Walk Offs Propel Islanders to Doubleheader Sweep of Lions

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Tristan Welch broke out the heroics in a pair of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi walk-off victories, singling through the right side to chase home the winning run in a 4-3, extra-inning affair and then beating the tag at home on the sacrifice fly to steal the 2-1 win and seal the Islanders' sweep of Southeastern Louisiana Friday at Chapman Field.
 
Game 1 – A&M-Corpus Christi 4, Southeastern Louisiana 3 (8 inn.)

With the Islanders trailing 2-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh, the home club received help from Southeastern Louisiana's pitcher as Brendan Ryan wore a pitch and Justin Taylor drew the walk to put two runners aboard. Leo Markotic made the Lions pay with a right-side single that allowed Ryan to score the tying run before a Scott Hastings flyout signaled an extra-inning decision.

After a SLU retook the lead, 3-2, at the top of the eighth, the Islanders got the offense going once again as the home club scattered four hits with Mike Williams' left-side single deadlocked it for the second-straight frame before Welch ripped the fourth and final hit of the inning to the right side and cued the walk-off celebrations.

Not to be overshadowed by the offense, John Gaddis and SLU's Will Warren battled frame-by-frame through seven as Gaddis allowed three runs on six hits and fanning seven. Relievers took over for both sides in the eighth as Tyler Miller (2-3) recorded his second win of the season.

Welch and Justin Taylor paced the Islander offense with two hit games, as Welch's second hit proved the game-one decider.

Game 2 – A&M-Corpus Christi 2, Southeastern Louisiana 1

Coming down to the final inning once again, the Islanders found momentum from none other than game-one hero Welch whose leadoff double combined with an errant pick-off throw from the Lions' pitcher put the deciding run 90 feet away. Entering in the pinch-hit spot, Steven Rivera-Chijin lifted a sacrifice fly that sent Welch racing home to walk off the Lions for the second time that day in a 2-1 final.

The Islanders and Lions plated their runs in back-to-back half innings, as Itchy Burts popped an infield single and advanced to second on the wild pitch to set up a Williams' RBI single as the home club struck the first blow.

SLU quickly answered with a solo shot via Christian Garcia in the top of the second to force the 1-1 deadlock. Three of their four combined runs on the day came from the long ball.
From there, both pitchers settled into a groove as it turned to an all-out duel with no additional runs scored until the Islanders' déjà vu walk off.

Jaime Ramirez Jr. (7-2) fanned a career-high 11 batters and retired the final 13 batters in succession to earn the complete-game victory. His seven victories lead the Islanders' pitching staff this spring.

Islanders and Lions resume the four-game series Saturday at 1 p.m.

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