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HOUSTON – Sam Houston State jumped out to a five-run lead, courtesy in large part to three unearned runs in the second inning to down HBU, 7-2, in the second game of the Southland Conference series Saturday afternoon at Husky Field.
 
Senior first baseman Bradley Brown went 2-for-4 with a home run for the Huskies (22-25, 11-15 SLC), while junior rightfielder Thomas Clay also homered to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. Junior designated hitter Samm Wiggins went 2-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch. Senior shortstop CJ Jarvis saw his 16-game hitting streak come to end.
 
Anthony Azar was 3-for-4 and scored twice for the Bearkats (36-14, 18-8), while Corey Toups went 2-for-4 with his second home run of the series, a double, and drove in a pair. Hayden Simerly and Ryan O'Hearn also drove in two.
 
Senior Ryan Lower (6-3) took the loss for HBU, allowing five runs, only two earned, on eight hits, struck out five and walked two in six innings.
 
Jason Simms (5-2) earned the win for SHSU, giving up one run on four hits, striking out two and walking two in six innings. Alan Scott picked up his fourth save of the season, setting the last seven Huskies down in order.
 
Shea Pierce led off the second inning with a single, moved up on a sacrifice bunt, and Luke Plucheck struck out but reached on a passed ball. Pierce scored on a wild pitch, and Simerly later delivered a two-run single to put SHSU ahead, 3-0.
 
The Bearkats added two more in the fifth on Toups' two-run shot, his sixth of the year, to go up, 5-0.
 
Brown blasted his fourth home run of the season in the sixth, then Clay hit his first homer as a Husky in the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-2.
 
O'Hearn got the two runs back for the Bearkats in the ninth with a two-run double.
 
The series concludes Sunday with a 2 p.m. first pitch.