HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball team dropped the series finale to
Sam Houston State, 3-2, Sunday at Don Sanders Stadium. With the loss, the Islanders fall to 21-23 overall and 11-13 in Southland Conference play.
In the first two games of the series, the Bearkats (26-23, 15-9 SLC) were able to put runs on the board in the opening frame. Sunday though, SHSU put runners on second and third to open the game but sophomore pitcher Devin Skapura was able to work out of the early jam with a strikeout before inducing an inning-ending flyout.
The Bearkats did in fact score the first run of the game in the second. A one-out walk followed by a double down the right field line put runners in scoring position before the leadoff hitter, Bryce Johnson singled to center to put Sam Houston on top.
The Islanders would come right back in the top of the third. Tyler Ware crushed a ball off the right field wall for a double before senior Kyle Danford drove him in on a single up the middle to make it 2-1.
Sam Houston's Spence Rahm hit his sixth home run of the season to add to the lead in the third. The Bearkats put two more runners on, but the Islanders were able to close the inning and limit the damage.
The fifth inning started with sophomore third baseman Brandon Guilford sending a ball down the left field line for a double. Jordan Lee moved Guilford to third on a flyout before Casey Thomas plated him on a groundout to cut the Bearkat lead to 3-2.
From the fifth to the seventh inning, the Islanders sat down nine-straight Bearkats before Rahm led off the eighth with a single up the middle.
The Islanders were able to turn the unconventional 5-3-1 double play to stave off the Sam Houston threat.
A&M-Corpus Christi was able to put a runner in scoring position in the ninth on an throwing error but that was as far as the Islanders would get.
Skapura took the loss for the Islanders after finishing the day going six innings and striking out three. Sam Houston was able to score three runs on the Kingwood, Texas native on seven hits.
With his 2-for-4 performance on the day, Ware extended his hitting streak to 20 games as well as increasing his reached base streak to 23.
Both Ware and Guilford finished with a double apiece Sunday, giving the Islanders their only extra-base hits of the series.
Next up for the Islanders is a trip to Houston Wednesday as they faceoff with Rice. First pitch at Reckling Park is set for 5 p.m.
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.
