Arkansas State Steals First Game Of Series From Bearkats
By Cheval John
Pinch-hitter Ryan Robert’s go-ahead, game-winning two-run single in the top of the ninth inning gave Arkansas State Seawolves a 5-3 victory over Sam Houston State Bearkats in the first of the three-game series on Friday night.
Though both teams left 10 men on base, the Bearkat pitching staff walked 9 Arkansas State batters in that put them in a difficult position to win.
“When you walk nine guys, you always going to get beat,” coach David Pierce said. “The bullpen didn’t do a very good job tonight.”
Seawolves reliever Chandler Hawkins pitched two innings in relief and got the win.
But starter John Koch was in command of his pitches and went after the strike zone with his change up and fast ball that kept Arkansas State (7-2) in the game.
“He (Koch) just pounded the zone. … He’s very competitive, managed the game well.” Pierce said.
The Seawolves struck first in the top of the third inning after third baseman Claude Johnson issued a bases-loaded walk to score Stuart Levy from third to make it 1-0.
Carter Burgess’s two out, two-run double to left field in the bottom of the third inning gave the Bearkats a 2-1 lead.
Luke Plucheck drew a walked with two outs.
Atwood followed with a walk to put runners on first and second and both later scored on Burgess’ double.
Arkansas State had opportunities to tie the game in the top of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings and every time, the Bearkats found a way to get out of those jams.
The Bearkats (4-5) got that critical third run when Ryan Farney scored from second on an error by Johnson to increase their lead to 3-1.
It seemed as if SHSU was out of the woods, but the Seawolves found a way to get back in the game in the top of the eighth when pinch-hitter Ryan Roberts hit a two out, two-run single to right field to tie the game at 3.
Zach George led off the ninth inning with an infield single. The play was as close as it gets as he just barely beat the throw., but in the process went down with an injury.
Austin Baker pinch ran and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Dustin Jones. He advanced to third on a wild pitch by Jason Simms, who suffered the loss for the Kats.
Logan Uxa and Johnson was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs.
Then Robertson hit the go-ahead, two run single to right field that brought in Baker and Uxa for the 5-3 lead.
Things got interested in the bottom of the ninth when Atwood issued a walk with one out after coming back from 0-2 on the count.
Though Burgess struck out for the second out, Ryan O’Hearn kept the inning alive by issuing a walk to bring the potential game-winning run in Spence Rahm.
Rahm hit a sharp grounder that would have went into the left field, but Johnson made a diving stop to his left and threw Rahm out by a margin to end the game.
“He (Rahm) had a good swing down the line, but Johnson made a good play,” Atwood said.
Bearkat starter Caleb Smith went 6 1/3 innings and got the no-decision with 9 strike outs and one earned run given up.
The Bearkats (4-5) have been close in every contest this season.
Even with a tough loss, they are aiming to regroup and get better for tomorrow’s game.
“We had a lot of close games,” center fielder Colt Atwood, who went 2 for 2 with three walks said, “We’ve been in every game that’s for sure. We haven’t been blown out but we got to get back to work.”
No.9 Aggies Streaking Over Bearkats
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Sam Houston was looking to return the favor against Texas A&M in College Station on Wednesday.
Even though they had a strong performance, it wasn’t enough as one big inning allowed the No. 9 ranked Aggies to win 8-3.
In the third inning of a scoreless game, Aggie catcher Nicole Morgan knocked in two runs with a double, the first baseman Cassie Tysarczyk blasted a three-run homer to right field as Texas A&M jumped in front 5-0.
Sam Houston got two runs back in the top of the fifth as third baseman Shelbi Tucker doubled to right field then scored on a ground ball by second baseman Alyssa Coggins.
Left fielder Jessica Slater scored Tucker with an RBI double.
Shortstop Cecilia Castillo hit a solo home run in the sixth inning for Sam Houston’s third tally.
The home run was Castillo’s third of the year.
Haley Baros was the losing pitcher for the Bearkats who now stand 7-10 for the year.
Texas A&M is one of only four undefeated softball teams remaining in NCAA Division I play this season.
The Aggies are 18-0, the best start in program history.
Sam Houston now heads to San Antonio for a weekend series with the University of Texas at San Antonio Saturday and Sunday.
Bearkats Aiming For Encore In 2013 Season
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
When the Sam Houston State Bearkats began the season at 1-13 last year, many believed that they were on their way to having another dreadful year.
