Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas A&M International had to travel more than 500 miles to kick off its Heartland Conference regular season on Friday, falling to a sweep at Lubbock Christian – 11-4 in game 1 and 2-1 in game 2. The travels were the first of the Dustdevils' season after going 5-5 through 10 non-conference games at home.
TAMIU (5-7, 0-2 Heartland) will close its series with the Chaps (7-5, 2-0 Heartland) on Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. before playing one non-conference game against West Texas A&M on Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. The Dustdevils will return home to Jorge Haynes Field on Feb. 28 to host Oklahoma Christian in a Heartland showdown.
GAME 1: LCU 11, TAMIU 4
The Dustdevils and Chaps were scoreless through the first two innings, but three eventual errors created an uphill battle for the visitors, starting in the bottom of the third inning.
TAMIU starting pitcher Jeremy Gonzalez saw two runs score after he sat down the first two LCU batters with back-to-back strikeouts. But the Chaps rallied, scoring three runs with two outs.
The Chaps scored a crippling five runs in the bottom of the fourth, topped with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth despite outhitting the Dustdevils by just a hit.
Gonzalez (0-1) recorded the loss while Brig Gerlich (3-0) took the victory. Gonzalez went 3 2/3 innings with six strike outs and just two walks. He allowed seven hits, but of the Chaps' eight runs scored against him, only three were earned. Ryan Williams, Nick Perales and Mark Muñoz combined to pitch the remainder of the game with just a strike out between them.
The Dustdevils finally scored in the fourth inning when Gordie Taggart led off with a double. Jake Cardoza plated him with a RBI single to right field.
TAMIU struck again with a lone run in the fifth when Andrew Arteaga stroked a two-out single, advancing to third when Alex McKeon thundered a double to left field. Daniel Cruz was then walked to load the bases. Taggart watched four consecutive pitches miss the mark, earning a RBI walk.
The Dustdevils closed their day with two final runs in the sixth inning after Arturo Castro Jr. slapped a one-out single to left-center field. Castro was later retired on a fielder's choice, but both Michael Colorado and Mauricio Granados scored when Arteaga belted a two-RBI double to deep center field.
Of all the Dustdevils, Arteaga and McKeon led the lineup with 3-for-4 days. Arteaga's pair of plated runners was a game-high. Castro also battered a pair of hits, going 2-for-3. Cruz, the team's designated hitter drew a pair of walks.
GAME 2: LCU 2, TAMIU 1
Standing as a stark contrast to game 1, the Dustdevils and Chaps stood knotted at 1 run apiece into extra innings. Lubbock's Joel Lutz hammered a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to sweep the doubleheader.
TAMIU's Baylr Bickerton (2-1) suffered the loss; LCU's Glen Warrick (1-0) took down the victory.
The Dustdevils again fell into a shallow, early hole when the Chaps scored off a two-out RBI single. TAMIU answered, though, in the eighth inning when Arteaga singled through the right side of the infield.
Taggart hit his second two-bagger of the day, this time to deep right-center field to score Arteaga and tie the game. The Dustdevils' lone score stands as Arteaga's sixth run scored and Taggart's fourth RBI.
