Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 G1 Box | G2 Box

THE RUNDOWN
LAREDO, Texas – The St. Edward's softball team dropped a pair of Heartland Conference games to Texas A&M-International (20-28, 18-10 HC) Friday at Dustdevil Field, dropping game one on a walk-off, 5-4 and lost 9-3 in game two.
 
The Hilltoppers (5-36, 4-19) led 3-0 in game one thanks in part to a two-run homer from Kari Rodriguez before the Dustdevils cut the lead to two with a Brandi Giles RBI single in the bottom of the third. A three-run fifth inning sparked by Giles' infield RBI single and a two-run single by Maddison Schofield gave TAMIU a 4-3 lead. After SEU scored on an error in the top of the seventh to knot the score, the Dustdevils walked off when Maya Paul hit a one-out RBI double to end it.
 
The Dustdevils unloaded six runs in the bottom of the second inning in game two before St. Edward's answered back with a three-run homer from KAYLA APPLEBY to cut the lead to three in the top of the third. However, the Hilltoppers would go scoreless the rest of the game and TAMIU scored one run apiece in each of their last three at bats.
 
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
• Kari Rodriguez's home run in game in the first inning was her ninth extra-base hit in the last nine games.
• Rodriguez's homer, her eighth of the season, was a two-run shot and her sixth long ball in the last eight games.
• The home run was also the 60^th career hit for Rodriguez and her two RBIs gave her eight career (five this season) games with two RBIs or more.
• LAUREN GARZA hit 2-for-3 offensively for the junior's seventh multi-hit game of the season.
 
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
• KAYLA APPLEBY hit her second home run of the year, a three-run shot, that gave her two games this season (16 in her career) with multiple RBIs.
• Freshman KATHRYN CONNELLY picked up her ninth multiple-hit game of the season with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate, including a run scored.
• SARA MACHADO collected her 30^th career hit with a single in game two.
• SHELBY JANDA's 2-for-2 performance at the plate was her eighth career (fifth this season) multiple hit game, and she also scored a run.
• Kari Rodriguez's single in game two extended her on-base and hitting streak to six games apiece.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Hilltoppers and Dustdevils conclude the three-game set Saturday at Noon with a single game in Laredo.