The midweek game this Tuesday is Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The Islanders are simply a terrible team, no other way to honestly describe them. They are 10-16 on the season, the only decent win I see is they won one game from UTA, in a four game series. The best team by far they have played is Texas A&M, which run ruled them 13-3 in seven innings. It's a game you can't afford to lose, for a struggling 12-16 Texas team, looking for victories anywhere they can find them. The game televised on LHN at 7 pm. and the audio on texassports.com Line-ups next:
Right handed freshman is Nolan Kingham, getting the start, with a 1-2 record and an era of 3.00. The wind is howling out toward left field, balls hit in the air that way, should get a boost. Leading off is the shortstop, for the Islanders, Casey Thomas, batting right handed. He takes a four pitch walk, for a lead runner. Zach Gibson, bats lefty, as the centerfielder and the Islanders best player, with one on. A ground ball to third and Barrera bobbles it, so just a 5-4 force and not a double play, one down. The left fielder is Zacarias Hardy, batting righty, with one on and one away. A fly ball to left and the wind sends it over the fence, for a two run homer. Islanders lead 2-0. The right fielder is Brian Deaver, batting lefty, with an out. A squibber back to the mound is a 1-3 second out. DH is Nick Anderson, batting righty, with two outs. A full count and he walks, to put a man on. Skip out and Kingham is gone. Pitching change.
Another freshman is right hander Blake Wellman, in to pitch for the Horns. The first baseman Austin Krajnak, bats righty, with two outs and one on. He K's swinging on a curve ball, to end the inning. A&M CC gets two on the homer and they lead 2-0, Texas comes to bat.
Aaron Hernandez, a freshman right hander, has a 1-3 record and an era of 6.65. You would hope Texas could rough this guy up. Kody Clemens leads off batting lefty, as the Horn shortstop. A full count and a little pop up that the wind takes out to left field, for one away. Centerfielder is Ty Rand, batting righty, with an out. He K's looking on a fast ball, on the outside corner, two gone. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with two outs, playing first base. A ground ball up the middle is a single, for the first runner for Texas. Third baseman is Tres Barrera, batting righty, with a man on and two outs. I bet he sees that wind blowing hard to left. He does hit a high fly ball, but to right, that will go nowhere in that direction, side down. After one, the Islanders lead 2-0.
Wellman back to the mound in the second, for Texas. The Islanders lead off with their third baseman Dawson Yates, batting lefty. A ground ball to the left of Gurwitz, he has it on a slide, the 4-3 is one away. Cullen Jozwiak, bats righty, with an out. He lines a single up the middle, for a runner. The catcher is Lukas Hermanson, the catcher, with an out, the nine hole hitter. Fly ball to right is two outs. Top of the order is Thomas again, batting righty, with one on and two down. Another ground ball to second and the 4-3 will retire the side. Bottom of two and the Islanders lead 2-0.
Hernandez will come back out for his second inning of work. Patrick Mathis leads off, the right fielder will bat left handed. Another full count and he walks, for a lead runner. The Texas DH is Kaleb Denny, batting righty, with a man on. He bunts and the sac goes 1-3, for one down. Bret Boswell plays left field for the first time, trying to get lefty hitters in the line-up, with a man on second and one down. He K's swinging on a fast ball at his shoe tops, for two gone. Righty hitting catcher is Michael Cantu, with one on and two outs. He is struggling at the plate and needs a two out hit, to put Texas on the board. Another full count and he K's swinging on an inside fast ball, to end the inning. Lead runner stranded and the Islanders lead 2-0, after two.
Well will return for the third, as the Horn hurler. Gibson leads off, for the Islanders batting lefty, He grounded to third his first trip, but the bobble by Barrera cost the Horns a double play and he scored on the homer. A ground ball that Gurwitz gets too, but it hops over his glove and into left center, Gibson keeps running and it's a bad hop double. Righty hitting Hardy bats righty, with a man on. His fly ball to left, got out for homer his first time. He walks to put two on. Lefty hitting Deaver bats, with two on. A 1-0 count brings another visit from Skip. He goes back and Deaver back in, from the left side. A little chopper over the mound and the only play is a 4-3 out, by Gurwitz, the runners move up. Anderson, the DH, bats righty, with two on and one out. Infield stays back. A fast ball on the outside corner is taken for a called strike three, a big second out. Righty hitting Krajnak hits, with two on and two outs. He blows a high fast ball by him, the K ends the frame. Wellman gets out of a jam and it's still 2-0, Islanders, bottom of the third.
Hernandez come out for another inning for the Islanders, the Horn third. The Texas second baseman is Zane Gurwitz, batting righty, leading off. A ground ball up the middle is a lead single. Top of the order is Kody Clemens again, batting lefty, with a man on. He bunts and the sac again goes 1-3, for an out. Brady Harlan will pinch hit for Rand, with one on and an out. The lefty hitter runs the count rull and he K's swinging, on a fast ball, for two gone. Kacy Clemens bats lefty, with a man and two gone. He singled his first time up. He K's swinging on the low and inside curve ball, the fifth K for this guy in the game, side retired. Another lead runner stranded and after three played, Islanders lead 2-0.
