HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi used the long ball to kickstart an offensive outburst that downed Sam Houston 12-6 in game one before the Bearkats limited the Islander offense to four runs in a 9-4, game-two final to split the Saturday twin bill at Don Sanders Stadium.
The Islanders lifted three homers in the offensive effort, as
Luke Marbach blasted two in back-to-back games while
Itchy Burts completed the trio with a three-run blast in game one as the duo combined for eight RBIs in the split.
Game 1 – A&M-Corpus Christi 12, Sam Houston 6
A leadoff
Luke Marbach solo shot in the top of the fourth ignited a game-changing, six-run frame that erased a five-run Sam Houston advantage and set off an Islander scoring barrage that stretched over the final four innings.
Sam Houston looked to pick up where they left off in the series opener, using a four-run first and single tally in the third while starter Matt Dillard faced the minimum to help the Bearkats build a comfortable 5-0 lead heading to the fourth. Â
The Marbach homer stirred the Islanders' offense, as back-to-back doubles from
Leo Markotic and
Tristan Welch drove in three runs and set up
Cole Fluta single that brought Welch home to turn a 5-0 deficit into a 6-5 visitor lead in an inning that saw 10 batters approach the plate.
A&M-Corpus Christi found its offensive rhythm and padded its cushion with a two-spot fifth before another long ball via
Itchy Burts, his second round tripper of the season, completed a three-run sixth and accounted for 11 unanswered Islander runs over the lopsided three-frame stretch.
The Bearkats managed to scratch out another run after drawing a couple walks and threading back-to-back singles to cut into the 11-6 Islander advantage.
Two more hits courtesy of
Brendan Ryan and Welch combined with a Bearkat error and Burts walk brough home its season-high 12th and final run in the game-one victory.
Jaime Ramirez (1-1) picked up his first mound victory of the season in 4.2 innings of work that saw him strikeout five while scattering four hits for one run.
Game 2 – Sam Houston 9, A&M-Corpus Christi 4
Once again, Marbach delivered the first Islander run in long ball fashion for his second of the day and fourth of the season to stake a 1-0 lead for the blue and green on the leadoff at bat.
Unlike game one, the Islanders struggled to keep the bats hot as the Bearkats answered with a three-run second to seize the 3-1 lead while starting hurler Dominic Robinson silenced A&M-Corpus Christi's offense for four shutdown innings.
Sam Houston launched its own leadoff homer and capitalized on a pair of Islander miscues to highlight another three-run outing in the fifth and double its edge to 6-1.
The Islanders found their way back on the scoreboard in the sixth courtesy of a
Mike Williams single and muffed Sam Houston throw to end the offensive drought and trail 6-2 in the late stages.
A&M-Corpus Christi scored a two-spot in the ninth, but not before the Bearkats tallied its third three-run frame on its way to a 9-4 game-two outcome.
Islanders and Bearkats series finale is set for tomorrow (March 28) at 1 p.m.Â
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