Box Score

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Houston Baptist rallied from a three-run deficit late to take the lead over Sam Houston State, but couldn't hold on as the Bearkats slipped past the Huskies, 9-8, in 10 innings Tuesday night at Don Sanders Stadium.
 
Freshman third baseman Curtis Jones went 3-for-5 and scored three runs for HBU (4-7), while senior shortstop Collin Hetzler went 3-for-5 with and RBI. Junior second baseman Josh Foust went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, junior centerfielder Jake Gonzalez went 2-for-5 with and RBI and a run, and senior catcher Asai Adame drove in three runs for the Huskies.
 
Anthony Azar went 4-for-6 with three RBIs, and Ryan O'Hearn went 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI for Sam Houston State (7-5). Colt Atwood went 3-for-6 with two runs and an RBI, Ryan Farney went 2-for-3 with a run, and Jake Arrington went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI for the Bearkats. Kyle Singleton also homered for Sam Houston State.
 
HBU starter Ryan Lower was strong as he helped stake the Huskies to a 4-1 lead through five innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth, and wound up allowing six runs, five earned, on 11 hits and struck out five in 5.1 innings. Sam Houston State starter Michael Burchett allowed four runs, two earned, on six hits and struck out four in 5.2 innings. Taylor Holt (1-0) picked up the win for the Bearkats, pitching the final two-thirds of an inning, while freshman Tyler Hoelscher (0-1) took the loss for the Huskies, allowing two runs, one earned in 1.1 innings.
 
The Huskies struck first as Foust led off the third with a double, Gonzalez followed with a single Adame laid down an RBI bunt single. After Pfuntner walked, Hetzler smacked an RBI single to centerfield to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead. The Bearkats answered in the bottom of the inning as O'Hearn singled with two outs and scored on Azar's triple to right.
 
HBU added two more in the sixth, as Jones reached on an error, Tully was hit by a pitch. After a double steal, Foust walked to load the bases, and Adame ripped a two-run single to left center to put the Huskies up, 4-1.
 
Sam Houston State's bats woke up in the bottom of the sixth, as Arrington and Singleton led off with back-to-back home runs. Plumlee reached on an error, went to third on balk and Toups walked, then Plumlee scored a wild pitch to tie the game, 4-4. Atwood delivered an RBI single to give the Bearkats their first lead of the game, then he scored on O'Hearn's double down the rightfield line. Sam Houston State tacked on another on an RBI single by Azar to take a 7-4 lead.
 
HBU answered in the top of the seventh, when Arnst, Brown and Jones had consecutive singles to load the bases. Tully walked to plate a run, then Foust reached on a fielder's choice to score Brown. Gonzalez tied the game, 7-7, with an RBI single.
 
The Huskies reclaimed the lead in the ninth, as Jones and Tully had back-to-back, one-out singles, and Foust singled to put them ahead, 8-7. HBU couldn't hold on as Farney reached on an infield single to lead off the ninth. Olson reached on a bunt single, then Plumlee reached on an infield single and the tying run scored on a throwing error by Hetzler.
 
In the 10^th, the Huskies loaded the bases with one out, but were unable to score. Atwood doubled with one out in the bottom of the inning, then scored the winning run on a single by Azar.
 
The Huskies return to action when they face 2011 NCAA Super Regional participant Dallas Baptist in a three-game series Thursday through Saturday in Dallas.