HUNTSVILLE – Andrew Fregia crushed a pair of home runs and Seth Ballew weathered an early storm to log seven strong innings as the Sam Houston State Berakats rallied from a three-run deficit to post a 5-3 win over Central Arkansas on Saturday at Don Sanders Stadium.
The Bears (23-15, 11-6 SLC) jumped on Ballew for three runs in the first inning, just one night after exploding for 13 runs on 17 hits in the series opener, but the Sam Houston (27-13, 14-3 SLC) starter settled in from there. He gave up just two hits in his final six innings on the hill, going a season-long 7.0 frames into the game on a misty day at Th Don.
He struck out three to go to 4-1 on the season, and got into position to win when the Kats erupted for four runs – three with two outs – in the seventh inning to take the lead. The go-ahead blow came from Fregia in the form of a two-run homer off of UCA starter Tanner Wiley, his second in as many innings, after Wiley had cruised through the first four innings himself.
Wiley took the loss for UCA, falling to 3-2 on the season, despite striking out four and walking just one in 6.2 innings.
Dakota Mills earned his SLC-best ninth save of the season, getting an inning-ending double play in the eighth before retiring three of four hitters with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth.