Broadbent, Odom sweep Southland weekly honors
3/1/2016 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
Following a weekend sweep of No. 25 Oklahoma, Sam Houston State designated hitter Matt Broadbent and right-hander pitcher Sam Odom have been named the Southland Conference Hitter of the Week and Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday.
Broadbent, who has found a home in the No. 3 spot in the batting order, helped lead the charge offensively, hitting .455 (10-for-22) with nine RBIs and two runs during five games, including four against top 25 foes, last week.
The Cypress native upped his average to .357 on the season while accounting for a pair of RBIs in each 4-3 victory against the Sooners this weekend. On Sunday, the junior transfer blasted Sam Houston's first home run of the season, at the time cutting the Oklahoma lead to 2-1.
“I think that's been one of the biggest differences,” second-year head coach Matt 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.”
On the mound, Odom again set the tone in the Friday night opener, tossing eight innings, holding the Sooners to three hits and two earned runs while striking out seven. Sooners hitters batted just .111 against the reliable righty, who boasts a 1.69 ERA.
The outing was the latest in strong showings against top 25 opponents for the Klein product. On Opening Day, Odom held No. 6 Louisiana to just two hits and one earned run while fanning eight and walking one. In 16 innings of work, he has combined to strike out 15 hitters.
“These guys like to work and it was a matter of time before we played a complete game,” Deggs said after the game-opening win against Oklahoma. “Sammy gave us that opportunity. Any time you get that kind of performance it sets the tone for everyone else.”
In three weekend three-game sweep, the Bearkats limited Oklahoma to a .168 average while outscoring the Sooners 15-8. Sam Houston has tallied eight wins against top 25 foes dating to the beginning of the 2014 season.
The Kats conclude their seven-game home stand, welcoming Baylor on Tuesday and Rice on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available through GoBearkats.com and by calling (936) 294-1729.
