CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – John Gaddis picked up his fifth-consecutive win in game one while
Hayden Thomas matched a career-high 12 strikeouts in the nightcap to limit Stephen F. Austin to a meager four-run day, as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi earned a landslide 10-2, game-one win before turning in a 5-2 decision in game two Saturday at Chapman Field.
Game 1 – A&M-Corpus Christi 10, SFA 2 (7 inn.)
Starting hurler Gaddis (5-3) pitched six scoreless frames while the Islander bats delivered a key six-run punch in the fourth to cruise to a 10-2 win in the twin bill's opening game.
After plating a run in the second for the 1-0 edge, A&M-Corpus Christi blew the game wide open with a six-run fourth to extend a lead that they would not relinquish.
The fourth-inning run factory began with the Islanders loading the bases on a leadoff walk and singles from
Cole Fluta and
Steven Rivera-Chijin before
Itchy Burts walloped a three-RBI triple to right to clear the bases. Burts sprinted home the next at bat after a
Luke Marbach groundout, while
Mike Williams and
Josh Caraway reloaded the bases and scored the remaining two runs in an inning that saw 11 step to the plate and ended in a 7-0 home lead.
A&M-Corpus Christi put the finishing touches on its offensive outburst in the final two frames, as Caraway's bases-loaded fielder's choice scored Burts after a Lumberjack throwing error in the fifth while a Marbach left-side single drove another pair home and completed the 10-run effort for the home club.
With the game already in hand, SFA plated its two runs in the seventh via a Jordan Monacy double to center.
Gaddis logged his fifth-straight victory behind a scoreless start that only allowed three hits while he fanned six.
Game 2 – A&M-Corpus Christi 5, SFA 2
In another standout Islander pitching performance, game-two starter Thomas (3-3) dealt a career-tying 12 strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work to turn in his third victory and help clinch the series against SFA in a 5-2 decision.
SFA cashed in on back-to-back singles that produced a run and its first lead of the series in the top of the first for a 1-0 edge.
The lead would not last as A&M-Corpus Christi countered with a two-spot in the home half thanks to a Williams' sacrifice bunt and
Brendan Ryan right-field single to turn a 1-0 deficit to a 2-1 lead.
After allowing the first-frame run, Thomas clamped down on the SFA lineup and retired 15 of the next 16 batters with eight of those called for strikeouts. SFA's Garrett Goetz broke up the streak with a solo homer in the seventh to complete another two-run outing for the Lumberjacks.
A&M-Corpus Christi added to its lead with a three-run spurt, as Caraway launched a solo homer to dead center in the third and singles from Welch and
Leo Markotic scored two in the fourth for the 5-1 cushion.
Tyler Miller added four more strikeouts to bring the Islander total to 16 in his 2.0 innings of relief that secured the sweep and series.
Islanders aim for the series sweep in Sunday's finale slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
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