Sam Houston wins twice, forces decisive game with Texas Tech

LUBBOCK — Clayton Harp drove in four runs, Taylor Beene had a pair of run-scoring groundouts, and Sam Houston State held on to beat Texas Tech 9-8 on Sunday night, forcing a deciding game in the Lubbock Regional.

The teams will play for the regional title Monday after the Bearkats (43-21) won twice Sunday, starting with a 9-3 victory that eliminated Arizona. The Red Raiders (45-16), seeded fifth nationally, will host a super regional if they win.

Harp’s two-run double gave the Bearkats a 9-4 lead in the eighth before Texas Tech answered with Josh Jung’s two-run homer in the eighth and Brian Klein’s two-run single in the ninth. But Sam Houston closer Nick Mikolajchak got Grant Little on a game-ending popup with the potential tying run at third base for his 12th save.

Bryce Johnson had a pair of RBI singles for the Bearkats. Jung and Klein each had three hits and two RBIs for the Red Raiders.

Sam Houston reliever Riley Cooper (3-3) gave up three hits and a run in 32⁄3 innings.

Texas Tech starter Ryan Shetter (4-1) allowed five runs — three earned — in 31/3 innings.

DALLAS BAPTIST 6 CENTRAL CONN. ST. 5

Austin Listi hit two of the Patriots’ five home runs, and third-seeded Dallas Baptist beat the Blue Devils in an elimination game at the Fort Worth Regional.

The Patriots (41-20) homered twice in the second, when Matt Duce’s solo shot tied the game 1-all before Camden Duzenack put them ahead to stay with a two-run shot, his 14th of the season. Listi’s solo homers in the third and fifth gave him 24 for the season. Devlin Granberg went deep in the eighth.

Mitch Guilmette had RBI singles in the first and ninth innings for Central Connecticut State (36-22).

Dallas Baptist faces another elimination game Monday against the loser of Sunday’s late game between TCU and Virginia.