CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The Texas
Longhorns' first visit to Corpus
Christi drew a crowd of 7,002 to Whataburger Field. It also provided a
showcase for the bat of UT second baseman Travis Tucker, whose five
RBI's carried the visitors to a 10-6 win over Texas A&M-Corpus
Christi Tuesday night.
Tucker, the Longhorns' leadoff hitter, fashioned a 3-for-5 effort
that included the game-winning hit - a two-run single in the top of the
fourth that put Texas ahead to stay 5-3.
The sophomore added a crushing
two-out, two-run single in the seventh to give the Longhorns an 8-3
lead, and he capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center in the
ninth. Tucker also scored the game's first run, and later added a stolen
base.
The 12th ranked Longhorns, who scored in every inning but the fifth,
also got contributions on offense from catcher Preston Clark, third
baseman Bradley Suttle and outfielder Jordan Danks.
Clark went 4-for-5
with three runs, while Suttle chipped in with a 2-for-5 night and two
RBI's. Danks, who did not get a hit, walked three times, scored twice,
knocked in two runs with ground ball outs and stole two bases.
The Islanders rallied from deficits of 3-0 and 9-3 by scoring three
runs in both the third and eighth innings. Chase Wheaton's RBI single
keyed the three-run third, while pinch hitter David Williams brought in
two runs with a single to right in the eighth. Wheaton, who finished the
evening 2-for-5 with an RBI, could have easily had four hits were it not
for two brilliant defensive plays turned in by the Longhorns.
Suttle
robbed Wheaton of an extra-base hit in the first with a diving stop to
his right, and Danks made a spectacular diving catch in the gap in
right-center in the seventh to steal another safety from Wheaton.
Reliever Pat McCrory (1-0) tossed 3.2 innings of shutout relief to
collect the win. McCrory allowed just two singles and a walk while
striking out four. Islander starter Emerson Trager (3-2) suffered the
loss, having allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings.
Trager,
though, was victimized by a shaky defensive effort, as three Islander
errors over the first four frames resulted in three unearned runs for Texas.
The Longhorns, now 13-6, will next be in action this Friday in Austin
against Miami of Ohio. The Islanders, who fall to 12-6, will again be at
Whataburger Field this weekend in the Second Annual Whataburger College
Classic. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi battles Texas Tech in the
tournament's lid lifter, this Friday at 3:00 p.m. Nationally-ranked Rice
and TCU square off in Friday's second game, slated to begin at 7:00 p.m.
