Sam Houston headed to Lafayette Regional
5/30/2016 1:58:00 PM | Baseball
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston State baseball team knew its name would be called on Monday's NCAA Tournament Selection Show, but that doesn't eliminate the nerves.
After around 30 minutes of waiting, the Bearkats learned their fate. Sam Houston will be the three-seed at the Lafayette Regional, joining host Louisiana, two-seed Arizona and four-seed Princeton. The Kats take on Arizona in the first game, set for 1 p.m. on Friday.
“It's a lot better feeling knowing that you're in,” second-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “I've been on the other side of it a couple times and it's one of those hold-your-breath moments. I'm really happy for our guys. It's a testament that hard work pays off.”
Sam Houston opened its 2016 season at Louisiana, dropping all three games to Ragin' Cajuns in what was the first return for Deggs to M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field since serving as an assistant with the Cajuns during the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
“I feel really blessed to be able to coach this team,” Deggs said. “I feel very blessed to have had those experiences we had at UL. It's my second home. Cajuns are the type of people that would give you their shirt off their back. They've always been super good to coach Harvell, myself and our families. We're proud to be in a regional but right now you have to put the relationships aside. It's a business trip for us.”
When the Bearkats left Lafayette, most probably did not realize they would be back. That did not stop assistant coach Shane Wedd from making a couple predictions to the players.
“I'm extremely grateful,” freshman Hunter Hearn said. “As soon as we left there, coach Wedd told us we'll be back. I had no idea what he was talking about honestly. We're not going to be back; they're not on our schedule. Now, I understand. We'll be back.”
A lot has changed for Sam Houston since being swept on the opening weekend. After starting the season 6-12, Sam Houston went 35-8 the rest of the way, winning the Southland Conference regular-season and tournament championship in the same season for the first time in team history.
“(It feels like) about three years ago,” Deggs said. “We aren't even close to the same team. That was a circus. We should have put a tent over it. We were still learning who each other were at that time. These guys never stopped work. We've all embraced the journey. The most fun you have isn't the destination, it's the car ride to it.”
The regional appearance will be the fourth in the last five seasons for Sam Houston and first since 2014 after missing out a season ago. On the Bearkats current roster, only a handful of players have been to a regional, including senior Spence Rahm.
“At this time exactly a year ago, we said we would be watching the show as a team and going to a regional,” Rahm said. “It's a great feeling to play with all your brothers at this upcoming week. You don't know where you're going. You get the butterflies in your stomach whenever you're sitting there watching all the names pop up. When yours does, it's a pretty good feeling to see it up there.”
Fans can expect upcoming ticket information to be released in the upcoming days. The Ragin' Cajuns finished their year 41-19, winning the Sun Belt Tournament championship for the third straight year. Meanwhile, Arizona went 38-20, its most wins since 2012. Fourth-seeded Princeton (24-19) makes its 12th appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning the Ivey League.
“It doesn't really matter where they send you or if you're hosting,” Deggs said. “You've got to play good baseball. Eight teams are going to Omaha and the way we look at it is, 'why not us?'”
