Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 LAREDO, Texas – Texas A&M International needed a rebound after suffering a non-conference 3-game sweep at No. 25 Angelo State on March 4-5. That pick-me-up came in the form of Rogers State, a Heartland Conference foe, at Dustdevil Field. TAMIU (9-15, 4-1 Heartland Conference) swept the Hillcats (3-13, 0-5 Heartland) with a 12-4 victory in a five inning game 1 and 9-6 in game two.
The Dustdevils and Hillcats will return to action on Saturday for the final game of the series, with first pitch coming at 11 a.m.
GAME 1: TAMIU 12, RSU 4
The Dustdevils outhit the Hillcats 12-8, with a pair of seven- and five-run innings in the second and third, respectively, all but securing the win. Mariena Gallardo (5-5) went the distance, allowing just four runs – all in the fifth inning and just one was earned. She struck out four and walked one.
Gallardo helped her own cause with a rocket over the left-center field fence. Brenda Parnin walked and stole second before Kyndall Reaves singled and Cassie Garcia loaded the bases with a walk. An Esme Gonzalez sacrifice fly plated Parnin. Chelsea Capello belted a two-RBI single to center before Cassandra De Leon singled and Brittany Mussett sent a RBI double to left. Finally, Parnin singled and took second on a throwing error by the pitcher, plating both Mussett and De Leon.
The next inning saw Garcia, Parnin and Gonzalez knock back-to-back-to-back singles. One out later, De Leon knocked in Garcia's pinch runner, Victoria Gomez. Mussett looped a sacrifice fly to left field before Krissy Sardelich scored on a wild pitch. Parnin flared a two-RBI infield single before the inning ended.
GAME 2: TAMIU 9, RSU 6
The second game was much closer through five innings.
The Hillcats opened the scoring in the third inning, only for TAMIU to answer in the bottom half when Gonzalez doubled with one out. De Leon plated her with a single streaking the left field line.
RSU picked up a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, with TAMIU again answering – this time with a trio of runs. Garcia opened the inning with a walk before being sacrifice bunted to second by Anna Parnin. Gonzalez reached on an error, seeing Gomez score as a pinch runner. Capello and De Leon singled – with a RBI going to De Leon before Mussett doubled to score Capello.
The sixth inning saw TAMIU scored six runs, standing as more than enough to win the game. With two outs, Anna Parnin was hit by a pitch. Gonzalez doubled on the next pitch and Capello blasted a three-run bomb. De Leon then walked before Mussett blasted off to left for a two-run homer.
The Dustdevils allowed three runs in the top of the seventh, holding on for the win.
Sarah Johnson (2-6) recorded the win with three innings of work, allowing four runs on seven hits. Gallardo started the game, going four innings with two runs and five hits allowed.
