SAN ANTONIO – Make it four straight for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball as the Islanders blasted a pair of home runs and threw 10 on the board for a 10-7 series-clinching win at UIW on Saturday afternoon.
Jackson Owens starred in an offensive showcase as the third baseman recorded three hits for the second straight day, including a two-run blast in the top of the ninth to ice the game for the Blue and Green. Owens finished 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI and two runs scored.
The Islanders' slugfest saw eight players record a hit while five picked up an RBI.
Scott Balfantz and
Brian Deaver joined Owens in the two RBI club on Saturday, giving the Islanders a wealth of production in the eight and nine holes.
Corpus Christi (19-31, 11-15) struck early and often to score double-digits Saturday afternoon. The Blue and Green opened the scoring in the second inning when a pair of walks and a hit batsman loaded the bases with Islanders. Deaver lifted a sacrifice fly to right for his first RBI of the day before Balfantz singled home another to make it 2-0.
The Islanders would tack on another in the fourth as Owens opened the frame with a double into the left-center field gap. Deaver would push him across with a single into center as the lead grew to 3-0.
In the fifth,
Luke Marbach singled and scored when UIW threw down to second to catch
Dawson Yates stealing. An inning later,
Nick Anderson lifted a solo shot on a 2-1 pitch to up the advantage to 5-0.
Meanwhile, senior
Devin Skapura (3-4) was dealing on the mound for the Islanders. The right-hander would finish the day with a quality start, allowing three runs, just two of which were earned, on six hits. As Corpus Christi was building its lead in the first five innings, Skapura allowed just two hits to UIW.
The Cardinals (19-32, 7-19) finally scratched Skapura in the sixth, capitalizing on an error and thre hits to score a pair in the inning.
UIW would add another run in the seventh, pulling within two of the Islanders. With the advantage trimmed to 5-3, the Islanders responded in the top of the eighth with a run of their own as Balfantz lifted a sacrifice fly to drive home Deaver.
The Islanders would break the game wide open in the top of the ninth with four runs on three hits.
Dalton Stark opened the frame with a single and promptly stole second. Marbach ripped a double to left to plate Stark and scored on a UIW error.
With a man aboard, Owens stepped in a launched his two-run shot for a 10-3 advantage. As it turned out, the Islanders would need those runs as UIW mounted a furious ninth-inning rally.
A day after earning his sixth save of the season,
Chris Cooper struggled to put away the Cardinals in the non-save situation. The Cardinals used five hits, all singles to tag Cooper for four runs in the inning. With the lead cut to 10-7 and a runner at second, Cooper finally closed the door by inducing a comebacker to the mound.
SUNDAY FINALE
With the victory, the Islanders have clinched the series and will look for the sweep in Sunday's finale. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. from San Antonio.
