Veteran Kats close fall ball, poised for 2017
10/17/2016 12:55:00 PM | Baseball
2017 Schedule • @BearkatsBSB on Twitter
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – A season ago, with so many new faces, Sam Houston State baseball needed a large part of its non-conference slate to figure out team roles. That will not be the case in 2017.
Sam Houston closed out its six-week fall practice on Friday, encouraged by the continued development and leadership shown by its eight returning positional starters and two-thirds of the weekend rotation.
“They understand the standard, the expectation and where we're at,” third-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “They come out every day to get over that bar and we've done that more days than not. I feel like we could go play another team right now. Last year was a lot about learning the mentality. Now, it's time to take it to the next level and we're starting to see a lot of that.”
The Bearkats finished 42-22 a season ago, advancing to the NCAA Lafayette Regional after claiming both the Southland Conference regular season and tournament titles for the first time in the same season.
“It says they have a great bond and can achieve that much,” freshman outfielder Mike Williams said. “When I signed, I didn't know they would go to the Regionals, I just believed in what coach Deggs told me. To see it come to fruition and knowing I will be a part of it, made me more excited to be here.”
On the mound, weekend starters Heath Donica, the Southland Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player, and Riley Gossett, a returning D1Baseball.com Freshman All-American, highlight a pitching staff that will see some new faces figuring into the mix.
In addition to six incoming freshman hurlers – including four left-handers – the Kats welcome back left-handed sophomore Seth Ballew who sat out a season ago after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Blinn College transfer has notched an impressive fall.
“That was a big blow to us last year not having Seth so we were an arm down before school ever started,” Deggs said. “He went down with Tommy John late in his junior college season. We wanted to bring him in and honor that. We rehabbed him and got him ready to go for a year. He has put his time in. He has a lot of professionalism to him. He's one of our top two, three or four guys right now.”
Sam Houston will play 34 home games during the 2017 season, opening the year on Feb. 17 against Nevada at Don Sanders Stadium. Twenty-three of the first 25 games will come at home including a three-game visit from nationally-ranked Louisiana and Texas.
“As a team, I feel like we didn't take any steps backwards from when we left the Regional,” sophomore outfielder and second baseman Riley McKnight said. “After that Arizona game, I feel like we came here with our heads held high. Last year is over with and we came here where we left off. We didn't skip a beat. We're playing hard and having a lot of fun.”
