March 23, 2012
Final Stats
ODESSA - The Texas A&M International University baseball team suffered a major setback in their quest for a repeat berth in the Heartland Conference Tournament, dropping the opening two games of their series versus UT-Permian Basin.
The Falcons blanked the Dustdevils 7-0 in game one before surviving game two 9-8. The losses drop TAMIU to 7-13 in conference play and 13-16 overall.
GAME ONE: TAMIU 0, UTPB 7
TAMIU hitters struggled to get anything going at the plate finishing a combined 6-28 versus UTPB pitcher Kyle Cormier. TAMIU starter Manolo Mendoza struggled in his eighth start of the season giving up five runs on two hits while issuing four walks in only 1.1 innings.
After scoring one run in the bottom of the first, the Falcons opened up a 6-0 lead scoring five in the second. Scott Hastings led things off with a double to center field before Stephen Hrebicek was hit by a pitch. Manolo Mendoza gave up back to back walks to plate one run before Arturo Carrera brought two more across with a single through the right side. Fabian Rivera drove home the final two runs of the inning for the Falcons with a two out single into right field.
In the bottom of the third, UTPB took advantage of several TAMIU pitching miscues to score their final run of the game. Reliever Marty Bigham issued two walks, threw the ball away on a failed pick off attempt and threw a wild pitch to score Scott Hastings.
GAME TWO: TAMIU 8, UTPB 9
In the nightcap the Dustdevils overcame an early deficit, only to come up short in their comeback bid falling 9-8.
Danny Alejandro took the loss for TAMIU giving up five runs on 10 hits through 4.0 innings, although reliever Danny Navarro didn't fare much better giving up four runs on seven hits through 4.0 innings of work.
The Falcons picked up right where they left off in the opening game scoring three runs on five hits in the bottom half of the first. The Dustdevils took advantage of a UTPB error to score a run in the top of the second, but the Falcons answered in the bottom half of the frame with a Scott Hastings homer to make it 4-1.
TAMIU scored four runs over the next two innings to grab a 5-4 lead, but UTPB answered with one run in the fifth and four in the sixth to grab the lead for good (9-5). The Dustdevils rallied in the eighth to come within striking distance, but the comeback bid came up just short as the Falcons hung on for a 9-8 win.
Jeff Anderson and Matt Arruda picked up three hits apiece for the Dustdevils, while Austin Voros was 2-4 with three RBI.
The Dustdevils will look to avoid the sweep facing the Falcons in the series finale Saturday, March 24 at 1 p.m.
