SUGAR LAND – The rain attempted to slow down Sam Houston State on Thursday night, but that was all that could halt the Bearkats' offensive attack.
Top-seeded Sam Houston piled on 15 hits in a 12-2, seven-inning run-rule victory against five-seed Central Arkansas, in the process, winning its second game in as many outings at the Southland Conference Tournament.
“We came out and played fast, hard and loose tonight,” second-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “We played 'Pack' baseball tonight. Everybody was functioning together. We were able to spin the game a couple of times and have some big innings. It gets contagious, and it's kind of like a feeding frenzy.”
The Bearkats (39-19) will face the winner of Central Arkansas (29-26) and eight-seed Stephen F. Austin on Friday at 7 p.m. The Bears and Lumberjacks, who each found themselves on the wrong side of losses to Sam Houston, will play an elimination game at noon Friday.
“Game one is always the most important, and game two is the swing game,” Deggs said. “That will either put you in the doubleheader mode or out you rested up having to play one game. It's no different than a regional. That second game is pivotal. That's why I was really glad to see us come out and play with a hunger and a killer instinct that we had tonight.”
Sam Houston's 12 runs were the most in a Southland Tournament game since matching the feat in a 12-0 win against Southeastern Louisiana in 2011. The double-digit affair marked the ninth this this season the Kats have scored 10 or more runs.
The Bearkats were tenacious at the plate, and on the base path, racing out to a 7-1 lead through three innings, boosted by a five-run second. Eight different players recorded at least one hit including freshmen Clayton Harp and Andrew Fregia who each logged three.
“Everybody plays a role, and like coach says, we're not freshmen anymore,” Fregia said. “We all look at ourselves as sophomores, and everybody looks at us as the same age on the team. We do our job, and everybody does their job, and it's great.”
While Sam Houston showcased its abilities offensively, they also did so in the field. The Bearkats turned two doubles plays on the day, the first coming with UCA runners on first and second and no outs after the Bears had already added a run and were looking for more.
“Lance Miles and Taylor Beene make [double plays] look routine,” starting pitcher Riley Gossett said. “They're phenomenal in the middle infield. They practice that in practice, and it shows in the game. They come out there with the big stops. It's refreshing for a pitcher.”
On the mound, Gossett permitted just one run and six hits during six innings. The freshman walked a pair while fanning five. The Cypress product has allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of his 14 starts and now stands at 7-0 on the season.
“You always want to set the tone,” Gossett said. “I genuinely like coming in being visitors. I like to see my offense come in and provide me with a cushion right away. I know they'll do that. Those two [first inning] strikeouts were huge and set the tone for the rest of the game.”
After taking a 1-0 lead on a Zach Smith single in the opening frame, Sam Houston coupled a trio of hits with two UCA errors in the second. With Jaxxon Grisham (hit by pitch) and Fregia (single) aboard, Robie Rojas put down a sacrifice bunt and an errant throw resulted in one run and all runners being safe.
Then, Taylor Beene lined a first-pitch single into left field, scoring a pair of runners as part of his fifth multi-RBI performance this season. One pitch later, Harp would send Beene home on a double to left center, eventually plating himself after stealing third and advancing on an error.
In total, Sam Houston scored in five of the seven innings, including two more in the third courtesy of a Fregia RBI double and wild pitch which eventually scored the freshman. In the seventh, with rain pouring down, Rojas drilled a two-run single to right center and came around one pitch later on a Beene single.
Relievers Hayden Nixon and Miles Manning each came on late. Nixon tossed 2-3 innings, permitting one run on a hit and a walk before Deggs turned to Manning, who hit the first batter, before using two pitches to record the game's final out.
“I thought we swung the bats extremely well tonight,” Deggs said. “UCA has a really good ball club, they have a great coach, and they've been as hot as anybody. We knew we had our hands full coming in here. The boys were ready to go and went and did their job.”
