By Cody Stark
For most of the season the Sam Houston State softball team was in a dogfight trying to secure a spot in the Southland Conference tournament.
The Bearkats had highs and lows and went from the brink of missing out on the field of six to nailing down a berth with an impressive three-game series sweep of Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La., two weeks ago.
Sam Houston State (26-24) is battled tested and has six starters that were part of the Bearkats’ run to the SLC tournament championship in 2007.
Pitchers Brandi Crnkovic and Morgan Mikulin, catcher Casie Everitt, first baseman Amy Brown, third baseman Sarah Parich and left fielder Kendra Spivey will need to provide veteran leadership if the Kats want to get back to the NCAA Tournament.
Sixth-seeded Sam Houston opens the SLC tournament today against third-seeded Texas-San Antonio at 1:30 p.m. in Lake Charles, La. The Bearkats will need a better showing, particularly at the plate, if they want to bounce back from a pair of losses to top-seeded Texas State in the final series of the regular season this past Saturday.
Sam Houston was held to one hit in a 4-0 loss to the Bobcats in the opener. The Bearkats fared a little better in the nightcap with six hits, but still got run-ruled 12-3.
“We need a win, it’s urgent,” SHSU head coach Bob Brock said after the losses to Texas State. “Texas State is the regular season champion, but that doesn’t matter. You are going to face good teams in the tournament, and we might see them again. We only got one hit in the first game. We did a little better in the second, but our pitching, which is normally there, wasn’t.
“We need to figure some things out.”
The Bearkats have the potential to make a deep run at the SLC tournament. It’s just a matter of what Sam Houston State squad is going to show up.
With Crnkovic (12-12) and Mikulin (11-9) in the circle, they always have a fighting chance to win. Both pitchers have earned run averages under 3.00, there just hasn’t been any run support.
The Bearkats have left 340 runners on base this season, while opponents have left only 249. Sam Houston State is 5-17 on the season when scoring under three runs a game.
All-SLC shortstop Hailey Wiginton (.348) and Everitt (.313) are the only players batting over .300.
“I like our chances against anybody with our pitchers, especially in a double-elimination format,” Brock said. “I think we are a team to look out for. This season we have struggled at the plate. If we can get some of those hits to fall and give Brandi and Morgan some runs, I like our chances.”
The league coaches decided to go back to a double-elimination format for this year’s tournament after expanding the field to eight last season and going with single elimination.
That bodes well for Sam Houston. When the Bearkats won it in 2007, they got 23 consecutive scoreless innings from Crnkovic and bounced back from a run-rule loss to Texas State with a 1-0 victory over the Bobcats in the championship game.
Southland Conference tournament capsules
No. 1 Texas State
Record: 23-6 in SLC, 36-16 overall
Head coach: Ricci Woodard
Most impressive wins: The Bobcats beat Texas (9-6), Oklahoma State (5-1), Texas A&M; (3-2), Baylor (2-0) and Texas Tech (5-1).
Players to watch: SLC Player of the Year Alex Newton is batting .343 with 59 hits, 31 runs, five home runs and 23 RBIs. ... SLC Pitcher and Freshman of the Year Chandler Hall is 21-9 with a 1.37 ERA. ... All-SLC third baseman Jenna Emery is batting .331 with five home runs and 30 RBIs.
No. 2 McNeese State
Record: 20-10, 29-26
Head coach: Natalie Poole
Most impressive wins: The Cowgirls beat LSU (4-3) and took two of three from Texas State in the regular-season series.
Players to watch: All-SLC pitcher Bethany Stefinsky is 19-14 with a 2.75 ERA. ... All-SLC shortstop Molly Guidry is batting .286 with seven doubles, three home runs and 30 RBIs. ... All-SLC outfielder Lindsey Langner is batting .274.
No. 3 Texas-San Antonio
Record: 18-11, 27-26
Head coach: Lori Cook
Most impressive wins: The Roadrunners beat Tulsa (4-3) and North Texas (8-0).
Players to watch: All-SLC outfielder Leanne Risberg is batting .289 with five doubles, five home runs and 21 RBIs. ... All-SLC first baseman Krista Sitka has a fielding percentage of .984. ... All-SLC outfielder Amber Anderson leads the team with a .303 batting average and has five home runs and 30 RBIs. ... All-SLC outfielder Rudi Cantu is batting .302 with 18 stolen bases in 19 attempts.
No. 4 Stephen F. Austin
Record: 17-12, 28-25
Head coach: Gay McNutt
Most impressive wins: The Ladyjacks beat Ole Miss (3-2), North Texas (9-5) and Texas A&M; (8-4).
Players to watch: SLC Hitter of the Year Kayla Gutowski leads the league with a .351 batting average, .576 slugging percentage and 41 RBIs. ... All-SLC third baseman Briana Bishop is battling .300 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs. ... All-SLC outfielder Kendal Harper leads the SLC with 34 runs scored, is batting .330 and has stolen 17 bases. ... All-SLC pitcher Monika Covington is 18-13 with a 1.80 ERA.
No. 5 Texas-Arlington
Record: 17-13, 23-22
Head coach: Debbie Hedrick
Most impressive wins: The Mavericks beat Tennessee-Martin (5-3) and won two of three from McNeese State in the regular season.
Players to watch: SLC Utility Player of the Year Heather Fortenberry is batting .317 with six home runs and is 7-7 with an ERA of 4.55. ... All-SLC catcher Samantha Chumchal is batting .333 with eight home runs and 17 RBIs. ... All-SLC first baseman Rebecca Collom is batting .271 with 10 doubles and 19 RBIs.
No. 6 Sam Houston State
Record: 15-14, 26-24
Head coach: Bob Brock
Most impressive wins: The Bearkats beat LSU (1-0).
Players to watch: All-SLC shortstop Hailey Wiginton is batting .348 with eight doubles, three triples, five home runs, 33 runs scored and 20 RBIs. ... All-SLC designated player Morgan Mikulin is batting .273 with three home runs and 13 RBIs. She is also 11-9 with a 2.94 ERA. ... All-SLC second baseman Whitney Wilson is batting .284 with 11 doubles and 19 RBIs. ... Catcher Casie Everitt is second on the team with a .313 batting average. ... Left fielder Kendra Spivey is batting .297 and has a fielding percentage of 1.000.
