COLLEGE STATION
– A six-run fifth inning by No. 19 Texas A&M proved to be
to much for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to overcome Tuesday night
as a ninth-inning rally came up short in an 8-7 Islander loss at
Olsen Field.
The loss was the
fifth in the row for the Islanders – including four straight
versus ranked opponents – as the team dropped to 9-5. The win
was the 11th in a row for the Aggies who improved to 12-1.
Trailing 8-4
heading into the ninth inning, the Islanders tried to rally against
the Aggie bullpen. With no outs, Josh Plumaj and Chase Williams
singled off Gary Campfield to put runners on first and second.
Campfield
responded by striking out Jon Kourie and Martin Parra, but the
Islanders stayed alive when Plumaj scored as Trae Williams reached
on an error by shortstop Brandon Hicks. Campfield loaded the bases
by hitting Chase Wheaton.
Shortstop Bryan
Gerondale pulled the Islanders to within a run with a two-run
single to right-center field with Wheaton advancing to third on the
hit. Jason Graham drew a walk from Michael Heard to load the
bases.
Kyle Thebeau sent
Chris Widner down on strikes to end the game and pick up his first
save.
With the game tied
at zero, the Aggies broke through for six runs in the bottom of the
fifth. Kyle Colligan led off the inning by reaching on an error by
Parra and advanced to third on the second error of the inning by
the Islanders on a throwing miscue by starting pitcher Matt
Wilson.
After driving in
Colligan with a single, Luke Anders plated on a base hit by Daman
Aaron. Ben Feltner drove in Josh Stinson with a double to make it
3-0 with one away. Blake Stouffer doubled the Islander deficit with
a three-run home run. It was his second homer of the season.
A&M-Corpus
Christi cut its deficit in half in the top of the sixth. Three
straight singles by Trae Williams, Wheaton and Gerondale off
A&M starter Scott Migl and reliever Jordan Chambless loaded the
bases with no outs.
After Trae
Williams scored on a fielder's choice by Graham. Plumaj doubled to
drive in Wheaton and Graham to make it a 6-3 game
Solo runs in both
the seventh and eighth innings pushed the Aggie lead to five,
8-3.
In the top of the
eighth, the Islanders pulled to within 8-4 when Graham picked up
his second RBI of the night as he drove in Wheaton.
Migl earned the
win allowing two runs while scattering seven hits over five
innings. Three Aggie relievers allowed five runs on eight hits
before Thebeau ended the game by fanning Widner. It was the eighth
strikeout by an Aggie pitcher on the evening
Wilson (2-2)
lasted five innings scattering six hits and allowing six runs with
five earned. He fanned six batters. Chris Wall allowed a run two
hits in an inning of relief, while Randy Aguayo walked three
batters and allowed a run in a third of inning.
A&M-Corpus
Christi out-hit its counterparts 15-9. Josh Plumaj led the
Islanders with three hits, while four others had two apiece.
Plumaj, Gerondale and Graham each drove in a pair of runs. Darby
Brown and Stouffer each had two hits for the hosts.
The Islanders
return home this weekend to face New York Tech in a three-game
series at Islander Field. Last season, the Islanders were swept in
a three-game set in New York.
