CANYON, Texas – Texas A&M International baseball earned a huge win in game one of Saturday's doubleheader against #5 West Texas A&M, 10-8, but game two was all Buffaloes, winning 16-3.
 
GAME 1: Texas A&M International 10 #5 West Texas A&M 8
 
TAMIU jumped ahead immediately in the top of the first inning, plating three runs by way of a solo home run by senior Ronnie Bailey and RBI doubles by junior Antonio Buentello and senior Brock Hargens.
 
West Texas A&M would respond in the bottom half of the first with five runs to take a 5-3 lead and then two more in the bottom of the second to lead 7-3.
 
Buentello would trim the lead to 7-4 in the top of the third with a solo home run of his own, then junior Cameron Yeldell belted a three-run home run a few batters later to tie the game 7-7.
 
The Dustdevils took the lead in the top of the fourth, 8-7, on an RBI groundout by senior Ariben Gutierrez, but the Buffaloes would respond in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game 8-8.
 
In the top of the sixth, Buentello was the hero, belting a two-run home run for his second of the game, to give TAMIU a 10-8 lead it wouldn't relinquish.
 
Senior Abanny Garcia got the start and in four innings he allowed eight runs, ten hits, one walk and struck out two.
 
Fellow senior Joseph Garza-Delapena threw three strong innings of relief, allowing just one hit and struck out five.
 
Offensively, TAMIU scattered 16 hits, with Buentello leading the way with his 3-for-5 and four RBI, while Hargens and junior Matt Kissamis added 3-for-4 showings. Junior Isaac Gonzalez and sophomore Daniel Quiroz both had two hits in the game.
 
GAME 2: #5 West Texas A&M 16 Texas A&M International 3
 
TAMIU once again jumped ahead in the top of the first as Buentello hit a two RBI single to give the Dustdevils the early edge.
 
West Texas A&M would score the next nine runs, including one in the bottom of the first, six in the bottom of the second and two in the bottom of the third to lead 9-2.
 
Freshman Alex Lugo Drove in the final TAMIU run in the top of the fourth with an RBI single to make the score 9-3, but the Buffaloes added two in the bottom of the frame, four in the fifth and one more in the sixth to take the victory.
Sophomore Jan Cabrera started game two and worked just two innings, allowing seven runs, eight hits and fanned one
 
Freshman Brandon Salazar worked two innings and allowed four runs and four hits, walking one and striking out two.
 
Sophomore Rolando Riza pitched 1/3 inning allowing four runs, two hits and a walk, while fellow sophomore Adrian Talavera worked 1.2 innings, allowing one run and three hits.
 
The Dustdevils totaled eight hits in the night cap, with Gonzalez and Lugo leading the charge with 2-for-3 outings.
 
TAMIU looks to make the series a split, as the conclude the series with the Buffaloes on Sunday, Apr. 16 at 1 p.m.