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| Freshman Tyler Carpenter launched his second home run of the year on Friday. |
ROBSTOWN ? Right-hander Omar Gutierrez struck out a career-high 14 hitters, was backed by a 13-hit offensive attack and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi halted UTSA's eight-game winning streak with a 12-3 victory on Friday night at Fairgrounds Field.
Gutierrez, who went the distance for the first time in his career, shut down the Southland Conference's second-highest scoring offense with an array of fastballs and well-placed breaking pitches in the 138-pitch gem (91 strikes). The Sinton native allowed just four hits and walked a pair in improving to 4-3 on the year. His 14 punchouts are the most by a SLC hurler this season and he finished strong, retiring 16 of the final 20 Roadrunners he faced.
UTSA's season record fell to33-13 overall and 17-5 in conference play in its first league loss since April 6. Meanwhile, the Islanders wonfor the fifth time in their last six games and improved to 20-26overall and 12-10 in SLC play.
Stephen Flora and Bryan Gerondale each had three hits on the night to lead A&M-Corpus Christi and Gerondale and Chase Williams, who both homered, knocked in three runs apiece.
After UTSA took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the third, the Islanders tied things up in their half of the frame on RBI singles by Brycen Bell and Trey Hernandez.
Freshman Tyler Carpenter launched his second long ball of the year, a solo shot with two down in the fourth, to give the Roadrunners a 3-2 edge, but A&M-Corpus Christi responded with four runs in their half of the frame and four more two innings later to put the game out of reach. The Islanders went on to add two more tallies in the eighth to complete the rout.
UTSA righty Steve Vasquez (7-3) allowed five runs on five hits and walked three in 3.1 innings to take the loss.
The series continues at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Senior right-hander Bradley Chovanec (7-2, 4.71 ERA) will face off against southpaw Roy Ferin (1-5, 6.05).