CORPUS CHRISTI - The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball team picked up two much-needed wins over Fisher College in a
Wednesday night doubleheader at Chapman Field. In the opening game of the day, the Islanders defeated the Falcons, 3-0, before ending game two in dramatic fashion as senior Kyle Danford sent the team home with a three-run walk off homer (3) in the seventh inning as the Islanders picked up the run-rule victory in the nightcap, 11-1.
The Islanders (8-5) jumped on top of the visiting Falcons (0-7) early, scoring single runs in each of the first two innings. The team's bats would fizzle though, as they finished the opener with only three hits.
The bats were not needed though, as junior Devin Skapura was able to go six solid innings, allowing just five hits and striking out four. The Islanders as a staff allowed just six hits on the night and did not surrender a walk.
Danford crossed the plate in the first to give the islanders their first lead. He reached base on a fielders choice before moving to second on a balk. Junior Justin Perales drove a ball to center field that scored Danford from second.
The Islanders scored their second run of the game in the second as Zacarias Hardy scored from third on a wild pitch by Josh Torres. Brandon Guilford added the final run for the islanders in the ninth, scoring on a sac fly by Jordan Lee.
Skapura, Trevor Belicek and Jacob Dorris combined for the shutout. Belicek, a lefty, came into the game in relief for Skapura in the seventh. He picked up four strikeouts in two innings, all of which left batters looking. Dorris picked up his fourth save of the season as he shut down Fisher in the ninth.
Game two was a different story for the home squad, as offense dominated the early innings. The Islanders scored seven runs in the second inning to put Fisher in an early hole. The Falcons finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth inning, but the Islanders scored the next four runs to send the fans home early, picking up the teams second run-rule win of the year.
A&M-Corpus Christi batted around the order in the second inning, as nothing seemed to slow the team down. Senior Frankie Salas started the frame with a leadoff single before Dawson Yates picked up his first double of the year.
Danford picked up a two-run single while Salas, in his second at bat of the inning, reached on a double to left center to score both Danford and Ware.
Ware went a combined 0-for-2 on the day, but reached base an astounding six times in the doubleheader. The Omaha, Neb. native notched five walks on the day to go along with a hit-by-pitch.
The Islanders used a quartet of pitchers in the win. Dalton D'Spain went four complete, allowing just two hits in his outing while striking out four. Senior Thomas Casey picked up the win for the Islanders. The righty struck out two of the three batters he faced.
The Islanders will hit the road this weekend as they open Southland Conference play at Nicholls. The team will play a three-game series before facing off with McNeese State on Monday in non-conference action.
For updates throughout the season be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersBSB) and Facebook (Islanders Baseball). Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the Islanders Front Row App at GoIslanders.com/frontrow.
