Baseball: April 26 Scoreboard
Sam Houston State 8, Oklahoma 5
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2, Northwestern State 1
UIW 8, Lamar 6
McNeese State 5, Nicholls 4 (11)
Stephen F. Austin 3, Abilene Christian 0
Central Arkansas 5, New Orleans 0
Sam Houston State 8, Oklahoma 5
NORMAN, Okla. – Sam Houston broke open a scoreless game with four runs in both the fifth and six innings to earn a series victory over No. 23 Oklahoma with an 8-5 win Sunday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman.
The Bearkats lost the opening game of the series Friday 3-2 but bounced back to win 4-3 in 11 innings Saturday and out-score the Sooners Sunday afternoon. Sam Houston upped its season mark to 24-21. Nationally-ranked OU had won four in a row before Saturday’s loss.
Hitless with only three runners reaching base in the first four innings, Oklahoma miscues and timely hitting helped spark an eight-run explosion.
Second baseman Jake McWilliam started everything in the fifth with a double to left field. Catcher Collin Yelich singled through the right side where a fielding error allowed McWilliam to come home for the game’s first run. Right fielder Travis Lee singled to right center and both Yelich and Lee advanced to second and third base on a passed ball.
Left fielder Wyatt Powell’s sacrifice bunt scored Yelich. Then Lee scored on another OU error on a ball hit by designated hitter Hayden Simerly. First baseman Spence Rahm’s single through the left side score Simerly to put the Kats up 4-0.
The Kats put four more runs up in the sixth. First, MacWilliam walked and Yelich doubled. Shortstop Miles Manning singled to right field to bring in the inning’s first tally. After Lee was hit by a pitch, Powell grounded out to second base to bring in Yelich. A single by Simerly brought in the final two runs.
Oklahoma rallied to score three runs on three hits and two Bearkat errors in the bottom of the eighth inning. After the first two Sooner batters struck out in the ninth, OU added two more runs on three hits and an error. But a fly out to center field ended the contest.
Yelich led the Kats at the plate, going 2-for-3 while Powell and Simerly each produced a pair of RBIs.
Bearkat starter Sam Odom (3-4) earned the victory, giving up only three hits in the 30 batters he faced while fanning six in seven and one third innings. Greg Belton closed out the final inning and two thirds facing 10 batters. He struck out three and gave up four hits.
Sam Houston continues its non-conference road swing Tuesday with a rematch with the University of Houston at 6:35 p.m. in Houston. The Cougars defeated the Kats 17-7 in Huntsville on March. 10.
The Bearkats will play host to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in an important Southland Conference series beginning Friday, May 1, at 6:30 p.m. at Don Sanders Stadium.
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Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2, Northwestern State 1
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Sophomore Devin Skapura tossed one of his best games of the year as theTexas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball team picked up a 2-1 series finale victory over Northwestern State Sunday afternoon at Chapman Field.
Skapura, a Kingwood, Texas native went six complete, allowing only four hits and one run on his way to his third win of the year. The right-hander retired 11 straight batters from the third inning all the way through the sixth. The four hits allowed matched a season low.
The Islanders (20-19, 10-11 SLC) picked up Skapura early, pushing across a run in the first inning after Jordan Lee led the game off with a single up the middle. Later in the inning, Lee broke the school record for stolen bases, previously held by Jeramie Marek (2009-12), after swiping second for his 43rd career steal before moving to third on throwing error.
Senior Tyler Ware lined a ball down to first base that deflected off the fielders' glove and headed to the outfield allowing Lee to score and make it a 1-0 lead for the Islanders.
Northwestern State would go stagnate on offense as Skapura methodically retired the Demons through the middle innings. Skapura let his defense work behind him, only striking out just one batter on the day. Sunday also marked the first time in five games that the Islanders would play an error-free game.
A&M-Corpus Christi added an insurance run in the fourth inning after Ware led off the frame with a single to his counterpart out in center field. Zacarias Hardy then went on to single out to left for one of his three hits on the day. The sophomore finished the series 6-for-11 with three runs scored.
Justin Perales hit into a fielder’s choice later to score Ware from third to make it a 2-0 contest.
Throughout the day, Northwestern State (24-18, 16-7 SLC) was able to put runners on base, but timely defensive plays stymied the NWLA offense as the Islanders turned a season high three double plays.
After the Islanders took the lead in the first, NWLA quickly started the second with a leadoff walk and a double to put runners on second and third with no outs, but Skapura and the Islanders worked their way out of the inning and crushed the spirit of the Demons after turning an unconventional 3-2 double play.
Nick Heath chopped the ball to first base where Perales made a play and threw the ball home to tag out the runner from third. Lukas Hermanson made the tag on Heath who was standing in the batter’s box, claiming the ball hit off of his foot foul.
