Islanders Host Mizzou Thursday

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Prior to heading downtown for this weekend's Kleberg Bank College Classic, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball plays host to Missouri Thursday night at Chapman Field on the Island. First pitch with the Tigers is set for 6:30 p.m.
 
PITCHING PROBABLES
>> Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | RHP Devin Skapura, Sr. | 0-0, 4.76 ERA
>> Mizzou | RHP Tanner Houck, Jr. | 0-1,  6.35 ERA
 
The Islanders hand the ball to senior Devin Skapura who is in his fourth season as a member of the starting rotation. On the other side, Mizzou sends preseason First Team All-American Tanner Houck to the hill. The 6-foot-5 right-hander is a projected top 10 pick in this summer's MLB First Year Player Draft.
 
LEADING OFF
>> The Kleberg Bank College Classic returns for a 12th season in the Coastal Bend as Missouri, Illinois and Houston join the Islanders this weekend.
>> Corpus Christi sits at 1-2 after a tight opening weekend series against Bradley. The Islanders scored first in all three games, but mid-inning rallies on Saturday and Sunday propelled Bradley to the series win.
>> The Islanders bats started the season hot, hitting .296 on opening weekend. Senior shortstop Cullen Jozwiak leads the Islanders at .455 through the first three games.
 
JOZWIAK JUMPS TO HOT START
>> After hitting just .206 in 2016, senior shortstop Cullen Jozwiak started the 2017 campaign off on the right foot as he looks for a rebound year at the plate.
>> Jozwiak finished opening weekend leading the Islanders with a .455 average. The right-hander finished 5-for-11 on the opening weekend with a double and triple.
>> Jozwiak is also tied for the team lead with three RBI after the opening weekend. His .727 slugging percentage leads the Islanders.
 
SENIORS SWINGING
>> Three Islander seniors are hitting better than .400 after the opening weekend. Along with the aforementioned Jozwiak, Brian Deaver and Dawson Yates each had big series.
>> Deaver hit .429 and added a walk. The outfielder drove in three runs to tie for the team lead and scored twice himself.
>> Yates went 4-for-10 in the first three games. He also scored all five times he was on base while driving in two runs.
 
STARTING QUICK
>> Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scored in the first inning in each of the three games against Bradley last weekend.
>> The Islanders scored five runs in the first inning against the Braves accounting for nearly 25-percent of their runs in the series.
 
KLEBERG BANK COLLEGE CLASSIC
Following Thursday night's bout with Mizzou, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi heads to Whataburger Field for games Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
 
FRIDAY - Whataburger Field
Houston vs. Missouri 2 p.m.
Islanders vs. Illinois  6 p.m.
 
SATURDAY - Whataburger Field
Illinois vs. Houston    2 p.m.
Islanders vs. Missouri           6 p.m.
 
SUNDAY - Whataburger Field
Illinois vs. Missouri    11 a.m.
Islanders vs. Houston           3 p.m.