Final Day Set For SLC Baseball Tournament Championship
HUNTSVILLE, Texas ? Defending tournament champion Sam Houston State returns to the conference title game undefeated )3-0) in league post season action as SHSU senior Keith Stein hit a walk-off two run blast to right center field eliminating A&M-Corpus Christi.
A pitcher’s duel through seven innings tied 2-2, AMCC senior outfielder Chase Williams put the Islanders up 5-2 with a three-run shot to deep left field scoring Stephen Flora and Jonathan Rayes in the top of the eighth.
Sam Houston State answered in the bottom of the inning as designated hitter Bobby Verbick singled in Keith Stein followed by a two run single from Ryan Trevino tying the game, 5-5.
In the bottom of the ninth SHSU first team all conference selection Keith Stein drove a two run walk-off bomb to right center giving the Bearkats the chance to defend its conference tournament title.
In the game previous to Sam Houston State’s win over A&M-Corpus Christi, Lamar faced a Southeastern Louisiana team on the brink of elimination.
With their backs to the wall SLU came alive against second seed Lamar handing the Cardinals its worst loss of the season, 17-1, forcing a rematch on Saturday with the winner advancing to the 2008 SLC Tournament title game.
Lamar struck first with a homerun to right center field from junior Steven Tucker, his second of the tournament. But it would be all the Cardinals could muster from Lions starter Rene LeBlanc. The southpaw pitched seven innings giving up one run, five hits and no walks, tossing only 70 pitches.
Seven Lions’ starters put up at least one RBI each setting a tournament record in the fourth inning with scoring 11 runs breaking the record Texas State set in game one against UT Arlington, Wednesday only 48 hours ago.
With the victory by Sam Houston State the Lions and Cardinals will meet again for a chance at the conference tournament title on Saturday at 12 p.m.