Bearkats’ Run Come To An End
by Cheval John
Houston, Texas- After defeating No.1 Rice Owls by the score of 4-1, the SHSU Bearkat baseball team’s goal was to win two from the Arkansas Razorbacks in order to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals that will begin this weekend.
But the challenge was too much as the Razorbacks defeated the Bearkats by the score of 5-1 to win the Houston Regional and advanced to the Super Regionals.
They came out of the gate in the first inning and scored two quick runs that gave them a 2-0 lead.
The runs came on a Bearkat throwing error that allowed Dominic Ficociello to score from third and an infield RBI single by Bo Bingham.
They increased the lead by the score of 3-0 on a RBI double by Joe Sorrano.
They added two more runs in the top of the fourth and sixth inning, respectively to extend their lead to 5-0 and put the game out of reach for the Bearkats.
The Bearkats finished their season under first-year head coach David Pierce with a 40-22 record, a regular-season Southland Conference title, their first since 1989 and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, their seventh in the twenty-six year history at the NCAA Division I level.
No.3 Bearkats Advances To Championship Round Of Houston Regional
by Cheval John
Houston, Texas- No.3 Sam Houston State Bearkat baseball team eliminated the No.1 Rice Owls by the score of 4-1 to advance to the championship round of the NCAA Baseball Championship Houston Regional.
It was the biggest win of the year for first-year head coach David Pierce, who spent 9 years as an assistant to Rice head coach Wayne Graham, out coached his teacher and have taken the Bearkat baseball program to another level.
The Owls, who was favored to win the regional and make a run at the College World Series, scored a total of five runs in three games.
They could not overcome a strong pitching performance by starting pitcher Michael Oros and key defensive plays by the Bearkats.
They were looking to pounce on the Bearkats in the top of the first inning when Christian Stringer walked and J.T. Chargois reached on a error by third baseman Kevin Miller.
With two outs, Michael Fuda issued a walk to load the bases.
But Oros got Michael Ratterree to fly out to center fielder Colt Atwood to end the threat.
The Bearkats capitalized and scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning that made it 1-0.
Corey Toups started the inning with a single and stole second base to put himself in scoring position.
He advanced to third on a ground out to first base by Atwood and scored the first run on an error by second baseman Stringer that allowed Luke Plucheck to reach first.
Plucheck was credited with the RBI.
The Bearkats increased their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning on a RBI single by Atwood.
The Owls made things interesting in the top of the fifth inning as they cut the lead to 2-1.
With two runners on, Jeremy Rathjen hit a drive to left field that went off the glove of Plucheck at the wall.
Stringer scored easily from second base, but Chargois was thrown out at home as he tried to score the tying run.
They tried again in the top of the seventh inning when Stringer hit a one out single up the middle.
He advanced to second on a error by O’Hearn that allowed Chargois to reach first on a fielder’s choice.
Oros settled down and got the final out to end the Owl threat.
They had something going in the top of the eighth inning when Ratterree led off with a single to left field.
The Bearkats got two quick outs as Hale thrown out Ratterree and struck out Lewis.
Geoff Perrott followed with a two out double to keep the Owls rally alive.
But, Oros got Shane Hoelscher to fly out to Atwood and snuffed out the rally.
That turned out to be important as Anthony Azar’s two out, two-run single gave the Bearkats a 4-1 and put the game out of reach for the Owls.
Oros pitched eight strong innings and got the win. He struck out five batters and gave up a run.
Michael Burchett got his 10th save of the season.
The Bearkats (40-21), who earned an at-large bid in the tournament, will face the Arkansas Razorbacks in the championship round tonight at 6 p.m.
If they beat Arkansas, then they will play again tomorrow at 6 p.m., but if Arkansas wins, then they will move on to the NCAA Super Regional.
Bearkats Eliminates Panthers 4-2 To Advance In The Houston Regional
by Cheval John
Houston, Texas- The Sam Houston State Bearkat baseball team defeated Prarie View A&M Panthers by the score of 4-2 to advanced to the third round of the NCAA Baseball Championships Houston Regional.
