# 2021 Sam Houston State Bearkats baseball team

The 2021 Sam Houston State Bearkats baseball team represented Sam Houston State University during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Bearkats played their home games at Don Sanders Stadium and were led by second–year head coach Jay Sirianni. They were members of the Southland Conference. This was Sam Houston State's final year in the Southland as they will be moving to the Western Athletic Conference for the 2022 season.

## Preseason
### Southland Conference Coaches Poll

The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 11, 2021 and the Bearkats were picked to finish first in the conference with 276 votes and 17 first place votes.
Coaches poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Sam Houston State | 276 (17) |
| 2 | Central Arkansas | 247 (5) |
| 3 | McNeese State | 244 (1) |
| 4 | Southeastern Louisiana | 243 (3) |
| 5 | Northwestern State | 193 |
| 6 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | 146 |
| 7 | Incarnate Word | 144 |
| 8 | Nicholls | 108 |
| 9 | New Orleans | 101 |
| 10 | Abilene Christian | 98 |
| 11 | Stephen F. Austin | 92 |
| 12 | Lamar | 87 |
| 13 | Houston Baptist | 49 |

### Preseason All-Southland Team & Honors
#### First Team

* Ryan Flores (UIW, 1st Base)
* Nate Fisbeck (MCNS, 2nd Base)
* Beau Orlando (UCA, 3rd Base)
* JC Correa (LAMR, Shortstop)
* Gavin Johnson (SHSU, Catcher)
* Clayton Rasbeary (MCNS, Designated Hitter)
* Sean Arnold (UIW, Outfielder)
* Brandon Bena (HBU, Outfielder)
* Colton Cowser (SHSU, Outfielder)
* Noah Cameron (UCA, Pitcher)
* Will Dion (MCNS, Pitcher)
* Kyle Gruller (HBU, Pitcher)
* Conner Williams (UCA, Pitcher)
* Itchy Burts (TAMUCC, Utility)

#### Second Team

* Preston Faulkner (SELA, 1st Base)
* Logan Berlof (LAMR, 2nd Base)
* Anthony Quirion (LAMR, 3rd Base)
* Reid Bourque (MCNS, Shortstop)
* Chris Sandberg (NICH, Catcher)
* Lee Thomas (UIW, Designated Hitter)
* Josh Ragan (UCA, Outfielder)
* Jack Rogers (SHSU, Outfielder)
* Tyler Smith (NSU, Outfielder)
* John Gaddis (TAMUCC, Pitcher)
* Gavin Stone (UCA, Pitcher)
* Luke Taggart (UIW, Pitcher)
* Jeremy Rodriguez (SFA, Pitcher)
* Jake Dickerson (MCNS, Utility)

