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 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)
Roster
Schedule and results Legend Sam Houston State win Sam Houston State loss Postponement/Cancelation/SuspensionsBoldSam Houston State team member
2021 Sam Houston State Bearkats baseball game log Regular season (26-23) February (1-3) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordFeb. 19 No. 20 Oklahoma State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX Game cancelledFeb. 20 No. 20 Oklahoma State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX Game cancelledFeb. 21 No. 20 Oklahoma State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX Game cancelledFeb. 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 Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordMar. 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 ClassicMar. 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 0-1Mar. 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 0-2Mar. 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 0-3Mar. 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 0-4Mar. 19 Northwestern State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX W 3-2 Lusk (1-1) Makarewich (1-1) None 412 4-10 1-4Mar. 20 Northwestern State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX L 1-3 Carver (3-1) Egli (0-1) None 412 4-11 1-5Mar. 20 Northwestern State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX L 2-3 David (1-1) Robinson (0-1) Ohnoutka (1) 412 4-12 1-6Mar. 21 Northwestern State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX W 6-3 Atkinson (1-1) Michel (0-2) Lusk (1) 412 5-12 2-6Mar. 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 3-6Mar. 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 3-7Mar. 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 4-7Mar. 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 Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss D Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordApr. 1 at Central Arkansas Bear Stadium • Conway, AR W 3-2 Davis (4-1) Williams (0-1) Lusk (3) 185 9-13 6-7Apr. 2 at Central Arkansas Bear Stadium • Conway, AR W 2-0 (7 inns) Robinson (2-1) Moyer (1-3) Lusk (4) 122 10-13 7-7Apr. 2 at Central Arkansas Bear Stadium • Conway, AR W 3-1 Dillard (1-3) Busey (0-1) Lusk (5) 155 11-13 8-7Apr. 3 at Central Arkansas Bear Stadium • Conway, AR W 10-4 Atkinson (3-1) Gilbertson (1-1) None 258 12-13 9-7Apr. 6 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 9-8Apr. 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 10-8Apr. 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 10-9Apr. 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 11-9Apr. 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 12-9Apr. 17 McNeese State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX W 6-5 (14 inns) Wesneski (1-1) Foster (0-2) None 512 17-16 13-9Apr. 18 McNeese State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX W 5-4 (7 inns) Atkinson (4-1) Ellison (2-2) Beard (1) 512 18-16 14-9Apr. 19 McNeese State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX W 6-4 Backhus (2-0) Vega (1-4) Havlicek (2) 512 19-16 15-9Apr. 23 Lamar Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocolApr. 24 Lamar Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocolApr. 25 Lamar Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocolApr. 25 Lamar Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocolApr. 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 Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordMay 1 at Stephen F. Austin Jaycees Field • Nacogdoches, TX L 4-5 (10 inns) Gauthe (2-2) Lusk (1-2) None 346 19-18 15-11May 1 at Stephen F. Austin Jaycees Field • Nacogdoches, TX W 9-3 (7 inns) Backhus (3-0) Gennari (2-4) None 346 20-18 16-11May 2 at Stephen F. Austin Jaycees Field • Nacogdoches, TX Game cancelledMay 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 16-12May 15 Abilene Christian Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX L 6-12 (7 inns) Huffling (7-1) Lusk (1-3) None 462 22-21 16-13May 15 Abilene Christian Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX W 5-4 Havlicek (2-1) Riley (6-2) None 462 23-21 17-13May 16 Abilene Christian Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX L 3-5 Chirpich (6-3) Backhus (4-1) Carlton (1) 372 23-22 17-14May 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 18-14May 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 19-14May 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 20-14May 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) (4–2) Date Opponent Seed/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament recordMay 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 0-1May 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 1-1May 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 2-1May 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 3-1May 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 4-1May 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 Schedule source: *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.
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
All Conference First Team Chase Kemp (LAMR) Nate Fisbeck (MCNS) Itchy Burts (TAMUCC) Bash Randle (ACU) Mitchell Dickson (ACU) Lee Thomas (UIW) Colton Cowser (SHSU) Colton Eager (ACU) Clayton Rasbeary (MCNS) Will Dion (MCNS) Brennan Stuprich (SELA) Will Warren (SELA) Tyler Cleveland (UCA) Anthony Quirion (LAMR)
All Conference Second Team Preston Faulkner (SELA) Daunte Stuart (NSU) Kasten Furr (UNO) Evan Keller (SELA) Skylar Black (SFA) Tre Obregon III (MCNS) Jack Rogers (SHSU) Pearce Howard (UNO) Grayson Tatrow (ACU) Chris Turpin (UNO) John Gaddis (TAMUCC) Trevin Michael (LAMR) Caleb Seroski (UNO) Jacob Burke (SELA)
All Conference Third Team Luke Marbach (TAMUCC) Salo Iza (UNO) Austin Cain (NICH) Darren Willis (UNO) Ryan Snell (LAMR) Tommy Cruz (ACU) Tyler Finke (SELA) Payton Harden (MCNS) Mike Williams (TAMUCC) Cal Carver (NSU) Levi David (NSU) Dominic Robinson (SHSU) Jack Dallas (LAMR) Brett Hammit (ACU)
All Conference Defensive Team Luke Marbach (TAMUCC) Nate Fisebeck (MCNS) Anthony Quirion (LAMR) Darren Willis (UNO) Gaby Cruz (SELA) Julian Gonzales (MCNS) Colton Cowser (SHSU) Avery George (LAMR) Will Dion (MCNS)
References:
2021 MLB draft
Player Position Round Overall MLB team Colton Cowser OF 1 5 Baltimore Orioles Jack Rogers OF 9 270 Cincinnati Reds
References