CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Junior right-hander Devin Skapura pitched seven strong innings, allowing just two runs on six hits while senior Cody Clarke went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi rebounded from an opening night loss with an 8-6 win over Chicago State Saturday at Chapman Field.
With the game tied 2-2 in the fourth, Clarke stepped to the plate with a man aboard and no outs. The designated hitter didn't wait, crushing the first pitch he saw over the right field wall from a two-run, opposite field blast.
"I had a rough first at-bat so I knew I wanted to make some adjustments," said Clarke. "I just focused on seeing the ball better and using the right side of the field. I knew I hit the ball well and I had just talked to [assistant coach] Gips before that AB and he really told me to go to the right side or back up the middle. I got a first pitch fastball up and away and I went with it."
The long ball game the Islanders a 4-2 lead, a lead A&M-Corpus Christi (1-1) would never relinquish.
The shot also seemed to rejuvenate Islander starter Devin Skapura (1-0, 2.57 ERA), who battled through a tough opening three innings, allowing two runs on six hits. After the home run restored the two run lead, Skapura sat down the next nine batters he faced to finish off an impressive seven innings of work.
"That was almost a classic Devin Skapura start," said head coach Scott Malone. "Early on I was sitting there thinking 'he doesn't have his good stuff, this might get rocky' and then you look up in the sixth and he's cruising. I thought he did a great job and Lukas Hermanson helped him out by throwing out the runner to end the fourth. From there, Devin really took over and retired the next nine guys to finish his outing."
CLARKE'S COMES THROUGH
Clarke's impact was not limited to just the two-run homer. The senior helped the Islanders tack on a pair of insurance runs in the seventh with an RBI-double. Clarke jumped on 1-0 offering, sending a drive bounding off the wall in right center to plate Austin Krajnak who doubled the batter prior.
The run proved to be a massive seventh tally for the Blue and Green, as Chicago State put together a big eighth inning.
Clarke finished the day 3-for-4 with the homer, double and a trio of runs driven in.
HOLLAND SHUTS THE DOOR
With an 8-2 lead heading to the eighth, the Islanders appeared to be on cruise control, but Chicago State touched up Garrett Harris for four runs, three earned, on three hits in just 2/3 of an inning.
With the bases loaded and a 8-6 ballgame, Malone turned to Nolan Holland out of the bullpen. The junior, who is taking over the closer role for the first time, needed just three pitches to end the threat. Holland fanned leadoff man Julian Russell to preserve the lead.
In the ninth, Holland allowed a pair to reach with two outs, but earned his first career save by inducing a ground out to third for the game's final out.
BATS COME TO LIFE
After a slow start saw just three hits through the first three innings, the Islander bats awoke in the middle innings to create an eight-run, 13-hit day.
The Islanders also put a two-spot up in the fifth as Casey Thomas doubled and scored as Zack Gibson doubled him home a batter later.Krajnak capped off the scoring with the Islanders' third double of the inning.
"I thought the big guys, Krajnak, Clarke and all those guys hit the way the big boys are supposed to today," said Malone. "Every single mistake, those guys hit it hard and took advantage of it. The guys in front of them did a good job of setting the table and those guys earned their money today, driving in some big runs in the middle innings to give us a cushion and we needed every bit of it."
• 8-of-9 Islander starters had a hit in the offensive outburst.
• Krajnak and Clarke each went 3-for-4 and combined for four RBI.
• Brett Burner made it three Islanders with multi-hit games as the second baseman finished 2-for-4.
• Four Islanders finished with at least one RBI.
RUBBER MATCH
The Islanders and Chicago State are slated to conclude the opening series tomorrow at 1 p.m. Freshman David Worrell is scheduled to make his first start on the Island.
