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.