HAMMOND, La. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball team
suffered a heart-breaking loss to Southeastern Louisiana Friday
night dropping a 4-3 decision at Alumni Field
Leading 2-1
heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Islanders allowed the
tying run to score on a close play at the plate. Cass Hargis, who
was 4-for-4 while hitting for the cycle, tripled to start the
inning.
After Brandon
Street was intentionally walked, Josh Cryer put a squeeze bunt down
the first base line. Hargis ran home from third while Trey
Hernandez charged the bunt. Hernandez fielded the bunt cleanly and
threw home, but Hargis was ruled to have touched the plate before
the tag was applied by Stephen Flora.
A&M-Corpus
Christi threatened to retake the lead in the top of the seventh.
Jeramie Marek led off the inning with a single and went to second
as Hernandez walked. The duo moved 90-feet closer on a sacrifice
bunt by Justin Greiner. With two away after Jonathan Reyes went
down on strikes, Jacob Perales walked bringing Weston Montgomery to
the plate. The freshman appeared to have a bloop single only to see
Street make a diving catch to end the inning with the bases full of
Islanders.
The Lions
wasted little time making A&M-Corpus Christi pay for leaving
the bases loaded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.
With one away, Chris Ernest and Jordan D'Arensbourg hit
back-to-back doubles off Islander starter Brandon Orr to break the
tie.
Jacob Liedka
relieved Orr and forced a ground out from the first batter he
faced. With two away, Hargis doubled to drive in D'Arensbourg.
The Islanders
rallied for a run in the top of the eighth. Flora reached on an
error to start the inning. After reliever Ryan Collins, who was
credited with the win, retired the next two batters he faced, Flora
scored from second on a single to right by Marek. The freshmen had
four of the Islanders seven hits. Hernandez walked to put runners
on first and second with two away. The Lions went to closer Chris
Franklin to get out of the inning.
Franklin earned
his ninth save of the season retiring the Islanders in order the
top of the ninth.
The Lions took
the early lead when Hargis hit a one-out home run in the bottom of
the first inning off Orr. The home run was the third of the season
for the centerfielder.
Orr, who fell
to 1-5, held the Lions to one run until the sixth inning. He
scattered seven hits over 6-1/3 innings allowing four earned runs.
He fanned five and had just the intentional walk. The duo of Jake
Liedka and Brett Gibson pitched the final 1-2/3 innings allowing
just one hit.
After Justin
Greiner was left stranded leading of the second with a double, the
Islanders plated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth off Ryan
Boudreaux. Martin Parra led off the inning with a double and moved
to right on a fly ball by Brycen Bell. Marek followed with his
second single to right to drive in Parra. After stealing second
with tow away, Marek scampered home on a throwing error by
Southeastern shortstop D'Arensbourg.
Orr would put
himself in a jam in the bottom of the fourth. Hargis and Brandon
Street led off the inning with back-to-back base hits to put
runners at the corners. Orr would get out of the jam by getting
Josh Cryer to line out to second for the first out and then sent
Joe Sparacino down looking at strike three. Cody Gougler flew out
to left to end the threat.
The two teams
continue their series on Saturday at noon.
