A&M-Corpus Christi Stuns Top Seed UTSA In Game 3 SLC Tournament
HUNTSVILLE, Texas ? Eight seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi stun the top seed UTSA Roadrunners 7-5 in game three of the 2008 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament marking the third win in four games the Islanders have taken over the SLC regular season champion this season.
A&M-Corpus Christi pitcher Omar Gutierrez tossed a 139 pitches over six innings giving up nine hits and two earned runs with seven strikeouts holding UTSA’s power line up in check as the Islanders built an insurmountable lead.
UTSA struck first early with RBI singles from Trent Lockwood and Zach Etheredge in the first and second innings giving the Roadrunners a 2-0 lead.
A&M-Corpus Christi evened things up with one swing in the top of the third inning from senior Bryan Gerondale’s two-run homer to left field.
UTSA took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single from junior James Keithley. It would be the only time the top seed Roadrunners lead the Islanders.
In the top of the fifth freshman Trey Hernandez drove in Gerondale and Martin Parra doubled down the left field line giving the Islanders a one run lead they would never relinquish.
In the bottom of the ninth inning A&M-Corpus Christi held a 7-4 lead as UTSA began to threaten a come back as Tim Palincsar scored on a fielding error moving the Roadrunners to with in two (7-5), but relief pitchers Jake Olier and Bryant Sparkman held off UTSA taking game one.
A&M-Corpus Christi will face the winner of game four between tournament host Sam Houston State and Northwestern State on Thursday at seven p.m. UTSA will face the loser of game four on Thursday at noon.