But the Bearkats won their final 26 out of 29 games to finish in second place in the Southland Conference behind regular season champion Texas State Bobcats and made the SLC Tournament.
After opening the tournament with a loss, the Bearkats won their next three games to reach the finals, where they eventually lost to the Bobcats.
Now with the Bobcats gone due to joining the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), the Bearkats has been picked to win the 2013 Southland Conference softball title in the annual preseason poll of the league’s head coaches.
The Bearkats received seven first-place votes from the coaches and 78 total points.
Key returners for the Bearkats feature include first baseman Kim Damian, a senior from Angleton, Texas; third baseman Shelbi Tucker, a senior from Montgomery, Texas; catcher Hillary Adams, a sophomore from Elgin, Texas; and outfielder Tori Benavidez, a senior from Midlothian, Texas.
McNeese State, the team that Sam Houston defeated in last year’s Southland tournament semifinals, has been tabbed second by the coaches.
The Cowgirls return 11 letterwinners, including seven starters and two pitchers.
Central Arkansas stands third in the coaches’ poll, followed by A&M-Corpus Christi, Stephen F. Austin, Northwestern State and Nicholls State.
Houston Baptist, which is an affiliate member for softball this season before becoming a member of the Southland in all sports next year, was picked to finish tied for eighth along with Southeastern Louisiana in the coaches’ poll.
Lamar, which is reviving its softball program this season after playing from 1983-87, was picked to finish 10th in both polls.
Southland teams open the season Feb. 7 with conference play beginning March 9.
The conference tournament will be hosted by Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La., May 9-11 at the Lady Demon Diamond Complex.
The championship game will be streamed live exclusively on ESPN3.
Sam Houston State’s first softball action will come Feb. 7-9 at the Baylor Bear Classic in Waco
No.5 Bearkats Dismantled Lions 70-0
by Cheval John
Whether it was rain or shine, the Sam Houston State Bearkat football team came ready to play.
The Bearkats totaled 575 yards of offense in the 70-0 beat down of Southeastern Louisiana Lions in their last regular season home game at Bowers Stadium.
The win increased their streak at Bowers to 14 games since 2010 and have kept them in the hunt for a share of the Southland Conference (SLC) title.
The majority of those yards came on the run, especially in the second half when they ran for 275 yards and scored 28 points without attempting a pass.
The massacre began when running back Tim Flanders ran for a 14-yard touchdown that capped a 7-play, 48-yard drive for a 7-0 lead.
That was only the beginning.
After a three and out by the Lions, the Bearkats (5-1 SLC, 7-2 overall) started their second drive with a 2-yard run by utility man Richard Sincere.
Later, junior quarterback Brian Bell threw it up the middle and wide receiver Chance Nelson dove and made the catch for a 23-yard gain for a first down.
A few plays later, Sincere ran with the blockers and cut to the left for an 8-yard touchdown that increased the lead to 14-0.
The Lions (3-2 SLC play, 3-6 overall) had their best chance of the day to score when they drove it down the field to the Bearkat 21 yard line.
After a five-yard penalty that moved them back to the 26, defensive back Robert Shaw blocked the potential field goal and defensive back Kenneth Jenkins recovered it and took it 72-yards for the touchdown that increased the lead to 21-0.
Jarrett Brown’s interception on the Lions 34 put the Bearkats in great field position.
It seemed as if the Bearkats were going to settle for a field goal as they were only moved 7-yards on three plays.
But an offside penalty on the Lions on 4 and 3 allowed the drive to stay alive and a few plays later, junior running back Ryan Wilson went up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown that increased the lead to 28-0.
The Bearkats added two more scores on a 70-yard touchdown pass from Bell to Nelson and a 23-yard pass from Bell to wide receiver Torrance Williams to increase the lead to 42-0 by halftime.
After an hour lighting/rain delay, the Bearkats got back to it as Flanders found a seam and exploded for 71-yards for the score that made it 49-0.
They added three more scores on a touchdown run by freshman quarterback Chris Grett and two TD runs by sophomore running back Keyshawn Hill (8, 55) that sealed the deal at 70-0.
Flanders finished with 146-yards and two scores on 9 carries while Bell went 8 of 9 for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
Hill totaled 132 yards and two scores on 15 carries.
The Bearkats finishes SLC play on Saturday when they go on the road against Northwestern State Demons.
If the Bearkats win against the Demons, they will have a share of the SLC title with Central Arkansas.
The start time for the game was moved to 3 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. due to the fact that it will be televised on the Southland Conference Television Network.