HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkats jumped out to an early lead but for the second time this weekend a late comeback came up just short as the WKU Hilltoppers secured the series with an 8-7 win on Sunday at Don Sanders Stadium.
Sam Houston (21-15, 4-8 CUSA) led 3-0 just one inning into the game, but fortune was not on the side of the home team for bulk of the afternoon with a pair of errors and two key hits from WKU's Joey Baran being the ultimate difference in the game.
The Kats worked their way back and had a chance to tie or win in the ninth, but WKU (25-12, 8-4 CUSA) stopper Mason Burns was able to strand the tying and winning runs on base in the ninth to secure his 10th save of the year.
Marshall Wales allowed just one earned run in 4.1 innings with four strikeouts and no walks but took the loss to fall to 1-1 on the year after allowing a go-ahead solo home run to Cristian Garcia to lead off the fifth inning. Logan Hewitt and Chandler David went the rest of the way with David doing the bulk of the work, punching out four in 4.0 innings.
Meanwhile, Dawson Hall moved to 3-0 for the Tops on a day which saw WKU use four arms.
Walker Janek had two RBI and a pair of hits, including his 11th home run of the season, while Easton Loyd had three hits and a pair of RBI.
The Kats started fast and put three runs on the board in the top of the first off of WKU starter Drew Whalen, who was pulled at the conclusion of the inning. Walker Janek scored the inning's first run when a throw from WKU catcher Camden Ross went awry, but Easton Loyd delivered the big swing with a 2-run double off the right-center field wall that just missed getting out.
Wales, meanwhile, was on his game early until a pair of miscues in the field cost him in the top of the third. The three unearned runs by the Hilltoppers tied things at 3-3 and it stayed that way until Garcia led off the top of the fifth with solo homer to right field to give the visitors their first lead of the day at 4-3.
Baran then proved to be a bugaboo for the Kats in both the sixth and seventh innings, hitting a pinch-hit, 2-run double just inside the left-field line in the sixth before dropping in a 2-run bloop single to center field in the seventh to open the WKU lead to 8-3.
Sam Houston got a run back in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI grounder by Janek which scored Jake Tatom, and another in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Caleb Cotton; however, WKU reliever Grant Burleson was able to keep the damage at a minimum and the Toppers up 8-5.
Janek led off the ninth with a solo homer to right field to cut the lead to 8-6 and Loyd made it 8-7 when he doubled to right field, scoring Jeffrey David. Jace Martinez then worked his third walk of the day, but Mason Burns was able to get Lane Brewster to ground out to first base to clinch the weekend.
UP NEXT
The Kats will head to Lake Charles, La., for a midweek clash with McNeese on Tuesday at Joe Miller Ballpark. The game can be followed on Statbroadcast.
