The CW Lighting Invitational in 2006 was between Dallas Baptist, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, Southern Illinois, and host Sam Houston State.

In 2011, Sam Houston State swept the tournament by going 8–0 and defeating Northern Colorado, Nebraska, Michigan and UMass twice.

The highlight of the tournament was in the semifinals, when Bearkat senior Keith Stein hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th to beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 7–5.

In 2012, a proposal was made by Sam Houston State University to install wall pads to the stadium's outfield fence.

[7] Don Sanders Stadium received a beautiful all-turf playing surface just in time for the 2016 baseball season.