BEAUMONT, Texas — After trailing for the entire game, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scored two runs in the ninth (to tie) and two more in the 11th to defeat Lamar University, 7-5, Sunday afternoon at Vincent-Beck Stadium to take the final game and series.
The Cardinals scored their five runs on 15 hits with two errors, while the Islanders scored seven runs on 16 hits with four errors.
Six different Cardinals recorded hits Sunday led by 4-of-6 efforts from Ben MacNaughton and River Orsak. Senior Josh Blankenship was 3-of-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Sophomore Hunter Hesseltine got the start and went 5.0 innings allowing just two runs – one earned – on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He exited the game with a three-run lead. He was lifted in the sixth inning for Andres Peres who pitched a scoreless sixth.
Unfortunately, the Islanders got to the backend of Lamar’s pen scoring five runs in the final five innings (one in the 7th, two in the 9th and two in the 11th). Kole Tauzin (2-2) took the loss after pitching the final two innings but surrendered two runs – one earned – on two hits with a walk and a strike out.
The Cardinals chased the Islanders’ starter Evans Hendricks from the game after just 1.2 innings tagging him for three earned runs on five hits with a walk. A&M-Corpus Christi would turn to Zach Garcia in the fourth and he would go on to pitch 7.0 innings allowing just one run on five hits to get the win.
The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead with a run in the bottom of the first and made it a three-run lead in the second inning. After getting the first two runners aboard in the inning, MacNaughton singled through the left side advancing the runners 90 feet but the left fielder bobbled the ball allowing Blankenship to round third and score. Two batters later, Orsak singled back up the middle scoring Tanner Wilson.
After the Islanders got a run back in their half of the third, the Cardinals answered with a solo run in the home half of the inning. A&M-Corpus Christi again scored a solo run in the fifth and again the Cardinals answered in the bottom half of the inning, but that would be the last run LU could push across.
The Islanders made it a two-run game in the seventh in solo run and then tied the game with two runs in the ninth in an inning that got started by a great diving stop from Kirkland Banks at second. Banks made a great play to snag the ball but his throw back across the diamond was off target allowing Christian Smith-Johnson to get to second. Smith-Johnson would score on a single up the middle to pull the Islanders within one and they would tack on another run to tie the game.
Corpus Christi took its first lead of the day in the 11th inning scoring two runs on two hits. In the bottom half of the inning, Big Red got a leadoff single from Orsak and he was able to advance to second on a fly ball off the bat of Ruiz but there were two outs in the inning. After a walk to Kanin Dodge, Blankenship single to center but Cameron Yadon (who entered the game as a pinch runner) was cut down at third ending the game before Orsak’s potential run could cross the plate.
The Cardinals return to action Tuesday when they travel down I-10 to face Houston. The game against the Cougars will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.