HUNTSVILLE – Michael Watson struck out 10 WKU hitters and Jake Tatom went 5-for-5 at the plate to lead the Sam Houston Bearkats to a resounding 10-0 win over the Hilltoppers in just seven innings on Saturday afternoon at Don Sanders Stadium.
Sam Houston (21-14, 4-7 CUSA) out-hit WKU (24-12, 7-4 CUSA) by a 13-1 margin and left no doubt on their way to evening the weekend series, just hours after a comeback fell just short in Game 1.
For Watson, the game was his best in a Bearkat uniform as he was credited with a complete game which included a career-best 10 strikeouts and just one walk allowed. He needed exactly 100 pitches to navigate his way through the day and kept the Tops off the bases for the bulk of the day, allowing just one hit and no runs to move to 3-1 on the year.
Meanwhile, the Bearkat offense was relentless throughout the game with only the third inning not including a base runner. Tatom opened the first inning with a double and eventually scored the first of his four runs in the game to give the Kats an early lead and it was on from there.
Sam Houston tied a program record with four triples in the game with Walker Janek's 2-run hit in the bottom of the seventh providing the final two runs the Kats needed to close out the run-rule.
It was Janek's only hit of the game, but the fourth time he had reached base as he had a pair of walks and was hit by a pitch. He was one of four Bearkat hitters with two RBI, joined by Tatom, Hunter Autrey and Caleb Cotton.
UP NEXT
The Kats will try to take the series from WKU on Sunday at The Don. Marshall Wales is set to get the start for SHSU vs WKU righty Drew Whalen. The game can be heard on the Bearkat Sports Network with Carlos Zimmermann on the call.
POSTGAME NOTES
- The Bearkats finished with four triples in the game, tying a school program record for a single game. The last time it occurred was when the Kats had four 3-baggers vs Loyola Marymount on February 21, 2020.
- Jake Tatom went 5-for-5 with four runs scored and a pair of RBI, finishing a homer shy of the cycle. It was his first career 5-hit game and the second for the Kats this season, joining Malachi Lott's 5-hit effort in the win over Baylor.
- Tatom will take an 11-game hit streak into Sunday's series finale vs WKU, with each of his last five games being multi-hit. He's 15-for-25 in his last five games with 12 runs scored, seven RBI, four doubles and a pair of triples.
- Easton Loyd had one of the Kats' four triples his third of the season and the 11th of his career. He's now in a 7-way tie for fourth on the career list at SHSU, three behind Hootie Murray and Gary Fischbeck's second-place mark of 14. Andrew Fregia holds the school's career record with 19.
- Michael Watson's effort included a career-high 10 strikeouts, making him the first Bearkat with 10+ strikeouts in a single game since Cole Wesneski punched out 10 Tarleton hitters on March 11, 2022.
