Published: April 17, 2007 11:39 pm      

Bearkats beat Prairie View 6-4; Johnson notches win No. 900

Sam Houston State baseball coach Mark Johnson picked up his 900th career victory Tuesday night as the Bearkats defeated Prairie View A&M 6-4 in a road nonconference contest.

Keith Stein’s two-run double powered Sam Houston State to a five-run second inning. The Bearkats added another run in the fourth inning on a Bobby Verbick single.

Verbick led the Bearkats at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Jeremy Holzbach also had an RBI on a single in the second inning.

The game was stopped after six innings due to rain. The contest also started 45 minutes late due to the weather.

Johnson came to Sam Houston State as head coach with an 876-433-3 record in 21 years as head coach at Texas A&M. The victory upped his record at Sam Houston State this season to 24-15.

Adam Albright was the starting pitcher for the Bearkats. He faced 14 batters in 2 2/3 innings, giving up two hits and three runs. He struck out two and walked two.

Casey Springer (2-1) picked up his second victory of the year in relief. Springer allowed two hits in 3 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking two.

“Adam pitched effectively until he reached the limit with his pitch count, then Casey came in and got the win,” SHSU pitching coach Justin Hill said. “It was good to get Adam and Casey some work.”

The Bearkats return to Southland Conference action this weekend, traveling to Lake Charles, La., to take on the McNeese State Cowboys.