## Schedule and results

Legend :
| | Sam Houston State win |
| | Sam Houston State loss |
| | Postponement/Cancelation/Suspensions |
| Bold | Sam Houston State team member |
2021 Sam Houston State Bearkats baseball game log :
Regular season (26-23) :
February (1-3) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SLC Record |
| Feb. 19 | No. 20 Oklahoma State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled |
| Feb. 20 | No. 20 Oklahoma State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled |
| Feb. 21 | No. 20 Oklahoma State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled |
| Feb. 24 | vs. Texas State | Globe Life Field • Arlington, TX | L 4-5 | Gould (1-0) | Beard (0-1) | Sundgren (1) | FloBaseball | 225 | 0-1 | |
| Feb. 26 | UTSA | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 4-2 | Davis (1-0) | Malone (0-1) | Havlicek (1) | ESPN+ | 387 | 1-1 | |
| Feb. 27 | UTSA | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 4-10 | Daughety (1-0) | Dillard (0-1) | None | | 387 | 1-2 | |
| Feb. 28 | UTSA | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 5-18 | Mason (1-0) | Atkinson (0-1) | None | | 387 | 1-3 | |
March (7-10) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SLC Record |
| Mar. 2 | at Baylor | Baylor Ballpark • Waco, TX | L 0-4 | Hambleton (2-0) | Rudis (0-1) | None | ESPN+ | 1,036 | 1-4 | |
| Shriners Hospital for Children College Classic ||||||||||||
| Mar. 5 | vs. Rice | Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX | W 12-4 | Davis (2-0) | Brogdon (0-2) | None | AT&T SportsNet | | 2-4 | |
| Mar. 6 | vs. No. 10 Texas Tech | Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX | L 0-8 | Monteverde (2-0) | Dillard (0-2) | None | AT&T SportsNet | | 2-5 | |
| Mar. 7 | vs. No. 13 TCU | Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX | W 6-5 | Havelicek (1-0) | Wright (0-1) | None | AT&T SportsNet | | 3-5 | |
| Mar. 9 | at No. 19 Texas | UFCU Disch–Falk Field • Austin, TX | L 9-15 | Hansen (1-0) | Wesneski (0-1) | None | LHN | 1,490 | 3-6 | |
| Mar. 12 | at Southeastern Louisiana | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | L 3-12 | Kinzeler (2-1) | Davis (2-1) | None | | 895 | 3-7 | 0-1 |
| Mar. 13 | at Southeastern Louisiana | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | L 2-3 (7 inns) | Warren (3-0) | Havlicek (1-1) | None | | 837 | 3-8 | 0-2 |
| Mar. 13 | at Southeastern Louisiana | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | L 6-7 | Hoskins (1-0) | Lusk (0-1) | None | | 849 | 3-9 | 0-3 |
| Mar. 14 | at Southeastern Louisiana | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | L 1-3 | Stuprich (2-0) | Driskell (0-1) | Hoskins (1) | ESPN+ | 895 | 3-10 | 0-4 |
| Mar. 19 | Northwestern State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 3-2 | Lusk (1-1) | Makarewich (1-1) | None | | 412 | 4-10 | 1-4 |
| Mar. 20 | Northwestern State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 1-3 | Carver (3-1) | Egli (0-1) | None | | 412 | 4-11 | 1-5 |
| Mar. 20 | Northwestern State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 2-3 | David (1-1) | Robinson (0-1) | Ohnoutka (1) | | 412 | 4-12 | 1-6 |
| Mar. 21 | Northwestern State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 6-3 | Atkinson (1-1) | Michel (0-2) | Lusk (1) | | 412 | 5-12 | 2-6 |
| Mar. 26 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 13-2 (7 inns) | Davis (3-1) | Perez (1-3) | None | | 412 | 6-12 | 3-6 |
| Mar. 27 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 6-12 (7 inns) | Ramirez (1-1) | Dillard (0-3) | None | | 462 | 6-13 | 3-7 |
| Mar. 27 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 9-4 | Robinson (1-1) | Gaddis (0-3) | Lusk (2) | | 462 | 7-13 | 4-7 |
| Mar. 28 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 7-6 (10 inns) | Atkinson (2-1) | Miller (0-2) | None | | 462 | 8-13 | 5-7 |
April (11-4) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss D | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SLC Record |
| Apr. 1 | at Central Arkansas | Bear Stadium • Conway, AR | W 3-2 | Davis (4-1) | Williams (0-1) | Lusk (3) | | 185 | 9-13 | 6-7 |
| Apr. 2 | at Central Arkansas | Bear Stadium • Conway, AR | W 2-0 (7 inns) | Robinson (2-1) | Moyer (1-3) | Lusk (4) | | 122 | 10-13 | 7-7 |
| Apr. 2 | at Central Arkansas | Bear Stadium • Conway, AR | W 3-1 | Dillard (1-3) | Busey (0-1) | Lusk (5) | | 155 | 11-13 | 8-7 |
| Apr. 3 | at Central Arkansas | Bear Stadium • Conway, AR | W 10-4 | Atkinson (3-1) | Gilbertson (1-1) | None | | 258 | 12-13 | 9-7 |
| Apr. 6 | Texas A&M | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 8-6 | Sembera (1-0) | Childress (2-4) | Lusk (6) | ESPN+ | 462 | 13-13 | |
| Apr. 9 | at New Orleans | Maestri Field at Privateer Park • New Orleans, LA | L 7-9 (7 inns) | Turpin (5-1) | Davis (4-2) | Khachadourian (2) | | 286 | 13-14 | 9-8 |
| Apr. 9 | at New Orleans | Maestri Field at Privateer Park • New Orleans, LA | W 13-4 | Robinson (3-1) | Mitchell (1-1) | None | | 286 | 14-14 | 10-8 |
| Apr. 10 | at New Orleans | Maestri Field at Privateer Park • New Orleans, LA | L 13-20 | Kulivan (1-1) | Sembera (1-1) | Seroski (3) | | 262 | 14-15 | 10-9 |
| Apr. 11 | at New Orleans | Maestri Field at Privateer Park • New Orleans, LA | W 7-1 | Backhus (1-0) | LeBlanc (0-2) | Atkinson (1) | | 283 | 15-15 | 11-9 |
