THIBODAUX, La. – If there is one lesson learned through three weekends of Southland Conference play, it is that the Sam Houston State baseball team can win in a multitude of fashions.
After being shut out for six straight innings in the series finale at Nicholls and trailing by a run, Sam Houston awoke for three runs in the seventh, highlighted by an Andrew Fregia triple to defeat the Colonels 3-1 and complete a three-game sweep at Ray E. Didier Field.
The pitcher's duel came one day after the teams combined for 20 runs on 25 hits. The series sweep was the second of the season and first in Southland Conference play for the Bearkats. Sam Houston (12-12 overall, 6-3 SLC) has now won six straight games and two straight league series.
“We've been on an upswing lately,” second-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “We're playing good baseball and getting better. We've got a bunch of youngsters who are still learning how to win and we have a good mixture of older guys. I like the way we're playing right now.”
Sam Houston starter Riley Gossett (3-0) tied a season-high seven strikeouts, allowing just one run on five hits and two walks in six innings. The right-hander was particularly effective in shutting down the Colonels with runners in scoring position.
In the second, the Colonels (10-14, 2-7 SLC) looked like they would take the early lead following a leadoff triple but the ensuing hitter attempted to lay down a squeeze but and was thrown out at the plate by Gossett. The Colonels stranded a total of 11 runners.
With Nicholls clinging to a 1-0 lead entering the seventh, Sam Houston was finally able to cash in offensively. Catcher Robie Rojas recorded a one-out single on the first pitch he saw, hitting the ball sharply to shortstop.
With the hit and run on, Taylor Beene placed a ball through the left side and one hitter later, Fregia launched a ball to deep center field, bouncing off the warning track and then wall, as he took third and a pair of runners scored. One pitch later, Bryce Johnson executed the squeeze bunt, scoring Fregia to make it 3-1.
“He is just looking to get a swing off,” Deggs said. “He is so dangerous. Hitting is the hardest thing there is to do. The tools are there. We just have to keep running him out there and keep him confidence. He hit the ball as well as I've ever seen it hit here this weekend.”
For the third straight game, senior relievers Hayden Nixon and Greg Belton were brought in to shut things down – and they did just that. With the two hitters aboard in the seventh, both via hit by pitches, Sam Houston turned to Nixon, who forced a groundout and permitted a walk before recording a strikeout and inducing a fly ball to right, ending the threat.
“You look back on the day and they stranded 11 base runners,” Deggs said. “A lot of that had to do with executing pitches, particularly by Nixon and Belton. For Gossett, that guy is going to be an ace one day. He gives us a chance to score. All he did was match zeroes all day long.”
Belton recorded his second save of the weekend while Nicholls starter Cole Stapler (2-3) drew the loss, allowing three earned runs on nine hits while striking out two and walking one.
Sam Houston returns to action on Monday, welcoming Texas State to Don Sanders Stadium at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (936) 294-1729 or by visiting GoBearkats.com.
“This is a bunch of grinders,” Deggs said. “They just love to play. They never look at stats or records, they just love to play. They play together and they are never out of the fight. We have a lot of baseball left. I've said it all year long, our best baseball is still ahead of us. It's going to be a heck of a good time.”
