LAREDO, Texas – Texas A&M International baseball got the bats going early and often, collecting 16 hits as a team as it defeated UAFS 9-3 to open the four-game series.
 
It was the Lions (2-7, 2-7 LSC) who initially got things started, scoring a run in the top of the first on a RBI double to take the 1-0 lead.
 
TAMIU gained the lead in the bottom of the second inning, one it would never relinquish.
 
In the second inning, junior Mario Chacon ties the game 1-1 on a RBI triple and was followed immediately by senior Ariben Gutierrez who singled in Chacon to give the Dustdevils the lead.
 
TAMIU added another two runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-1 lead on a two RBI single by Chacon.
 
The Dustdevils upped the lead in the seventh inning to 7-1, when again Chacon drove in his fourth and fifth runs of the game on a two RBI double.
 
UAFS trimmed the lead in top of the eighth inning to 6-3 as they scored on an RBI double and a sacrifice fly.
 
TAMIU got the two runs back, plus one in the bottom of the eighth, scoring three runs.
 
Junior Isaac Gonzalez started the scoring with a two-run home run and later in the inning, graduate student Daniel Hernandez doubled in a run to make it the final score of 9-3.
 
Freshman right-hander Christopher Sauceda earned his first collegiate victory, allowing just one run, three hits, three walk and struck out eight in six innings of work.
 
Sophomore Rolando Riza pitched a one hit seventh inning, fellow sophomore Adrian Talavera allowed two unearned runs, two hits and a strikeout in the eighth, while senior Andrew Pavon finished the game in the ninth allowing a hit, walk and struck out one.
 
Gutierrez led TAMIU at the plate with a perfect 4-for-4 outing and an RBI, while Chacon came a home run away from the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a single, double, triple, five RBI, a run scored and a walk.
 
Gonzalez (2-for-5, home run, two RBI, run scored) and junior Matt Kissamis (2-for-5, run scored) also had a multi-hit game.
 
Ahead in the season series 1-0, the Dustdevils look forward to the seven inning doubleheader, tomorrow, Saturday Feb. 19, beginning at 12 p.m. followed by game two at 3 p.m.