STEPHENVILLE — For the first time this season Sam Houston failed to score a run in a 4-0 loss to Tarleton in the opener of a three-game WAC series at Tarleton Baseball Complex.
The Bearkats have to win the final two games of the series to clinch the WAC championship and the top seed in the league tournament next week in Phoenix, Arizona. Sam Houston dropped to 21-8 in conference play and 32-21 overall.
The Texans' pitching dominated one of the most potent offenses in the country, holding the Kats to five hits with seven strikeouts. Two runs in the first inning proved to be enough for the as Tarleton added two more in the fourth on back-to-back home runs.
Sam Houston loaded the bases with one out in the seventh and was in prime position to get back in the game when
Walker Janek led off with a walk.
Clayton Chadwick and
Myles Jefferson both drew back-to-back walks with one out, but Janek was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice and a groundout to short ended the threat.
The Bearkats went down in order in the eighth, and Chadwick singled down the left field line in the ninth with two outs only to get left stranded.
Sam Houston will try to bounce back Friday when the two teams clash at 3 p.m.
