Sam Houston (20-13, 3-6 CUSA) vs WKU (23-11, 6-3 CUSA)
Don Sanders Stadium (Huntsville)
Friday, April 12 | 6:30 PM | ESPN+
Projected Starters
SHSU: RHP Coltin Atkinson (4-2, 3.42 ERA, 47.1 IP, 46 K, 16 BB)
WKU: RHP Jack Bennett (4-2, 3.98 ERA, 40.2 IP, 43 K, 13 BB)
Saturday, April 12 | 6:30 PM | ESPN+
Projected Starters
SHSU: LHP Michael Watson (2-1, 4.41 ERA, 32.2 IP, 39 K, 14 BB)
WKU: LHP Jacob Bimbi (4-0, 3.82 ERA, 33.0 IP, 46 K, 17 BB)
Sunday, April 12 | 6:30 PM | ESPN+
Projected Starters
SHSU: LHP Marshall Wales (1-0, 0.95 ERA, 19.0 IP, 18 K, 8 BB)
WKU: RHP Drew Whalen (1-2, 3.41 ERA, 29.0 IP, 17 K, 13 BB)
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkats will be looking to make some noise in the Conference USA standings this week when it hosts WKU for three games at Don Sanders Stadium, beginning Friday night.
Each of the first two games will be aired on ESPN+ with Bob Slovak on the call for the opener and Collin Neil on for Game 2. The third game will be audio only on the Bearkat Sports Network.
The Kats have won three in a row entering the weekend after a 2-game sweep of New Mexico over the weekend and a midweek win over Houston on Tuesday night at The Don.
SERIES NOTES vs WKU
- The Kats and Hilltoppers will be battling on the diamond for the first time in program history.
- WKU is the third of 6 first-time opponents for the Kats this season. Others include Dartmouth, Liberty, New Mexico, Middle Tennessee and FIU.
BEARKAT NOTES FOR THE WEEKEND
- Bearkat junior catcher Walker Janek was named to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List by USA Baseball last week. He is the third Bearkat in history to receive a watch list nod for the Golden Spikes, which is given out at the end of the season to the top amateur baseball player in the nation. He joins Carlos Contreras (2022) as the only Kats to be named to the Midseason Watch List and will be looking to add his name alongside Contreras and Colton Cowser (2021) as semifinalists for the award when the semifinalist list is unveiled on May 20.
- Janek has established himself as arguably the top defensive backstop in the nation and has thrown out 12 of 21 attempted swipers on the year. He has homered and has multi-hit games in each of the Kats' last three contests.
- The Kats have been outstanding on the bases in their own right as they lead Conference USA with 61 steals for the season. Jake Tatom leads the way with 10 swipes, including steals of home in each of the last two games.
A LOOK AT THE HILLTOPPERS
- The Tops are one of the early darlings of the CUSA race, grabbing the attention of the league after taking two of three games last weekend from preseason favorite Dallas Baptist in Bowling Green.
- They did it with starting pitching, beginning in Game 1 when Jack Bennett struck out 11 DBU hitters in 8.2 innings and followed up by Jacob Bimbi's eight strikeouts in 5.2 frames.
- WKU is just a game back of first-place Liberty in the CUSA standings and has won five in a row overall after midweek wins over both Louisville and Bellarmine.
