CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Last week, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi rallied to beat Stephen F. Austin with eight runs in the eighth inning. On Saturday, as the Blue and Green trailed Central Arkansas 11-4, the Islanders put eight runs on the board take a 12-11 lead in the fifth, but the Bears charged back with four runs in the eighth to win 15-13 and clinch the series in a matchup that featured a combined 28 runs and 33 hits.
Cullen Jozwiak and
Jackson Owens powered the Islanders (14-29, 6-14) with three RBI apiece, as seven different players brought in runs for the Blue and Green on Saturday.
Dawson Yates and
Itchy Burts put forth three-hit performances with seven Islanders notching multi-hit games, as Corpus outhit the Bears (24-19, 12-8) 19-14, setting a new season-high.
Central Arkansas was led by the 2-for-5, four-RBI afternoon by Keaton Presley. The visitors benefited from 13 free passes issued by the Blue and Green.
Similar to Friday, the Bears struck first with a trio of runs on two hits and an error by the Islanders. Hunter Strong singled up the middle for the game's opening run, before a failed back pick let Strong come in from second two batters later. Brooks Balisterri made it 3-0 in favor of the visitors.
Islanders starter
Cole Carter, who ended with a no decision, left the game after 2 1/3 innings with the bases loaded. Rigo Aguilar hit a bases clearing triple on the first pitch from reliever
Korey Rasure.
Jozwiak put the Islanders on the board in the bottom of the third with an RBI groundout to plate
Lukas Hermanson from third.
Following an RBI sacrifice fly by Justin McCarty, Corpus Christi pulled a trio of runs back in the fourth.
Brian Deaver doubled down the right field line to score
Brett Burner from third, Hermanson hit a sac-fly to center for an RBI, and Deaver broke for home on a failed back-pick by catcher William Hancock.
A four-run fifth for the Bears extended the lead to 11-4, as
Nolan Holland took over for Rasure, who finished with four earned runs on five hits against with two strikeouts in two innings of work.
The Islanders opened the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back-to-back singles to right field from Yates, Jozwiak and
Dalton Stark. Following a Burner walk to load the bases,
Jackson Owens hammered a 1-2 pitch off the base of the wall in center for a bases clearing triple, taking his series RBI total to five.
Deaver drove in Owens with a single during the next at-bat to cut the deficit down to three. On his second time up during the inning, Yates singled in Burts from third. Jozwiak put the Blue and Green ahead with a two-RBI single through the left side. In total, the Blue and Green scored eight runs on eight hits in the fifth.
Chad Romere entered the game for Holland in the sixth with two on and two out to strikeout Michael Haun to erase the threat. Corpus Christi then turned an inning-ending double play in the seventh.
In the eighth, Central Arkansas struck for three scores to take the lead. Preseley singled to center to bring in a pair of runners. Dusty Wright followed that up with a two-out two-RBI single to make it 15-12 in favor of the visitors.
Stark opened the eighth with a one-out double to right, before reaching third on a wild pitch.
Nick Anderson lifted a full-count offering to center for an RBI sac-fly.
Corpus Christi loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but closer Ty Tice finished the game with a strikeout and a popup to short.
Brandon Hagerla (7-3) picked up the win in four innings of relief work, scattering nine hits and giving up four earned runs.
Chris Cooper (3-4) took the loss after coming out of the bullpen for the final four outs of the game. The Islanders staff struck out seven on the night.
The series finale on Sunday is set for 11 a.m. at Chapman Field.
