SAN ANTONIO – It almost felt like an inevitable ending to a game that was
this close to possibly being something completely different.
With the bases loaded and no outs, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball team watched as three consecutive pitches sailed to the backstop, the last one officially a wild pitch, as the Islanders dropped Game 1 of their Southland Conference-opening series with UIW 12-2 in seven innings. The game was stopped because of the mercy rule.
Yet it could have been much different had a single play gone the other way.
Leading 2-0 with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning, A&M-Corpus Christi third baseman
Sebastian Trinidad cleanly fielded a high chopper and fired to first, seemingly getting the speedy Daniel Calabrese for the final out of the inning. But with replay in effect at Sullivan Field, the Cardinals challenged the play.
The umpires took nearly three minutes to determine that Calabrese had beat the throw, giving the Cardinals (14-6, 1-0) their second hit, their first run and their first sign of life on offense.
Until then, Islanders pitcher
Matthew Watson was spectacular. The junior had given up just one hit and no runs until the replay, striking out six (he finished with seven). But after waiting on the call and seeing it overturned, Watson gave up a two-run single on a full count to No. 9 hitter Grant Randall. Of the five hits Watson allowed, it was the only one that left the infield. That gave the Cardinals a 3-2 lead, and they would never trail again.
"The replay did swing things," A&M-Corpus Christi coach
Scott Malone said. "It was a bang-bang play. We thought for sure the out call would stand, but it didn't. That really turned the momentum. Their nine-hole hitter stepped up and drove in two big runs after the replay – that was huge."
The suddenness with which the game turned was stunning.
Prior to the replay call, the Islanders (10-16, 0-1) seemed to be in control. For just the second time during their season-high six-game losing streak, the Islanders scored first after Trinidad led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch and came home on
Chance Reisdorph's sacrifice fly.
The Islanders doubled that lead two innings later when
Garrett Gruell crushed a 2-0 fastball that cut through the wind and over the wall in left field. His team-leading fourth home run of the year gave the Islanders a 2-0 lead, but it would be A&M-Corpus Christi's last hit of the game.
"We had a good first half of the game," Malone said. "We had a handful of quality at-bats, Watson and the defense were good – really good early on – but then we had some defensive lapses, and they put the ball in play and forced us to defend the field. Our infield defense got really exposed today, and UIW made us pay for our mistakes."
That payment came due in the sixth inning.
Trailing 3-2 and still very much in the game, Watson got the first two batters on his seventh strikeout and a fly out. But after giving up a single to Calabrese on a 1-2 pitch, Watson's day was done after 101 pitches. The Islanders' day would soon follow.
Counting Calabrese, eight consecutive Cardinals reached base on six singles, a double and a hit-by-pitch against three Islander pitchers. When the carnage was over, UIW had scored seven times – all with two outs – and led 10-2.
"That was just ineffective bullpen," Malone said. "We turned to some guys to try and hold down their offense, and it went the other way. They got really hot. That turns into a concern now, where your bullpen is so bad, now you have their lineup coming out on Saturday feeling good and ready to hit."
UIW ended the game an inning later by loading the bases on a single, a walk, two hit-by-pitches and three wild pitches. Both runs scored on wild pitches.
After Watson was pulled with two outs in the sixth inning, four separate A&M-Corpus Christi relievers combined to allow eight runs on seven hits, one walk, three hit-batters and three wild pitches in just two-thirds of an inning.
The Islanders have now played three consecutive games that have ended in the seventh inning and four of five that have ended early (the Islanders lost in eight innings to Dallas Baptist). A&M-Corpus Christi also beat UH-Victoria in seven innings, meaning the Islanders have only played two full, nine-inning games in their last seven games.
They'll get another chance today with Game 2 from Sullivan Field at 2 p.m.
TAMUCC (10-16, 0-1 SLC)
March 22 – at UIW, L (12-2, 7 inn.)
March 23 – at UIW, 2 p.m., Sullivan Field, San Antonio
March 24 – at UIW, 1 p.m., Sullivan Field, San Antonio
On Deck: Following the series with the Cardinals, the Islanders will travel to Austin to play No. 23 Texas at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Next Home Game: The Islanders will return to Chapman Field on March 28 to begin a three-game series with Nicholls. Game 1 will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 28, followed by games at 6 p.m. Friday, March 29 and 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30.
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