Photo GalleryHOUSTON – HBU junior first baseman
Andrew Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run, a walk, four RBIs and three runs as the Huskies routed Sam Houston State, 14-5, in the Southland Conference series opener Friday afternoon at Husky Field.
Senior centerfielder
Zach Nehrir went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs and a stolen base, while junior shortstop
Louie Payetta was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for the Huskies (23-24, 13-12 SLC). Senior third baseman
Curtis Jones was 2-for-4, drove in two and scored a run, junior second baseman
Greg Espinosa was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run and senior rightfielder
Thomas Clay was 2-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a pair of runs. Junior leftfielder
Brandon Morones added a solo home run.
Senior righthander
Taylor Wright (7-6) earned the win for HBU, allowing five runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk in five and two-thirds innings. Junior
Matt Harding and senior
Josh Martinez combined to hold the Bearkats scoreless over the final three and one-third innings, with Martinez striking out the side in the ninth.
Colt Atwood was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run and Trevor Winne was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for SHSU (26-24, 15-10). Bryce Johnson and Hayden Simerly each scored a pair of runs for the Bearkats.
The Huskies jumped on the Bearkats early, scoring five runs in the first inning. Nehrir led off the game with a single on the first pitch of the game, then Payetta singled on a hit-and-run to put runners on the corners. Jones singled in the games' first run, then senior catcher
Samm Wiggins was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Espinosa lifted a sacrifice fly to center for the second out and put HBU ahead, 2-0, then Alvarez delivered a two-run triple down the rightfield line and scored on an error.
SHSU scored a single run in the second when Simerly led off with a single and later scored on a single by Winne, then added another in the third when Johnson was hit by a pitch with two outs and scored on a double by Atwood.
HBU answered with five more runs in the bottom of the third. Espinosa singled, Alvarez reached on an error, then both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Morones struck out for the second out, but Clay walked to load the bases. Nehrir came through with a two-run single to center, Clay scored when Payetta reached on an error, then Jones's single to center put the Huskies ahead, 10-2.
The Bearkats rallied for three in the sixth, loading the bases with one out and scoring on a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly by Jake MacWilliam and a double by Winne.
The Huskies got the run back in the seventh when Clay led off with a single, stole second and scored on a single by Payetta. They piled on with three more in the eighth when Alvarez and Morones smashed back-to-back home runs. Alvarez's was a two-run shot for his second of the year, while Morones blasted his first career home run at HBU.
The series concludes with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at noon. Between games, HBU will honor the 13 senior members of the team as they play their final home game at Husky Field.
