CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – An eighth inning error and a pair of bases loaded walks proved costly as Missouri held off Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 7-6 Thursday night at Chapman Field.
For the most part, it was all going to play for the Islanders (1-3) as the Blue and Green chased preseason All-American and projected top 10 MLB draft pick Tanner Houck in the fifth inning.
The Islanders tagged Houck for five runs, four of which came in the bottom of the fifth frame. The Islanders recorded six hits off the Mizzou (4-1) ace and claimed a 5-4 lead after five thanks to a 2-run single from
Nick Anderson and an RBI knock by
Nkosi Djehuti-Mes.
Mizzou rallied back, knotting the game at 5-5 in the top of the seventh. Chris Cornelius laid down a perfect safety squeeze up the first base line to plate.
Devin Skapura went 6 1/3 innings in his second start of the year. The senior allowed five runs, all earned, yet gave the Islanders a chance to win. After two 2-run shots in the top of the third, Skapura settled in and hung four consecutive zeroes on the board. He finished the day with six strikeouts to just a single walk.
Mizzou's eventual game-winning runs came in the top of the eighth as a dropped third strike lead to a throwing error. That allowed the Tigers to load the bases and walk in two unearned runs.
David Worrell (1-1) was charged with the loss, despite not surrendering an earned run. Worrell allowed two hits in 1 1/3 inning of work.
"I think the biggest message at the end was that I was as positive as could be with these guys," said head coach
Scott Malone. "We talked about two things: it's a good SEC club with a lot of talent and when they hit us, I want us to respond. They get four in the second and kind of knock us on our heels. Then, here we go. We responded in the middle innings. "
AT THE PLATE
Lukas Hermanson had a stellar day with the bat, going 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Freshman
Dalton Stark joined Hermanson with a two-hit night adding a double himself.
Other notables included a 2-RBI night from
Nick Anderson and RBI from
Itchy Burts,
Nkosi Djehuti-Mes and
Drake Osborn.
IMPACT INNINGS
TOP 2
>> Brett Bond singled to start a four-run inning for the Tigers.
>> Mizzou used a pair of 2-run blasts as Alex Samples and Robbie Glendinning went deep to right center field.
BOTTOM 5
>> The Islanders scored four runs on four hits to take a 5-4 lead.
>>
Lukas Hermanson and
Cullen Jozwiak opened the inning with back-to-back singles and would both come around to score.
>>
Nick Anderson laced a 2-run single back up the middle to tie the game at 4-4.
>>
Nkosi Djehuti-Mes dropped a single into no-man's land down the right field line to give the Blue and Green the lead.
BOTTOM 7
>> The Islanders loaded the bases with no outs but Mizzou escaped thanks to a 1-2-3 double play and a strikeout.
TOP 8
>> Mizzou scored twice on just one hit after a throwing error on a strikeout and two bases loaded walks.
BOTTOM 9
>> The Islanders got the tying and game-winning runs into scoring position, but
Brian Deaver lined out to left to end the game.
>>
Drake Osborn knocked home one run with an RBI-single in his first career at-bat.
