Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LAREDO (February 8, 2013) – With its two game sweep over Oklahoma Panhandle State University Friday night at Uni-Trade Stadium, the TAMIU baseball team is off to its best start in program history. 
 
The Dustdevils improved to 5-0 on the season besting their mark of 4-1 set in 2012.  More importantly, all five wins have come against conference opponents.
 
One of the primary reasons for the early season success has been the dominant performance of the TAMIU pitching staff.  The Dustdevils held OPSU to just four total runs on Friday and through five games TAMIU pitchers have a combined ERA of just 1.80.
 
“Our pitchers did a great job of getting ahead and finishing hitters,” said Head Coach Chad Porter.   “We had two quality starts from Jerry Hawkins and Abdel Rivera, and Dino Cristiani and Baylr Bickerton came in out of the pen and did more of the same.  Offensively we were able to put together a few good innings in both games, which allowed us to take leads in both games.  We are off to a great start at 5-0 and we want to continue to improve and keep the momentum that we have.”
 
Game one starter Hawkins allowed only two runs on six hits through five innings, before Cristiani came in and closed the door on the Aggies throwing two shutout innings as TAMIU took game one 3-2.
 
Rivera was equally impressive in the nightcap, limiting OPSU to two runs on five hits through six innings.  Bickerton came on in the seventh and threw three shutout innings striking out three and giving up only two hits as the Dustdevils completed the sweep with a 7-2 win.
 
GAME ONE: TAMIU 3, OPSU 2
 
The Dustdevils took a 2-0 lead in the second, getting RBI from Matt Garcia and Sean Smedley.   Garcia plated Ramon Sandoval with a single into left field, before Alex McKeon came across on a sac-fly into right field by Smedley.
 
The Aggies loaded up the bases in the third off two hits and an error by TAMIU third baseman Alex Salas, but Hawkins was able to escape with no damage done getting Greg Siqueiros to fly out to center to end the threat.
 
Jordan Bernal and Alfonso Gonzalez connected on back-to-back singles in the fifth for OPSU, before moving to second and third on a wild pitch.  Nick Crosswhite evened the game at two, belting a two-RBI double down the left field line.
 
Following two scoreless innings, the Dustdevils finally got something going in their last at bat.  Smedley led off with a double into left field, before pinch runner Ryan Jozwiak advanced to third on a single by Alvaro Rondon.  After Rondon stole second uncontested, Jeff Anderson was intentionally walked to load up the bases.  Jaron Shimmel took relief pitcher Freezy Smalls to a 3-2 count before watching ball four sail by as TAMIU took the opener 3-2.
 
Rondon and McKeon each finished 2-for-3 at the plate followed by Sandoval who was 2-for-2 with a run scored.
 
GAME TWO: TAMIU 7, OPSU 2
 
The Aggies struck first in the late game, getting a solo shot in the second from Siqueiros which had just enough behind it to clear the left field wall.
 
OPSU starting pitcher Alan Scott was untouchable through four innings before TAMIU finally figured him out in the fifth.  Fernando Garza led off with a double before advancing to third on a wild pitch.  Garcia grounded out to second for the first out of the inning, but not before Garza came across to tie the game at one.  After back-to-back walks Anderson gave TAMIU a 2-1 lead with an RBI double into center.  Shimmel then plated Rondon from third on a sac-fly, before Salas tallied the final run of the inning scoring Anderson on a single into right.
 
The Aggies got one back in the off a sac-fly from Crosswhite in the sixth, but the Dustdevils added two more in the seventh to put the game out of reach.  Rondon got things going with a single and then easily stole second, followed by a single by Anderson to put runners at the corners.  OPSU catcher Bo Ybarra tried to catch Rondon off the bag at third when Anderson stole second, but the throw ricocheted off the bag towards the Aggies’ dugout allowing Rondon to score and Anderson to take third.  Shimmel picked up another RBI and made it a 6-2 game, plating Anderson on a ground out to second.
 
Rondon put TAMIU’s final run on the board in the eighth with an RBI single up the middle scoring Garcia.
 
Anderson was 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI in game two, followed by Rondon and Smedley who each finished 2-for-3. 
 
The Dustdevils will look for the series sweep over the Aggies Saturday afternoon, with game three getting underway at 1 p.m. at Uni-Trade Stadium.