Islanders Clinch First Series of 2018

ARLINGTON, Texas - Senior Jackson Owens tallied his first win on the mound this Sunday, as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi took Game 3 of its series with UT-Arlington 2-1. The Islanders recorded 26 hits over their three games with the Mavericks this past weekend, clinching their first series of the 2018 season two games to one.

The Blue and Green jumped on the home team early, with a run in the first inning. After a drawn walk from Harrison DiNicola, Nick Anderson would shoot a double down the left field line to give outfielder Dalton Stark a pair of runners in scoring position. The Preseason All-Southland Conference honorable mention picked up his first sac fly of the season in the next at-bat, to give his team the first lead of the day, while collecting his first RBI of the season.

The early stages of Sunday's bout would come down to defense, as the Islanders and Mavericks combined for just six hits in the opening seven frames. In his first start on the hill, Owens held UTA to just three knocks over six innings of work, while holding the home team scoreless and walking a pair.

The Blue and Green grabbed a security run during the eighth inning off a UT-Arlington error, as a dropped ball scored Anderson from third, and set up a save opportunity for the Islander bullpen.

Chad Romere would make his first appearance of the season in relief of Owens at the start of the seventh, while right-hander David Worrell picked up the save in the ninth inning. With a pair of runners in scoring position and a single out, Worrell would come onto the hill and force a pair of fly balls to get out of the frame and secure the second save of his career.

Overall the Islanders pitching staff would hold the Mavericks to just a single run and four hits, while the Blue and Green defense fielded a perfect 1.000 on the afternoon. Corpus Christi moves to 2-1 on the season with their win over UTA, opening their season with a series win for the third time in the last four years.

• Anderson and Drake Osborn have both opened the season on three-game hitting streaks, while the latter has a team-high five knocks on the year
• With a double in Sunday's game, Anderson currently leads Corpus Christi with .727 slugging
• The Islanders are one of just four Southland teams to win their opening series this year, while their five doubles trail only Abilene Christian (7) for an SLC-high
• In addition to Osborn and Anderson, three other Corpus Christi athletes have reached safely in each game this year
• The Blue and Green pitching staff held UTA to a .245 average on the weekend, combining for 12 strikeouts over three games
• Coach Malone's side has committed just a single error over its first three games, no team in the Southland has a better fielding percentage (.991)

COMING UP NEXT
The Islanders prepare to face South Texas Showdown rival UTRGV this Tuesday, looking to beat the Vaqueros for the eighth time in their past 10 meetings.

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