CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The Islanders' baseball program defeated Stephen F. Austin 12-11 in the 10th inning at Chapman Field, claiming its second series victory this season.
"If they did that in a movie, we'd all say no, that's not real," said head coach
Scott Malone. "That's what today feels like for me. I'm really proud of our guys; we were down to our last out a couple of times. It's a hitter's park and I tip my hat to SFA and [head coach] Johnny Cardenas."
Senior
Hayden Thomas took the mound for the start and set the Islanders up for success by not allowing a run. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi earned an early 2-0 lead after only one inning of work.
Leo Markotic, the junior second baseman, ignited a fire in his bat with a single to left field before advancing to third as sophomore
Brendan Ryan also singled, however in the opposite direction to right. Ryan stole second base during sophomore
Josh Caraway's at-bat in which he struck out swinging. Sophomore
Max Puls slammed a ball up the middle to get to first base, allowing Markotic and Ryan to score. A groundout ended the inning.
The second inning remained quiet for both teams until the Lumberjacks scored three runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead. A&M-Corpus Christi wouldn't take the runs lightly, striking back with two runs in the next half. Sophomore
Brandon Petkoff singled up the middle and stole second during Markotic's next at-bat. A strikeout brought Ryan back to the plate, where he reached first on a single and second on an error. The error opened up the door for Petkoff to come home and tie the game at three. Ryan stole third base right before a Caraway triple to left field in which he scored another run. The inning came to a close with two outs in the next two at-bats.
Stephen F. Austin fought back valiantly for the lead in the fourth, bringing in two runs before the Islanders got a chance to respond. When the opportunity arose, A&M-Corpus Christi didn't back down with a runner on first early with senior
Steven Rivera-Chijin reaching base on a hit by a pitch before he stole second. He continued his ways by taking third on another stolen base. Freshman
John Maldonado Jr., filling in at third base, was walked. Petkoff grounded out in the next play, but Maldonado Jr. advanced a base as Rivera-Chijin brought in another run before a strikeout.
The Islanders fell to a 6-5 deficit in the fifth and rebounded by taking a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the inning. Ryan was hit by a pitch before he stole second a couple of outs later. Junior
Justin Taylor claimed his first hit of the day with a double to right field, bringing Ryan home, tying the game. Rivera-Chijin followed suit, also hitting a double to right as Taylor came in for his turn to score. Sophomore
Tyler Linneweber struck out to end the inning for the Islanders. Sophomore
Kennedy Parks relieved Thomas to collect the last out needed in the top of the inning.
All was quiet in the sixth inning before a home run by SFA in the top seventh ruined the peace. Caraway was hit by a pitch off the top of his head in the bottom seventh, but ultimately was not be able to score. In the top of a silent eighth inning, freshman
Clay Westbrook came in for Parks.
A&M-Corpus Christi fell behind 9-7 in the top of the ninth to go into the bottom knowing they needed to score. After a flyout by the leadoff batter, Ryan walked to reach first. Caraway struck out swinging next, but Puls covered for him by sending a bomb out to the right field, tying the game at nine and sending it into extra innings.
The Lumberjacks felt as though they had the game put away, scoring two more runs in the tenth, however, the Islanders had something to say about that. Rivera-Chijin singled to third on a two-two count.
Tre Jones, a sophomore, pinch-hit for Linneweber and Rivera-Chijin stole second during the plate appearance on a wild pitch. Jones struck out and fellow sophomore
Nick Mueller came in to pinch-hit as well for Maldonado Jr. During Mueller's at-bat, Rivera-Chijin advanced another base on a wild pitch before Mueller was walked. This caused the Lumberjacks to bring in a new pitcher in which Petkoff hit a ground out off of to advance Mueller to second and bring in Rivera-Chijin. Markotic walked, bringing the winning run on base immediately before Ryan singled to right field, bringing in Mueller and Markotic to claim the game and series victory.
"I was hoping for a fastball and that's what I got," said sophomore
Brendan Ryan about the game-winning single before the team threw ice-cold water all over him.
A&M-Corpus Christi will get a day of rest on Monday before traveling to Edinburg, Texas for a game against UTRGV at 6:30 p.m. in Edinburg Stadium.
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