Southeastern drops doubleheader Friday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Pair at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi picked up a pair of wins Friday over Southeastern Louisiana, 4-3 in eight innings and 2-1 in seven innings, sweeping a Southland Conference doubleheader at Chapman Field.

The Islanders (23-27, 19-14 SLC) tied up the first game in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings, and answering again in the eighth after Southeastern (28-19, 20-14 SLC) regained the lead in the eighth. A&M-Corpus Christi also scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh in the nightcap.

The series continues Saturday at 1 p.m. Freshman right-hander Will Kinzeler (4-3, 3.62) heads to the bump Saturday for Southeastern while the Islanders plan to start sophomore right-hander Hayden Thomas (3-3, 3.33).

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.

The game 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.

Other options to follow the action this weekend 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.

GAME ONE – A&M-Corpus Christi 4, Southeastern 3 (8 innings)
The Lions took the lead in the second inning on a solo home run from Gaby Cruz. The senior from Miami, Florida lined his third homer of the season out to left field.

A&M-Corpus Christi tied it up in the bottom of the inning with a pair of two-out singles sandwiched around a wild pitch.

Will Warren locked down the Islander bats over the next several innings and Southeastern got the right-hander the lead back in the fourth on a solo homer off the bat of Preston Faulkner. It was the sixth home run of the season for the junior, tying him for the team lead.

The Islanders scratched across the tying run in what was scheduled to be the final inning. After a hit batter and a walk put a pair of runners on, a two-out single drove home the tying run.

Back-to-back singles by Rhett Rosevear and Tyler Finke put a pair on for the Lions in the eighth. A sacrifice bunt by Evan Keller moved both into scoring position and a sac bunt by Preston Faulkner brought home Rosevear with the go-ahead run. Finke was thrown out at the plate attempting to score from second base on the play.

A&M-Corpus Christi scored a pair of runs in the eighth off reliever Cole Hoskins (2-1) to win the game.

Reliever Tyler Miller (2-3) earned the win, allowing an inherited runner to score in 0.2 innings pitched. Hoskins took the loss.

Warren struck out 10 batters over the course of seven innings, scattering four hits and two walks.

GAME TWO – A&M-Corpus Christi 2, Southeastern 1 (7 innings)
The Islanders took an early lead, picking up a run in the bottom of the first, but Southeastern responded immediately.

Christian Garcia blasted a ball to center field that caromed off the glove of the center fielder and over the fence for a home run. The solo shot was his fifth of the season.

After the homer, Brennan Stuprich (6-2) and Islander left-hander Jaime Ramirez Jr. (7-2) locked into a pitcher’s duel. Stuprich held the Islanders scoreless until the seventh while Ramirez retired the final 13 batters he faced.

Tristan Welch, the Islander center fielder, led off the seventh with a double and advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt. He scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly to left.

Ramirez earned the win, striking out 11 batters and allowing just two hits in seven innings of work. Stuprich suffered the loss, allowing two runs – one earned – in 6.2 innings pitched. Neither pitcher walked a batter.

LIONS GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE APP
The Lions Gameday Experience app puts audio, stats, video, social media and more in the hands of fans. Those in attendance can also check in to earn reward points redeemable for Southeastern-related prizes. Available for both Android and iOS devices, it can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play or by following the link www.LionSports.net/App.

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT TICKET INFORMATION
General Admission booklets, allowing admission to every game of the tournament, are $100 for adults and $50 for youths ages 3-12. Students presenting a valid ID from a current Southland Conference institution, and children under the age of three, will be admitted free of charge.

For each day of the baseball tournament, any remaining tickets will be sold for the morning session (first two games) or afternoon session (last two games). The ballpark will be cleared between sessions and re-entry is not allowed.

Session ticket prices are: $21 (box seats, as available), $17 (chairback seats, as available), $13 (general admission adults) and $9 (general admission youth – ages 3-12).

The double-elimination tournament, scheduled for May 26-29 at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field, will feature the league’s top eight teams and concludes with a winner-take-all championship game May 29 at 6 p.m. CT. The winner of the tournament will receive the Southland’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. All games will be broadcast on ESPN+.