LAREDO, Texas — Texas A&M International used a late home run and strong relief pitching to edge Eastern New Mexico 4-3 on Friday at Jorge Haynes Field.
The Dustdevils (17-30) erased a two-run deficit with a pair of runs in the sixth inning before Eddie Saenz delivered the go-ahead solo home run in the eighth to secure the win.
TAMIU opened the scoring in the second inning when Derek Garcia tripled to right-center field and drove in Giovanni Malatesta for a 1-0 lead. Eastern New Mexico (15-32) answered in the fourth, tying the game on an RBI walk by Isaiah Figueroa.
The Greyhounds took control in the fifth inning as Adrien Martin connected on a two-run home run to give Eastern New Mexico a 3-1 advantage.
The Dustdevils responded in the sixth. Jesus Sosa led off with a double and later scored on Malatesta's RBI double. Asahi Nakano followed with an RBI double of his own, tying the game at 3-3.
After two scoreless innings, Saenz broke the deadlock in the eighth with a solo home run to left, giving TAMIU a 4-3 lead it would not relinquish.
Billy Winans (1-1) earned the win in relief, tossing four shutout innings and allowing just one hit while striking out three. Starter AJ Sanchez worked five innings, allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts.
Eastern New Mexico starter Demitrius DiMatteo (3-3) took the loss despite going eight innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits.
Malatesta scored twice and drove in a run to pace the Dustdevils, while Saenz finished with the game-winning RBI.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Eduardo "Eddie" Saenz is a Senior Infielder for Texas A&M International University and is currently pursuing a degree in Kinesiology Exercise Science. A native of Laredo,Texas he is the son of Eduardo and Angel Saenz and was born September 19, 2003.
Saenz delivered in the clutch, breaking a 3-3 tie with a solo home run in the eighth inning to lift the Dustdevils to a 4-3 victory. The first baseman finished 1-for-4 with the game-winning RBI, providing the decisive swing in a tightly contested game.
