LAREDO, Texas – Texas A&M International dropped both games of a Friday doubleheader to Texas-Tyler at Dustdevil Field, falling 13-5 in the opener before a hard-fought 9-7 loss in nine innings in game two.
Game 1: Texas-Tyler 13, TAMIU 5
The Patriots struck early and often in the opener, plating two runs in the first inning and adding four more in the second to take control.
TAMIU chipped away in the third when Kennedy Griego drove in a run with an RBI single, followed by Miley Vinton's RBI knock to cut the deficit to 6-2. The Dustdevils added another in the fourth on an RBI groundout by Sessy Moreno and tacked on two more in the sixth.
Vinton led the way offensively, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Moreno scored twice and added a hit and an RBI, while Griego went 1-for-2 with two walks and an RBI. Krysta Ruiz also scored a run.
Texas-Tyler broke the game open with a seven-run sixth inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from T. Barney and a two-run blast from L. Berecoche.
Kylie Goad took the loss in the circle, tossing 5.1 innings.
Game 2: Texas-Tyler 9, TAMIU 7 (9 innings)
The nightcap proved to be a back-and-forth battle that saw three lead changes and extra innings.
TAMIU jumped ahead early, scoring twice in the first inning. Griego delivered an RBI single and Victoria Espinoza added a sacrifice fly to give the Dustdevils a 2-1 advantage.
After trailing 5-3, TAMIU rallied in the fourth to tie the game at 5-5. An error brought home one run before Vinton's sacrifice fly plated another.
The Dustdevils grabbed a 7-5 lead in the sixth. Queen Dunn delivered an RBI single and Espinoza followed with a run-scoring hit to put TAMIU in front.
Texas-Tyler responded with two runs in the seventh to tie the game at 7-7 before pushing across two runs in the ninth on an RBI single from M. Lau.
TAMIU threatened in the bottom of the ninth but could not capitalize.
Moreno paced the offense in game two, going 3-for-6 with three runs scored. Vinton added a double, while Espinoza drove in two runs. Griego reached base four times with a hit and three walks.
Nevaeh Herrera took the loss after throwing 8.1 innings in relief.
TAMIU finished the day with 16 total hits across the two games and showed resilience in the nightcap, but Texas-Tyler's timely hitting proved to be the difference in both contests.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Sessy Moreno, Sophomore, comes to Laredo from San Antonio, TX. She is the daughter of Deyanira and Zaragoza Moreno. Sessy is currently pursuing her degree in Kinesiology.
Moreno turned in a strong all-around performance at the plate across both games of Friday's doubleheader. The Dustdevil shortstop combined for four hits, scored five runs, and drove in a pair while consistently sparking the offense from the top of the lineup. In game two, Moreno went 3-for-6 with three runs scored, helping TAMIU battle back and eventually take a late lead. She also added an RBI in the opener and reached base multiple times in both contests, setting the tone offensively for the Dustdevils.
