Baseball 4/27/2013 4:40:00 PM

Dustdevils Drop Game Three to #9 St. Mary’s

Box Score LAREDO (April 27, 2013) – No.9 St. Mary’s University completed a three game sweep over TAMIU, taking game three 7-2 Saturday afternoon at Jorge Haynes Field.

Despite falling behind early, the Dustdevils had several prime chances to pull within striking distance. The Dustdevils loaded the bases in the first but were only able to pick up one run, stranding three. In the 5^th and 6^th TAMIU put two runners into scoring position, but were again unable to come through with a timely hit. The Dustdevils stranded nine runners in all and finished only 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

The two losses drop the Dustdevils to 25-22 on the season, while their conference record slips to 18-15. TAMIU remains two games ahead of Newman University (21-21, 16-17 HC) for the final spot in the conference tournament. The Dustdevils need either two wins or two Newman losses to clinch their spot in the postseason. A combination of a TAMIU win and a Newman loss would also secure a spot.

Hector Gonzalez and Fernando Garza led the Dustdevils at the plate, accounting for five of TAMIU’s eight hits. Gonzalez finished 3-for-3, while Garza went 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

TAMIU used four different pitchers Saturday afternoon, with the loss going to Dino Cristiani (3-7). The junior lasted only two innings, allowing four runs on six hits with one strikeout. Baylr Bickerton gave a solid effort in relief, giving up only one run in 3.2 innings, while Jared Curnel pitched 2.1 shutout innings. Senior closer Manolo Mendoza came on in the ninth and allowed two runs on two hits with one strikeout and one walk.

The Rattlers also trotted four different hurlers out to the mound with ace Carl O’Neal (11-2) getting the lion’s share of the work. O’Neal allowed two runs on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts in 4.1 innings. The final three pitchers (Kyle Bumpas, Derek Moczygemba, and Jonathan Perez) held TAMIU scoreless with only three hits over the final 5.2 innings.

St. Mary’s took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a RBI groundout from Brandon Bates and a RBI single up the middle by Billy Richard. The Dustdevils loaded up the bases in the bottom half of the inning, but were only able to pick up one run on a single by Garza.

A leadoff triple for St. Mary’s in the second led to another run as Al Gonzalez was plated on a groundout by Scott Slusher. A double and a single to start the third gave the Rattlers a 4-1 lead, as Bates delivered his second RBI groundout of the day.

Garza laced a one out double for TAMIU in the fourth and was brought around to score on an error at third base to pull the Dustdevils within two runs. St. Mary’s quickly answered with a big solo homerun in the fifth off the bat of Derek Moczygemba.

The game remained at 5-2 until the top of the ninth, when the Rattlers picked up two more runs on two hits off closer Manolo Mendoza.

TAMIU will close out their regular season next weekend, when they travel to Austin to battle No.27 St. Edward’s University. The three game series will get underway with a doubleheader on Friday, May 3 and conclude with the series finale on Saturday.

Print Friendly Version