Nick Kennedy will enter the game, to pitch for Texas, a freshman lefty. Mathis moves to center and Harlan goes to right. Third baseman is Yates, batting lefty, to lead off for the Islanders. A full count and a grounder to first is a 3U lead out. Joziak bats righty, with an out. A single to center is a runner. The nine hole hitter is Hermanson, batting righty, with a man on and one out. The runner goes and beats the throw, for a stolen base, then he leaves the bag thinking he is out, he leaves the bag and is tagged out. It's a stolen base and then a 4U out, two down, weird. Hermanson dribbles one out in front of the plate and Cantu gets him 2-3, side down. Bottom of the fourth and Islanders still lead 2-0.
Are you kidding me ???? How can a college kid make such a moronic miscue ? You don't ever leave a base unless you are sure you are out....... Good for us though.We will take it...
Hernandez still going for the Islanders, in the Horn fourth. Barrera leads off batting righty, for Texas. He K's swinging, on a very high fast ball, one down. The lefty hitting Mathis, bats with one away. He takes a curve ball, for a called strike three, two down. Fourth strike out in a row, unbelievable. Denny bats righty, with to outs. A liner to left is a single, for a two out runner. Denny may have struck out to, replays show he didn't touch a ball supposedly fouled off, break for Texas. Boswell bats lefty, with two gone and a man on. He K's swinging, on a low fast ball, to end the frame. Hernandez strikes out the side, and replay showed he actually struck out four that inning. Islanders lead 2-0, after four.
Kennedy back out for the fifth, for the Horns. Top of the order is Thomas, batting righty. He drops a looper to center for a lead single. Gibson bats lefty, with a man on. A 2-0 count brings out Skip again and he is making a change
Travis Duke comes in for Texas, the lefty senior. His job is to get Kennedy and maybe nothing more. Kennedy back in the lefty side of the box. A grounder to second not hit well goes 4-6, for one down, relay not in time for the DP. Hardy bats righty, with one on and one down. His homer is the the two Islander runs. A double play grounder to third and the relay is low and by Clemens. The E-4, puts the runner on second and gives the Islanders an extra out. Lefty hitting Deaver bats with a man on second, two away. Duke did stay in and had the inning over. A little fisted pop is caught by Duke, the 1U will end the inning. Halfway through the game and the Ilanders lead 2-0. Need some offense from somebody against a team like this.
Hernandez, who their coaches thought he wouldn't go long is trying to become the pitcher of record, in the Horn fifth. Cantu leads off, batting righty, for Texas. He is called out on curve ball, on the outside corner, another K is one gone. Righty hitting Gurwitz bats with an out. A ground ball to third is a 5-3 out two. Top of the order is Kody Clemens, batting lefty, with two down. A ground ball off the pitcher's foot carroms to second, but it's an infield hit. Harlan who entered the game as a pinch hitter and went to right field, bats lefty, with two away and a man on. A ground ball to short goes 6-3, inning over. Five played and the Islanders lead 2-0.
Freshman right hander Beau Ridgeway, will come in to pitch the sixth for the Horns. The righty hitting DH is Anderson, leading off, for the Islanders. He lines a single over Ridgeway's hit, for a lead runner. Krajnac bats righty, with a man on. A chopper to short and it's a 6-4 force, one down. A pinch runner comes in for Krajnac is Hutcheson. Yates bats lefty with a man on and one down. He K's swinging on a fastball, for two away. Righty hitter is Jozwiak, with one on and two gone. A liner to second will end the frame. Bottom of the sixth and the Islanders lead 2-0.
Hernandez will just keep going and why not, as the Texas sixth starts. Justin Perales comes in to play first base. Kacy Clemens leads off batting lefty, for the Horns. He walks, another lead runner for Texas. Barrera bats righty, with a man on. No bunt here it seems. A liner to left is a hit and Clemens tries to go to third for some reason and the 7-6-5 is out one, what are you thinking there. So Mathis bats lefty, with an out and one man on, instead of two on and no outs, takes the bunt out of the question. Barrera went to second on the throw. He flies to center for two outs. Denny bats righty, with one on and two outs. A full count and he walks to put two on. Ben Kennedy will pinch hit for Boswell, batting lefty. Texas has two runners on for the first time in the game, if you don't count Clemens being thrown out this inning. Hernandez is over 100 pitches and struggling. A 2-0 count brings out the coach and he makes a change, Hernandez did a great job, I guess, hard to tell lately. Pitching change.
Chris Falwell comes in to pitch for the Islanders, their usual Friday starter, the lefty is the best they have. Kennedy back in the box. He walks to load the bases, base running mistake is really big now. Cantu bats righty, with the bases loaded, two down. He has K'd twice and is struggling, as we know. Need something to get on the board. A ground ball to second goes 4-3 to retire the side. What can you about that inning? Islanders lead 2-0 after six full.
