LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas A&M International and Lubbock Christian closed their Heartland Conference 3-game series showdown under cloudy skies in 55-degree weather, with the Lady Chaps standing taller in the 15-3 affair.

The Dustdevils fall to 16-26 (8-7 Heartland) with the loss, but maintain their second-place pegging in the league standings. With 11 games remaining in the regular season, TAMIU trails St. Mary's (40-5, 15-0 Heartland) and leads third-place St. Edward's (24-18, 9-9 Heartland and the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (9-28, 6-9 Heartland). Only the top four finishers in conference play will qualify for the postseason tournament, and Newman (13-21, 4-11 Heartland) and Oklahoma Panhandle State (8-30, 2-16 Heartland) currently sit on the outside looking in.

On Saturday, the Dustdevils and starting pitcher Sarah Johnson (4-8) fell into an early 5-0 hole after just an inning. Johnson went two innings with no strike outs, four walks and eight runs allowed off seven hits. Mariena Gallardo pitched two innings of relief with no strike outs, two walks and seven runs off seven hits.

The Lady Chaps pounded the plate with five runs in the first and third innings, two runs in the second and three runs in the fourth inning of the five-inning run-shortened game. The Dustdevils scored a single run in the second inning and tabbed two more in the fifth inning, mustering just two hits in the game.

Brenda Parnin plated all the runs for the Dustdevils, knocking Gallardo in with a double in the second inning and scoring both Cassandra De Leon and Chelsea Capello with a fifth inning single. Parnin went 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBI.

No other Dustdevil recorded a hit, but Capello, Gallardo and Desi Ramos each walked once. Kyndall Reaves walked twice and Capello reached after being hit by a pitch.

The Dustdevils will next face Texas A&M-Kingsville in a non-conference doubleheader on April 8, starting at 1 p.m., at Dustdevil Field before returning to Heartland action against St. Edward's for three games starting with a doubleheader on April 11 at 1 p.m.