LAREDO, Texas – Sophomore Kristy Alanis capped off a three run bottom of the eighth inning with a walk-off single to give Texas A&M International (19-9, 12-4 LSC) a 5-4 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville (21-6, 13-3 LSC) in game one of the non-conference doubleheader. In game two, the Javelinas scored in all but one inning, leading to a 14-5 victory.
 
Game 1: Texas A&M International 5, #12 Texas A&M-Kingsville 4 F/8
 
En route to matching the programs best start in history (19-8), the Dustdevils struck first in the bottom of the third inning.
 
Junior Heather Ruiz notched a two RBI single in the inning, scoring Alanis and sophomore Victoria Maldondo to give TAMIU the 2-0 lead.
 
The Javelinas responded in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game 2-2.
 
In the fourth, Claire Chernosky drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and in the fifth, Kayla Gonzales homered to left field.
 
Still tied 2-2 in extra innings, TAMUK took a 4-2 lead in the eighth inning on a Chernosky two run home run.
 
Trailing, the Dustdevils pushed across the three runs necessary to walk it off and take home the 5-4 victory.
 
After two of the first three TAMIU batters reached on Javelina errors, freshman Victoria Gonzalez singled to load the bases and junior Darrian Smith followed, walking in a run to make it 4-3.
 
Junior Briana Arredondo followed with an RBI infield single to tie the game 4-4 and Alanis walked it off with an RBI single to give the Dustdevils a victory.
 
Sophomore Erika Cortez threw the first seven innings and allowed two runs (one earned), five hits and struck out five in the no decision.
 
Senior Miranda Martinez (1-0) in the victory threw one inning, allowing two runs, two hits, one walk and a strikeout.
 
Offensively, Arredondo led the way with a 2-for-4 outing with an RBI, while six other Dustdevils sprayed six hits, including Ruiz with 2 RBI, Smith with one and Alanis with one.
 
Game 2: #12 Texas A&M-Kingsville 14, Texas A&M International 5
 
In game two, Texas A&M-Kingsville jumped ahead 3-1 over the first three innings, an RBI double, groundout and single.
 
The Dustdevils responded in the third when Ruiz notched an RBI single, scoring freshman Chelsea Salinas.
 
The Javelina lead grew to 8-1 in the fifth inning after an RBI single, a three run home run and a solo home run.
 
TAMIU didn't waste time narrowing the lead down to 8-5, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Seniors Morgan Chavarria and Shelby Edwards, as well as Gonzalez, all notched RBI singles, while Smith drove in a run on an RBI double.
 
TAMUK followed the response with six runs in the final two innings, with a two run single in the sixth and two, two run home runs in the seventh inning.
 
Gonzalez started things with a solo home run and Maldonado followed with a two run home run, her second of the doubleheader series, to make it 3-0.
 
Salinas (4-2) started the contest and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing five runs, five hits and five walks in the loss.
 
In relief, junior Denise Longoria, senior Melanie Lint and sophomore Paige Sasser combined to allow nine runs and nine hits in the 3.2 innings, with Lint walking one and striking out three.
 
Offensively, Alanis (2-for-3), Chavarria (2-for-4) and Edwards (2-for-4, 1 RBI) led the way at the plate, with five other Dustdevils collecting a single hit, including Arredondo whose hitting streak has now reached 15 games, matching the highest by a Dustdevil since Brittany Mussett did it in 2015.
 
TAMIU now prepares for two more nationally ranked opponents venturing to Laredo next weekend. Texas A&M-Commerce is the first on the list with a doubleheader on April 9. First pitch for game on is scheduled for 12 p.m.