PORTLAND, Texas – Texas A&M International softball opened the Texas A&M-Kingsville Tournament with a victory behind a stellar performance by junior pitcher Darrian Smith, upending Ouachita Baptist 2-0, however, fell in a hard-fought second game to Hillsdale, 5-3.

Game 1: Texas A&M International 2, Ouachita Baptist 0
 
TAMIU scored the lone runs of the game in the bottom of the first inning and were able to hold the lead from there.
 
Junior Briana Arredondo drove in the two runs plated in the contest on an RBI double scoring sophomore Alex Hernandez and fellow junior Heather Ruiz with no outs after both reached to start the game.
 
The remainder of the contest was dominated by the pitchers as both would not allow a run to cross the remainder of the game.
 
Smith pitched a complete game shutout, striking out nine and allowed just three hits.
 
Offensively, Hernandez had a 2-for-3 showing at the plate, while three other Dustdevils added a single hit.

Game 2: Hillsdale 5 Texas A&M International 3
 
After jumping in front in game one of the tournament, TAMIU was on the opposite end in game two, falling behind 4-0 to Hillsdale through the first two innings.
 
The Chargers plated a single run in the first inning and followed up with three runs in the second.
 
Hillsdale grew the lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning and it wasn't until the top of the sixth where the TAMIU offense came to life.
 
The Dustdevils plated a single run in the inning to make it 5-1 when freshman Sara Papizan reached on an error that scored junior Heather Ruiz.
 
In that inning, TAMIU had the bases loaded with no outs, but a runner's interference call took away a potential second run with no outs and created bases loaded with one out, only for the next batter to line out and the runner at second be thrown out to end the inning.
 
In their final cracks in the top of the seventh, the Dustdevils trimmed the deficit to 5-3 after a two-run home run off the bat of Hernandez.
 
With two outs Arredondo double to put another runner in scoring position, however a strikeout ended the game right after.
 
Papizan got the start on the mound and went 1.2 innings and allowed four runs, five hits, walked two and struck out two.
 
Junior Carla Arellano entered in relief of Papizan and over 2.1 innings allowed one run, three hits, one walk and also fanned two batters.
 
Sophomore Victoria Gonzalez finished the game allowing two hits and struck out one in two innings of work.
 
Offensively, Ruiz (2-for-4), Arredondo (2-for-3) and freshman Kristin Maldonado (2-for-3) combined for six of the nine TAMIU hits in the game, alongside two RBI from Hernandez off her home run.
 
After a 1-1 opening day of the tournament, the Dustdevils now prepare to play yet another doubleheader, beginning with Henderson State at 10 a.m. followed by a rematch with Hillsdale at 12:30 p.m. Both games again will take place in Portland, Texas.