THIBODAUX, La. – With a steady wind blowing in from left field at a ballpark where only two home runs had been hit through 14 games, the Sam Houston State baseball team was up for the challenge.
Freshmen Hunter Hearn and Andrew Fregia each launched their first career home runs as Sam Houston pounded Nicholls, 12-8, moving the squad's win streak to five games while clinching a second straight Southland Conference series at Ray E. Didier Field on Friday night.
“I just the saw the ball really well,” Fregia said. “It was an outside fastball. I ended up getting a good swing on it. Confidence has a lot to do with it. That's all the team and coaches do is give me confidence. It felt good.”
Hearn connected on the second pitch he saw in the first inning, resulting in a three-run homer over the left field wall, the first of two consecutive three-run frames for the Bearkats. For the 10th time this season and third straight game, Sam Houston tallied double-digit hits, finishing with 12.
After Nicholls scratched out a run in each inning between the second and fourth to cut the deficit to four runs, Fregia offered a decisive blow in the fifth inning, belting a grand slam down the right field line to give Sam Houston an 11-3 advantage.
“I am really proud of those guys,” second-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “We started some young guys tonight. Hearn stepped up with the three-run jack and Fregia came through. It was gigantic for us and was obviously the difference in the game. I thought we competed really well offensively.”
For the second straight day, the Bearkats (11-12, 5-3 SLC) jumped ahead of the Colonels (10-13, 2-6 SLC), scoring in the opening frame. Bryce Johnson was hit by the first pitch of the game and advanced to second on a Riley McKnight walk, setting the stage for Hearn's homer.
“I came out today and was seeing the ball well,” Hearn said. “I have been seeing it well for the last three games. It was huge. I felt like it set the tone for the game and everything started building on that. It doesn't really matter who you put in front of us, we're going to play them with all we've got.”
One inning later, the Bearkats added on, putting a pair of runners on thanks to Nicholls miscues. Jordan Cannon reached on an error from third base and Fregia struck out but the ball slipped past the catcher to place runners on the corners. An RBI single from Bryce Johnson was followed with a Riley McKnight sacrifice fly to the warning track in left before Zach Smith doubled to center making it 6-0.
Fregia also brought home a run with a hard-hit infield single in the third inning and finished his night 2-for-5 at the plate, driving in a season-high five RBIs, matching freshman teammate Josh Biles, who tagged Prairie View A&M for as many on Tuesday night.
Sam Houston starter Heath Donica (3-2) picked up the victory after allowing four earned runs on 10 hits while walking two and striking out a pair. Freshman Colin Cameron entered with runners on first and second and no outs, allowing just one to plate, finishing his night with one hit in an inning of work.
Sam Houston relievers were forced to stave off a late Nicholls rally. The Colonels scored in six total innings, including three straight between the sixth and eighth. Hayden Nixon struck out three in just an inning of work, while in the ninth, the Bearkats turned to right-hander Greg Belton, who shut the door with a pair of strikeouts.
“It's been by committee so far and it's good to see a couple seniors step up again in Nixon and Belton,” Deggs. I really liked the way Belton finished the game with a fastball and curveball mix.”
The squads return Saturday at 1 p.m. for the final game of the series. The Bearkats send Riley Gossett (2-0, 2.20 ERA) to the mound seeking the squad's first weekend sweep since Feb. 26-28 against Oklahoma and inaugural in league action.
“We need to show up ready to play tomorrow. That's a good ball club over there and they are really good at home. We are fortunate to come away with a series and now we'll have to come out and play really good baseball to come away with a sweep.”