Northwestern State rallied in the seventh, but relief pitcher Nolan Holland was able to come in and record a strikeout. The Demons would get one run as Caleb Dugas singled through the right side for their only run of the game. The Islanders would end the threat as Brett Burner took care of a ball hit to the middle of the infield, turning the 4-3 double play.
Jacob Dorris would come into the game for the two-inning save, his seventh of the year. The senior from Weatherford, Texas struck out 4-of-6 batters he saw sitting the Demons down in order for two frames.
Jeffrey Stovall took the loss for the Demons falling to 4-4 on the year.
The team has a quick turnaround as they will finish a four-game series with Texas-Pan American on Tuesday at Chapman Field. The two teams split a doubleheader in Edinburg, Texas earlier in the year. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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UIW 8, Lamar 6
BEAUMONT, TEXAS – Down by one run in the top of the ninth, Weston Pitts (Highland Village/Flower Mound Marcus HS) gave the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team the lead with a two-out, two-run single and Brance Kahle (Colleyville/Grapevine Faith HS) later drove in an insurance run with a single to secure the come-from-behind win against Southland Conference rival Lamar, 8-6 on Sunday at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
The Cardinals (15-27, 6-15 SLC) secured their first road series win in their short Division I history with Sunday's victory. They trailed Lamar (19-24, 8-13 SLC) 5-1 in the fifth inning, but three runs in the fifth and ninth innings propelled them to the series win.
The fifth inning started with a Christian Divelbiss (Yuba City, CA/Yuba City HS) home run. Mark Whitehead (San Antonio/Johnson HS) then drove in a run with a single and a bases-loaded walk to Austin Hoffman (Goodyear, AZ/Millenium HS) brought the Cardinals to within one.
Kris Looper (Wharton/Wharton HS) threw six innings of relief and kept the Cardinals in the game. He allowed seven hits, three runs (one earned), walked two and struck out three to earn his second win of the season. In the bottom of the ninth, he allowed a pair of singles, but was able to induce a ground ball double play and a fielder's choice to end the game.
Aaron Warren (Schertz/Wagner HS) sparked UIW at the top of the lineup with a 3-for-5 afternoon while scoring two runs. Divelbiss finished with three hits, including his first home run of the season. Whitehead added two hits, two RBI's and a run scored. The pinch-hit single by Pitts was only his fourth hit of the season.
For Lamar, Reed Seeley finished with a perfect 3-for-3 game in which he scored three of the team's six runs. Mason Salazar drove in a couple of runs and Stijn Van Der Meer collected two hits, scored a run and drove in one. Lamar used seven pitchers in the game and Brandon Kirkham was tabbed with the loss.
The Cardinals are back home for a three-game conference series against Central Arkansas this upcoming Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m.
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McNeese State 5, Nicholls 4 (11)
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Sophomore Matt Gallier came off the bench and stepped up to the plate for the McNeese State baseball team Sunday afternoon as he blasted a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to help lift the Cowboys to a series-clinching 5-4 victory over Nicholls at Cowboy Diamond.
The Pokes (24-20, 14-10 SLC) were able to score a series victory over the Colonels (24-16-1, 11-10) for the first time since the 2012 season. McNeese had been swept by its in-state rivals the two previous years.
With the score knotted up and a pitcher’s duel controlling the latter part of the game, Gallier made his way to the plate, took one look towards the pitcher and took a swing on the first pitch. After hesitating for just a few seconds, Gallier trotted towards home plate after watching the ball sail over the left field wall and helped carry the Pokes to the series win.
The homer was Gallier’s fifth of the season.
Gallier entered the game as a pinch hitter for the Pokes in the bottom side of the sixth inning and delivered an RBI-single with no outs and the bases loaded to help cut the lead to a 4-3 score. The Pokes tied the ballgame in the latter part of the inning following an RBI-hit from senior Andrew Guillotte that knotted the score at four runs apiece.
Gallier led the way offensively for McNeese, who pounded out 11 hits in the contest, as he batted 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Guillotte and junior Billy Sommers each recorded a pair of hits and an RBI in the ballgame while senior Connor Lloyd also knocked in a run.
Sophomore right-hander Collin Kober (4-2) turned in another performance worthy of Stopper of the Year status as he earned the victory after throwing 4.2 innings of relief, tied for the longest outing of the season, while retiring 14 of the 15 batters he faced during the game and having allowed just one hit. He fanned five batters during the session. Kober now owns a 0.86 ERA through 21 appearances and 42.0 innings of work this season.
The Colonel’s ace closer Stuart Holmes (2-1) was charged with the loss after having worked the final two innings and surrendered a run on two hits.
Nicholls got out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning that was highlighted by leftfielder Justin Smith’s two-RBI double. The Colonels extended their lead to four runs in the top of the fifth frame.
McNeese responded with a pair of runs in the bottom side of the fifth frame following a sacrifice-RBI effort from Lloyd and a double from Sommers to cut into the lead with a 4-2 score.
