Lions drop third straight game in Corpus Christi

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi defeated Southeastern Louisiana, 10-6, in Southland Conference action Saturday at Chapman Field.

Southeastern (28-20, 20-15 SLC) scored a pair of runs each in the third and fourth innings, building a 4-1 lead over the Islanders (24-27, 20-14 SLC).

Both starting pitchers retired the first six batters they faced in the game.

Leading off the third, senior catcher Gaby Cruz pulled a double inside the third-base bag. After Eli Johnson walked, Joe Delaney pushed a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher. Hayden Thomas (4-3), the A&M-Corpus Christi starter, bobbled the ball and Delaney reached safely to load the bases with no outs.

Thomas hit Rhett Rosevear with a pitch, forcing in the first run of the game. Evan Keller plated a second run with a one-out sacrifice bunt.

The Islanders cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning. Two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out. A sacrifice fly by third baseman Itchy Burts plated the run.

Back-to-back singles by Jacob Burke and Cruz put runners on the corners with one out in the fourth. After Cruz stole second base, Delaney delivered a single up the middle to drive home both runners.

Three doubles and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning led to a pair of runs for A&M-Corpus Christi, pulling back within one.

The Islanders got to Southeastern starting pitcher Will Kinzeler (4-4) for three consecutive hits to open up the sixth, leading to three runs and the lead for A&M-Corpus Christi.

Three more runs in the seventh and solo home run in the eighth completed the scoring for the Islanders.

Southeastern refused to go quietly in the ninth. Rosevear singled to left leading off the inning and Tyler Finke followed with a double to left-center field. Keller drove in his second run of the game with a sacrifice fly and Finke score on Preston Faulkner’s grounder to the shortstop.

Thomas earned the win, allowing four runs – three earned – in seven innings of work. Kinzeler suffered the loss, allowing six runs – four earned in five innings pitched.

Cruz (2-for-3), Finke (2-for-5) and Rosevear (2-for-4) each picked up a pair of hits for the Lions.

UP NEXT
The series concludes with a single game Sunday at 1 p.m. A&M-Corpus Christi has not announced a starting pitcher for Sunday’s series finale. The Lions will go with senior right-hander Noah Hughes (1-3, 4.86).

The series finale can be heard in the Hammond area on the flagship station of the Southeastern Sports Radio Network – KSLU 90.9 FM – in addition to online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via both the Lions Gameday Experience and TuneIn Radio apps.

A video stream – produced by A&M-Corpus Christi – will be available both online as well as through the Southland Conference Digital Network app for smart TVs and mobile devices.

Other options to follow the action include live statistics or the @LionUpBaseball Twitter account. Links to audio, video and stats are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.