MESA, Ariz. – In a display of unrivaled prowess, the Bearkats showcased their dominance in the Western Athletic Conference on Saturday.
In a stunning performance, Sam Houston emerged as the conference’s most dynamic team, triumphing over Utah Valley with resounding 12-10 and 21-1 victories. These triumphs secured their 2023 WAC Tournament championship at Hohokam Stadium. Needing two victories over the previously undefeated Wolverines, the Kats (38-23) effectively booked their place in the NCAA regionals for the first time since 2017.
The location of Sam Houston’s regional participation will be disclosed on the NCAA Selection Show scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.
Entering Saturday’s showdown with unparalleled momentum, the second-seeded Kats had made their presence felt by overpowering fourth-seeded Abilene Christian 17-10 and top-seeded Grand Canyon 22-8. These victories came despite trailing Sam Houston by half a game in the regular season title.
After a formidable comeback from a seven-run deficit in the first game of Saturday, defeating the Wolverines and setting up a decisive championship match, the title game was unequivocally ruled by the Bearkats.
The first inning saw a dramatic turn of events as Sam Houston scored three runs with two outs. Tyler Davis and Clayton Chadwick made significant contributions, drawing back-to-back walks. Walker Janek, the tournament’s MVP, was instrumental in scoring the first run with an RBI single, followed by Easton Loyd, who contributed with a two-run single into left field.
The third inning marked a significant escalation, as the Kats scored 11 runs, establishing a robust 14-0 lead, once again with two outs.
Justin Wishkoski, with a fielder’s choice, scored the first run. Subsequently, Davis hit a two-run triple, his second of the game, to right center field before capitalizing on a wild pitch to score. Contributions also came from Myles Jefferson, Carlos Contreras, and Jake Tatom, who drove in runs, while UVU made five errors in the inning.
On the other hand, starting pitcher Coltin Atkinson put on a remarkable performance. Despite conceding seven runs in a 10-6 loss to the Wolverines earlier, he gave up just one run on four hits with six strikeouts in six innings in the championship game, thus earning the victory.
Several other plays bolstered the Kats’ position, including Contreras’ three-run double in the third, Chadwick’s run-driving groundout in the fourth, and a wild pitch and sacrifice fly from Jefferson in the sixth that also led to a run due to a fielding error.
The Bearkats’ performance in the first game on Saturday, however, started on a less positive note. Utah Valley quickly took the initiative, scoring seven runs in the first inning. Despite this setback, Sam Houston demonstrated their resilience and quickly bounced back.
The Bearkats made significant inroads with Joe Redfield hitting a solo homer down the right field line and Davis singling with one out. Janek and Loyd made contributions with two-out walks, and Jefferson followed with a two-run single into left.
Contreras drove Jefferson home with an RBI double, and a fielding error made it 7-5. UVU managed to score another run in the second inning, but Chadwick’s RBI double fueled a response from the Kats.
Sam Houston eventually regained control with a four-run third, thanks to a strong relief performance by Braden Davis. Loyd, Contreras, Tatom, Redfield, and Justin Wishkoski all made significant contributions, helping push the lead to 10-7. Wishkoski hammered home the victory with a two-run blast to left in the fifth.
Chandler David replaced Braden Davis in the sixth inning and contained UVU to a single run, earning the save. David, Tatom, Tyler Davis, Redfield, and Wishkoski were all honored on the all-tournament team.
