HUNTSVILLE – With six games in as many days, the Sam Houston State baseball program did not show any sign of fatigue. In fact, it was just the opposite as the Bearkats drubbed Texas Southern in a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Don Sanders Stadium.
Sam Houston struck for 15 hits, pounding Texas Southern 14-0 in the first game before tallying 16 hits in a 10-3 victory in the second game. On the mound, the Bearkats combined to allow just 14 hits on the day.
“We challenged them today, especially coming off a loss last night where we poured our heart and soul into it,” second-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “We turn around and we don't have to but we get to play a doubleheader. That's the mindset of these guys.”
As a team, the squad hit .403 (31 for 77) as freshman Clayton Harp led the charge, combining to go 5 for 8 (.625) with three doubles, four runs scored and five RBIs. The Kats also collected five home runs, including a pair from Zach Smith who went 4 for 9 with four RBIs.
The victories pushed the Kats to 27-17 on the season, just three victories shy of matching last season's total, while Texas Southern fell to 17-21. Sam Houston has now won 21 of the last 26 games dating to March 19.
“I thought we did what we needed to do,” Deggs said. “It would have been real easy to come out and just show up today. I haven't seen that out of this ball club all year. They have the one key ingredient and that's passion. That won again today.”
GAME 1:
After the Bearkats were set down in order to begin the game, Sam Houston got it going in to the second and never looked back. Harp drew a one-out, four-pitch walk. Two hitters later, fellow first-year player Jaxon Grisham belted his first-career home run, a two-run shot down the right field line.
“It was really special,” Grisham said. “It was nice to get our team on the board in the early innings. It was a 1-1 count and saw a fastball in the middle. The older guys are helping us stay intact as freshmen and the freshmen have responded. We're having a lot of fun.”
Sam Houston hit three home runs in the game with Smith and Hunter Hearn also getting in on the action. The Bearkats scored in six different innings including a five-run outburst in the seventh before adding three more in the eighth.
“I saw a curve ball and connected with it,” Hearn said. “I knew it was pretty much gone. The rest of the day, I kept on seeing the ball well.”
Meanwhile, Sam Odom, making the early start with the Kats having a bye this upcoming weekend, tossed six innings, scattering six hits without allowing a Tigers' run. The right-hander walked one and fanned two while moving to 6-0 on the season.
Miles Manning picked up the save, tossing the final three innings, permitting just one hit. The Bearkats tagged Texas Southern starter Ryan Hawkins (2-1) for seven hits and six runs (five earned) in five innings. His relievers did not fare much better, allowing eight more runs to score.
The Bearkats sent nine hitters to the plate in the seventh inning. After Mac Odom walked, Smith belted his second homer and first since March 2 against Rice. Lance Miles added a walk and moved to second on a Harp single. A wild pitch plated Riley McKnight, who pinch ran for Miles.
With Barrett Koerselman aboard on an error, the Kats tacked on another courtesy of a wild pitch before Taylor Beene doubled to left center to make it 11-0.
Harp, who finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs, doubled home two more in, scoring McKnight and Rahm while Evian Benjamin collected his first collegiate hit and RBI with a single to score Harp making it 14-0.
In addition to Harp, two other Bearkats finished with multi-hit games including Robie Rojas who finished 2 for 3 and Smith who was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBIs. Eleven different batters added a hit.
GAME 2:
The Bearkats did not wait long to carry the momentum into the second game, scoring six runs in the opening frame. Batting in the leadoff spot, Andrew Fregia belted his fifth career homer, the first of seven hits for Sam Houston in the inning.
Johnson and Smith added consecutive singles before Miles walked to load the bases. Sam Houston cashed in as Harp doubled to right field to score two and Hearn tacked on two more with a single of his own, fighting off a 0-2 count. Beene added the final damage of the inning, grounding out to second base.
In the fourth, after Johnson led off with a single and stole second, Smith smashed his second homer of the day and third of the season. Two more runs came home for Sam Houston in the sixth thanks to an RBI double from Grisham and RBI triple from Cannon to make it 10-1.
“We had a lot of extra base hits today,” Deggs said. “We were able to get everybody in the ballgame and throw some different guys to keep everyone sharp. It was a good day for us against a good opponent. I thought we got quality starting pitching.”
Sam Houston starter Heath Donica (8-2) tossed five innings, allowing just three hits and one run (none earned) while striking out a pair. For the right hander, it marked the second consecutive start without allowing an earned run.
“We went ahead and started them on one to two days short rest because we're going to need that come tournament time,” Deggs said of Odom and Donica. “We kept them on a real low pitch count. Both of those guys are durable. Miles Manning threw the ball extremely well and I thought Brown, Cameron and Nixon came in and had good outings.”
Sam Houston will be off this upcoming weekend before returning to action with a pair of home games next week. The Kats welcome Houston on Tuesday and Texas Southern on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. both days.
“We're going to go on a four-day break, which is never something you anticipate,” Deggs said. “We had a series canceled, which is why we had a doubleheader today and another midweek next Wednesday. It was good to see us come out, play hard, have fun and I thought we got better at the plate today.”
