SAN ANTONIO – One day removed from its 30-hit, 23-run outburst, the Sam Houston State baseball program headed to the fifth scoreless at Incarnate Word before using timely hitting and steady pitching to secure the three-game sweep.
Despite the slow start offensively, Sam Houston starter Riley Gossett (4-0) kept things even, matching zeroes with UIW's Cody Richey (0-4) before the Bearkats broke open for one run in the fifth, three in the sixth and two in both the eighth and ninth for an 8-2 win.
“Riley did a great job giving us a chance to get our legs underneath us,” second-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “Take nothing away from their guy who started, he was locating really well. I was real proud the way we kept our composure and kept grinding.”
Catcher Robie Rojas led off the fifth inning with a single and advanced to second on a Taylor Beene sacrifice bunt, eventually coming around to score on a Bryce Johnson liner up the middle.
One inning later, freshman Riley McKnight, who finished his day 4 for 5 at the plate, drove a leadoff triple to the gap in left center. After a groundout and lineout set the Cardinals (10-27 overall, 3-12 Southland) up to escape the frame unscathed, clutch two-out hitting made the difference.
“Yesterday we came in and totaled 30 hits,” McKnight said. “We came into today with a lot of confidence. We got off to a little slower start than yesterday but we picked it up in the middle innings. I was seeing the ball real well and put a good swing on it. I was hitting my pitch really.”
Lance Miles sent a double down the left field line, followed by a single and stolen base from Jaxxon Grisham and Rojas single up the middle, to make it 4-0.
The Cardinals trimmed the lead in half during the bottom half, chasing Gossett from the game. The Sam Houston (21-16, 14-4 SLC) right-hander was efficient in five-plus frames, allowing two runs while scattering four hits, striking out three and walking a pair.
The freshman made way another strong performance out of the bullpen. Left-hander Hayden Nixon entered with runners on the corners and no outs only to induce a pair of pop outs to first baseman Zach Smith and limiting the damage.
The Bearkats did not leave the game in doubt, using singles from Clayton Harp, Miles and Grisham as well as a Rojas sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 6-2. Harp, who became just the second Southland Conference player ever to notch a 7-for-7 performance on Saturday, finished the series 8-for-11 (.727) with five runs scored and five RBIs.
Taylor Beene led off the ninth with a double and advanced to third on an Andrew Fregia single. With Fregia caught between first and second and Johnson at the plate, Beene used some heads up base running, stealing home, the seventh swiped bag of the game, as Fregia found first safely.
“I've said it all year, these guys can really run,” Deggs said. “We've got football guys up and down the lineup that can get after it. There are guys out there with elite-type speed and that opens things up for you. It puts the pitcher on his heels. I thought it exposed some things this weekend.”
Zach Smith added the game's final run, doubling home Fregia to make it 8-2. On the series, the Bearkats outscored UIW 43-8, while moving into the Southland Conference lead with 14 wins as Southeastern Louisiana spent the weekend away from league action.
Right-hander Miles Manning tossed a perfect eighth while Greg Belton allowed a leadoff single before setting down the final three hitters to close it out.
“He got himself in a little trouble but he's a command guy,” Deggs said of Nixon. “I was real proud of the way he battled. For my money he came and did his job while Miles Manning was unhittable today. I thought our bullpen was the story of the game. Manning was as good as I've ever seen him.”
Among hitters with at least five at-bats for Sam Houston, five hit better than .500 including Jaxxon Grisham's .714 (5 for 7), McKnight's .615 (8 for 13), Rojas's .545 (6 for 11) and Miles's .533 (8 for 15). The Kats hit .466 in the series while the pitching staff owned a 2.33 ERA.
Sam Houston returns to action on Tuesday, visiting Baylor for a 6:30 p.m. tilt. The Bearkats return home for a three-game set, beginning Friday against Abilene Christian. The Kats have won five straight league series dating to March 18.
“It's good to see us take care of business,” Deggs said. “We had a chance to move up and get to that 14th win this weekend. We're going to be leading in wins and the ball is going to be in our court. That's what we wanted and these guys went out and earned it.”
