FORT WORTH, Texas – Sam Houston State gave it all they had but came up short in a 6-1 loss to TCU in the NCAA Regional Final. The Bearkats finished the season 43-19 and in a second regional final in the last three seasons.
“TCU is a very good team and Tyler Alexander pitched a great game. They played great defense and got some timely hits. They were the better team tonight,” head coach David Pierce said.
The Bearkats defeated Siena 9-2 Sunday afternoon in an elimination game, just 12 hours after falling 3-2 in 22 innings to TCU. Sam Houston opened the scoring but it was just too much to ask of a team that had already played 40 innings during three days.
Corey Toups singled through the left side with one out in the second and moved up a base on a wild pitch. Designated hitter Hayden Simerly legged out an infield single to move Toups to third.
Left fielder Luke Plucheck, who missed Sunday’s first game through suspension, opened the scoring with a squeeze bunt that scored Toups from third.
After Andrew Godail tossed a perfect first inning, he allowed a double and a bunt single to start the second. An RBI-ground out by designated hitter Jerrick Suiter knotted the game 1-1.
The TCU threat continued when right fielder Dylan Fitzgerald singled sharply off of Shea Pierce’s glove at second. Godail was able to limit the damage by getting a popped up bunt and a strikeout.
TCU lead-off hitter Cody Jones legged out an infield single to lead off the third, was sacrificed to second base and moved to third on a ground out. After first baseman Kevin Cron was intentionally walked, second baseman Garrett Crain singled to left field to give TCU a 2-1 lead.
Nolan Riggs came in from the bullpen for the fourth inning and hit the first batter he faced. After a ground out, catcher Kyle Bacak singled to put runners on the corners.
Alan Scott was called in from the bullpen and he proceeded to get a line out and a ground out to end the threat and keep the score 2-1.
The Horned Frogs would score on each in the fifth and sixth and two in the eighth to put the game away.