Stephen F. Austin
Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Orr Baffles SFA In Series Finale
4/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 18, 2010
NACOGDOHES, Texas - The Lumberjacks pushed a pair of runs across in the first inning against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi starter Brandon Orr, but that is all SFA would get against Orr as he kept the `Jacks off balance all afternoon in helping the Islanders leave town with a 6-3 victory over SFA in the finale of a three-game series at Jaycees Field on Sunday.
Orr retired the last 13 hitters he faced in his eight innings on the mound, including retiring the last eight of the last nine SFA (23-11, 11-6 Southland) hitters he faced with ground outs to the left side of the infield. He allowed just four hits on the day with five strikeouts in earning just his second win of the year for the Islanders (14-23, 6-12 Southland).
Justin Braddock allowed just five hits in six innings for SFA, but while the SFA offense was unable to cash in on several early opportunities against Orr, the Islander offense took advantage of their chances with four runs off the Lumberjack starter. The junior struck out four and did not walk a batter, but was still saddled with just his second loss of the year.
Early on it looked as though SFA would chase Orr off the mound early as the first four SFA hitters reached base to start the game, including a two-run double from Jarid Scarafiotti that gave SFA a 2-0 lead. But Orr managed to keep SFA off the scoreboard the rest of the way, despite the `Jacks putting a runner on third base in three of the first four innings.
Braddock cruised through the first two innings before the Islanders finally got going in the third, starting with a one-out double from Omar Garcia. Bobby Buckner then launched his third home run of the year to right field to tie the score at two apiece. Chris Vergne doubled two batters later before Trey Hernandez gave TAMUCC the lead with a two-out single to right field that brought the run in.
The Islanders tacked on another run in the sixth as Hernandez was hit by a pitch with one away, and was nearly erased one batter later as Matt Holland went down on strikes as Hernandez broke for second base; however, the throw skipped in and Hernandez was safe with his second steal of the year, a steal that proved to be costly as one batter later Cory Ege dumped a single to right field that plated Hernandez.
TAMUCC added an unearned run in the eighth on a single from Weston Montgomery, and one more on a sacrifice fly from Hernandez in the ninth to push the score to 6-2.
Haynes gave SFA another run on the board in the ninth with a two-out double that plated pinch runner Rene' Moreda; but, it was too little too late as the four-run cushion was plenty for Chris Pena to finish the deal.
SFA is back in action with a midweek game at Houston Baptist on Tuesday before hosting McNeese State for a crucial three-game series next weekend at Jaycees Field.
-SFA-
