May 17, 2007
Box Score
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Bryan Gerondale delivered a two-run blast, his second of the game, to left field to propel Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to a 10-8 victory over UT Arlington Thursday afternoon at Chapman Field.
TAMUCC (25-29, 10-18 SLC) started the eighth inning down by two runs when Martin Parra started the inning with a check swing base hit to third and went to second on the throwing error. Trae Williams put down a sacrifice bunt and was called safe on a bad call at first. Chase Williams tied the game with a sacrifice fly to deep center field. Gerondale would break the tie when he took a first-pitch fastball over the left-field fence.
UTA (13-37, 4-24 SLC) had their chances to tie the game in the ninth as Mitch Putman singled and and went to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Daniel Rieder and John Mark Cleaveland drew walks to load the bases. Omar Gutierrez would come out of the bullpen and end the threat and the game by striking out Leo Radkowski looking and Collin Garner swinging.
The Mavs got on the board in the second inning as Cleaveland started a two-out rally with a double to left field and scored on Radkowski's single to right center.
The Islanders would tie the game with an unearned run in the third as a double, walk and infield single loaded the bases with two outs before a throwing error plated a run.
TAMUCC gained their first lead of the game in the fourth as Chris Widner doubled to start the inning and scored on Randy Aguayo's single through the left side.
UTA battled back in the sixth as Putman drew a leadoff walk and scored on Ben Burum's two-run blast to right field.
The lead did not last long as the Islanders tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on a Jason Graham base hit and a David Williams double to right center.
The offense picked up in the seventh as Matthew Otteman started things with a double off the fence in left center and Kyle Rudy was hit by a pitch. After a wild pitch, Danny Slinkman delivered an RBI single through the right side. Slinkman would then take off for second on a delay steal and the throw sailed into center field allowing Rudy to score from third.
The Islanders again had an answer as Trae Williams singled up the middle and stole second. After looking at what had been called strike three all day, Gerondale tied things with a home run to straight-away center field. Widner and David Williams would later add RBI singles to give TAMUCC the two-run advantage.
UTA responded in the eighth as Rieder walked and Cleaveland singled through the right side. After a fielder's choice, Collin Garner's single through the right side would have loaded the bases except for right fielder David Williams missed the ball and allowed the speedy Garner to score the third run on the play.
Brian Anderson (4-1) picked up the victory after giving up three runs, two earned, on three hits in 1.2 innings. Brandon Endsley (3-2) took the loss after giving up two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. Gutierrez earned his first save after striking out both hitters he faced.
Dillon Gee closed out his 2007 campaign by tieing his career-best with 11 strikeouts.
The Mavs and Islanders will play the second game of the series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.
