Regular Season Champion Texas State Will Play for Southland Tournament Championship

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Texas State, the Southland Conference regular season champion, secured its spot in the championship game of the conference tournament by beating Lamar, 13-2, Friday at Whataburger Field. The Bobcats will face Sam Houston State, which has won the last two Southland tournament championships Saturday at 6 p.m. in a game that will be televised by the Southland Conference Television Network.

Texas State (40-14) stormed to a 7-0 lead thanks to a six-inning second inning that gave Bobcat starting pitcher Zach Tritz the cushion he needed. He lasted 6 1/3 innings and did not allow a walk opposite five strikeouts. He allowed two runs off nine hits in winning for the eighth time this season (8-2).

The Bobcats, which are looking for their first Southland Tournament championship since the 2000 season, totaled 15 hits in the game, led by center fielder Bret Atwood, who finished the game with three hits, including a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth that landed in the pool beyond the fence in right-center field. His first home run of the season gave the Bobcats the eight-inning, run-rule victory.

Four other Texas State players finished the game with multiple hits, including right fielder Tyler Sibley, left fielder Spenser Dennis, shortstop Jason Martinson and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who also drove in three runs. Sibley scored three times. The top five spots in the batting order accounted for 10 hits.

Lamar, the No. 4 seed in this weeks tournament, ends its season with a 38-22 record. Cardinals starting pitcher Spencer Cuniff did not retire any of his first three batters and was chased from the game, yet took the loss. Lamar used six pitchers in the game.

Cardinals third baseman Chris Dunkin was 3-for-3 and Tyler Link was 2-for-4 and drove in both Lamar runs. His team had 10 hits, but three errors proved costly.

Texas State and Sam Houston each have won the Southland Conference Tournament three times to lead the league. The Bearkats are trying to become the first team to win three consecutive Southland tournament championships since Trinity won the first three from 1964-66.

The winner of the Southland tournament championship game will secure the leagues automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, which begins May 29 at 16 regional sites. Selections for the tournament will be announced on ESPN Monday at 11:30 a.m., CDT.

The championship game of the Southland Conference Tournament, which will be televised by Southland TV, will also be streamed by SLC NOW at www.southland.org. Live stats are also available at that web site.

 

Sam Houston State Beats Southeastern Louisiana, Will Play for Third Consecutive Tournament Title

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas Sam Houston State earned a spot in the championship game of the 2009 Southland Conference Tournament with a 7-2 victory over Southeastern Louisiana Friday night at Whataburger Field. The Bearkats have won each of the last two tournament championships.

The victory, the Bearkats 11th consecutive win in the conference tournament, sets up a date with either Texas State or Lamar. The Bobcats, the regular season champions, need one win against the Cardinals for a berth against Sam Houston. A loss Friday night would force another game, which would be played Saturday at 1 p.m. before the championship game, which will be played at 6 p.m. and televised by the Southland Conference Television Network.

The Bearkats, playing as the seventh seed in this weeks tournament, scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to strike first. Southeastern designated hitter Cody Gougler pulled the Lions within a 3-2 score with a two-run single in the top of the seventh.

Sam Houston (35-22) answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to extend its lead to two, 4-2, thanks to an RBI single by catcher Mark Wyatt. For some reason though, it didnt seem like enough.

Southeastern, which threatened in the third when it left the bases loaded, put two on with one out in the eighth, but the two runners were stranded after a ground out and a fly out.

The missed chance proved costly for the Lions as the Bearkats added three runs to build its lead to five, 7-2. Third baseman Ryan Mooney knocked in the first run and shortstop Jon Reed plated the final two runs of the game with a single up the middle.

Reed was one of four Bearkats with multiple hits and was one of two, alongside center fielder Adam DeLaGarza, with two RBI. Ty Summerlin led all hitters in going 3-for-4.

Sam Houston starter Dallas Gallant earned the win to even his record to 4-4. He allowed both runs on four hits in his six innings. Will Skelton earned his second save of the season after pitching the final three innings for the Bearkats. Southeastern starter Shawn Herring was tagged with the loss to drop to 2-5.

