HUNTSVILLE - Houston Baptist's Austin Spinney kept the Sam Houston State offense off balance all night and helped propel the Huskies to a 7-2 win in the Southland Conference opener on Friday at Don Sanders Stadium.
Spinney struck out eight and allowed just three hits in 7.1 innings for HBU (4-10, 1-0 SLC), who helped him out with 14 total hits, including six doubles. In all, six Huskies finished with at least two hits, while both Cal Clark and Brandon Bena had three RBI apiece.
Meanwhile, the Kats (6-6, 0-1 SLC) got two hits apiece from
Jack Rogers and
Colton Cowser, but did not muster up another base hit. Rogers finished with a pair of doubles, including one that drove in both of the Bearkat runs on the night in the eighth, and also had one of five walks drawn by SHSU hitters. But the Kats finished the night by stranding eight base runners and going 2-for-13 with runners on the bases.
Tyler Davis suffered his first loss of the year, despite striking out five and walking just one. But the right-hander surrendered 10 hits in his 6.2 innings of work, allowing just one run in his final 5.2 frames after HBU struck for three runs in the opening inning on three of their six doubles.
The Kats had their chances as well, but a line-out double play in the second was followed by squandered scoring chances in the fourth and sixth innings. Meanwhile, HBU added onto its lead with an RBI single by Johnny Gonzales in the third and then iced it away in the seventh with another 3-run frame.
Sam Houston tried to make it interesting in the eighth when they loaded the bases with one out for Rogers. The junior then ripped a 2-run double into the right field corner, but HBU was able to get each of the next two Bearkat hitters to fly out.
The Kats will try to even the series on Saturday when they take on the Huskies again at Don Sanders Stadium. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
