THIBODAUX, La. – The Sam Houston Bearkats blasted Nicholls in both ends of a doubleheader on Friday at Ray E. Didier Field, clinching its spot in the Southland Conference Tournament next week.
The series was originally set to begin on Thursday but was altered due to poor weather in the area. The teams will close out the series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Game 1
Sam Houston 11, Nicholls 4
The Kats and Colonels traded runs in the early innings, but a 6-run top of the third inning for Sam Houston proved to be difference as Sam Houston clinched its berth to the SLC Tournament and eliminated any hopes of the Colonels' season stretching past this weekend.
Easton Loyd finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, four RBI and his first career homer while
Bryce Holmes and
Jack Rogers had two hits Each, but the Kats really got it done on the mound as
Tyler Davis earned his sixth victory of the year with 6.0 innings of work before handing it off to
Matt Rudis who went the final 3.0 innings for his first save.
Davis allowed two Nicholls runs in the opening innings but proceeded to put up five straight scoreless innings and closed out his day by retiring 10 of the last 11 hitters he faced.
For Nicholls, Chase Gearing took the loss, lasting just 2.0 innings before being lifted in the third. Tyler Theriot was excellent in relief, finishing with 7.0 scoreless innings of relief.
A Colonel error helped Sam Houston get on the board in the first, but Nicholls made up for that in the bottom half, getting three straight 2-out singles to plate a pair of runs and go up 2-1. But One inning later Sam Houston tied it up on a sacrifice fly by
Colton Cowser and Davis did not let the Colonels threaten again.
The first six Bearkats of the third inning reached base with Sam Houston going in front on an RBI single by
Gavin Johnson. Loyd picked up an RBI on an infield hit, but it was a 2-run single by Holmes that broke it open, making it a 6-2 game. The Kats would add two more runs on RBI by both Cowser and Rogers.
Neither team would score again until the ninth when Loyd added three more on his first career homer, a 3-run shot just inside the right-field pole to up the lead to 11-2. Nicholls would add two more runs in the ninth on an RBI triple by Austin Cain and an RBI grounder by Greg Anderberg.
Game 2
Sam Houston 16, Nicholls 3 (7 innings)
The script played out similarly in the second game as the Colonels struck for a quick 2-0 lead before a 6-run second inning by the Kats opened it up and they never looked back.
Dominic Robinson was outstanding in just 4.0 innings of work, striking out five on just three hits before handing it over to the bullpen, earning his fourth win of the year.
Ryan Peters threw the final 3.0 innings for his first career save.
Gavin Johnson, Cowser and Rogers each had three hits apiece, with Johnson driving in three runs. Holmes, Rogers, Cowser and Loyd all had two RBI apiece as well with Loyd hitting his second home run of the day in the third inning.
Sam Houston sent 10 hitters to the plate in the breakout second inning, scoring first on a wild pitch before taking the lead on a 2-run single by Holmes. Cowser and Rogers followed with RBI singles of their own before
Christian Smith capped the inning with a sac fly.
After Loyd's homer in the third upped the lead to 8-2, Johnson tacked on two more in the fourth when he doubled to deep center field, scoring
Mason Schulz and Smith. He picked up another RBI on a bases-loaded walk in the fifth to push the lead to 12-2.
With the run-rule in effect, the Colonels made it interesting with a run in the sixth to cut the lead back to nine; however, Sam Houston put up four more runs of their own in the top of the seventh to put an abbreviated game back on the table.
