CC Surges in Second Act

MIDLAND - Jordan Jankowski led the charge as Corpus Christi managed a split of Thursday's double header with a 5-0 triumph in the nightcap at Security Bank Ballpark. Midland prevailed in the opener 4-1.

Jankowski held the Hounds to three hits and two walks. He struck out nine and, at one point, fanned five in a row. Jankowski owns two of the three Hooks wins in Midland.

Mitchell Lambson worked the final two innings of Corpus Christi's seventh shutout victory.

The Hooks did all of their damage with two away in the third. Drew Granier had retired the first eight batters, striking out five. Tyler Heineman disrupted that run with a walk. Delino DeShields, Jr., followed with a four-pitch free pass. Leo Heras worked the count to 3-2 and lined a base hit up the middle, scoring Heineman from second. Heras promptly stole second base and, in his haste to retire the runner, catcher Bruce Maxwell mishandled the pitch. The ball skipped toward the backstop as DeShields raced home from third.

Colin Moran made it 3-0 by punching a single into center field. Telvin Nash was next and crushed a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left-center. His Texas League leading 21st home run put the Hooks up by five.

Mark Appel went the distance in Game 1, allowing four runs (3 ER) on eight hits in six innings. He walked one and fanned seven, throwing 65 of 98 pitches for strikes.

Back-to-back doubles by Conner Crumbliss and Blake Forsythe spawned a three-run second for Midland.

Appel permitted just three singles following that decisive frame.

Murphy Smith, making just his fifth start, earned the victory. The Hooks managed just two hits in the first four innings before breaking through in the fifth. With two away, Brandon Meredith smoked a double off the fence in left field. Jonathan Meyer sent him home with a single into center field.

Jose Flores earned his 10th save, stranding three over the final two innings.