Sam Houston Clinched Series With 4-1 Victory

By Cheval John

Sam Houston State took the series from Dallas Baptist with a 4-2 win in the rubber match at Don Sanders Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.

The Bearkats got some solid pitching and timely hitting when it mattered the most.

Freshman Seth Holbert pitched two shut out innings in relief and got his first win of the season.

Closer Jason Simms got his second save of the season.

Simms made it interesting in the final two innings.

With the Bearkats (7-1) leading 4-1going in the top of the eighth, Dallas Baptist was trying to make something happen.

Trevin Sonnier led off the inning with a single.

Though Simms got the next two outs, the bases was loaded after he walked Austin Listi, who went 1 for 3 and Daniel Salters, who was 1 for 2, followed with a single.

But Simms got in the zone and struck out R.J. Alexander to end the threat.

It got even more interesting in the top of the ninth.

After getting the first two outs, David Martinelli issued a walk and stole second while Sonnier reached on a error to bring the tying run to the plate.

The bases was loaded after pinch hitter Drew Turbin was hit by a pitch.

However, Simms got Wesolowski to ground into a fielder choice play to end the game.

With a scoreless tie, Dallas Baptist (5-2) got on the board in the top of the fifth for a 1-0 lead on a squeeze play that allowed Justin Wall to score from third.

Wall led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a ground out by Martinelli, and advanced to third on a wild pitch by Dirk Masters, who went five innings and got the no-decision.

Sam Houston quickly tied it up at 1 in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Colt Atwood.

Toups, who was 2 for 2, led off the inning with a double that went over the head of center fielder Salters.

The bases was loaded courtesy of back-to-back walks to Luke Plucheck and Ryan Farney with one out.

The Bearkats took the lead at 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to a two out, bases loaded walk issued by Plucheck.

Sam Houston was looking for some cushion in the bottom of the seventh inning and got it when Carter Burgess hit a two run single to extend the lead to 4-1.

After Atwood reached on an error and O’Hearn singled, Azar’s sacrifice bunt move both runners to second and third, respectively.

Dallas Baptist elected to walk Simerly intentionally to load the bases and try to get a double play ball from Burgess.

The Bearkats are aiming to carry the momentum this week when they travel to Houston to face Rice at Reckling Park and then participate in the Houston College Classic this weekend at Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros.