Sitting in front of the TV on Selection Monday waiting to see their name called and where they’ll play in the NCAA regionals is starting to become commonplace for the Bearkats.
Instead of being antsy, the Kats were patient until they found out that they were headed back to Reckling Park in Houston for the second straight year.
“It’s always an exciting time of the year. To get to the tournament is a big accomplishment,” senior Heath Pugh said.
Joining the Bearkats in the regional will be Xavier, Kansas State and Rice, which is hosting the regional.
Xavier (38-19) and Kansas State (41-16-1) will both be making their NCAA tournament debuts, while Rice (39-15) is making its 15th consecutive appearance and looks to advance to the College World Series for the fourth year in a row.
“They’re all quality teams,” senior outfielder Nick Zaleski said. “They wouldn’t have made it in the tournament otherwise. Kansas State, from what we understand, did a great job in the tough Big 12. (Kansas State pitcher) A.J. Morris has been absolutely lights out all year. We don’t know much about Xavier. They’re a little far off, but they obviously did a great job to get here. Rice is one of the top teams in the country every year. We certainly have our hands full, but it’s something we can take care of.”
The Bearkats advanced to regionals after sweeping through the Southland Conference tournament, defeating Texas State, which is the No. 2 seed in the Austin Regional, in the championship game 7-1 last Saturday.
“We were playing at a high level in the tournament,” Pugh said. “We got some key hits and really threw well on the mound. Everything went our way and hopefully we can keep the train going.”
Just like last season, the all-important first challenge for the Bearkats will be Rice, and the two will play Friday’s nightcap at 6 p.m. Xavier and Kansas State play in the first game at 2 p.m. Last season, SHSU nearly upset Rice, which was a No. 6 national seed.
“The thing about the regional is that the intensity will be even higher because the level of competition will be better,” said sophomore second baseman Braeden Riley, who currently leads the nation in hits. “I like our chances against Rice. I don’t know much about Xavier, but I like our chances against everybody in that regional. I think we can handle ourselves.”
The Bearkats and Owls certainly aren’t strangers to one another. Besides meeting in the regionals last season, SHSU and Rice met twice this season and split the contests. The Bearkats won the first meeting 8-6 in Huntsville in March and the Owls took the second 9-3 in Houston a few weeks later.
“I don’t think Rice is going to overlook the Bearkats,” SHSU head coach Mark Johnson said. “We played them twice this year and split with them. I do think there is comfort in familiarity and that’s a plus.
“I don’t think we’re going to be intimidated. We’re going to take our stuff out there. We’re playing pretty good and we’re looking to take it into Houston.”
The Bearkats expect to see either Ryan Berry (7-0, 1.89 ERA) or Taylor Wall (6-5, 3.81 ERA), who has been Rice’s Friday night starter for the past few weeks and pitched the Owls to a Conference USA tournament championship Sunday.
“The thing about Rice is that we just seem to match up with them,” Riley said. “With them, they’re a great team, but I honestly think we match up well with them. It’s kind of a funny thing.
“In baseball, you don’t know why teams match up well with other teams. It just happens. We’re obviously familiar with most of their pitching staff. They’ve got some young guys that we kind of met this year.
“We know them and they know us. We know how to play them as they know us. It can work as an advantage or as a disdvantage. It’s nice to play someone you know.”
Sports
Related Photos
-
D.J. Shafer
-
D.J. Shafer
Discussion
Back to the Bayou City
After successful run in conference tourney, Bearkats confident about chances in regional
- Sports
-
-
Raring to go
They’re as ready as they’re going to be. With two weeks to prepare from their district meet, the Huntsville swimmers will take the next step toward qualifying for state today. Over the next two days, a group of Hornets and Lady Hornets will take part in the Class 4A Region V swimming meet at the Magnolia I.S.D. Natatorium with the preliminaries taking place today and the finals on Saturday.
-
Next week’s playoff matchups all set
After spending countless hours in the gym, the hard work has paid off for both the girls basketball teams from Huntsville and New Waverly. Now the fun begins as the Class 4A and 2A girls basketball playoffs get going next week.
- Scott: Kats still looking for go-to guy
- College Scene: Former Hornets doing well at respective colleges
-
OUTGUNNED: First-place Mavericks shoot down Sam Houston, run winning streak to 14
Texas-Arlington had an answer for every Sam Houston run Wednesday night on the way to a 75-63 victory over the Bearkats. It was the Mavericks’ 14th consecutive win and improved their Southland Conference record to 10-0.
The last team to start league action with such perfection was Sam Houston in 2010, a team which won the conference’s regular season as well as the postseason tournament championship. -
Championship salute
The Southland Conference champs from Sam Houston State received special recognition on Wednesday night for the most successful football season in school history.
Huntsville Mayor Mac Woodward, SHSU President Dana Gibson and Walker County Judge Danny Pierce were among those who honored the Bearkats during halftime of the Bearkats’ basketball game against Texas-Arlington.
Woodward declared Feb. 8 Bearkat Pride Day. -
Bearkat women win again, 61-45
Britni Martin scored 18 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead Sam Houston State to a 61-45 Southland Conference women’s basketball victory over UT-Arlington on Wednesday at the new UTA College Park Center in Arlington.
All four of Martin’s field goals were 3-pointers and the junior forward from Conroe went 6-of-6 from the foul line to post her 17th double-figure scoring performance of the season. -
Alive and kicking
For the third consecutive game, the Hornets played like a team that does not want basketball season to end anytime soon.
Desperate to notch another victory over Willis, the Huntsville boys jumped on the Wildkats early. The Hornets used their muscle and started pulling away in the second half, then when Willis made a late rally, Huntsville’s hungry bunch had enough energy left to hold off the Wildkats in a wild 76-63 victory at the Paul Bohan Hornet Gym. -
Lady Hornets roll through district undefeated again
The Lady Hornets did it again. For the second consecutive season, the Huntsville girls basketball team rolled through District 18-4A play without a loss.
On Tuesday night in Willis, the Lady Hornets closed out another perfect 14-0 district campaign with an 86-33 win over the LadyKats. -
New Waverly seniors close out regular season in style
In their final game of the regular season, the Lady Bulldogs just enjoyed themselves in a 60-46 win over Anderson-Shiro.
This was a team New Waverly beat on the road earlier in the season and a win in “Bulldog Country” would be the appropriate way to send out seniors Myeisha Williams, Morgan Eastland, Whitney McCullough and Alex Abbott. - More Sports Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
