No. 3 Sam Houston State Upends No. 6 Stephen F. Austin
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SUGAR LAND, Texas - Sam Houston State's bats were awake early despite a 9 a.m. first pitch Wednesday in the Southland Conference tournament opener at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas. The No. 3 seed Bearkats pushed six runs across on five hits in the bottom of the first inning and did not look back en route to a 13-1 win over No. 6 seed Stephen F. Austin.
All-conference first team catcher Robie Rojas Rojas' drove in five runs on the day. The five RBIs tie a Sam Houston State program record for the most in a Southland Conference Tournament game (Bobby Vrbick, 2008).
Bearkats' ace Heath Donica, the Southland Pitcher of the Year and 2016 tournament MVP, scattered three hits in the complete-game victory. He tallied 115 pitches while giving up one unearned run in the fourth inning.
Rojas' three-run homer in the top of the first commenced the scoring. Designated hitter Jaxxon Grisham followed up with a two-run bomb later in the opening frame that chased Stephen F. Austin starting pitcher Tony Grabowske after just two-thirds of an inning.
The Bearkats tacked on four runs in the third inning, initiated by Rojas' RBI single to left field, scoring Bryce Johnson. Hunter Hearn drove in Rojas later that inning as Sam Houston capitalized on a throwing error.
The game ended after seven innings due to the 10-run rule, which takes effect after seven innings.
"Our kids love this ballpark," said Bearkats' Head Coach Matt Deggs. "They are very comfortable here. They understand that every game is going to be a dogfight. There are some great teams in this league. That first one is a very important game and game number two is the most important."
Stephen F. Austin's run came following an error and a Donica bases loaded walk.
"That's just an old-fashioned butt-whooping;that's all there is to that," said Lumberjacks' Head Coach Johnny Cardenas . "Tournament play is a different animal, though. You can't get too high on a win and you can't get too low on a loss. You just have to keep plugging away and hope you get on a little bit of a run and see if the ball bounces your way. We understand we got our butts whooped and now we get on the bus, get back to the hotel and regroup for tomorrow morning's game."
Sam Houston State will be in action again Thursday at 4 p.m. when they place the noon game, which features No. 2-seed Southeastern Louisiana and No. 7 New Orleans. Meanwhile, Stephen F. Austin will take on the loser of that game Thursday at 9 a.m.
Every game of the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament will be carried live on ESPN3. Southland assistant commissioner Chris Mycoskie will handle play-by-play duties, while several Southland teams' radio announcers will also showcased in the ESPN3 booth during the early rounds. For the title game, Mycoskie will be matched with color analyst Greg Swindell, a former first-team All-American at the University of Texas and 17-year Major Leaguer.