A&M-Corpus Christi Ousts Top Seed UTSA
HUNTSVILLE, Texas ? In just their second season in the Southland Conference the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders and first year head coach Scott Malone are making waves in their inaugural tournament appearance ousting top seed UTSA (12-10) for the second time in two days eliminating the Roadrunners from tournament play.
UTSA entered the conference post season as the league’s top seed for the second consecutive season having won back-to-back regular season league titles (2007-08). Their 39 wins this season ties a school record and their 111 regular season wins over the past three seasons leads the SLC. Since the conference tournament was reinstated in 1993 the number one seed won the tournament once, Lamar in 2004.
The scoring was early and often as each team combined for six homeruns, 27 hits and 22 runs.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning UTSA went to work immediately as Tim Palincsar’s single was followed by a towering blast from senior Trent Lockwood (2-0) to left field playing his last game in a UTSA uniform.
A&M-Corpus Christi resorted to unconventional means in the top of the third inning as Bryan Gerondale stole home on a double steal attempt giving the Islanders a momentary 3-2 lead.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the third Lockwood hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring James Keithley followed by Aaron Powell’s grounder scoring Palincsar putting UTSA back on top 4-3 after three innings.
Tied at four in the bottom of the fourth Keithley hit the second of two homeruns on the day for UTSA to left field scoring Ryan Hutson, keeping the Roadrunners on top, 6-4.
The Islanders took the lead in the top of the fifth as Martin Parra and Jonathan Reyes laid the lumber knocking two homeruns in the inning for three RBI.
In the eighth inning the Islanders sent two more shots over the scoreboard by Chase Williams and Ernie Olivarez, giving the Islanders a commanding 12-6 lead heading into the ninth inning.
UTSA put a rally together scoring four runs getting within two. Etheredge faced a 2-1 count and with one man on and sent a shot to deep left field as AMCC left fielder Paul Saville made a game saving catch that would have tied the game and faced possible extra innings.
A&M-Corpus Christi will face tournament host Sam Houston State today in the semifinals. SHSU has outscored opponents 20-3 in both wins including a 13-2 run rule over the Islanders in game eight Thursday night.