CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – In game one of the three-game series this weekend, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball team couldn't quite get things rolling against Abilene Christian, dropping a 7-2 decision Friday night at Chapman Field.
Abilene Christian (8-3) struck early and often as the Islanders (4-8) couldn't match that offensive rhythm, only knocking three base hits through the night. The only runs from A&M-Corpus Christi came on faulty connections between the ACU pitcher and catcher as junior
Garrett Gruell scored on a fourth-inning wild pitch while junior
Mason Persons ran home on a passed ball in the eighth.
Gruell and junior
Chance Reisdorph accounted for the three hits as the latter tacked the first one on the board for the Islanders in his first at-bat, singling through the left side. It was his first of two on-base appearances as he took one in the back to reach in the bottom of the ninth. Both times he got into scoring position before being left stranded within 90 feet of another Islander run.
Meanwhile, Gruell posted a 2-for-4 game for his sixth multi-hit performance of the year. It included a lead-off double down the right field line in the fourth which later resulted in his advance home on the errant throw. In the bottom of the eighth, Persons drew the one-out walk and got the second on another ACU wild pitch. He advanced to third in the next at-bat before taking advantage of a passed ball that time to plate another run for the Islanders.
A late opportunity came for A&M-Corpus Christi in the final frame as the bases were loaded with just one out but a timely call to the bullpen brought in a fresh arm to escape the potential of a rally from the Islanders offense.
The Wildcats also got a jump on starter
Matthew Watson, scoring four earned against the righty. It didn't come without some push back at Watson struck out seven ACU batters. Freshman
Kendall Dove came in and threw a scoreless 3.0 innings of relief for his longest outing on the year.
Despite one fielding error, the Islanders also turned two double plays in the infield. They entered the night leading the league in doing so with 10.
The Islanders will look to bounce back tomorrow in game two of the three-game series against the Wildcats, slated at 6:30 p.m. at Whataburger Field. They still hold a 15-7 advantage in the all-time record with the Wildcats and 8-2 when playing them at home. It was the first loss at home to ACU since the 2019 season.
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