TYLER, Texas – Texas A&M International baseball opened a four-game set against the UT Tyler Patriots on the road Friday night, and fell in game one of the series 11-1 in eight innings.
 
TAMIU (3-2, 3-2 LSC) scored immediately to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, when reigning Lone Star Conference and NCBWA South Central Region Hitter of the Week, junior outfielder Matt Kissamis, doubled in junior Leeandro Alfonzo.
 
From then on it was all Patriots, scoring a single run in the first inning to tie the game and then scoring in the second and fourth innings to lead 3-1.
 
It was a tough fifth inning for TAMIU as UT Tyler scored seven runs in the inning to open a 10-1 lead, then sealed the victory on a home run in the bottom of the eighth to win 11-1.
 
Freshman Christopher Sauceda to the bump for the Dustdevils and over 3.1 innings, allowed three runs (two earned), four hits, walked five and struck out four.
 
Four Dustdevils combined for 4.1 innings of relief and allowed eight runs, six hits, four walks and three strikeouts.
 
At the plate, TAMIU could only muster four hits against two Patriot pitchers, with Kissamis, Alfonzo, graduate student Dan Hernandez and senior Brock Hargens all having a single hit each.
 
The Dustdevils now look to a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 12, as UT Tyler hosts TAMIU for two seven-inning games that are scheduled for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.