FEATURE: Team play showcased in 5-3 win
5/25/2016 9:19:00 PM | Baseball
SUGAR LAND -- After the Southland's all-conference honorees were announced Monday, Sam Houston State baseball head coach Matt Deggs stressed how having only three players honored speaks true to how the team lives by doing great things together no matter who gets the credit.
That mentality was on full display when the Kats and its' depth were able to string together a 5-3 win over Stephen F. Austin State to begin the SLC tournament.
“You see three guys on the all-conference team, but a regular season championship trophy over there and that's because it's 25 guys pulling on the same rope in the same direction,” Deggs said. “Everybody understands their role.”
Heading into the bottom of the seventh down 2-1 with two outs, senior Spence Rahm came in to pinch hit for left fielder Mac Odom. Rahm singled to center field and advanced Taylor Beene to second, triggering what would be a four-run frame and an opening-round win for the Kats.
“We were a little bit more disciplined there at the end of the game,” right fielder Riley McKnight said. “Spence Rahm came in and executed. We have multiple weapons that we can use at anytime, and guys are always ready to come off the bench, which makes it real easy for us to play as a team.”
Freshman Jaxxon Grisham pinch ran for Rahm. With runners on first and second, leadoff hitter Bryce Johnson singled to left before advancing to second off a throwing error that scored Beene and moved Grisham to third.
McKnight then singled to third base off a bunt and advanced to second off the pitcher's throwing error, scoring Grisham and Johnson. Second baseman Lance Miles put the nail in the coffin with a single to left field to score McKnight and make it 5-2.
“Everybody has a job, duty or function,” Deggs said. “They all know it, and they all embrace it. That's what makes us go. We have a little bit of depth, and we're able use and capitalize on that depth at times, and it just so happened to work out today.”
The Kats look to carry that team-first attitude heading into Thursday's game against the winner of Lamar and Central Arkansas. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Constellation Field in Sugar Land.
