| Junior Tyler Carpenter, 2-for-5 on Friday night, is 12-for-24 (.500) since being inserted into the leadoff spot a week ago. |
CORPUS CHRISTI — Texas A&M-Corpus Christi rallied from a late 4-1 deficit with two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings and the Islanders stunned UTSA with a 5-4 victory on Friday night at Whataburger Field.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (12-15, 4-7 SLC) won for just the second time in its last nine games, while the Roadrunners dropped to 11-14 overall and 2-9 in the league.
With the bases loaded and two down in the eighth, Chris Vergne lined a two-run single to right off UTSA closer Kevin Clarke and that brought home Chris Ege and Trey Hernandez with the tying and game-winning runs, respectively. Ege got the rally started with a one-out single through the right side of the infield and Hernandez was intentionally walked two hitters later. A free pass issued by right-hander Mike Pierce to Jeramie Marek loaded the bases and set the stage for Vergne's heroics.
However, the Birds had a golden opportunity to tie it in the ninth.
Freshman Daniel Rockett led off with a base hit through the left side off Adam Hoelscher and moved into scoring position after a balk by the Islanders southpaw. Senior Ryan Rummel then worked the count in his favor at 2-1 and A&M-Corpus Christi head coach Scott Malone called in Roman Madrid from the bullpen. The right-hander not only fanned Rummel, but he also got junior Ryan Hutson and freshman Ryan Dalton to chase third strikes and he earned the first save of his career.
UTSA stranded 10 runners on the night.
Hoelscher (1-0) kept AMCC close with three-plus solid innings of work in relief of starter Brandon Orr. The freshman gave up just three singles and picked up his career win.
Pierce (0-4) was tagged with the loss for the Roadrunners.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi drew within one in the seventh when Birds left-handed starter Matt Crocker balked in a pair of runs.
Marek led off the frame with a single to right and Vergne followed with a bunt down the third-base line, but Dalton bobbled the exchange from his glove to his throwing hand for an error. Omar Garcia then laid down a sacrifice of his own to move the runners up 90 feet. Crocker proceeded to balk in Marek and, after Bobby Buckner struck out, the Kingwood native balked again, allowing the Islanders to move one run closer at 4-3.
Crocker made quick work of A&M-Corpus Christi, needing only 85 pitches (63 strikes) to get through 7.2 innings, but he allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits while striking out six and only walking one in the no-decision.
The Roadrunners got on the board first for the third time this week when Hutson delivered a run-scoring single to left with two down in the third. That brought home Rockett with his fifth run of the series.
Weston Montgomery's first home run of the year, a solo shot to left center with one down in the bottom of the frame, tied the contest at one.
Sophomore Casey Selsor, who got the complete game win on the mound for the Birds on Friday, put UTSA up 4-1 when he delivered an opposite-field three-run homer to left center with two down in the fifth. His third bomb of the season brought home Rummel and Hutson.
Senior Lance Brown, junior Tyler Carpenter and Hutson each had two hits for the Roadrunners.
Vergne led the Islanders with two hits and his pair of eighth-inning RBIs.
The series moves over to Chapman Field for Saturday’s finale. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. in what will be the rubber game of the weekend set.