| Senior All-American Michael Rockett went 3-for-5 with four RBIs and extended his hitting streak to a career-best 20 games on Thursday. |
CORPUS CHRISTI ? Mark Wyatt launched a walk-off two-run home run with one out in the 11th inning and No. 7 seed Sam Houston State won its 10th consecutive Southland Conference Tournament game with a thrilling 8-6 victory against third seed UTSA in Thursday's winners bracket at Whataburger Field.
With the score tied at six entering the bottom of the 11th, Nick Zaleski chopped a single through the left side of the infield, the fourth consecutive frame that a Bearkat reached base to start an inning, and Wyatt deposited a 3-2 fastball from Roadrunners southpaw Matt Crocker (6-2) over the fence in left two batters later to extend the Sam Houston's record run in the league's annual postseason event.
Matt Shelton (6-0) maintained his perfect season record by retiring 11 of the 12 hitters he faced. Junior Lance Brown, who was hit by a pitch to start the 11th, was the only UTSA batter to reach base off the right-hander. Shelton struck out four in the 36-pitch relief performance.
The Bearkats (34-22) got on the board in the first when Zaleski lined a single to center that plated Ryan Mooney. Sam Houston State added another tally the following frame on Adam De La Garza's two-out RBI triple down the right-field line, which brought home Daniel Nottebart, who hit a ground-rule double to right center two batters earlier.
UTSA (32-23) cut the lead in half with an unearned run in the third on senior Marshal Davis' sacrifice fly to right. That allowed junior Gilbert Saenz, who walked following senior Aaron Powell's leadoff double, to cross the plate.
The Roadrunners took their first lead of the evening when senior All-American Michael Rockett launched a two-run homer with two down in the sixth. Rockett's 15th long ball of the year also brought home freshman Jason Mohn, who led off the frame with a four-pitch walk.
The advantage didn't last long, however, as Tyler Knight's two-run home run, which curved just inside the left-field foul pole, in the bottom of the inning put the Bearkats back in front, 4-3.
UTSA reclaimed the lead with a three-spot two frames later.
Davis singled with one out and moved up to second when senior Jose Hernandez walked. Rockett then stroked a two-run double down the left-field line and Brown followed with a two-bagger to left center to put the Birds up by two.
Once again, Sam Houston State rallied in the bottom of the stanza, this time to the tune of two runs, only one of which was earned.
Knight reached on a throwing error by Davis to start the inning and Nottebart followed with a single through the right side for his third hit of the evening. After Heath Pugh was unable to get a bunt down with two strikes, De La Garza came up big again, this time with a two-run double down the right-field line.
Rockett extended his hitting streak to a career-high 20 games with his 3-for-5 performance and he finished the night with four RBIs.
Zaleski went 4-for-6 to lead the Bearkats at the plate.
The Birds will be back in action bright and early Friday morning when they take on No. 2 Southeastern Louisiana (36-21) in an elimination game at 9 a.m. The Lions stayed alive with a 9-7 victory against Northwestern State in Thursday's first contest. UTSA will start either senior left-hander Kris Ruepke (2-5, 8.87 ERA) or freshman southpaw Casey Selsor (4-2, 7.49).