TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI (22-18, 7-11 SLC) AT RICE
(26-14)/SOUTHEASTERN LA. (24-14, 10-8)
ISLANDERS VS. RICE • Houston, Texas
Reckling Park
Wednesday, April 20 • 6:30 p.m.
ISLANDERS: RHP Trenton
Irwin (0-1, 6.75) | RICE: RHP Tyler Spurlin (2-0, 1.32)
ISLANDERS VS. SOUTHEASTERN LA. • Hammond, La.
Pat Kennelly Diamond at Alumni Field
Thursday, April 21 • 6 p.m.
ISLANDERS: RHP Ian
Campbell (5-3, 3.61) | SELA: RHP Brandon Efferson (6-2,
3.97)
Friday, April 22 • 6 p.m.
ISLANDERS: RHP Justin
Meza (2-2, 5.61) | SELA: RHP Tyler Watkins (6-1, 2.12)
Saturday, April 23 • 1 p.m.
ISLANDERS: LHP Todd
Simko (5-6, 6.39) | SELA: TBA
THE FIRST PITCH
The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi baseball team returns to the
road after a rough homestand, and will play Rice on Wednesday night
before continuing on to Hammond to face Southeastern Louisiana over
the Thursday-Friday-Saturday Easter weekend series. The Islanders
enter the trip with a 22-18 overall record and a 7-11 mark in
Southland action.
Rice is 24-16 on the year and currently ranked 19th in the
nation. The Owls have won five of their last six non-conference
games, and have already gone 2-1 against the Southland this year.
Rice defeated Lamar and Texas State earlier this year, but fell to
Sam Houston State. Southeastern is 24-14 and 10-8 in conference
play, after losing two of three to Texas State. The Lions have won
series over UTSA, Lamar and UT Arlington, but lost to McNeese State
and Central Arkansas in addition to the Bobcats.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES
The Islanders are 0-11 all-time against Rice, including a pair of
losses last year. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi is 4-5 all-time
against the Lions, including a series win in the Coastal Bend last
year.
SPEAK SOFTLY, AND CARRY A BIG STICK
Teddy Roosevelt wasn't speaking of senior Matt
Holland when he uttered that, but there may be no phrase that
applies better for the Watkins, Iowa, native. Holland, who is in
the Southland's top 10 in doubles, triples and home runs on the
year, is a very measured individual. And though he is an important
leader for the Islanders, he does so by example.
He leads the team with his 16 multi-hit games and 13 contests
with more than one RBI. With 14 two-baggers, he is just six shy of
the season record.
At UTSA, the lefty rocked his third and fourth homers of the
year, the latter a mammoth shot that cleared the batter's eye in
center, 405 feet from the plate. He had three hits, a run and an
RBI in the opener with Lamar and a clutch two-run double at
Houston-Victoria and now has 37 RBI on the season.
But his performance against Texas Tech on March 12 was by far
his most impressive of the season. The senior went 4-for- 6 and hit
for the Islanders' first cycle of the season and the first since Jacob
Perales turned the trick against UTPA last year. Needing a
longball to complete the trick with two down in the ninth and the
bases loaded, Holland ripped a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right for
a grand slam to finish off the cycle.
CAMPBELL'S COMPOSURE
Coming into 2011, senior Ian
Campbell's role on the team was expected to provide depth to
the staff. But his performance as of late has earned him a spot as
the Friday starter last weekend.
Campbell showed his worthiness for that selection, as he tossed
a four-hit shutout at Lamar last Friday. It was the first
complete-game shutout for the Islanders since Roy
Ferdin had one in 2008. He did not allow a runner past second
base until the ninth inning, and finished off the affair by getting
Ted Zentek to go down swinging.
In 12 appearances, including nine starts, Campbell is 5-3 with a
staff-leading 3.61 ERA. The senior, who throws four pitches for
strikes, has allowed less than one hit per inning and has 49
strikeouts in 62 1/3.
The soft-spoken Glendale, Ariz., native played two years at
Yavapai Junior College before transfering to the Island University
prior to the 2010 season. He went 3-5 with an 8.17 ERA in 2010 for
the Islanders.
SAVINGS ACCOUNT
Alvin Community College transfer Michael
Boyle had saves in his first two career appearances, and with
16 games to go on the year, he has already anointed himself as the
Islanders' single-season and career record holder with seven
saves.
On Saturday, Feb. 19, against MVSU, the Houston native closed
out both of the Islanders' wins in the doubleheader, earning his
first two career saves.
In the win over Oregon State, he proved his gutsiest, punching
out four in 1 2/3 and stranding the tying run on third. He struck
out the side in the ninth to send the crowd of 3,000-plus to its
feet in sealing the win. He has since posted four more saves,
including two in conference action.
