)
Game 6 - #1 Southeastern La. def. #4 McNeese 3-2, 12 inn. (McNeese eliminated)
Game 7 - #7 Houston Baptist def. #6 Central Arkansas 6-1
Game 8 - #5 Sam Houston def. #8 A&M-Corpus Christi 6-1

Day 3 – Friday, May 22
Game 9 - #6 Central Arkansas def. #2 Northwestern State 5-4 (Demons eliminated)
Game 10 - #8 A&M-Corpus Christi def. #1 Southeastern Louisiana 6-5 (Lions eliminated)
Game 11 –#7 Houston Baptist def. #6 Central Arkansas 1-0 (UCA eliminated)
Game 12 - #8 A&M-Corpus Ch#risti def. 5 Sam Houston 6-4

Day 4 – Saturday, May 23
Game 13 – Sam Houston def. A&M-Corpus Christi 3-2
Game 14 – Houston Baptist vs Sam Houston – 6 p.m.