Kats set for final road swing of 2019
5/9/2019 4:41:00 PM | Baseball
Games 47-49
Sam Houston State (27-19, 16-8 Southland) at Southeastern Louisiana (27-22, 16-8 Southland)
May 10 • 6:00 pm • Hammond, La. • Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field
Live Stats • WATCH • @BearkatsBSB on Twitter
May 11 • 2:00 pm • Hammond, La. • Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field
Live Stats • WATCH • @BearkatsBSB on Twitter
May 12 • 1:00 pm • Hammond, La. • Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field
Live Stats • WATCH • @BearkatsBSB on Twitter
Game 50
Sam Houston State (27-19, 16-8 Southland) at Arizona (22-24, 10-14 Pac 12)
May 13 • 8:00 pm CT • Tucson, Ariz. • Hi Corbett Field
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HUNTSVILLE – With just two weekends left in the Southland Conference season, the race for the league crown is still up for grabs and the Sam Houston State Bearkats can take a big step towards their third championship in four years this weekend when they head to Hammond, La., for a three-game series at Southeastern Louisiana.
The Kats will then immediately head to Tucson, Ariz., for its final road game of the regular season, taking on the Arizona Wildcats on Monday night at Hi Corbett Field.
Each game of the week can be followed via live stats or by following @BearkatsBSB on Twitter. A video stream ($$) is also available via LionSports.net for each game vs Southeastern Louisiana, while a stream will also be available on Pac-12.com for the game at Arizona.
Both the Bearkats and the Lions come into the weekend knotted at the top of the standings with a 16-8 league mark, while Incarnate Word stands just one game back with series entering its weekend series with defending tournament champion Northwestern State.
Sam Houston is riding a three-game win streak in to the series after taking the final two games from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last weekend and its comeback win over Florida Atlantic on Tuesday. Friday's game is scheduled to feature two of the league's top arms with the Kats likely to go with RHP Hayden Wesneski against Lion RHP Corey Gaconi. Wesneski leads the league in both innings pitched (85.1) and strikeouts (91) while Gaconi's line is equally impressive with his 6-2 mark, 2.07 ERA and to go with 76 punchouts and just eight walks.
Led by Gaconi, the Lions' staff has posted a 3.08 ERA against Southland opponents this year and held opponents to just a .232 average. Coach Matt Riser's squad has won each of its last seven league series since dropping two of three to Central Arkansas to open up SLC play.
It will be just the second visit for the Kats to Hammond since 2013, which is also the last time the Kats won a series at Alumni Field. The teams have split their last 10 meetings overall.
The Bearkat offense has been on fire of late, scoring 35 runs in its last three games and leads the SLC in league-only games in both batting average (.313) and runs scored (164).
The game at Arizona will be the first time the Kats have faced the Wildcats since the 2017 Lubbock Regional where SHSU took both games on their way to the regional title. SHSU is 2-2 all-time vs Arizona, having also faced them in the 2016 Lafayette Regional in the NCAA Tournament.
