March 15, 2008

Strong pitching lifted St. Edward's to a doubleheader sweep of Texas A&M International University in Heartland Conference action on Saturday at Veterans Field. The league leading Hilltoppers won the opener 11-2 before winning the series finale 12-1.

Josh Henry (6-1) paved the way for a St. Edward's win in game one with a dominating complete game pitching performance. He scattered three hits and allowed only one earned run. TAMIU recorded its first extra base hit with one out in the bottom of the seventh, a double to right center by Gordon Muhammad.

St. Edward's scored all of the runs it would need with a six-run fourth inning. The big blow for the Hilltoppers in that frame was a two-out three run home run by Drew Cross.

TAMIU would score one run apiece in the sixth and seventh innings. Ryan Flynn contributed a RBI on a ground out in the sixth and Muhammad scored an unearned run on a throwing error in the seventh.

Angel Encinas (3-1) took the loss for the Dustdevils. He allowed five earned runs on four hits in 3.2 innings of work.

Josh Dale (1-0) allowed one run on four hits in 5.0 innings and Chris Sharp and David Wagner combined for 2.0 innings of perfect relief work in the second game. TAMIU managed only one base runner after a second inning solo home run by Ricky Sánchez and that batter, Carlos Flores, reached on an error in the fifth inning.

St. Edward's (19-6, 17-3 Heartland) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning and a three-run home run by Bradley Goldsmith in the second pushed the Hilltoppers to a 4-0 lead. Aron Soto (0-2) took the loss for the Dustdevils after allowing seven earned runs in 2.1 innings of work.

TAMIU (10-17, 9-13) returns to action next weekend with a three-game Heartland Conference series at St. Mary's. The Dustdevils and Rattlers will play a doubleheader on Friday and a single game on Saturday.