Dustdevils Drop Series Finale to UAFS

Box Score LAREDO (April 6, 2013) – TAMIU struggled to get their offense going in the final game of their three-game set against the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, falling to the Lions 4-2 Saturday afternoon at Uni-Trade Stadium.

Arkansas Fort Smith starting pitcher Hasten Freeman faced just four batters above the minimum, holding the Dustdevils to just three hits in his third complete game of the year.

Sophomore first baseman Alex McKeon gave the Dustdevils their only runs in the game in the bottom of the fifth, taking Freeman deep to left field for a two run homer. Alvaro Rondon and Sean Smedley were the only other TAMIU players to record a hit.

Dino Cristiani took the loss for the Dustdevils falling to 3-4. Cristiani allowed four runs on nine hits with one walk through seven innings. Jared Curnel threw two no-hit innings in relief for the second straight day.

The Lions scratched the board first in the top of the second, getting consecutive triples from Koby Chadick and Madison Beaird to take a 1-0 lead. Kyle Dickens plated Beaird on a RBI-ground out to short to make it 2-0.

Ozzie Hurt led off the fifth with a single and advanced to third on a hit and run by Ryan Pongonis. Hurt was then driven home on Chad Wilson’s sacrifice fly to extend the Lions’ lead to 3-0.

After McKeon pulled TAMIU within one run in the fifth, Pongonis delivered a two-out RBI double in the seventh over the head of Dustdevil center fielder Jeff Anderson to make it 4-2.

With the loss the Dustdevils slip to 17-10 in conference play (22-15 overall), one game ahead of UAFS for third place in the conference standings. TAMIU will go on the road this Thursday to play a single game versus Oklahoma Christian, before heading to Wichita, Kansas to take on Newman University in another pivotal conference series.

Print Friendly Version