The win was their first in the tournament since 2007 when they eliminated Troy in comeback fashion in the Oxford Regional.
The Panthers took advantage of two Bearkat errors and struck first in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly by Andre Oliver that made it 1-0.
The Bearkats had an opportunity to tie the game in the top of the third when Jesse Plumlee led off with a double.
He advanced to third on a fly out by Colt Atwood, but was left stranded as Luke Plucheck struck out to end the inning.
Their best chance came in the fourth inning when Jake Arrington reached first on a error by Oliver with one out in the inning.
He advanced to third on a single by Kevin Miller.
However, Stef Hernandez struck out Ryan O’Hearn to get the second out and Arrington was thrown out at home to end the inning.
They finally capitalized in the top of the fifth inning by scoring three runs to take a 3-1 lead.
Atwood’s bases clearing, two-run single put the Kats in front 2-1.
John Hale started the rally by reaching second on a two-base error by James Fontenot and advanced to third on a bunt single by Plumlee.
Corey Toups reached first on an error by Dominiq Harris to load the bases.
Hale and Plumlee scored on Atwood’s single.
Toups scored the third run on a fielder’s choice that allowed Plucheck to reach first.
The Panthers would not go away as they cut the lead to 3-2 on a one out, bases-loaded walk to Darryl Johnson.
With the bases still loaded, starting pitcher Justin Jackson got Oliver to ground into an inning ending double play to avoid any further damage.
Plumlee scored the insurance run in the top of the ninth inning to increase the Bearkat lead by the score of 4-2.
That run turned out to be huge as the Panthers had something going in the bottom of the ninth when they registered two base runners on a pair of singles by Fontenot and Brett Valley.
Brad Benes followed with a walk to load the bases.
But reliever Michael Burchett came through in the clutch as he got the final three outs to seal the victory for the Kats.
Jackson pitched eight solid innings and got the win while Burchett earned his ninth save of the season.
The Bearkats will play tomorrow at 1 p.m against the loser of the Rice/Arkansas match up that will take place tonight at 6 p.m.
The winner of Sunday’s game will move on to the championship round of the Houston Regional later that night.
Bearkats Loses First Game In NCAA Baseball Championships Houston Regional
by Cheval John
Houston, Texas- After striking for four runs in the top of the fifth inning to gain their first lead in the contest, it seemed as if the # 3 seeded Sam Houston State Bearkat baseball team was on their way to getting their first win in the NCAA Baseball Championships Houston Regional.
However, the # 2 seeded Arkansas Razorbacks had different ideas as they rebounded in the bottom of the seventh inning and scored three runs to regain the lead and eventually defeated the Kats by the score of 5-4.
Starting pitcher Caleb Smith threw 117 total pitches in 7 2/3 innings and held the Razorbacks at bay for most of the game.
But it wasn’t enough as Arkansas got key hits when it counted.
The trouble began in the bottom of the fourth inning when Matt Reynolds led off the inning with a double.
They added two more base runners on consecutive walks to Brian Anderson and Bo Bingham to load the bases.
A pair of sacrifice flies scored both Reynolds and Bingham to give the Razorbacks a 2-0.
It didn’t take long for the Bearkats to answer as they scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning to lead it by the score of 4-2.
Luke Plucheck drove in their first run on a bases-clearing ground out to cut the lead to 2-1.
Anthony Azar followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 2.
Then, Jake Arrington followed with a two-run triple to complete the four run rally.
For two innings, Smith kept the Razorbacks at bay as he retired six batters in a row.
Then the lead evaporated in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Razorbacks scored three runs on a two-run single by Tim Carver and an RBI ground out by Reynolds to take back the lead and win by the score of 5-4.
The Bearkats will try to avoid elimination tomorrow as they face Prarie View A&M Panthers at 1 p.m.
The Panthers lost a nail biter to regional host Rice in the nightcap by the score of 3-2.