Laredo, TX – TAMIU baseball faced off against the #18 Angelo State Rams in game 1 of a four-game series on Friday with the Dustdevils securing a hard-fought victory with a final score of 8-4.
The game started strongly for the Dustdevils as
Isaac Stanwick set the stage early by scoring the first run thanks to
Omar Cervantes' timely single to left center in the 1st inning, setting an aggressive tone.
In the 4th inning TAMIU extended their lead with
Nomar Prieto scoring on a passed ball by Angelo State's catcher, Clark. The Rams finally found an opening in the 5th inning with Holt's RBI double, but the Dustdevils were quick to respond. They rallied back in the same inning with RBI singles from
Abiam Medina and
Antonio Buentello, pushing their lead to 4-1.
ASU's Harris hit a solo homer in the 7th inning bringing the Rams closer. However,
Antonio Buentello delivered a pivotal blow with a grand slam in the bottom of the inning, dramatically extending the lead to 8-2 and seizing control of the game.
ASU attempted a late-game rally in the 8th inning with RBI contributions from Brooks and Kelton, narrowing the gap to 8-4. TAMIU's defense, alongside
Austin Brewer's closing pitching, effectively quelled any further comeback attempts from the Rams, sealing an 8-4 victory for the Dustdevils.
The victory was highlighted by solid pitching from
Isaac Ponce, who took home the win. Ponce went 6.0 innings, allowing just one run off five hits, walking two, and striking out six batters. On the other side, ASU's Dathe absorbed his first loss of the season.
Antonio Buentello emerged as a force going 3-for-4 at the plate and driving the offense with a grand slam in the 7th inning, bringing his total RBIs for the game to five.
Abiam Medina and
Omar Cervantes also played crucial roles in the team's offensive strategy; Medina added to the momentum with a run-scoring single, while Cervantes initiated the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning.
Nomar Prieto's ability to get on base and score, doing so twice during the game, further underscored the team's balanced offensive approach.
The Dustdevils and Rams return to action tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Jorge Haynes Field.
