CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders used a late surge to defeat the New Orleans Privateers 5-3 on Saturday evening at Chapman Field and split the first two games of the series.
DECISIONS
Colin Purcell allowed three runs in seven innings and struck out nine batters in the win, his third of the year. Brandon Mitchell went the distance in a loss, his third of the season. Austin Dean pitched the last two innings for the save.
New Orleans broke a 2-2 tie when Tristan Moore homered to right field, his tenth of the year to push the Privateers ahead 3-2. That lead remained until the seventh when a key two-run homer put the home side in front.
Jose Enriquez came up following a failed bunt attempt and drove a pitch to right for a home run which put the Islanders ahead for the first time on the day. They added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a Max Puls homer down the right field line.
New Orleans cooked up a two-out rally attempt as Issac Williams and Kasten Furr both singled with two strikes. However, Dean recovered to get a pop out on the first pitch of the next at-bat to close out the win for the Islanders.
The Privateers again struck first with a pair of first inning runs. Mitchell Sanford came up with the bases loaded and slapped a two-run single to left. The Islanders quickly responded with two run in their half of the opening inning.
Moore’s homer makes him the first Privateer with double-digit home runs in a season since Orynn Veillon in 2017.
INSIDE THE BOX
Mitchell landed one strikeout shy of tying a career-high as he had 10 on the day. Sanford and Tyler Bischke each had two hits. Furr drew a pair of walks and added a stolen base.
Enriquez and Chance Residorph each had two hits for the Islanders. Dean threw 21 of his 29 pitches for strikes in the save.
NEXT UP
The series concludes at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
{Courtesy: UNO Athletics}
