ABILENE, Texas – Forced into a series-opening doubleheader by impending weather, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi split a Friday doubleheader with Abilene Christian with an 11-4 win and a 4-0 loss.
The Islanders (12-22, 4-10) opened the day with a rousing victory, using three big innings to power a blowout win, but felt the other end of the spectrum at the plate in game two. The 4-0 loss marked the fourth time in Southland play the Islanders have been shutout.
GAME ONE: ISLANDERS 11 – ACU 4
Nick Anderson turned in a 4-for-4 game with an RBI and a pair of runs while Zacarias Hardy produced his eighth multi-hit game in the past nine along with to RBI to power the Islanders in the 11-4 blowout.
After allowing Abilene Christian (12-21, 4-10) to take a 1-0 lead after one, the Islander bats responded with a fury. Anderson opened the big inning by getting hit by an 0-2 pitch from Wildcat starter Garrett deMeyere (2-6). The errant pitch opened the floodgates as the Islanders capitalized on an error a batter later to set the bases loaded.
Brain Deaver pushed across the first run by drawing a bases loaded walk followed by a Scott Balfantz RBI single to right and another error on the play to make it 3-1. The next man, Brett Burner laid down a sacrifice bunt to make it 4-1 in favor of the Blue and Green.
The Islanders struck again in the fifth. Zack Gibson opened the rally with a 1-out single followed by a walk and Anderson hit to load the bags again. Dawson Yates plated Gibson with a sacrifice fly into center to open the scoring and then Hardy and Anderson scored on a double error by ACU second baseman Kyle Carroll.
With a 7-2 lead, the Islanders put the game out of reach with another 4-run frame in the sixth. Facing reliever Drew Hanson, the Islanders used an RBI single from Casey Thomas, a 2-run double from Hardy and a single from Anderson to plate the four runs.
On the mound, left-hander Chris Falwell (2-3) battled through a rocky opening three frames to eventually settle in and work through seven solid innings. The ace fought through the early inning struggles to finish his outing with a quality start, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out five.
GAME TWO: ISLANDERS 0 – ACU 4
As dynamic and opportunistic as the Islander bats were in game one, they were silenced in the nightcap as ACU starter Aaron Mason (5-2).
Mason dominated the Islander order for eight spectacular innings scattering five hits while striking out six and walking just one. Mason was allowed to settle in thanks to early run support from the Wildcat bats which produced all four of the game's runs in the first three frames.
ACU again jumped out to a 1-0 lead after one thanks to a pair of singles. The Wildcats would tally once again in the second, this time on a 2-out rally.
Shortstop Mark Pearson doubled on an 0-2 pitch with two away and came across the plate on an RBI single on a 1-2 pitch from David Ruot.
The big blow came in the third as the Wildcats plated a pair of runs, one unearned. An infield single started the frame and was followed by a walk. With no one out and runners at first and second, Skapura spun with an inside move and caught Aaron Draper jumping towards third, but, Skapura's throw sailed over the head of Jozwiak at third and plated Draper. A batter later, a double play scored another run to make it 4-0 in favor of the homestanding Wildcats.
At the plate, the Islanders were ice cold as Mason pounded the zone and worked 13 ground balls in eight innings. At one point, Mason retired 12 straight Islanders from the first to fifth inning.
The best chance of the night came in the ninth as the Islanders loaded the bases on a single, error and walk with one out. That brought the tying run to the plate, but a strikeout and groundout ended the game.
RUBBER MATCH SATURDAY
The Islanders will go for the series victory in the finale of the three-game Southland set Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
