Islanders Hold Off UIW 10-8

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Returning home off an eight-game road trip, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi outlasted UIW 10-8 Tuesday night in a midweek, non-conference tilt at Chapman Field.
 
The Islanders (7-14) used a 4-run bottom of the seventh to break open what was a 6-6 game and held off a ninth-inning rally for the win. Itchy Burts produced three of those runs as his 2-out, chopper over the first baseman's head ended up rolling all the way to the wall on an error by the right fielder.
 
The chopper scored both Dawson Yates and Harrison DiNicola while the error allowed the speedy Burts to race all the way around the bags as well.
 
Burts' 2-for-3, 3-run night was part of a big day for the bottom of the Islander order which included 2-for-2 outings from Dalton Stark and Luke Marbach. Marbach's stellar day included a 2-run triple as the freshman finished with three RBI to lead the Blue and Green.
 
After falling behind 1-0 in the first, the Islanders tagged a three-spot on the board in the bottom of the third. The Islanders and Cardinals both traded runs in the fourth before a pair of errors allowed UIW to tie the game in the top of the sixth.
 
The Islanders answered right back with two in the bottom half thanks to a Stark sacrifice fly and a Marbach single.
 
UIW threw another punch in the seventh to score a pair of unearned runs yet again. With the game tied for the second time, Yates roped an RBI-single to left to break the deadlock and start the 4-run frame.
 
In the ninth, the Cardinals plated a pair and put the tying runs on second and third before Cullen Jozwiak fanned the final batter of the game to preserve the victory.
 
Chris Cooper (2-3) picked up the win in relief for the Islanders. The right-hander allowed four runs, all unearned, on just two hits over three innings of work. Starter Chad Romere went four innings allowing a pair on five hits while striking out four.
 
IMPACT INNINGS
 
Bottom 3
>> The Islanders plated a trio of runs to take a 3-1 advantage.
>> Luke Marbach's 2-run triple keyed the big inning.
 
Bottom 7
>> The Islanders broke a 6-6 tie with a 4-run inning.
>> Itchy Burts chopped a single over first base scoring two. Burts also scored on the play as the right fielder overran the ball.
 
QUICK HITS
 
>> Jozwiak finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI at the plate.
>> Nick Anderson added a 2-for-5 day.

UP NEXT

The Islanders return to Chapman Field Friday night for the opener of a three-game set against Southland foe Northwestern State. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.