Baseball 5/10/2013 10:30:00 PM by Dan Lathey

Dustdevils Advance to Semifinals

Box Score Timely hitting and a rock solid pitching performance by starter Jerry Hawkins led Texas A&M International to a 4-3 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith on Friday in second round action of the Heartland Conference Tournament at Sullivan Field on the Incarnate Word campus in San Antonio. The hard-earned win is TAMIU’s first HC Tournament win in what is the team’s second tournament appearance in three years.

Hawkins (5-6) earned the win with a gutty eight inning outing in which he allowed two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Hawkins allowed six hits through the first three innings with the Lions taking a 2-0 lead with a three-hit, two-run third inning. The senior then buckled down, shutting out the opponent and allowing only one hit over the next five innings.

Hawkins kept the Dustdevils in the game and the offense got on track with a big sixth inning. Alex Salas led off the sixth inning with a fly out to left field. Alex McKeon then delivered a laser shot home run over the Jason’s Deli sign in left field.

With the UAFS lead cut to 2-1, the Dustdevils loaded the bases on singles by Alex Zykoff and Fernando Garza and a walk by Sean Smedley. Jaron Shimmel then stepped to the plate and lined a hard grounder that glanced off Adam Baker’s glove at third base. Baker was able to come up with the ball and attempt a tag on Garza racing for third but Garza avoided the tag, with the result being Zykoff scoring to tie the score 2-2 and the bases still being loaded.

The next batter, Jeff Anderson, then gave the Dustdevils a 3-2 lead with a deep RBI sac fly to center field that scored Garza. Alvaro Rondon then hit a sharp single to left field but the inning ended when Smedley was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second base.

Hawkins retired the Lions in order in the sixth and seventh innings before TAMIU added an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning to take a 4-2 lead. The run was scored in a peculiar manner. Garza was on second base and Smedley on first with two outs when Anderson stepped to the plate and delivered a sharp single to right field. Garza initially stopped at third but made the dash for home when the UAFS right fielder, Koby Chadick, bobbled the ball. Garza was able to cross the plate with the insurance run before Smedley was tagged out in a rundown to end the inning.

Hawkins retired the Lions in order once again in the bottom of the eighth inning and after an out in order top of the ninth the game went to the bottom of the ninth with TAMIU holding a 4-2 lead.

Dustdevil closer Manolo Mendoza entered the game in the bottom of the ninth but quickly got into a jam by allowing two walks on 11 pitches. Head coach Chad Porter gave Mendoza the quick hook and Jared Curnel entered the game with runners on first and second and no outs.

Curnel got the first out quickly by picking Chadick off of second base. Ben Smith then delivered a deep RBI double to left field to drive in Curtis Clark and cut the TAMIU lead to 4-3. Curnel then walked Josh Gibson and the Lions had the tying run on third and winning run on second with only one out.

The threat and ended, however, when Curnel forced Baker to hit into a game-ending third base to first base double play. Salas easily handled the chopping ground ball off of Baker’s bat before stepping on third and throwing a long strike to McKeon at first base to wrap up the landmark win.

Curnel’s clutch performance earned him his fourth save of the season.

TAMIU advances to the semifinal round where they will meet St. Mary's University, who was throttled by St. Edward's 14-6 in the winner's bracket game. The contest was originally scheduled for a 7 p.m. start on Friday night but was moved to a 12 p.m. start on Saturday because of inclement weather.

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