VICTORIA, Texas -- The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi baseball program (15-9, 4-2 Southland) put together a mid-game rally in a non-conference test against Houston-Victoria (12-13, 5-4 RRAC) on Wednesday evening, toughing out a 8-5 victory over the Jaguars at Riverside Stadium in Victoria, Texas. After initially falling behind by a 3-1 margin, the Islanders battled back over the course of the third, fifth, sixth and seventh frames, surging to a four-run advantage before the Blue & Green bullpen sealed the win with some strong late-game pitching.
KEY INNINGS
Top | 2nd
- Senior
Andriud Martinez opened the second frame with a well-hit double down the left-field line, setting himself up in scoring position.
- In his first-ever appearance for the Islanders, freshman
Justin Taylor picked up an RBI single with a shot into left field, pushing the Islanders to a quick 1-0 advantage.
Bottom | 2nd
- Following a single and a hit-by-pitch, Austin Wailes managed to slice a hard-hit pitch past a diving
Nick Anderson in center field, notching an inside-the-park home run and a 3-1 edge on the scoreboard for Houston-Victoria.
Top | 6th
- After picking up one run in both the third and fifth frames, knotting the score at 3-3,
Thomas Jeffries IV broke the logjam behind an RBI single into deep center field, scoring
Tyler Mendoza from first base. The senior rounded the bases himself during the play following a mishandled ball by the outfielder, granting the Islanders a 7-3 lead late in the sixth.
Top | 9th
- Bolstered by a three-run advantage following another pair of runs scoring in the seventh, Mendoza knocked home an insurance run late in the ninth frame with an RBI single into center field.
Bottom | 9th
- The Jaguars posted their final run of the game on an RBI single into right center, but reliever
John Gaddis powered through for the final two outs to clinch the victory.
ON THE MOUND
- Senior
Chris Glover earned his first start of the season for the Islanders, working through 4.2 innings with three runs allowed on four hits and a team-high three strikeouts. True freshman
Tyler Miller (1-1) stepped in for relief late in the fifth, giving up just two hits through 1.1 frames for his first win of the year.
- Next out of the bullpen,
Cody LeCompte and
David Worrell tossed a strong 1.0 innings each, retiring a pair on strikes while surrendering one run on as many hits. The ninth frame saw both
Luke Malone (one out) and Gaddis, who combined for just one run allowed on two hits before closing out the win.
COMING UP NEXT
With the pair of midweek non-conference matchups wrapped up, the Islanders shift focus back to conference play in an upcoming three-game series against Nicholls, running Friday, Mar. 22 through Sunday, Mar. 24 in Thibodaux, La.
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-- Go Islanders --
