Hooks Snatch Marathon Win Over Missions

SAN ANTONIO (April 8, 2026) — The Corpus Christi Hooks (2-3) survived a nearly four-hour game against the San Antonio Missions (1-4) that saw just about everything, from three ties and three catcher interference calls, to the benches clearing after the final out. The Missions, down three, had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the 11th, but Albert Fabian flew out to center field as San Antonio fell just short of another comeback.

San Antonio used seven pitchers since their starter, Jagger Haynes, lasted only two outs into the second. The Hooks tagged him for four runs and took a 4-0 lead thanks in large part to a Will Bush homer and Lucas Spence’s two-run single.

Hooks starter Bryce Mayer looked to be in command with that advantage, retiring the first five batters he faced. With two away in the second, the Missions mounted the first of several rallies. Three straight singles, the last by Chris Sargent Jr, put the Missions on the board. A walk and a Ryan Jackson single then forced Mayer to suddenly leave the game. Nic Swanson entered, and he walked Francisco Acuña with the bases loaded to make it 4-3 Corpus. The Hooks left the frame with the lead, but a dent was made.

Acuña continued his hot start in the fourth, tying the game with an RBI single. That proved to be just the beginning of the back-and-forth affair. Pascanel Ferreras placed the Hooks back on top in the sixth with an opposite-field single against Harry Gustin. That lead lasted until the bottom of the eighth, when one of three catcher interference calls was made with the bases loaded, two outs and Sargent Jr. at the plate. The error on Walker Janek brought home a run, evening the score at 5-5.

Sadrac Franco and Alejandro Torres tiptoed through danger for the Missions and Hooks respectively in the ninth to send the game to extras. The Hooks jumped on top in the 10th on a passed ball that scored Bush. However, Francis Peña left the bases juiced to keep the Missions in it.

In the blink of an eye, the Missions tied things back up at six when Carson Tucker roped a single back up the middle to score the ghost runner. With two on, the Hooks turned to Ramsey David, and he escaped to keep the game going into the 11th.

That’s where things slipped away from San Antonio, as the Hooks tagged Peña for three runs. Bush walked in a run before Trevor Austin and James Nelson each brought their own tallies in. Still, a 9-6 lead wasn’t exactly comfortable for Corpus Christi.

David remained in the game and walked a pair of Missions to load the bases for Fabian. With the game on edge, the lefty skied to center field, ending the marathon and beginning a bit of a scuffle between the Texas League south rivals. The benches cleared, and by the end of the night, the Hooks walked away with a 9-6 win they won’t soon forget.

Up Next:

The Missions and Hooks continue their six-game series on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Righty Victor Lizarraga goes for San Antonio (0-1, 3.60) while righty James Hicks (0-1, 6.75) starts for the Hooks. The Flying Chanclas return for Taco Bell Value Night with discounted tickets and concessions at the ballpark. Catch all the action on Country Legends KKYX, 680 AM, 104.9 FM and kkyx.com. Tickets are available at samissions.com or by calling 210-675-7275.

The San Antonio Missions are the Double-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The Missions were established in 1888 and have brought affordable family fun to the Alamo City for more than 120 seasons. The 13-time Texas League champions play their home games at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium. For more information and tickets, call 210-675-7275 or visit samissions.com.