Southeastern, which earned the second seed in the conference tournament after going 21-12 in league play, came within one win of tying the school record and sits at 37-22 going into Mondays selections for the NCAA tournament.

All tournament games are being streamed on SLC NOW on the Southland web site at www.southland.org. Live stats for the games are also available at that address.

 

Lamar Scores Two in Top of Ninth for 4-3 Win in Elimination Battle with UT Arlington

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas No. 4 seed Lamar scored twice in the top of the ninth inning to down UT Arlington Friday in an elimination game at the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament at Whataburger Field.

The Cardinals win set up a game with top-seeded Texas State Friday night at approximately 9 p.m. A Bobcat win would send them to the championship game Saturday at 6 p.m. while a Lamar win would force another game Saturday at 1 p.m. with the winner advancing to the championship. The Mavericks end their season with a 30-26 record.

Trailing 3-2 entering the ninth, Lamar got three singles to load the bases before shortstop Jeremiah Sammys sacrifice fly tied the game. Chris Dunkin followed with a single through the left side for a one-run lead.

Lamar reliever Ricky Testa struck out the first two batters in the bottom half of the inning before giving up a single up the middle to Colin Garner. Garner moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, but Testa fanned Evan Raley to end the game.

With the win, Testa, who struck out five, improved to 8-3 though he allowed two runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings. Adam Boydston took the loss to fall to 1-5 for UT Arlington.

Right fielder Quentin Luquette led all batters with three hits in a 3-for-4 day with a pair of runs scored. Dunkin and first baseman Steve Tucker each had two hits. Dunkin had two RBI. Andrew Kainer had two hits to lead UT Arlington, which got two RBI from second baseman Jay Pitschka.

Neither team could get on the board until the sixth when Lamar took a 1-0 lead on a Dunkin single with a pair of runners aboard. The Cardinals tacked on a run in the seventh. UT Arlington answered that run and took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run double by Pitschka.

Sam Houston State and Southeastern Louisiana are playing in the third game of the day and Texas State and Lamar will follow 45 minutes after the conclusion of that game.

All tournament games are being streamed on SLC NOW on the Southland web site at www.southland.org. Live stats for the games are also available at that address.

 

Southeastern Louisiana Eliminates UTSA with 5-4 Victory in Record 12 Innings

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas Ross Barbier scored the winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning to give Southeastern Louisiana a 5-4 victory over UTSA Friday to stay alive in the Southland Conference Tournament at Whataburger Field.

With one out and runners at first and second, designated hitter Brian McCants sent a ground ball to second. UTSA second baseman Gilbert Saenz tossed the ball to shortstop Marshal Davis to get the out at second, but Davis could not hold on to the ball, allowing Barbier to score the winning run. McCants reached on a fielders choice.

With the win, Southeastern, as the No. 2 seed, will face Sam Houston State in Fridays third game. The Lions need to beat the Bearkats twice to reach Saturdays championship game.

No. 3 seed UTSA (32-24) struck first with a solo home run by Jose Hernandez in the fourth. It was his 17th home run this season.

Southeastern (37-21) scored its four runs in the fourth inning with an RBI single to right by shortstop Justin Boudreaux. Cass Hargis delivered two more with a triple to left-center field. Ty Summerlin drove home the final run of the inning with a single to left.

Saenz scored the Roadrunners second run in the top of the fifth on a single through the left side by Daivs. The Roadrunners tacked on two more in the seventh to tie the game thanks to back-to-back triples by Davis and Hernandez.

Hargis finished the game 4-for-6 with two RBI to lead Southeastern. Boudreaux also had two hits. In addition to his home run and triple, Hernandez also had a single in a 3-for-5 day. He drove in two runs. Three other Roadrunners had two hits.

Chris Franklin picked up his fifth win of the season (5-2), while Matt Crocker took the loss to fall to 6-3.

Start times for Friday's games are running roughly two hours behind schedule after the 4 hour, 15 minute marathon between UTSA and Southeastern.

UT Arlington and Lamar are playing in an elimination game in the other bracket. The winner advances to meet top-seeded Texas State in the final game of the day.

All tournament games are being streamed on SLC NOW on the Southland web site at www.southland.org. Live stats for the games are also available at that address.