LAREDO, Texas – Texas A&M International softball picked up its first home win of the season in a 2-0 thriller, however fell in game two of the doubleheader against Cameron on Sunday.
 
Game 1: Texas A&M International 2 Cameron 0
 
Offense was at a minimum in game one of the doubleheader, as it was the pitchers who were tossing shutouts through five innings.
 
Over those five innings, both teams combined to only have three runners in scoring position, with TAMIU having two and Cameron having one.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, freshman Sara Papizan doubled and senior Christina Garcia followed with the eventual game-winning, two-run home run to make it 2-0.
 
Junior Darrian Smith was tremendous for the Dustdevils in the circle, allowing just three hits and striking out 10 in the complete game shutout.
 
Offensively, TAMIU scattered nine hits, Papizan and sophomore Victoria Gonzalez led the way with 2-for-3 showings, while five others collected a single hit.

Game 2: Cameron 8, Texas A&M International 1
 
In game two, the Aggies jumped ahead in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Cameron looked to add to it, with the first three batters reaching base in the top of the second inning off Gonzalez who got the start for TAMIU, but freshman Carla Arellano came in relief and set the Aggies down in order from there to end the threat.
 
However, Cameron would do the damage in the third and fourth innings, adding three runs in each frame to take a 7-0 lead.
 
The Dustdevils got their lone run in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a solo home run by Papizan to make it 7-1, and the Aggies plated their last run immediately after in the top of the sixth.
 
For Gonzalez, she pitched 1+ inning and allowed one run, four hits and walked one.
 
Arellano pitched four innings in relief allowing seven runs (five earned), eight hits, one walk and struck out three.
 
Papizan threw the final two innings and allowed just one walk.
 
TAMIU recorded only five hits in the game, with junior Briana Arredondo ledading the way with a 2-for-3 outing. Papizan, Christina Garcia and junior Heather Ruiz combined for the other three hits.
 
The Dustdevils now head back on the road for two doubleheaders scheduled for Friday and Sunday. First stop on the trip is to Canyon, Texas to face defending NCAA Division II Softball National Champion and current #6 ranked West Texas A&M. First pitch on Mar. 18 is scheduled for 4 p.m.