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May 25, 2009

After successful run in conference tourney, Bearkats confident about chances in regional

By Gene Schallenberg The Huntsville Item Mon May 25, 2009, 11:25 PM CDT

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.”

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