Yet Another SLC Title in San Marcos? Not This Time.

After putting up three straight dominating victories against SFA, Lamar and Lamar once again, the No. 1 seeded Texas State Bobcats were stopped in their tracks by Sam Houston State in the Southland Conference Championship game as the Bearkats took home their third straight tournament championship with a 7-1 victory.

It seemed after out-scoring opponents by 27 runs in the first three games the tank was empty for the Bobcats as they had a hard time getting anything started especially against Bearkat relief pitcher Matt Shelton. Paul Goldschimdt was intentionally walked after Tyler Sibley went to second to start out the ball game but no rally could get rolling. Keith Prestridge grounded into a double play. It was an early sign of what was to come. Over the entire tournament the balls seemed to be bouncing in favor of Texas State but on Saturday night great Sam Houston defense and untimely double plays ended many of the Bobcats' attempts at rallies.

Garret Carruth took the mound for his first start against a Southland Conference opponent and looked on fire striking out the first two batters with great control and getting out of the inning only facing three batters. All the momentum was in Texas State's favor in the top of the second inning as Lance Loftin hit his second home run of the tournament over the left center field wall. It was a solo shot that put the Bobcats up 1-0. Carruth stepped back in and did his job working the Bearkat batters allowing his first hit and leaving that one runner stranded on base in the bottom of the second.

Sam Houston’s starting pitcher Jacob Howard made it through another half inning and didn’t give up a hit setting up the Bearkats only one run down going into the bottom of the third. Carruth’s good control started to leave him as he allowed two runs on three hits before getting out of the third inning. The Bearkats took the lead 2-1 but that would be all the runs necessary for Shelton as he came in for Howard in the top of the fourth.

The bottom of the fourth would score three runs for Sam Houston before Michael Russo came in for Texas State to relief Carruth. Russo would do his job going three innings only giving up one run but it wouldn’t be enough. From the time when Shelton game in it would be four hitless innings for Texas State. Loftin would later say that Shelton’s slider was "really good...I couldn’t really tell the difference between his fastball and his slider," which coming from an outstanding pitcher like Loftin is quite a compliment. His overall pitching arsenal was also good enough in the tournament to give him the SLC Tournament MVP honor. Shelton would strike out eight batters over the next 5 2/3^rd innings and sufficiently shut down the Bobcat bats.

Three Bobcats made the All-Tournament team: Paul Goldschmidt, Jason Martinson, and Bret Atwood. Texas State did receive an at-large bid as a 2-seed to the NCAA baseball tournament despite the loss. They will take on Boston College in the Austin Regional of Friday at 1:00 p.m. You can catch the game on 89.9 KTSW, ktsw.net and txstatebobcats.com.

- Dalton Sweat, KTSW Sports Staff Writer