CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - After doubling up on Columbia 6-3 this past Tuesday, the Islanders enter Southland Conference play against Sam Houston this Friday on a two-game winning streak. At 12-5 the Islanders have tied their best 17-game start in program history and can record their best 18-game start with a win against the Bearkats in game one of the three-game series.
The Blue and Green received four votes in the most recent USA Today Coaches Poll and received national attention over the past two weeks after getting highlighted in D1Baseball's weekly 'Under the Radar' segment. Ace righty
Aaron Hernandez has been getting recognized on the national level as well, earning Perfect Game/Rawling's Sports Pitcher of the Week honors for his complete game shutout against Utah Valley and finishing runner-up in USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Performance of the Week voting.
WHAT TO KNOW
Who: Sam Houston State
When: Friday, 6:00 PM
Pitching Matchup: AMCC: D. Lacaze (1-0) v SHSU: H. Wesneski (1-1)
Where: Chapman Field | Corpus Christi, Texas
Watch: Islander Digital Network
Who: Sam Houston State
When: Saturday, 4:00 PM
Pitching Matchup: AMCC: A. Hernandez (1-2) v SHSU: R. Gossett (2-0)
Where: Chapman Field | Corpus Christi, Texas
Watch: Islander Digital Network
Who: Sam Houston State
When: Sunday, 1:00 PM
Pitching Matchup: AMCC: J. Owens (2-0) v SHSU: G. Sequeira (2-0)
Where: Chapman Field | Corpus Christi, Texas
Watch: Islander Digital Network
PROMOTIONS>> Friday: First 100 fans in attendance receive a pair of free Islander sunglasses
Saturday: First 150 fans receive Green Islander Cups for St. Patrick's DayOur weekly 'Kids Day' promotion continues, with a bounce house available for all young Islander fans to enjoy
Sunday: At the conclusion of our finale, Chapman field will be open to all spectators to run the bases and have a catch in the Islanders' outfield
AT THE PLATE
>> The Islanders' 119 runs scored currently rank 39th in Division I baseball led by 20 from first baseman
Harrison DiNicola. Dinicola has crossed home plate more than any player in the SLC this year and sits 25th in the country
>> Only 18 teams in D1 baseball have more triples than the Islanders this season (7), as the club has recorded a three-bagger against the last four sides they've matched up against
>> The Islanders have recorded a home run in their last three contests, two of which have come off the bat of Dinicola. He currently has a team-best five long balls, the Blue and Green collected a total of nine in the entire 2017 season
>> Four players on Corpus Christi are slugging over .500, with regular starters Dinicola and
Drake Osborn recording averages of .697 and .553. Osborn has reached first safely in every game he's made a plate appearance in this season (12)
ON THE HILL
>> With three saves on the year, closer
Chris Cooper leads the Southland this year, and is tied for 45th-most in D1 baseball
>> Ace
Aaron Hernandez has recorded a quality start in his past three appearances, surrendering just three earned runs over his past 23.0 IP
>> Hernandez' 34 Ks rank 37th in the country, Saturday starter
Dustin Lacaze ranks second for the Islanders with 21 strikeouts this season
>> Three Blue and Green relievers rank within the top-12 in the conference concerning batting average against;
Cody LeCompte (1st; .000),
Cole Carter (7th; .118) and
Zach Rumfield (12th; .143). That's more than any other team in the SLC
IN THE FIELD
>> The Islanders' .981 fielding percentage sits 22nd in NCAA D1 baseball, committing just 11 errors over the course of the year
>> Corpus Christi has played eight games this year without committing an error, on the way to turning 14 double plays in 2018
>> Only one other shortstop in the Southland has turned more double plays than the Islanders'
Steven Rivera-Chijin (11), despite the freshman making just 10 starts this season
SCOUTING THE BEARKATS
>> Coming into 2018 off a super regional appearance in last year's NCAA Baseball Championship tourney, SHSU has started the year at 13-4, and are currently on a five-game win streak after beating PVAMU twice, sweeping a three-game series with Lamar and dropping Baylor on the road 7-2
>> The Bearkats sit sixth in the country with 19 double plays turned, while their 16 homers on the year rank 34th
>> Friday starter Hayden Wesneski is tied for third in the country with a single complete game, after holding Kent State to one unearned run over nine innings of work in the Bearkats' opening series. Sunday starter Gabriel Suquiera ranks 39th in D1 baseball with a 1.02 ERA
COMING UP NEXT
Corpus Christi will play the second leg of its two-game home-and-home series with UTRGV after their three contests against SHSU. The Islanders hold a slim lead over the Vaqueros in this year's South Texas Showdown, presented by NavyArmy Community Credit Union series, with the winner of Tuesday's matchup all but securing this year's rivalry trophy.
The Islanders' upcoming contests against SHSU and UTRGV can be followed via the live stream provided by the Islander Digital Network, powered by AEP Texas.
STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Islanders Baseball, follow the team on Twitter (
@IslandersBSB), Instagram (
@islandersbsb) and like their Facebook page (
Islanders Baseball).
- Go Islanders -
