NATCHITOCHES, La. – For the second time this weekend, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi fell in walk-off fashion to Northwestern State as the Demons completed the sweep with a 6-5 win in Sunday's finale.
GAME TWO BOX | GAME THREE BOX
In the conclusion of game two of the series, suspended Friday night due to lightning, the Islanders rallied in the ninth, using a 2-run double from Justin Perales to cut the lead to 4-2 and bring the tying run to the plate. The Islanders could not complete the rally as a strikeout and fly out ended the conclusion of game two.
In the finale that followed, the Islanders (14-29, 4-17) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second, using five hits and a pair of Northwestern State (25-18, 14-10) errors to hang the big number on the board.
The inning opened with three straight singles as Zack Gibson, Perales and Nick Anderson each drove base hits into left field to load the bases. The Islanders took the lead on a fielder's choice off the bat of Scott Balfantz before a second run came home on a throwing error as Balfantz stole second.
Another Demon miscue allowed Cullen Jozwiak to reach first with Balfantz scoring to make it 3-0. After another single, Dawson Yates singled home another run before being thrown out trying to stretch to second. Yates finished the finale 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and an RBI.
The Demons did not go quietly, chipping away with single runs in the third and fourth innings to cut the lead in half. Cort Brinson drove in the first of his three RBI on the afternoon to open the scoring for Northwestern State. Brinson went on to finish the game 4-for-5. An inning later, an RBI-fielder's choice made it 4-2.
Both teams scored in the fifth as Zack Gibson lifted a sacrifice fly to right field before Brinson added his second RBI with a single in the bottom half. The runs for either side moved the score line to 5-3 in favor of the Islanders.
The seventh inning proved to be the frame where things unraveled for the Blue and Green as a pair of errors on a sacrifice bunt attempt allowed a run to score and the tying run to go to second. Again, it was Brinson who wounded the Islanders, knotting the game at 5-5 with a double to left center.
That set the table for another Demon walk-off. A leadoff single to open the bottom of the ninth from David Fry and a sacrifice bunt moved the game-winner into scoring position with one out. Chris Cooper induced a fly out to left for the second out of the inning, but catcher Kelsey Richard followed with a single through the left side allowing Fry to race around for the win.
For the Islanders, the loss marks back-to-back sweeps and the third time this season in conference play.
The Blue and Green return to Chapman Field Wednesday afternoon to host UTRGV at 2 p.m.
