Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CONROE, Texas – Texas A&M International softball fell in the first matchup of its last day in the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational to Rogers State, but turned it around to upset #16 Southern Arkansas to round out the trip.
 
Game 1: Rogers State 6, Texas A&M International 0
 
Rogers State jumped ahead immediately in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead, then followed it up with a single run in the second to lead 3-0.
 
The Dustdevils had their best chance to score in the first and second innings, having a runner on third with one out in the first and a runner on second with no outs after a leadoff double by junior Darrian Smith, but neither could be pushed across.
 
Two scoreless innings past before the Hillcats scored a single run in the fifth inning and then two more in the sixth to bring home the 6-0 victory.
 
Sophomore Victoria Gonzalez took the mound and in 5.2 innings of work allowed six runs, seven hits, four walks and two strikeouts.
 
Freshman Sara Papizan pitched the final 1/3 inning and walked one.
 
Offensively, junior Heather Ruiz continued her hot start with a 2-for-3 outing, with Smith and graduate student Victoria Maldonado each collecting a single hit.

Game 2: Texas A&M International 4 #16 Southern Arkansas 3
 
After falling in the first five games in Conroe, Texas, TAMIU earned a massive boost in their final game, upsetting #16 Southern Arkansas 4-3.
 
The Dustdevils were the first to hit the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when Victoria Maldonado scored on a Mulerider error to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Southern Arkansas responded in the top of the fourth and evened the game 1-1.
 
TAMIU broke the 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning, thanks to a three-run home run by Papizan to give the Dustdevils a 4-1 edge.
 
The Muleriders trimmed the deficit to 4-2 in the sixth, then made it interesting in the seventh, plating another run to make it 4-3 with two outs, but left runners stranded on second and third to end the game.
 
Junior Darrian Smith picked up her first victory on the mound, allowing three runs, six hits, four walks and 12 strikeouts in the complete game outing.
Offensively, Arredondo led the charge going 2-for-3, while five other Dustdevils contributed a hit to the cause.
 
After a tough weekend ended on a very positive note, TAMIU now prepares for the Texas A&M-Kingsville Tournament in Portland, Texas, beginning on Friday, Feb. 6. The Dustdevils will play five games with doubleheaders on Feb. 6 and 7 and a single game on Feb. 8.
 
First up for TAMIU is Ouchita Baptist at 2 p.m., followed by Hillsdale at 4:30 p.m.