Feb. 28, 2009

Final Stats

Corpus Christi, Texas - The Texas State baseball team held a 9-1 lead over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with Kane Holbrooks on the mound, but costly relief in the final frame nearly saw the win disappear, but the Bobcats managed to hold off the charge for a 9-6 win at Whataburger Field Saturday afternoon.

Texas State improves to 5-2 on the season and 2-0 in league action, while A&M-Corpus Christi falls to 1-6 and 0-2, respectively.

Holbrooks faced 32 batters in eight innings and allowed just one run off eight hits to earn his second win of the season. The senior retired the side in the fourth and seventh and grabbed four strikeouts.

B. Carnline took the loss for A&M-Corpus Christi after allowing six runs, three of which were earned, off six hits in 4.0 innings. The Islanders went through five pitchers in today's losing decision.

The right-handed starter struggled out of the gates Saturday afternoon, putting Texas State's first three batters on the base paths with two walks and a hit batter. But Carnline forced Keith Prestridge to hit into a double play and leadoff Tyler Sibley was out heading home, but Lance Loftin made the inning worthwhile with a two run single through the left side to score Laurn Randell and Paul Goldschmidt for Texas State's early lead.

The top of the second was no different as Kyle Livingstone and Clint Vest took their respective places on base after drawing a walk and hit by pitch. Sibley loaded the bases and claimed one of two hits in the inning on a single to centerfield and A&M-Corpus Christi fed Texas State its second set of runs on back-to-back errors from Martin Parra at third base. With two runners still on base, Goldschmidt cleaned the slate with a two-run double down the left line.

The Islanders held off the Bobcats in the top of the third managed to put on across in their half of the frame. Stephen Flora grabbed an RBI after placing a triple down the left line to score J. Greiner who reached on a base hit through the left side.

Texas State road out the 6-1 lead until the top of the eighth and then tacked on three more runs over the final two innings.

But with Kane Holbrooks retired from the mound, A&M-Corpus Christi found a hole in the Bobcat relief and initiated a near-fatal comeback.

Three straight base hits loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth and an error from the Bobcat infield put Chris Famiglietti on base and the Islanders their second run of the evening. B. Bell rapped out the fourth hit off junior transfer Garret Carruth with no outs on an RBI base hit to center field and Tyler Brundridge was brought in to hold off the new-found power behind the Islander's bats. Brundridge faced four batters and allowed one hit to maintain Texas State's victory.

The Islanders outhit the Bobcats, 14-11 and Texas State committed four errors, while A&M-Corpus Christi had three.

Laurn Randell went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to aid the Bobcats at the plate. Sibley and Goldschmidt grabbed a pair of hits, as well.

Greiner and Flora each notched three hits for the Islanders with the latter bringing in three RBIs.

Texas State will close out the series against A&M-Corpus Christi tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. on Whataburger Field. Sophomore Brian Borski is set to face left-hander Roy Ferdin on the mound.