| Junior Ryan Rummel's three-run home run in the seventh gave UTSA a 9-8 lead. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scored six runs in the ninth inning and rallied for a 14-9 victory against UTSA on Sunday afternoon to take the rubber game of this weekend's Southland Conference series at Roadrunner Field.
Trailing 9-8 heading into the final frame and having the task of facing Roadrunners preseason All-America closer Zach Calhoon, the Islanders (11-18, 3-9 SLC) had an uphill battle, but they were up to the task.
Consecutive singles by Weston Montgomery and Brycen Bell started the rally and Calhoon then hit Ernie Olivarez to load the bases. Jon Reyes ? who was a perfect 4-for-4 with a walk, four runs scored and three RBIs on the day ? followed with a two-RBI base hit to center to give A&M-Corpus Christi the lead. Stephen Flora then launched a towering home run over the scoreboard in left center to add three insurance runs and Montgomery finished off the scoring five batters later when stroked a single to right.
Trey Hernandez (1-0), who earlier in the game hit his third homer of the series (ninth of the season), gave up just one hit over the final three innings to pick up his first win of the season.
Calhoon (3-2) blew his fourth save in seven chances this spring and was tagged with the loss after allowing all six ninth-inning runs on four hits, a walk and hit by pitch.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi jumped out to a 7-0 lead after scoring two runs in the first, four more in the three innings later and another in the fifth.
UTSA (15-10, 7-5) got on the board in its half of the fifth when sophomore second baseman Ryan Hutson, who singled with one down in the frame, came home on an errant throw by Olivarez when trying to complete an inning-ending double play.
After the Islanders tacked on an insurance run in the sixth to go up 8-1, the Roadrunners responded with three runs in their portion of the frame and five more an inning later to take their first lead of the afternoon.
Senior designated hitter Jose Hernandez led off the sixth with his team-leading ninth long ball of the year and junior third baseman Lance Brown brought home another tally later in the stanza when he drew a bases loaded walk. The final run of the frame crossed the plate two batters later when Hutson grounded into a double play.
Senior Marshal Davis jump started the seventh-inning fireworks with his leadoff homer to right. Consecutive singles by senior All-America center fielder Michael Rockett, Hernandez and senior first baseman Aaron Powell pulled the Birds within two at 8-6. Junior catcher Ryan Rummel then gave UTSA its first lead of the game when he deposited 1-1 fastball from Jake Liedka over the left field wall.
Rummel was 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs, while Davis, Hernandez and Powell all had a pair of hits.
Flora added three hits and drove home four for the Islanders, as the top five hitters in their lineup went a combined 12-for-22 with nine runs, three homers and 11 RBIs.
UTSA is back in action on Tuesday night when it travels to College Station for a 6:30 p.m. contest at No. 13 Texas A&M (18-9).