The Sam Houston State University baseball team knew they were getting a big addition this year in freshman outfielder Colton Cowser, but even head coach Matt Deggs in his wildest dreams likely never could have predicted the impact that the freshman would have on the Bearkats lineup.

“I see him hitting in the three hole and playing every day,” Deggs said in a preseason interview. “[He’s] beyond his years, he can really bang, and with hitters you don’t see that a whole lot this early and this young. When you do see it, it’s very rare. He’s going to play this game for a long time.”

Cowser has already proven himself as a remarkable member of the squad. The freshman earned himself a Southland Conference award for Hitter of the Week— during which, Cowser reached base on 13 of his 18 plate appearances and in three of the four games in that stretch Cowser registered multiple hits.

“Right now the coaches have put me in an excellent spot at the plate,” Cowser said. “I’m just going up there and not trying to do too much. I’d say I’m pretty confident right now, but the coaches are definitely putting me in a good spot.”

Cowser has had success batting third in the order as he currently leads the Bearkats in hits with 29 and RBI’s with 24. His .367 batting average puts him in the Top-10 in the Southland Conference and number two on the team just behind senior Jordan Cannon. Numbers like that are not typical for a player in his first season of collegiate baseball.

The Bearkats are currently 15-6 in 2019 and 7-2 in conference play. After already defeating Rice University earlier in the year, they beat Baylor University 8-7 on March 19—an impressive victory over a Big 12 team that is 16-6 this season.

Cowser and the team return to Don Sanders Stadium Friday for a series against the McNeese State University Cowboys.