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GOODWELL, Okla. – Texas A&M International entered Friday's Heartland Conference 3-game series with Oklahoma Panhandle State in search of back-to-back series wins. The Dustdevils (9-14, 4-7 Heartland) struck the jackpot with a doubleheader sweep over the Aggies (5-20, 0-10 Heartland) with an 8-3 and 12-5 victory, respectively.
With the wins, TAMIU pulls into a win-column tie with the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (12-12, 4-4 Heartland), St. Edward's (16-8, 4-4 Heartland) and the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (8-11, 4-6 Heartland) – moving from sixth place to a win-column tie for fifth place.
The Dustdevils and Aggies will conclude with the final game of the series at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The start time was moved from 1 p.m. to 11 a.m. due to a forecast littered with rain for the late afternoon.
TAMIU will return home on March 18 to host Huston-Tillotson.
GAME 1: TAMIU 8, OPSU 3 (7 Innings)
The Dustdevils saw a pair of third-inning RBI doubles etch an early lead for starting pitcher Jeremy Gonzalez (2-2). A run in the fourth, four in the fifth and a final plating in the seventh secured the victory for Gonzalez.
Gonzalez retired the first six batters he faced – with a pair of strike outs – before his offense put him in position for the result. Michael Colorado led off the top of the third inning with a drag-bunt single down the third base line before Andrew Arteaga sacrifice bunted him into scoring position. After a Nate Halas fly out, catcher Alex McKeon blasted a two-bagger to left field, scoring Colorado. Connor Belvin mirrored McKeon's RBI double with a shot to right field, scoring McKeon.
The Aggies stranded two runners in their half of the third, and TAMIU added a third run in the fourth inning. Jake Cardoza led off with a single and a stealing of second base; he then took third base on a passed ball before Ryan Jozwiak grounded out to shortstop with Cardoza scoring on the play.
The Dustdevils exploded for four more in the fifth inning. Arteaga led off with a single before Halas stroked a single of his own; Arteaga took third after an error in the outfield. McKeon knocked in his second run with a single to right, plating Arteaga. A Belvin single scored Halas and a Gordie Taggart base hit plated McKeon. Arturo Castro grounded out to shortstop for the second out, but Belvin slid home on the play to stretch TAMIU's lead to 7-0.
The Aggies final lit the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth, scoring a pair of runs off three hits. One more came in for OPSU in the sixth.
TAMIU penned its exclamation mark on the victory in the game's final frame when Belvin assaulted the first pitch he saw, sending the solo home run to center field.
Belvin led the Dustdevils with his 3-for-4 day with three RBI. McKeon wasn't far behind with a 2-for-3 performance with two RBI. Arteaga, Halas, Taggart, Cardoza and Colorado each went 1-for-3 on the day.
Gonzalez went five strong innings, allowing just five hits and three runs with a pair of strike outs and a walk. Jared Curnel and Armando Manrrique pitched an inning each, allowing a just one hit and striking out four collectively.
GAME 2: TAMIU 12, OPSU 2
The Dustdevils maintained their scoring stamina in the backend of the doubleheader, leading by eight runs before OPSU crossed the plate for the first time in the sixth inning. TAMIU scored multiple runs in three innings – led by the second inning's four.
Arteaga led off the game with a long fly out to right field, but a Halas bunt single set the stage for McKeon and Belvin's back-to-back RBI. McKeon launched a triple to deep center field, scoring Halas; and Belvin grounded out to third base, plating McKeon.
It was more of the same in the second inning. Cardoza led off with a viewing of four consecutive balls before stealing second base. Castro bunted his way onto base, but Cardoza was chopped down at third. Back-to-back singles by Colorado and Arteaga primed a rally. Castro scored on an error off Arteaga's single, and Halas singled in Colorado, while Arteaga scored on an outfield error. McKeon and Belvin belted consecutive singles, leading to Halas' plating off Belvin's RBI.
In the third, Cardoza got things started with a single and took second on another outfield error. He later took third on a OPSU balk. Jozwiak worked a full count into a base on balls before Colorado sent a RBI single, scoring Cardoza. Colorado registered the final out as he was caught stealing.
Belvin pushed another of his six total RBI of the day across when he singled to left in the fourth, plating McKeon – who doubled one batter prior.
In the sixth, Colorado singled and stole second before Arteaga lifted a RBI double to left field. The Aggies answered in the next half inning with a two-RBI double and added another in the seventh.
In the eighth, Arteaga led off with a single and a stealing of second base before McKeon walked. Belvin reached via the third baseman's error, scoring Arteaga on the play. Cardoza sent a RBI single to center, scoring McKeon. The Dustdevils' final run came in the ninth after back-to-back singles by Jozwiak and Colorado. But Arteaga hit into a double play before Halas plated Jozwiak with a single.
Abdel Rivera recorded the win with six innings pitched, allowing just three hits and two runs – none earned. He struck out five and walked three, hitting a batter. Ryan Williams closed the game with three innings, allowing five hits and three runs – two earned – with a pair of strike outs and a walk.