| Apr. 13 | Baylor | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 1-4 | Winston (5-2) | Beard (0-2) | Boyd (8) | | 462 | 15-16 | |
| Apr. 17 | McNeese State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 6-2 | Davis (5-2) | Hudgens (0-1) | None | | 512 | 16-16 | 12-9 |
| Apr. 17 | McNeese State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 6-5 (14 inns) | Wesneski (1-1) | Foster (0-2) | None | | 512 | 17-16 | 13-9 |
| Apr. 18 | McNeese State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 5-4 (7 inns) | Atkinson (4-1) | Ellison (2-2) | Beard (1) | | 512 | 18-16 | 14-9 |
| Apr. 19 | McNeese State | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 6-4 | Backhus (2-0) | Vega (1-4) | Havlicek (2) | | 512 | 19-16 | 15-9 |
| Apr. 23 | Lamar | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol |
| Apr. 24 | Lamar | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol |
| Apr. 25 | Lamar | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol |
| Apr. 25 | Lamar | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol |
| Apr. 30 | at Stephen F. Austin | Jaycees Field • Nacogdoches, TX | L 3-6 | Sgambelluri (3-3) | Davis (5-3) | Poell (2) | | 337 | 19-17 | 15-10 |
May (7–6) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SLC Record |
| May 1 | at Stephen F. Austin | Jaycees Field • Nacogdoches, TX | L 4-5 (10 inns) | Gauthe (2-2) | Lusk (1-2) | None | | 346 | 19-18 | 15-11 |
| May 1 | at Stephen F. Austin | Jaycees Field • Nacogdoches, TX | W 9-3 (7 inns) | Backhus (3-0) | Gennari (2-4) | None | | 346 | 20-18 | 16-11 |
| May 2 | at Stephen F. Austin | Jaycees Field • Nacogdoches, TX | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled |
| May 7 | Little Rock | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 3-5 | Barkley (6-3) | Dillard (1-4) | None | | 462 | 20-19 | |
| May 8 | Little Rock | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 9-4 | Wesneski (2-1) | Funk (1-5) | Atkinson (2) | | 462 | 21-19 | |
| May 9 | Little Rock | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 8-4 | Backhus (4-0) | Weatherley (2-1) | None | | 462 | 22-19 | |
| May 14 | Abilene Christian | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 1-10 | Morgan (1-3) | Davis (5-4) | None | | 462 | 22-20 | 16-12 |
| May 15 | Abilene Christian | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 6-12 (7 inns) | Huffling (7-1) | Lusk (1-3) | None | | 462 | 22-21 | 16-13 |
| May 15 | Abilene Christian | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | W 5-4 | Havlicek (2-1) | Riley (6-2) | None | | 462 | 23-21 | 17-13 |
| May 16 | Abilene Christian | Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX | L 3-5 | Chirpich (6-3) | Backhus (4-1) | Carlton (1) | | 372 | 23-22 | 17-14 |
| May 21 | at Nicholls | Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA | W 11-4 | Davis (6-4) | Gearing (4-5) | Rudis (1) | | 727 | 24-22 | 18-14 |
| May 21 | at Nicholls | Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA | W 16-3 (7 inns) | Robinson (4-1) | Kilcrease (2-9) | Peters (1) | | 697 | 25-22 | 19-14 |
| May 22 | at Nicholls | Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA | W 5-4 (7 inns) | Atkinson (5-1) | Desandro (3-4) | Lusk (7) | | 642 | 26-22 | 20-14 |
| May 22 | at Nicholls | Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA | L 4-5 (11 inns) | Theriot (3-3) | Wesneski (2-2) | None | | 787 | 26-23 | 20-15 |
Postseason (4–2) :
SLC Tournament (4–2) :
| Date | Opponent | Seed/Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament record |
| May 26 | vs. (4) Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | (5) | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | L 3-4 | Miller (3-3) | Davis (6-5) | None | ESPN+ | 812 | 26-24 | 0-1 |
| May 27 | vs. (8) Lamar | (5) | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | W 7-4 | Lusk (2-3) | Dallas (2-3) | None | ESPN+ | 757 | 27-24 | 1-1 |
| May 28 | vs. (4) Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | (5) | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | W 14-2 (7 inns) | Atkinson (6-1) | Shy (0-5) | None | ESPN+ | 747 | 28-24 | 2-1 |
| May 28 | vs. (1) Abilene Christian | (5) | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | W 14-12 | Dillard (2-4) | Cervantes (7-2) | Lusk (8) | ESPN+ | 968 | 29-24 | 3-1 |
| May 29 | vs. (1) Abilene Christian | (5) | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | W 15-13 | Beard (1-2) | Chirpich (6-5) | Lusk (9) | ESPN+ | 817 | 30-24 | 4-1 |
| May 29 | vs. (7) McNeese State | (5) | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA | L 1-2 | Hudgens (2-3) | Backhus (4-2) | Foster (5) | ESPN+ | 903 | 30-25 | 4-2 |

## Postseason
### Conference accolades

* Player of the Year: Colton Cowser – SHSU
* Hitter of the Year: Colton Eager – ACU
* Pitcher of the Year: Will Dion – MCNS
* Relief Pitcher of the Year: Tyler Cleveland – UCA
* Freshman of the Year: Brennan Stuprich – SELA
* Newcomer of the Year: Grayson Tatrow – ACU
* Clay Gould Coach of the Year: Rick McCarty – ACU
References:

## 2021 MLB Draft

| Player | Position | Round | Overall | MLB Team |
| Colton Cowser | OF | 1 | 5 | Baltimore Orioles |
| Jack Rogers | OF | 9 | 270 | Cincinnati Reds |