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LAREDO, Texas (March 6, 2018) – Texas A&M International University returns to the friendly confines of Dustdevil Softball on Wednesday for a midweek doubleheader against St. Mary's on March 7. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. as the Dustdevils look to hand the Rattlers their first Heartland Conference loss of the season
 
Links for live stats and video can be found at GoDustdevils.com under the softball schedule page.
 
A LOOK AT THE DUSTDEVILS
The Dustdevils enter the week 6-18 on the season and 3-3 in Heartland Conference play after going 1-3 on their four-game Oklahoma road trip last week. They are 3-4 at home this season including a two-game win streak after a doubleheader sweep of Newman on Feb. 23.
 
Hitting
Maya Paul was the top hitter for the Dustdevils last week going 6-for-14 from the plate with a double while scoring two runs. She had one of the best games in her career against OC going 3-for-4 from the dish scoring a run in TAMIU's 5-4 victory. The freshman is hitting .365 for the season with five doubles driving in seven runs while also stealing a team-high seven bases. Cassie Cannon saw her seven-game hit streak come to an end against Rogers State but the senior is still hitting .386. Her 32 hits are the fourth-most in the nation with her eight doubles ranking her eighth among all Division II players. Samantha Edmiston had her best week as a Dustdevils driving in four runs with two of those coming on her first career home run against Rogers State. The senior left fielder has filled in well for the injured Lindsey Smith going 7-for-34 at the plate with two doubles, one home run driving in nine runs. Maddison Schofield has a team-high 15 runs batted in and has reached base in seven straight games.
 
Pitching
Delainy Thompson and Sara Caterson got the starts in the circle last week with Melanie Lint coming out of the bullpen. Thompson is 2-7 on the season and needs just six strikeouts to join Victoria Beltran as the only Dustdevils with 300 or more career strikeouts. The senior who recently eclipsed 500 career innings went 9.2 innings in two starts allowing seven runs (four earned) on eight hits while striking out six. Caterson now has five starts on the season for a record of 2-3 with an ERA of 5.44 in 28.1 innings of work. Melanie Lint picked up her second victory of the season against OC in four innings of relief allowing one run (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts. Tori Carrion also made her first appearance in the circle against OC for the first time since Feb. 18.
 
A LOOK AT THE RATTLERS
The Rattlers enter Wednesday's doubleheader 14-6 overall and 4-0 in Heartland Conference play having won seven straight games dating back to the Florida Tech Invitational. They swept the Oklahoma Christian in Edmond on Saturday outscoring the Eagles 17-2.
 
Hitting
Abigaile Carney, Brenda Iparraguirre and Taylor Germain lead a Rattlers offense that is outscoring opponents 102-46 and 24-3 in conference play. Carney is hitting a team-high .373 with three doubles, two triples and four home runs to drive in 17 runs. She was named the conference's hitter of the week after recording her fist multi home run game of the season driving in all six runs in their 6-2 victory over OC on Saturday. Iparraguirre is off to a great start as the senior is hitting .371 with a team-high seven runs, one triple and one home run for 19 RBIs. She has driven in at least one run in five of the last six games including a three RBI performance against OC. After only playing in six games last season as a freshman, Germain has taken a huge leap forward as sophomore hitting .370 having recorded a hit in 14 of her 20 appearances. Raynelle  Nash is the fifth and final Rattler that is hitting over .300 as the junior has 20 hits with five of those being of the extra base variety with 14 RBIs.
 
Pitching
Staci Johns was named the conference pitcher of the week after her four-hit shutout against OC last week where she only walked two batters with four strikeouts. For the season, the sophomore has been solid with a 7-2 record in 12 appearances with an ERA of 2.37 in 59 innings of work. Hope Russell is the ace of the staff with the senior picking up six wins in her nine starts including four complete games. She has allowed 16 runs (13 earned) on 43 hits and ranking second in the team in strikeouts with 27. Alex McLennan's 10 appearances have come in relief as she has four saves in 19.1 innings in the circle.  
 
THE SERIES
The Dustdevils and Rattlers have faced off 38 times before Tuesday's doubleheader with StMU holding a 31-7 advantage and 2-14 in Laredo… The Rattlers have won 11 of the last 13 meetings… The Dustdevils have never achieved a doubleheader sweep over StMU.  
 
THE LAST MEETING
The two teams last met in last year's Heartland Conference Tournament where the Dustdevils dropped a 2-1 contest to nationally-ranked St. Mary's in extra innings. A Erika Sanchez single in the third plated Brenda Parnin giving them an early 1-0. The Rattlers responded in the bottom half of the inning  evening the score at 1-all. After allowing the tying run, Delainy Thompson turned it on as she held StMU to two hits over the next four innings until they scored the walk-off winner on a single to right field.
 
A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK
The Dustdevils went 1-3 in four Heartland Conference contests last week against Oklahoma Christian and Rogers State. The four-game road trip got off on the right foot with TAMIU picking up their first ever win at Tom Heath Field in Edmond, Okla. thanks to a go-ahead RBI by Maddison Schofield in the top of the seventh.
 
UP NEXT
The Dustdevils hit the road for the next five games starting with a three-game series in Wichita, Kan. against Newman on March 9-10. TAMIU took two games from the Jets earlier in the season, Feb. 23, in the Heartland Conference opener for both teams.