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Box Score 2 LAREDO, Texas – Texas A&M International snapped a five-game losing streak with an emphatic 11-0 victory over the visiting Oklahoma Panhandle State on Friday at Dustdevil Field. The win was the opening of a Heartland Conference doubleheader that saw TAMIU fall in the second game, 4-2.
The Dustdevils (8-12, 1-1 Heartland Conference) will host the Aggies (5-11, 1-1 Heartland) for the final game of the 3-game series on March 1 at noon.
GAME 1: TAMIU 11, OPSU 0 (5 innings)
The runs party was started early for the Dustdevils, kicking off with three runs in the second inning, two in the third and six in the fourth inning. It all began when Mariena Gallardo drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the second. Cassie Garcia then slapped an infield single before Kyndall Reaves hammered a three-run home run over the left-centerfield fence.
TAMIU struck again when Esme Gonzalez and Brenda Parnin led off the third inning with back-to-back singles. Former Heartland Conference Hitter of the Week Cassandra De Leon hit into a fielder's choice before Chelsea Capello stroked a RBI single and advanced to second on a throwing error from left field. A subsequent wild pitch plated De Leon.
The Dustdevils parade to the plate continued in the fourth, initiating when Garcia singled. A pop fly and fielder's choice led to a Gonzalez RBI single to left-center. That gave way to a Parnin three-run bomb over the right-center wall. Brittany Mussett then walked and a Capello double to left set the stage for a Gallardo two-RBI single.
All in all, Gonzalez, Parnin, Capello and Garcia each went 2-for-3. Gallardo and Reaves both went 1-for-2 and Mussett and Gallardo both reached via walks.
Reaves (4-3) pitched to the complete-game victory, going five innings with three strikeouts and just one walk.
Game 2: OPSU 4, TAMIU 2
The offense that propelled the Dustdevils in the first game sputtered slightly in the day's second game. TAMIU fell one run behind when OPSU scored in the top of the fourth, but rebounded quickly with an answering run in the bottom half. But a three-run sixth by the Aggies was just too much for the Dustdevils, who scored once more in the seventh inning.
Sarah Johnson (1-5) took the loss after going 5 2/3 innings with a strikeout and a walk. She allowed 10 hits and four runs. Gallardo relieved Johnson with 1 1/3 innings of work with a strikeout and two hits allowed.
TAMIU saw Gonzalez lead off the fourth with a double to right, followed by a Parnin single. De Leon then flared a RBI.
The seventh inning saw Gonzalez jump on base with a two-out single to center before Parnin doubled down the left field line to score Gonzalez.
Gonzalez and Parnin both went 2-for-4, while De Leon went 1-for-3. De Leon and Desiree Ramos both drew walks to reach as well, while Gallardo and Reaves reached via being hit by pitches.
