Box Score NATCHITOCHES – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi put on a successful safety-squeeze in the top of the eighth inning to give the Islanders a 4-3 advantage and win over the Northwestern State baseball team to sweep the Demons in a three-game Southland Conference series.
 
The loss put the Demons (22-17, 10-8 SLC) in a five-way tie for fourth place with Sam Houston, McNeese State, Lamar and Central Arkansas.  The Islanders (22-19, 12-6) remain in a tie atop the league standings with a Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls.
 
"Corpus has a great club, and they are in first place for a reason," said Demon head coach Lane Burroughs. "We did not play our best, but I'm not going to take anything away from their club.
 
"We're at a crossroads right now, and this will define our season or we'll move forward," he said. "I believe our guys will rebound and we'll move in the right direction."
 
NSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth after three straight Demons were hit by pitches, but a fly out ended the contest.
 
"(The Demons) battled hard to get themselves back into it, but couldn't get it done," said Burroughs.  "We were in a position to win every game this weekend.  That is college baseball at the highest level, and it can go either way."
 
Russell Vaughn led off the eighth inning with a double to left center field, but was held up at third base on a single through the right side from Frankie Salas to set up Islanders on first and third base with no outs.  Zack Gibson pinch hit for Jacob Hubert and was struck out by Demon pitcher Steven Spann (7-5).
 
Spann took the loss in the game after Josh Garza put down a squeeze bunt that scored Vaughn from third base.  Spann picked up the ball that rolled between the mound and first base line, and looked at home and realized there was no play before he tagged out the Garza.
 
Northwestern State jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a run in the first inning and two in the second. Gomez scored on a single to right field from Nathan Lyons in the first frame.  Gomez led off the game with a hit-by-pitch and got to third on a single through the left side from Chase Daughdrill.
 
Back-to-back RBI singles from Caleb Dugas and Cort Brinson scored Nick Heath and Edwin Gomez, respectively, in the second inning.
 
Corpus Christi answered in the with two runs in the third inning on a double down the left field line from Brandon Tierney and a triple down the right field line from Travis Ware.  Tierney's double scored Jordan Lee.
 
The Islanders tied the game in the fourth inning when Salas scored on a throwing error by Daughdrill at third base.  Salas led off the fourth with a single to center field, took second on a sacrifice bunt and third base on a groundout.
 
Austin Tanner started the game for Northwestern State, and worked three innings and allowed six hits and two runs.  Joey Parrack allowed one unearned run in two frames of work.  Spann worked three innings, and Brandon Smith finished the game in the ninth.
 
Devin Skapura, who started for Corpus Christi, lasted only 1.2 innings, and gave up all three Demons runs.  Kevin Landgrebe (4-3) took the win on 2.2 innings pitched, and was perfect. Jacob Dorris (4) earned the save on one inning and induced the fly out to end the game with the bases loaded.
 
The Demons top five hitters in the lineup had all eight hits, including Dugas, Daughdrill and Lyons who all had two hits apiece.  Gomez and Brinson each had one hit.
 
Brandon Tierney had three hits for Corpus Christi on four at-bats.  Ware had two hits in four tries.
 
NSU will travel to play Arkansas on Tuesday and Wednesday before hosting Central Arkansas in a three-game set that starts on Friday at 6:30.  Tuesday's game against Arkansas will be a 6:35, and Friday's game will be at 3:05.