CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – For a second consecutive day, runs were scarce for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as the Islanders mustered just one marker and left 10 men in scoring position in a 5-1 loss to Lamar on Saturday at Chapman Field.
Missed opportunities spoiled the day as the Islanders (11-19, 3-8) placed runners in scoring position in seven different innings but scored only once. The lone run came in the eighth s pinch hitter Justin Perales drove home Zacarias Hardy with one away.
"I think hitting is contagious and then on the flip side, when you're not hitting it's contagious," said head coach Scott Malone. "I think our guys are going up there out of breath almost. Everyone feels like they have to hit a 5-run home run every time they're up there. We're playing with the game against us right now. It's like we've got the treadmill pointed straight up and we're running uphill."
By that time, it was too little, too late as the Islanders trailed 5-0 when the run was plated. Starter Devin Skapura (2-4) took the loss despite delivering another solid start for the Islanders.
Skapura went 7 1/3 allowing five runs on eight hits, but three of those came in the top of the eighth. Through the first seven frames, Skapura largely kept one of the best hitting teams in the league subdued to just two runs.
"I thought Devin threw a lot of quality strikes," said Malone. "That's about as simple as I can put it. He threw two pitches – a fastball in and out and a breaking ball in the bottom of the zone. He just kept pounding strikes in there and for a team that hits a lot, he took the game to them and put the pressure on them. I thought dictated the tone and let the defense work behind him."
Lamar (24-7, 9-2) took the early lead in the fourth inning as three singles combined with a sacrifice fly to push across the game's opening runs. After a rocky first inning, where he escaped a bases-loaded jam, Skapura retired seven straight before surrendering the two runs in the fourth.
Following the fourth, Skapura retired 11 of the next 12 Cardinals he faced before being knocked out of the game in the eighth.
For the Islanders, Saturday was chocked full of opportunities, but the dam-breaking hit still eluded the Blue and Green. In the first, the Islanders put runners at second and third with just one out, but Lamar pitcher Billy Love escaped unscathed.
The Islanders would roll on to put runners in scoring position in five of the first six innings with perhaps the best chance coming in the fifth. A single and walk put two aboard with no outs for Zacarias Hardy and the left fielder rolled a ball toward second with the runners in motion.
Hardy beat the ball out as the second baseman had gone to cover second, but the Cardinals still found an out by gunning down Casey Thomas trying to score from second. The next batter, Nick Anderson lined into a double play and just like that, the threat was over.
Down 5-0, the Islanders managed to bring the tying run to the plate in the eighth. Hardy led off with his third hit of the night and an error and single helped score the Islanders' first run of the weekend. A walk to Scott Balfantz loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout ended the Islander effort to jump back into the game.
LOOKING TO SALVAGE
The Islanders will look to salvage the final game of the series as Aaron Hernandez takes the mound at 1 p.m. The freshman threw 5 2/3 innings Tuesday at Texas, picking up the win over the Longhorns.
