SAN ANGELO, Texas – Texas A&M International University softball (3-8) played a pair of games in the first day of the George & Ola McCorkle Challenge and defeated the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls (1-7) in a 10-2 run-rule victory and fell to the Angelo State Rambelles (8-3) 9-1, respectively, on Friday.

Game 1: Texas A&M International 10, New Mexico Highlands 2 (5 Inn.) 

In the opening inning, Briana Arredondo (2-for-3) continued her sensational success at the plate as she smacked a two-run home run off of Cowgirl pitcher Belinda Gonzalez (L, 0-3: 4 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 3 K, 3 BB) that scored Morgan Chavarria (2-for-2, RBI, 2 R, BB). 

In the home half of the second frame, the Dustdevils registered five runs including a solo home run by Victoria Maldonado and a three-run blast by Heather Ruiz that plated Kristy Alanis (1-for-2, 2 R, BB) and Melanie Gamboa to help push TAMIU out to a 7-0 lead.

In the third inning, Dustdevil starter Melanie Lint (W, 1-3: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, ER, 4 K, 0 BB)  continued her dominant game in the circle as she retired all three Cowgirls including back-to-back strikeouts looking. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Chavarria and Arredondo each drove in another run to give TAMIU a comfortable nine-run cushion (9-0) over New Mexico Highlands. 

In the top of the fifth inning, the Cowgirls registered a pair of runs off of Lint to make it a 9-2 game.

In the home half of the fifth frame, Natasha Rodriguez smacked a game-winning single to center field to settle the 10-2 run rule victory for the Dustdevils.

Game 2: Angelo State 9, Texas A&M International 1 (5 Inn.)

In the top of the second inning, TAMIU broke the scoring ice off of Rambelle starter Genesis Armendariz (W, 4-1: 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 5 K, BB) as Ruiz drove in Felicity Bernal. 

Angelo State quickly countered in the home half of the second frame by compiling five runs off of Dustdevil starter Paige Sasser (L, 1-1: 2 IP, 2 H, 6 ER, K, 5 BB) that was capped off by Paxton Scheurer's two-run home run to give the Rambelles a 5-1 edge. 

In the bottom of third inning, Dustdevil relief pitcher Denise Longoria (ND: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, ER, K, 5 BB) forfeited a trio of run-scoring singles that stretched Angelo State's lead to seven (8-1).

The Rambelles put the game away in the bottom of the fifth frame on a sacrifice fly by Logan Graham (1-for-1, 3 RBI, BB) to plate the game-winning run and settle the 9-1 final.

The Dustdevils continue the Angelo State University George & Ola McCorkle Challenge tomorrow Saturday, Feb. 15 with showdowns against Ouachita Baptist (1-3) at 10 a.m. and Tarleton (7-2) at 7 p.m.