CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 2-for-4 and two-RBI day from
Dawson Yates was not enough as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi dropped the series opener to Stephen F. Austin by a 9-4 final Friday night at Chapman Field.
Yates staked the Islanders to an early 1-0 lead with his RBI-single in the bottom of the first, but SFA scored the next five runs to take control of the game.
Zac Michener leveled the game for the Lumberjacks (23-17, 12-4) with a solo shot in the second to jumpstart the SFA bats. The 'Jacks would take the lead on a sac fly later in the inning. Michener finished 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI to key a 14-hit night for SFA.
After the game settled a bit, SFA broke things open with a three-run top of the fourth. A pair of base knocks scored the first to make it 3-1 before an Islander error gave SFA another pair on the board.
The Islanders answered back with a run in the fourth and a pair in the sixth to cut the deficit down to 7-4.
Lukas Hermanson picked up the RBI in the fourth inning while Yates and R.J. Ruiz drove in runs in the sixth.
Corpus Christi (13-25, 5-11) could never pull any closer as the Islanders eighth-inning threat was shutdown by a double play.
SFA sealed the series-opening victory with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth.
Redshirt freshman
Dustin Lacaze was charged with the loss. The right-hander lasted 5 2/3 innings in the start while allowing seven runs, five earned, on 11 hits.
Chris Glover worked three innings in relief surrendering a pair of runs, only one of which is earned. Glover notched one of two Islander strikeouts on the day with
Caleb Hanks recording the other.
Seven different Islanders recorded hits as the Blue and Green racked up 10 base knocks on the day. Yates and
Dalton Stark piled up five of those 10 hits while
Nick Anderson also added a triple at the plate.
SATURDAY SLATE
The Islanders and Stephen F. Austin will continue the series with game two slated for a 4 p.m. start on Saturday afternoon.
Cole Carter is scheduled to get the ball on the mound for the Islanders.
