CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth Southland Conference clash defined by powerful relief pitching and a decisive error, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi edged McNeese State 7-6 on Saturday, April 18, 2026, securing a series split after dropping the opener.

The most critical sequence unfolded in the bottom of the sixth inning, with the score locked at 6-6. McNeese State reliever Connor Achee, who was in the midst of a dominant four-inning, hitless outing, surrendered a two-out double to Jackson Smith. The next batter, Azemar, hit a routine grounder to shortstop Schneider, whose throwing error allowed Smith to race home from second with what proved to be the winning run. The unearned tally broke the tie and ultimately decided the contest.

The Islanders (17-22, 6-11) had to rally twice to set up that pivotal moment. They erased an early 6-0 deficit, which was not reflected in the play-by-play but was established in the game’s opening frame, by chipping away against McNeese starter Brady Corcoran and reliever Garett Blanchard. They plated two in the second on an RBI single from Russell and a run-scoring error, then added two more in the third on consecutive sacrifice bunts by Smith and Evans that each drove in a run.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi completed its comeback in the fourth, tying the game at 6-6 on an RBI groundout from Smith and a wild pitch that scored Krowka. Easten Smith started for the Islanders and worked five innings, allowing six runs on five hits, including a trio of costly home runs.

Those homers came in a explosive top of the fifth for McNeese State (19-18, 10-7), which momentarily reclaimed a 6-4 lead. Connor Walker launched a two-run shot to deep left field, his fifth of the season, scoring Keller. Matt Stancliff followed immediately with a solo homer, also his fifth, and Danny Barbero made it three consecutive blasts with a solo shot to left, his seventh, to cap the rally.

Achee’s stellar work from the bullpen kept the Cowboys in striking distance after the sixth-inning error. He silenced the Islanders’ bats over his four-inning stint, striking out four and walking none. For the Islanders, reliever Luke Singleton matched zeroes, throwing four strong innings of his own, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out three to earn the win.

McNeese threatened in the eighth, putting runners at the corners with one out, but Schneider grounded into an inning-ending double play. Stancliff, who finished 2 for 4, hit his second homer of the day, a solo blast to deep center in the ninth, to pull the Cowboys within one. Islanders reliever Singleton closed the door, however, getting Barbero to pop out and Stringfellow to fly out to end the game.

Both teams finished with eight hits. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for McNeese State, while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi improved to 1-1 in the weekend series.

The decisive third game of the conference series is scheduled for Sunday. McNeese State will look to rebound before a midweek non-conference game against Louisiana Tech. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi aims for a series victory before heading into a road series at Incarnate Word next weekend.