The Cowboys will be back in action Tuesday when they make the trip over to Baton Rouge for a mid-week contest against Southern University. The first pitch is set for a 6 o’clock start.
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Stephen F. Austin 3, Abilene Christian 0
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Stephen F. Austin closed out the 2015 home season the way each team intends to, sending the seniors out winners as the Lumberjacks defeated Abilene Christian 3-0 at Jaycees Field. The `Jacks take the series against the Wildcats, improving to 15-29 on the year and 9-14 in Southland Conference play.
The win over ACU gives the `Jacks their third SLC series win of the season as SFA remains in the chase for the final spot in the 2015 Southland Conference Championship. The `Jacks sit 10th with just a pair of games separating them, eighth-place A&M-Corpus Christi and ninth-place Lamar.
Runs were hard to come by Sunday as SFA and ACU staged a pitchers duel in the series finale. SFA starter Jarred Greene was solid on the mound, earning the win after allowing just four Wildcat hits with three strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched.
The Lumberjacks struck in the bottom of the second inning as an RBI single by Tyler Boxwell drove in Garrett McMullen, giving SFA the 1-0 lead.
That score stood until the sixth when Boxwell struck again, ripping a double to right center that scored Eric DeJesus from first, just beating out the tag at the plate and giving SFA the 2-0 lead. The Lumberjacks added another in the seventh off an RBI single to right, bringing Kyle Thornell home from second as he was able to avoid the tag attempt at home, giving SFA some breathing room.
After a scoreless eighth which saw Austin Smith and Patrick Ledet send ACU down in order, senior Tyler Wiedenfield came on to record his eighth save of the year, retiring all three Wildcats he saw in the ninth to clinch the 3-0 win on Senior Day for SFA. Travis Stone was also impressive in his 1.2 innings of work, allowing no hits with two strikeouts and getting the `Jacks out of a jam in the sixth, getting a pair of outs with Wildcat runners at the corners.
Thornell continued to swing a hot bat in SLC play, going 3-for-3 on the day with a double and a run scored. Boxwell went 2-for-3 with two RBI, giving him five in the two games he played in the ACU series, with McMullen going 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored as well for SFA.
It was a fitting end to the home schedule for Lumberjack seniors Cameron Gann, Josh Keith, Dillon Mangham, Dan O'Neill and Tyler Wiedenfeld. All five were recognized in a pregame ceremony then each got to make their final trot around the bases at Jaycees Field following the victory.
The win closes out the 2015 home schedule for the Lumberjacks, who now face a challenging final three weeks of the regular season, playing the final eight games of the year on the road. That slate begins Tuesday when SFA heads to Ruston, Louisiana, completing the home-and-home series with Louisiana Tech at 6 p.m.
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Central Arkansas 5, New Orleans 0
CONWAY, Ark. _ University of Central Arkansas sophomore Riley Echols turned in the Bears’ fourth straight complete game on the mound Saturday in a 5-0 shutout of the New Orleans Privateers in their Southland Conference finale at Bear Stadium.
Echols joined Connor Gilmore and Brandon Hagerla in the complete-game trifecta in the weekend series that moved the Bears (23-15, 13-8) into third place in the SLC standings with three series remaining. New Orleans dropped to 13-29 and 3-18. That trio of pitchers had a 0.00 earned-run average for the weekend. Freshman Tyler Gray also pitched a complete game against UAPB on Wednesday to begin the streak.
Echols, a sophomore righthander from Collierville, Tenn., allowed six hits, struck out five and walked one in his first career complete game. Hezekiah Randolph had UNO’s only extra-base hit of the day _ and just second of the series with a ninth-inning double. Echols then retired Parker Jones on a ground out to end the game.
UCA scored the only runs it would need in the second inning off UNO’s ace Shawn Semple, the reigning SLC Pitcher of the Week. Brad Dillenberger and Hayden Steele drew one-out walks, with Dillenberger scoring on Logan Preston’s single. Ty Tice followed with another RBI single to make it 2-0.
The Bears were silent until the eighth inning when they added three more runs. Preston led off with a walk and Tice was hit by a pitch. Both advanced on a wild pitch before Nick Rougeau walked to load the bases. The Privateers turned a double play for the first two outs but left fielder Wesley Hoover doubled to right field to score two.
Matt Anderson then followed with an RBI base hit to right to set the final at 5-0.
UCA had just seven hits but they came from seven different players. Five different Bears scored. Hoover had two RBI, with Anderson, Preston and Tice getting the other three. Dillenberger was 1 for 1 and was on base four times with three of UCA’s eight walks.
Echols improved to 3-2 while Semple dropped to 2-3.
UCA has no mid-week games this week because of final exams but returns to SLC action next weekend at Incarnate Word. Game times are 6:30 Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
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