HUNTSVILLE – If the tone had not been set prior to Sunday's series finale against No. 25 Oklahoma, Sam Houston State left fielder Zach Smith made it clear. In the second inning, the senior fouled off seven straight pitches and drew a 13-pitch walk against highly-touted Sooners' starter Alec Hansen.
Two-and-a-half hours later, with the Bearkats (3-5) working reliever Sheldon Neuse's pitch count near 50 in the 11th inning, center fielder Bryce Johnson sent a 1-0 fastball to the gap in left center, plating Robie Rojas to complete a 4-3 comeback win and series sweep at Don Sanders Stadium.
“To be 0-5 and come out and have an unbelievable weekend against a really good team was huge,” second-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “I thought we did a great job of battling. We ran Hansen's pitch count to get him out of there. These kids are the same kids every day. They show up to work and did a great job.”
The game-winning hit was Johnson's third against the Sooners (3-5) on a day in which he tied Todd Sebek (2007-08) for the fourth longest hitting streak in program history at 21 games. After Robie Rojas led off the frame with a single to left, he was moved over on a well-executed bunt from Taylor Beene. Lance Miles was successful in drawing a full-count walk and McKnight set the stage, moving Rojas to third on a fly out to right.
“The last at-bat before that I let a fastball go right down the middle,” Johnson said. “I knew he was going to come back hard again. I was just hoping to get the same pitch. Of course, I did, and I was able to line it right up the gap.”
Making his first start, freshman right-hander Riley Gossett tossed six innings, allowing just two runs on six hits while striking out four and walking one. Gossett, who found out he would be making the start following Saturday's game, settled down after allowing Oklahoma to score one run each in the second and third innings.
“You go out there and the adrenalin is pumping,” Gossett said. “They are going to get hits but you have to make plays. We turned three double plays. I was focusing on hitting my spots. I was able to come through with that, especially between the fourth and sixth innings.”
Down 2-0, the Bearkats responded in the fourth helped by designated hitter Matt Broadbent who blasted a leadoff home run over the left field wall, the Kats first of the season, cutting the deficit to one. After walks to Smith and Spence Rahm and an error to put aboard Rojas, Taylor Beene lifted a deep fly out to center to tie the game.
In the seventh, Broadbent, who finished the series 5-for-14, added his fifth RBI of the weekend on a single to left, plating Johnson, who reached on a fielder's choice and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from third baseman Andrew Fregia.
“I think that's been one of the biggest differences,” Deggs said of Broadbent's efforts and the Bearkats three straight wins. “Seeing Matt being able to give us good professional at-bat after good professional at-bat really stabilizes our offense.”
In relief of Gossett, Dane Lovejoy, Cody Brown and Colin Cameron combined to toss two scoreless innings. In the eighth, Cameron entered with Oklahoma runners on first and second with no outs before proceeding to throw the leadoff runner out at third on a sacrifice attempt and forcing an infield popup and groundout.
Oklahoma would not go quietly in the ninth as Miles Manning entered to close it out. The Sooners used a hit by pitch and pair of singles to even the tally but the Bearkats used a 4-6-3 double play to strand the potential winning runner at third and the two entered extras tied at 3-3.
Manning tossed the final three innings, allowing five hits and one run while striking out four to earn the victory. The Sooners' Neuse was saddled with the loss, allowing three hits and one run while striking out three and walking one.
“This game is centered on confidence,” Deggs said. “Any time you can win three against the quality of opponent with the history and tradition OU does it propels that momentum. We have to continue to carry ourselves with humility and continue to grind.”
Sam Houston continues its home stand on Tuesday, welcoming its third straight Big 12 opponent in Baylor to Don Sanders Stadium. Tickets are currently on sale by calling (936) 294-1729 or by visiting GoBearkats.com.
