FROM PRESS RELEASE
Huntsville, TX – A six-run lead by the Texas State Bobcats was erased in half its building time by Sam Houston State, but Adam Witek’s lone hit in the ninth inning was enough saving grace to plate Thomas Field and give the `Cats an 8-7 victory over SHSU Saturday afternoon at Sanders Stadium. With the series tied at one game each, tomorrow’s tilt will decide which team will take the higher standing in Southland Conference play.
The Bearkats were the first to score in the afternoon’s contest in the bottom of the second with a pair of doubles from Ryan Trevino and Seth Hammock. The latter grabbed an RBI with his shot down the line to mark Sam’s first tally.
Meanwhile, Texas State saw two innings go by in which Sam Houston retired the top three batters before plating their first run. Lance Loftin crashed the notion of a no hitter with a double to the left field gap and Elliott Babcock shifted the lead-off to the scoring corner with a sac bunt. On the next play, Bret Atwood blew his pitch right by the first baseman to plate the first Bobcat of the day, but certainly not the last. Thomas Field followed the freshman with a single through the opposing gap to set a two-man stage for Paul Goldschmidt’s eighth home run of the season. Goldschmidt sent his ball sailing over the centerfield fence to give Texas State a 4-1 advantage.
The Bobcats increased the mark to 6-1 in the fourth, capitalizing on a fraught fit from the Bearkats mound. Sam Houston shuffled through three pitchers and with a combination of walks and wild pitches plated two Bobcats to give Texas State the effortless five-run gap. The margin shifted to six after Jerry Cervantes opened the sixth with a solo homer off the scoreboard.
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Sam Houston tried to fight its way back in the fifth and sixth innings, but consecutive double plays ended both frames to ward off the effort, but the seventh inning stretch gave the foe just enough gas to drive in five runs and erase the Bobcats growing tally.
The Bearkats tied the game in the bottom of eighth when Nick Zaleski led off with a homerun to left, but the “Cats wouldn’t go away quietly. Field put a base hit through the left side and proved to be the game-winning run when Witek drove a hard knock to short and plated his teammate for the victory.
Steven Siers pitched a solid 6.0 innings and limited Sam Houston to just two runs in his time spent on the mound. Josh Walter was credited with the win after his appearance in the eighth to hold the `Kats scoreless and to just one hit.
Bret Atwood went 2-for-2 and notched two RBI to pilot the Texas State offense. Field also added a pair of hits and runs, while grabbing one RBI.
Matt Shelton took the loss for Sam Houston, allowing three Bobcat hits and the game-winning run.
Sunday afternoon’s game is scheduled for a 1p.m. first pitch.
