Baseball 2/17/2013 12:23:00 AM

Dustdevils Pummel UAFS for Ninth Straight Win

Box Score FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS (February 16, 2013) – Seven Dustdevil players recorded multiple hit games and right-hander Jerry Hawkins threw five scoreless innings as the TAMIU baseball team hammered Arkansas Fort Smith 13-3 via the mercy rule at Saturday’s series opener at Crowder Field.

TAMIU recorded a season-high 18 hits, six of which were for extra bases. The Dustdevils had eight different players tally at least one RBI, as TAMIU scored at least one run in every inning except the fourth.

Designated hitter Hector Gonzalez and right fielder Fernando Garza were each 2 for 5 with one RBI, first baseman Alex McKeon was 2 for 4 with two RBI, Sean Smedley was 3 for 5 with two RBI, third baseman Alex Salas was 2 for 3 with two RBI, shortstop Alvaro Rondon was 3 for 4 with one RBI and Jaron Shimmel was 2 for 5 with one RBI.

Hawkins picked up his second win of the season scattering eight hits and allowing only three earned runs, all coming in the sixth. Through three games this season Hawkins has an ERA of 2.81 and is holding opponents to a .258 batting average.

Dino Cristiani was nearly perfect in relief allowing no runs, hits, or walks with three strikeouts across three innings. He allowed only one runner to reach base on an error by first baseman Alex McKeon in the seventh.

After scoring one in the first, Senior catcher Sean Smedley blasted his first homerun of the season before a two-out double by Gonzalez plated Jaron Shimmel to give TAMIU a 3-0 lead.

Jaron Shimmel’s RBI single in the fourth gave TAMIU a 4-0 lead before Alvaro Rondon followed suit in the fifth to extend the lead to 5-0. After Sandoval and Salas each picked up RBI’s in the sixth to make it 7-0, the Lions scored their only runs of the game on a three-run homer by Madison Beaird in the bottom half.

TAMIU added four more runs in the seventh to blow the game open. After two base hits and a walk to load up the bases, Gonzalez was beaned for the Dustdevils first run of the frame. McKeon and Smedley each picked up RBI singles and Salas drew a bases loaded walk to give TAMIU a 12-3 lead.

Rondon scored the Dustdevils’ final run of the game on a passed ball in the eighth.

The win lifted the Dustdevils’ record to a program best 9-0 as TAMIU and UAFS get set to finish up the series with a doubleheader Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Crowder Field.

Print Friendly Version