Bearkats host key CUSA series at Don Sanders Stadium with postseason implications
Weekend Preview: vs Middle Tennessee
Games 42-44 | Don Sanders Stadium (Huntsville)
Sam Houston (18-23, 7-11 CUSA) vs Middle Tennessee (21-20, 8-10 CUSA)
Projected Starters
GAME 1
April 24 – 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
SHSU: RHP Ryan Peterson (4-4, 2.77 ERA, 61.2 IP, 79 K, 17 BB)
MTSU: RHP David Horn Jr. (2-4, 5.24 ERA, 44.2 IP, 52 K, 26 BB)
GAME 2
April 25 – 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
SHSU: RHP Tyler Ryden (2-4, 5.70 ERA, 36.1 IP, 29 K, 21 BB)
MTSU: LHP Chandler Alderman (2-2, 4.14 ERA, 45.2 IP, 27 K, 17 BB)
GAME 3
April 26 – 12:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
SHSU: TBA
MTSU: TBA
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston baseball team will be looking to keep its momentum moving forward this weekend when it hosts Middle Tennessee for three games beginning Friday night at Don Sanders Stadium.
The Bearkats go into the weekend riding a 4-game win streak after sweeping NM State last weekend and downing Baylor on Tuesday, surging themselves squarely back into the mix for a berth in next month’s CUSA Tournament.
Each game this weekend is scheduled to be aired on ESPN+ with Jason Barfield and Kyle Rogers providing the call for all three games.
All Bearkat Baseball games can be followed via live stats on Statbroadcast. Fans are encouraged to follow @BearkatsBSB on Instagram and X for in-game content, scores and updates.
SERIES vs the BLUE RAIDERS
- Sam Houston holds a 4-3 lead in the all-time series vs MTSU
- This will be the third series between the teams with each holding sweeps on their home field in the past 2 seasons
- The Kats hold the advantage in the series based on a 2-0 win over the Blue Raiders in an elimination game in the 2024 CUSA Tournament in Ruston, La.
NOTES
- The Bearkats have won four games in a row after putting an end to an 11-game losing streak with its sweep last weekend at NM State. It was the Kats’ first CUSA sweep since taking three games in Miami from FIU in May of 2024
- Sam Houston has won four games in a row three times this season but has yet to push a win streak to five in a row. In fact, the Kats have not won more than four games in a row since a 6-game win streak in May of 2024 which included sweeps of Tarleton and FIU
- Sam Houston enters the weekend in a 4-way tie for seventh place in the CUSA standings, just one game back of this weekend’s opponent, Middle Tennessee. The top 9 teams in the CUSA standings advance to this year’s league tournament, which will be held at Kennesaw State
- The Kats had just 16 home runs thru the first 33 games of the year, but have been on a power surge of late with a dozen long balls and 27 total extra-base hits over the past nine games
- Strikeouts were a problem for the Bearkat offense early in the year with the team punching out 10+ times in 13 of the first 18 games of the year; however, the offense has done a good job of cutting down on strikeouts, only reaching double digits in Ks six times in the last 23 games entering this weekend vs MTSU
- The list of #ProKats grew this week when Tyler Davis was called up to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. His elevation to the South Side’s big-league club makes him the fifth Bearkat to be on an active MLB roster in 2026. The others include Colton Cowser (Baltimore Orioles), Bryce Johnson (San Diego Padres), Kyle Backhus (Philadelphia Phillies) and Ryan O’Hearn (Pittsburgh Pirates)
- The five active players on MLB rosters it the most of any CUSA school. The Kats are followed by Missouri State and NM State with four active players in the bigs
- Ryan Peterson added to his resume this week when he was named a semifinalist for the National Pitcher of the Year Award, given out by the College Baseball Foundation. Earlier this season he was named to the Baseball America Midseason Watch List and to Perfect Game’s Midseason All-America third team. He is among just 15 arms selected from around the nation for BA’s team and is joined by Liberty’s Ben Blair as 2 of the 3 pitchers selected from non-Power 4 leagues
- The Kats continue to run wild and lead CUSA with 92 stolen bases. With eight more swipes the Kats will reach 100 for the year and only the third time since 1988. The school record is 150, set by the 1986 Bearkats