HUNTSVILLE – With six seniors being honored prior to Saturday's home season finale, it was only fitting the group was sent out as outright Southland Conference champions.
Sam Houston downed Houston Baptist, 5-4, using a walk-off, bases-loaded walk in the ninth from senior Zach Smith to send the Bearkats dogpiling in the final regular-season game after clinching their fourth regular-season league title in five seasons.
“This is what we play for all year,” senior relief pitcher Greg Belton said. “It's kind of how our team has been. We come back from everything. The walk-off there was crazy. Coming into today, we were just wanting to win. We were relaxed. We knew we at least had a bit of the title but we wanted the whole thing.”
The Bearkats (37-19, 24-6), who entered the game with a one-game lead on second-place Southeastern Louisiana, learned of their outright title during a pitching change in the bottom of the seventh as Central Arkansas downed the Lions for a third straight day, but found a reason of their own to celebrate.
With the game tied at four entering the ninth, senior Spence Rahm led off with a single to shallow center. After he received a standing ovation, making way for pinch runner Jaxxon Grisham, Taylor Beene laid down a bunt to move the runner over but evaded the tag to put runners on first and second with no outs.
With the infield playing in, sophomore Bryce Johnson notched his 83rd hit of the season on a single to shortstop. After a strikeout, Zach Smith stepped to the plate with one out, taking four straight pitches to plate Grisham and send Don Sanders Stadium into jubilation.
“Smitty (Smith) gets claustrophobic so he didn't want to be on the bottom of the dogpile,” Johnson said. “He kind of ran into the wall but we got a hold of him. It was a great feeling to win and on the offensive side. It is a huge momentum builder going into the tournament.”
Sam Houston fell behind 4-3 in the fifth, thanks to a two-out, two run home run from Houston Baptist's (24-29, 12-18) David Bloodworth as part of a three-run frame. As has been the case time after time, the Bearkats clawed back.
In the sixth, Robie Rojas led off with a screaming double down the right field line. The catcher, who also threw out a runner, came home to score on a deep sacrifice fly to center from Hunter Hearn.
“That was a synopsis of our season,” second-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “We had an unbelievable crowd. If you had never seen us play and you wanted a description of our season that was it. We will find a way. We find any excuse there is to win. That's just these guys.”
Houston Baptist threatened to re-take the lead in the ninth, putting runners on second and third with two outs, prompting the call to Belton (5-1) in the bullpen. After recording two saves in Friday's doubleheader, the senior induced a pop up to shallow left to escape the jam.
“We're constantly talking about keep coming and the next guy up,” Deggs said. “That's who we are. We'll take some licks but we'll give them too. We're going to continue to show up.”
Smith added his seventh home run this season with a solo shot in the third, at the time giving the Bearkats a 2-1 advantage. In the fourth, the Kats tacked on another on an RBI single from Rahm, plating Clayton Harp, who walked and stole second.
“What an incredible journey,” Deggs said. “I've got to give thanks to God, he is the great redeemer who made all this possible. Second, our coaching staff has been incredible. I'm very blessed to go to work with my best friends every day. This is one of the most resilient group of players I've been around.”
The Bearkats enter next week's Southland Conference Tournament, hosted by the Sugar Land Skeeters at Sugar Land's Constellation Field, as the one-seed and will face eight-seeded Stephen F. Austin at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Tickets can be purchased through the Skeeters by calling (281) 240-4487.
All-Tournament tickets are available for $60 and are good for all days and games. Single-day passes are also available for $18 and provide fans access for all games that day.
