Islanders Too Much for 'Jacks in 9-2 Saturday Setback

Saturday, April 21

Nacogdoches, Texas

Noon

Stephen F. Austin

13-25, 0

Texas A&M - Corpus Christi

20-20, 0

Texas A&M-CC

Stephen F. Austin

Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography

Islanders Too Much for 'Jacks in 9-2 Saturday Setback

4/21/2018 3:30:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Islanders break things open with five-run eighth

By: Charlie Hurley | Director of Athletic Media Relations

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Able to remain within two runs of visiting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi through six frames, the Stephen F. Austin baseball team gave up six runs to the Islanders through the seventh and eight innings and fell 9-2 to their Southland Conference adversaries at Jaycees Field Saturday afternoon.

Freshman Sean Beasley gave the 'Jacks a quality start on the mound, working 6.1 innings and giving up four runs on eight hits and a walk in that span. Once the 'Jacks turned to their bullpen, however, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi put the game away by plating five in the eighth off of 'Jack relief arms Cody Adams, Austin Hearn and Austin Cornish. Most of the Islanders' damage in the eighth came from five walks issued by SFA's pitchers - two by Adams and three by Hearn.

Offensively, Jarrod Huber went 3-for-4 with a run scored to pace the 'Jacks' seven hit attack while Nic Minor finished 2-for-5 with an RBI as SFA dropped its fourth-straight Southland Conference series.

Once again, it was one particular batter for the Islanders who did a good deal of the damage. Itchy Burts finished 2-for-3 with a game-high four RBI while first baseman Harrison DiNicola added three runs on a 3-for-4 showing at the dish.

The visitors never trailed Saturday as Burts began the Islanders' two-run first with an RBI double before Enrique Sanchez doubled Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's lead by picking up an RBI with a groundout to second.

Burts struck again in the fifth, rapping an RBI single to left-center that scored DiNicola and pushed the visitors' edge to 3-0 before the 'Jacks broke up the Islanders' shutout bid in the home half of the frame.

Jarrod Huber led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a groundout by Cody Williams. Leadoff man Nic Minor brought Huber home with an RBI single up the middle before a double play ball ended the 'Jacks' threat.

Burts won a six-pitch battle against Adams in the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi seventh and the outfielder's base on balls pushed the Islanders' fourth run across home plate. In the eighth, Adams began the frame with a groundout before giving way to Hearn who allowed three more Islander runs to score while registering a lone out.

Following Burts' second bases-loaded walk of the game - one that upped the Islanders' lead to 7-1 - Hearn was pulled in favor of Austin Cornish who gave up two more runs before Manny Vasquez threw out Burts at home plate to put and end to the Islanders' five-run frame.

Antonio Lima started the 'Jacks' ninth by ripping a double to left and crossed home plate when Williams bounced a fielder's choice ball to shortstop.

Beasley (2-3) was hit with his third loss of the season while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi starter Chad Romere (2-0) secured the win by tossing five frames of four-hit, one-run baseball. Cody Lecompte surrendered three hits though the final four innings to pick up his first save of the season.

In order to try and salvage one game of the three-game set against the Islanders, the 'Jacks send senior right-hander Trevor Kiminski to the mound Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. for the series finale.

-SFA-