Ridgeway back to pitch the seventh. The nine hole hitter is Hermanson, batting righty, leading off. A ground ball to first, goes 3-1, for one away. Thomas, at the top of the order, bats righty, with an out. A liner to second is a quick second out. That brings up Gibson, batting lefty, with two down. A ground ball to first sends the side down in order, on the 3U. They stretch in Austin and wonder what it will take for Texas to score, on what has been a bad pitching team all year. Islanders lead still 2-0.
Falwell will stay in to pitch the seventh, as the Islanders smell blood now, they want this win. Gurwitz leads off, in the nine hole, batting righty, for Texas. The count runs full and he walks, another lead runner for the Horns. Top of the order is Kody Clemens, batting lefty, a man on. A ground ball to first and the first baseman backhands it and it's a 3U first out, runner to second. Jake McKenzie will pinch hit for Harlan, batting righty, with a man on second and one away. A high pop to third will mean two outs. Up to Kacy Clemens, batting lefty, man on second and two down. He needs a hit to finally end the shutout. A squibber back to the mound won't do it, the 1-3 is an inning killer. Another lead runner stranded and this is getting embarrassing, Islanders lead 2-0, after seven.
Connor Mayes comes in to pitch the eighth, for the Horns, Ridgeway did a good job. Hardy leads off batting righty, for the Islanders. His first inning homer is the the Islander runs. A full count and a chopper back to Mayes, the 1-3 is out one. Lefty hitter is Deaver, with an out. Another comebacker and another 1-3 is two gone. The DH is righty hitting Anderson, with two retired. A high pop behind second and that sends the side down in order. Bottom of the eighth, Islanders ahead 2-0.
Devin Skapura comes in for the Islanders, the Saturday starter, they really want this win, don't blame them. Texas leads off with Barrera, batting righty. A fly ball to left and in foul ground, the left fielder has it, by the wall, one down, wind has really died down, but that wasn't hit very well. Mathis bats lefty, with an out. Another fly ball to left, two gone. The DH Denny, bats righty, with two down. A fly ball to right and the side down quickly in order. Texas is three outs from a really bad loss, Islanders lead 2-0, to the ninth.
NB, I applaud your ability to keep posting the play by play of these abysmal games. Been watching and going to games since the Spike Owen days and I don't recall a team with so many problems and so fundamentally un-sound.
Mayes back out to pitch the ninth, for the Horns. Righty hitting Justin Perales bats for the first time, after entering the game to play first. He walks, for a lead runner. Brett Burner, who came in to play second base, bats from the right side. He bunts to hard and the 1-6 force is one down, relay is late to first. One on and one down for righty hitting Jozwiak batting righty. He grounds a single just by Clemens at short, to put two on. Skip out and he leaves Mayes in. Hermanson bats righty, at the bottom of the order, with two on and one down. A liner to right is a single and it scores a run. Islander's lead 3-0. Runners on the corners for Thomas, batting righty, at the top of the order, one away. A dribbler toward short and Barrera can't handle it, it's scored a single and it scores another run, Islanders lead 4-0. Skip out and a pitching change.
How many more wins does Augie need for 2000 ??? At this rate he may get himself four more years here....SMH
Jon Malmin comes to pitch now, for the Horns. He's in to face lefty slugger Gibson, with two on and one out. He bunts hard to first, the 3U is two down, bunting for a hit I guess, strange play, runners move up. Hardy bats righty, with two on and two outs. He swings and sends a dribbler down he third base line, a swinging bunt hit, another run scores, it all going run now. Islanders lead 5-0. Deaver bats lefty, with runners on the corners, two down. Runner goes from first, no throw, stolen base I guess. Deaver K's looking, to end the inning finally. Well maybe Texas can break up the shutout, bottom of the ninth and the Islanders lead now 5-0.
Skapura pitches the ninth, trying to close out the win. Kennedy leads off batting lefty, for Texas. He K's swinging, for the tenth strike out for the Horns, right about on their game average, one out. Cantu bats righty, with an out. Hitless tonight. He walks, for a runner. Pinch runner is Tate Shaw for Cantu. Gurwitz bats righty, with a man on and one down. A full count and a ground ball to first goes 3U-6, for a game ending double play. What can you say, the Islanders shut out Texas 5-0, sort of speechless, will try to find some words after the post game, that should be interesting.
Texas just got shutout by an awful team on five hits, all singles. The starter was a freshman, with a 6.65 era. You have to be able to score 8-10 runs without breaking a sweat against this team. A team that Texas A&M run ruled 13-3 in seven innings. This team is at an all time low now. I've been following Texas baseball since my first year at the University in 1977, never seen anything like this. Hope I never do again. How does this happen? It's just embarrassing is the best way to describe this. This team is dead in the water at present, just being honest.
