Bearkats strike early to Top WKU

Saturday, March 28

Huntsville

2:00 PM

14-12, 4-4

WKU

14-13, 3-5

WKU

Sam Houston

Photo by: Molli Larsen

Bearkats strike early to Top WKU

3/28/2026 6:53:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

HUNTSVILLE – Sam Houston scored 11 times in the first five frames on its way to a series-clinching, 11-5 win over WKU on Saturday afternoon at Don Sanders Stadium.

The Kats (14-12, 4-4 CUSA) secured its first-ever series win over the Hilltoppers (14-13, 3-5 CUSA) with a relentless offensive attack and a steady hand from starting pitcher Tyler Ryden, who shut WKU out for 6.0 innings of work with just four hits allowed for his second win of the year.

Caleb Cotton had three hits and a pair of RBI both coming with two outs as part of a day which saw the Kats finish with nine 2-out RBI. The first came from Hunter Alvord who gave the Kats a 1-0 lead in the first with a 2-out RBI single and Sam Houston never looked back.

Alvord had a pair of RBI singles in the game, just hours after his solo homer proved to be the difference in the Kats' 1-0 win on Friday night in the series opener. In all, four Bearkat hitters registered multiple hits as part of a 12-hit attack, including Jace Martinez and Ryan Franden, who added three RBI to his game tally.

WKU's Nathan Lawson entered the game having played a key relief role for the Tops, but allowed five runs in 2.0 innings of his second start of the season to fall to 2-1 on the year. He issued two of the eight walks allowed by WKU pitching with the free passes proving to be a key addition to the Kats' efforts.

Three of those came to Sean Bazmore who reached base four times in the game, while Ty Marthiljohni walked and scored twice as well.

Sam Houston led early after Alvord's single in the first but broke it open with four runs in the second inning on RBI hits from Cotton, Jeric Curtis and Franden. Marthiljohni, Martinez and Cotton all got runs home in the third and Wes Baker, Franden and Alvord added three more in the fourth and fifth to give the Kats' a commanding 11-0 lead after five frames which was plenty to work with the rest of the way.

UP NEXT
Sam Houston will look to sweep WKU on Sunday at Don Sanders Stadium with right-hander Collin Aloisio set to get the start. Sunday's game can be heard on the Bearkat Sports Network and followed via Statbroadcast.