LIVE STATS | VIDEO | GAME NOTES

LAREDO, Texas (April 12, 2018) – Texas A&M International University will honor its 11 seniors this weekend when they host St. Edward's for a three-game series at Dustdevil Field. The Dustdevils are in the midst of a 12-game home stand where they have gone 4-1 including a win over #18 Tarleton State on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. for game one of Friday's doubleheader. 
 
Links for live stats and video can be found at GoDustdevils.com under the softball schedule page. 
 
PROMOTIONS
Friday's doubleheader is 80's day at the ballpark as the first 200 fans will receive a neon pink fanny pack. There will also be Taco Palenque gift cards given out to fans who dress up. The 11 seniors on this year's team will be honored before Saturday's game. 
 
A LOOK AT THE DUSTDEVILS
Texas A&M International University returns to Heartland Conference play following a midweek doubleheader against nationally-ranked Tarleton State on Tuesday. The Dustdevils, winners of four straight conference games, will honor its 11 seniors prior to Saturday's series finale. 
 
Hitting
Maddison Schofield was named the Heartland Conference Hitter of the Week after going 7 for 11 with three home runs and four RBIs in their sweep over Rogers State last week. Two of those home runs came in the second game of Friday's doubleheader including the walk-off in the 11^thinning. The junior is hitting .302 for the season with five doubles and five home runs for a team-high 24 RBIs. Freshman Maya Paul enters the weekend hitting .309 from the dish with 10 doubles and one home run with 14 RBIs. She went 1 for 3 in game one of Tuesday's doubleheader against Tarleton State driving in two runs. She continues to lead the team with 16 stolen bases on 17 attempts. Cassie Cannon's early season form seems to be returning as the senior is in the midst of six-game hit streak. She is hitting .287 scoring a team-high 25 runs with nine doubles, one triple and a home run. 
 
Pitching
The Dustdevil pitching staff of Delainy Thompson, Melanie Lint, Sara Caterson and Tori Carrion has been lights out over the past nine games with an ERA of 1.59 and holding opposing hitters to .213 at the plate. Thompson has been at the front of the success as the senior has an 1.11 ERA over her last four starts having only allowed five runs (four earned) while striking out 10 batters. Lint has been equally impressive going 3-1 from the circle allowing 10 runs (eight earned) in 24.2 innings. Carrion gives the Dustdevils another option out of the bullpen a the lefty has not allowed a run in her last 6.1 innings of work. She held the powerful TSU offense to two hits in three innings of relief on Tuesday. 
 
A LOOK AT THE HILLTOPPERS
St. Edward's enter the series 5-34 overall and 4-17 in Heartland Conference play having won two of their last four games including a walk-off 2-1 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Monday. 
 
Hitting
The Hilltoppers are hitting .238 on the season with 26 doubles, five triples and 13 home runs for 81 runs batted in. Karolina Rodriguez is leading the team with a .340 average from the dish with seven doubles and seven home runs for a team-high 16 RBIs. The sophomore has a hit in four straight and eight of her last nine. Kathryn Connelly has started in 33 games this season hitting .262 with three doubles and one triple while driving in six runs. Sara Machado hit .333 (2 for 6) in the series against TAMUK including the walk-off in the Hilltoppers' 2-1 victory. For the season, the sophomore is hitting .255 with two doubles, one triple and two home runs for eight RBIs. 
 
Pitching
The HIlltoppers rotation consists of Keely Frazier, Olivia Burdick and Reagan Carter. Burdick has gotten the starting nod in 18 games going 2-15 with an ERA of 7.99 allowing 93 runs (82 earned) on 135 hits and 36 walks with 50 strikeouts. Reagan Carter started the first game of their last meeting against TAMIU going 6 innings allowing three runs on six hits and seven walks with four strikeouts. She is 1-8 in 26 appearances and 12 starts with an ERA of 8.26 in 85 innings pitched. 
 
THE SERIES
The Dustdevils are 14-31 all-time against the Hilltoppers and 5-8 in games played in Laredo. TAMIU's 4-1 victory in the second game of March 13's doubleheader ended a four-game losing streak to SEU. TAMIU has not won consecutive games in the series since March 27, 2015. 
 
THE LAST MEETING
- The Dustdevils split the doubleheader with the Hilltoppers early this year in Austin. 
- The Dustdevils battled back from an early 3-1 deficit to tie the game at 3-all in the top of the sixth before Kayla Appleby's walk-off infield single gave the Hilltoppers a 4-3 victory. 
- Samantha Edmisotn went 1 for 3 driving in two runs and Delainy Thompson pitched a complete game four-hitter as TAMIU won game two, 4-1. 
 
AROUND THE HEARTLAND
Entering the final three weekends of the regular season, St. Mary continues to sit first in the Heartland Conference standings with a record of 15-4. Oklahoma Christian sits second at 14-7 with a three-game series against third-place Lubbock Christian happening this weekend. The Dustdevils moved into fourth with their sweep of Rogers State last weekend in Laredo with St. Edward's and Newman occupying the final two spots. 
 
RECORD WATCH
14 – The Dustdevils enter the final six games of Heartland Conference play needing three wins to break the program record for most conference wins in season. The current record was set back in 2015 when they went 16-8 and finished third.  
 
20 – The Dustdevils need two wins to reach 20 wins for the fifth time in seven seasons. 
 
100 – With her start against nationally-ranked Tarleton State on Tuesday, Delainy Thompson became the third Dustdevil with 100 or more career appearances. She could move into a tie for second with Kyndall Reaves (2011-14) with two more appearances this weekend.  
 
142 –Alyssa Acuna's next hit will move her into a tie for fifth in career at-bats with Angel Montejano (2008-11). She also just needs two more at-bats to tie Montejano for fifth in career at-bats. 
 
UP NEXT
The Dustdevilshave a quick turnaround with a doubleheader against No. 9 Angelo State on Monday, April 16. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.