Laredo, Texas – TAMIU baseball faced off against the St. Mary's Rattlers in game 1 of a four-game series on Friday with the Dustdevils securing a hard-fought victory with a final score of 8-5.

The Dustdevils started the scoring in the second inning. Coolbaugh tripled to right-center driving in Lugo, followed by Stanwick's single that brought Coolbaugh home, putting the Rattlers in a 2-0 deficit.

The third inning saw TAMIU extending their lead further. Cruz's double and Buentello's subsequent double added two more runs, widening the gap to 4-0.

In the fifth inning, the Dustdevils continued to dominate offensively, with Lugo's single bringing in two more runs, extending their lead to 6-0.

St. Mary's finally broke their silence in the sixth inning, as Brooks powered a home run, putting them on the scoreboard. However, TAMIU responded swiftly, with Medina adding another run with a single.

Remaining in control, the Dustdevils added to their lead in the seventh inning, with Medina's single extending the score to 8-1.

The Rattlers staged a late comeback attempt in the eighth inning, capitalizing on passed balls and wild pitches to add three unearned runs to their tally, narrowing the score to 8-4.

In the final inning, St. Mary's fought valiantly, with Concannon's double bringing in another run. However, TAMIU's defense held firm, securing the 8-5 victory.
Isaac Ponce earned the win on the mound for the Dustdevils with 6 innings pitched, allowing only one earned run and striking out six batters. DeAlejandro of St. Mary's suffered the loss.
Abiam Medina showcased exceptional performance at the plate for Dustdevils, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs. Joey Coolbaugh displayed power and precision with his bat, notching a triple and a run scored in the second inning. Alex Lugo also made significant contributions offensively, driving in two runs with a key single in the fifth inning.

The Dustdevils and Rattlers return to action tomorrow with a double-header beginning at 1 p.m. at Jorge Haynes Field.