CORPUS CHRISTI, TEX. --- Texas A&M-Corpus
Christi scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth and held on for
its life in a 6-5 victory over Centenary in the first of a
doubleheader, Saturday. The Islanders completed the sweep with a
9-7 win in the finale.
With the game at 4-4, Hector Garanzuay (Brownsville, Tex.) gave
A&M-CC a 5-4 lead with a single down the right field line to
score James Garner (Corpus Christi, Tex.). Schlekewy added a big
insurance run with a grounder to second that scored Jaime Landin
(Brownsville, Tex.).
The Gents posted one run in the top of the seventh before Scott
Walker (Chandler, Ariz.) closed the door as he induced a fielder's
choice with the bases loaded.
Walker, now 5-4 on the year, went the distance on a four-hitter.
The junior fanned five batters while issuing six walks. Only one
earned run was charged to Walker.
Centenary opened the game by scoring three runs in the top of the
first. J.W. Pate highlighted the inning with a two-run single to
right. All three runs in the inning were unearned courtesy of an
error.
The Islanders quickly responded with three runs of their own in the
bottom half of the frame. After Landin and Garanzuay opened with
back-to-back singles, Schlekewy ripped a three-run homer to
centerfield to knot the game at 3-3.
The Gents answered back with another unearned run in the second,
but A&M-CC tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth on
a sacrifice fly by Garanzuay.
Centenary starter Kevin Cassidy suffered the loss and fell to 5-4
after allowing 10 hits and six runs in 5.1 innings of work.
The Islanders finished with 10 hits in the victory, three each by
Landin and Garner. With his hit in the first, Landin stretched his
hitting streak to 21 games.
Schlekewy, Humberto Aguilar (Odessa, Tex.) and Blair Bourque
(Taunton, Mass.) each belted homers in the 13-hit attack of the
second game.
Once again, the Gents took the lead with a three-run first. Bobby
Gilliam opened the scoring by belting the first offering of the
game from Jimmy Hamon (Pasadena, Tex.) over the right field
fence.
Schlekewy came back in the bottom of the third by launching his
second three-run homer of the day and eighth of the season to tie
the game at 3-3.
A&M-CC took the lead for good in the fourth as Bourque slugged
his sixth round tripper of the year to open the inning. George
Cabasos (Pearsall, Tex.) and Landin each drove in runs on fielders
choices to get the lead up to 6-3 after four innings.
The Islanders upped the advantage to 8-3 the following inning as
Aguilar unleashed his 16th homer of the year, a solo shot to right
center. Cabasos drove in another run with a single to short.
The Gents, who rallied for one run in the sixth and seventh
innings, trailed 9-5 heading into the top of the ninth. Centenary
cut the deficit to 9-7 after Pate and Tony Cardone knocked in runs.
However, Hamon escaped without further damage after Jon Marshall
ended the game with a fly out to right.
Garanzuay, Schlekewy, Aguilar, Bourque and Josh Hulin (Odessa,
Tex.) each had two-hit efforts. Landin went 0-4 in the victory,
thus ending his hitting streak.
Hamon upped his record to 6-2 despite surrendering 11 hits over
nine innings. Centenary starter J.C. Biagi fell to 4-2 after giving
up nine hits and seven earned runs in 4.1 innings of work.
The Islanders, who improved to 23-14, will finish their three-game
set with the Gents, Sunday afternoon. Game time is set for a noon
start.
