FROM PRESS RELEASE
Huntsville, TX – A two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning plated the tie-breaking run and gave the Sam Houston Bearkats a 4-2 victory over the Texas State Bobcats Friday night at Sanders Stadium. The loss drops the ‘Cats to 4-3 in Southland Conference play, now trailing the Bearkats in the race for the top spot in the West division.
Texas State got the ball rolling after a scoreless first inning when Jonathan Farrow drew the lead-off walk to open the second frame. Jerry Cervantes followed it up with a single to shallow left field and Lance Loftin laid down a nice bunt to shift the duo into scoring position. Two hard hits to Sam Houston’s short stop from Elliott Babcock and Bret Atwood plated the pair for a 2-0 Bobcat lead.
Mike Hart took the next frame himself, putting away three at the plate, but not before Sam Houston could send Todd Sebek across the plate to chip away at the lead. Keith Stein drove in the base runner on a double down the right chalk line. The Bearkats would send one more for the score on a sacrifice fly to centerfield in the fifth inning.
The foe held Texas State to the pair of runs for the remainder of the game before edging out the win.
Hart (2-2) pitched his second complete game of the season, despite taking the loss, throwing an exceptional eight full innings on the mound. Hart added eight strikeouts to his career mark and limited the Bearkats to just five hits. Paul Goldschmidt went 2-for-4 in the outing, the lone Bobcat to notch more than a single hit off Sam Houston State.
Ryan Tepera was credited with the win after spending 8.2 innings on the mound and limiting the ‘Cats to just six hits.
Game Two of the series is slated for a 2p.m. first pitch at Sanders Stadium.
