Midweek tests continue for Bearkats baseball
4/25/2016 11:12:00 PM | Baseball
HOUSTON – When the Sam Houston State baseball staff set up the squad's non-conference schedule, the plan was to offer a series of tests for the new-look Bearkats. After a stretch of largely Southland Conference games, those midweek tests continue on Tuesday.
Sam Houston visits Houston at 6:30 p.m. from the newly-named Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park (formerly Cougar Field). The matchup will be the first of two meetings between the Bearkats and the Cougars with Houston visiting Huntsville next Tuesday.
The Cougars (22-16), who have since fallen out of the nationally rankings, are one of seven opponents on Sam Houston's schedule that appeared in the preseason top-25 rankings. Still, the Cougars pitching staff boasts the nation's top strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.53) while checking in at No. 2 in earned run average (2.38).
The Bearkats (25-16) counter with an offensive unit that has given opponents fits. In league play, Sam Houston is conference leader in hits (62) and stolen bases (16) while ranking tied for third in average (.373) and runs scored (37).
However, over the weekend against Abilene Christian, it was the pitching staff that turned heads. Against the Wildcats, Sam Houston pitchers combined to post a 1.16 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 31 innings of work. The Bearkats received tremendous work from their starters but it was reliever Greg Belton who stole the show.
The right-handed senior was named Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday after earning two wins and as many saves last week, helping the Bearkats to a 4-0 record. In a combined eight innings, Belton struck out 13 hitters without permitting a run on just three hits while holding Baylor and Abilene Christian to a .115 average.
Sam Houston enters the midweek having won six straight and 19 of the last 23 games including three-game sweeps against Nicholls, Central Arkansas, Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian. In that stretch, the Kats are hitting .307 while the pitching staffs owns a 3.81 ERA.
The last time the Kats suited up for midweek action, the squad overcame a one-run deficit in the ninth at Baylor as freshman Clayton Harp lined a two-out, two-RBI single to left, resulting in a 6-5 victory. While Sam Houston expects to face strong pitching Tuesday, last week's thrilling comeback win came against the Bears' Troy Montemayor, the Big 12 leader in saves.
Right-handed senior Spence Rahm will take the mound for the Bearkats. The start will be the fourth for the Tomball product. In each of the first three, Rahm has struck out at least five hitters with the best performance coming on March 28 when he held Texas State to two runs in five innings.
The Kats will have a quick turnaround following Tuesday, welcoming Texas Southern on Wednesday for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. The Panthers are 16-19 overall, picking up their first win in five games on Saturday against Grambling State.
Tickets are available by calling (936) 294-1729 or by visiting GoBearkats.com. Students and faculty are admitted to the games free with a valid Bearkat OneCard.
