Sam Houston (21-16, 4-8 CUSA) vs Middle Tennessee (13-23, 4-8 CUSA)
Don Sanders Stadium (Huntsville)
Friday, April 18 | 6:30 PM
Projected Starters
SHSU: RHP Coltin Atkinson (4-3, 4.03 ERA, 52.1 IP, 48 K, 16 BB)
MTSU: TBA
Saturday, April 19 | 3:00 PM
Projected Starters
SHSU: RHP Michael Watson (3-1, 3.63 ERA, 39.2 IP, 49 K, 15 BB)
MTSU: LHP Chandler Alderman (2-2, 4.05 ERA, 40.0 IP, 44 K, 14 BB)
Sunday, April 20 | 1:00 PM
Projected Starters
SHSU: LHP Marshall Wales (1-1, 1.16 ERA, 23.1 IP, 22 K, 8 BB)
MTSU: TBA
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkats will go in search of a winning weekend beginning Friday in the opener of a three-game series against Middle Tennessee at Don Sanders Stadium.
The first two games of the weekend are set to be aired on ESPN+ with Jason Barfield on the call. The finale will be available to be heard on the Bearkat Sports Network.
Forecasts indicate possible inclement weather for the weekend, making Saturday's gametime subject to change. Fans are encouraged to check GoBearkats.com and social media for updates.
SERIES NOTES vs MIDDLE TENNESSEE
- This will be the first time the Bearkats and Blue Raiders have met on the diamond.
- MTSU is the fourth of 6 first-time opponents for the Kats this season. Others include Dartmouth, Liberty, New Mexico, WKU and FIU.
BEARKAT NOTES FOR THE WEEKEND
- Lefty Michael Watson was named CUSA Pitcher of the Week on Monday afternoon following 7.0 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in Saturday's win over WKU.
- Walker Janek has thrown out 12 of 22 attempted base stealers this season and is doing it at the plate as well. He has homered in four of his last six games and now has a team-high 11 longballs on the year.
- The 11 blasts give him 31 for his career, which puts him all alone in third place all-time at SHSU. Each of the two players ahead of him played four years for the Bearkats.
- Easton Loyd is closing in on a career milestone of his own with 197 career hits, needing just three more to reach 200 for his career. He would be the first Bearkat to reach 200 career hits since 2019 when both Clayton Harp and Hunter Hearn reached the mark.
A LOOK AT THE BLUE RAIDERS
- MTSU has struggled this season and enters the weekend looking for its first series win in CUSA play. Still, despite dropping each of its first four CUSA series, the Blue Raiders have managed to avoid being swept each time.
- Freshman lefty Chandler Alderman provided arguably the biggest highlight of the season when he tossed an 8-inning no-hitter on March 23 against Liberty. He leads MTSU in both ERA (4.05) and strikeouts (44), but the Blue Raider pitching staff sports a team ERA of 7.84 with only three pitchers with more than 11.0 innings sporting an ERA under 7.52.
- Offensively, MTSU has been solid with a team average of .290, led by Gabe Jennings' .377 mark. He has seven homers and 30 RBI to his credit. Meanwhile Briggs Rutter has a team-best 22 extra-base hits and 35 RBI.
