A day after mounting an improbable late-inning comeback against Texas A&M International, the UAFS Diamond Lions couldn't muster the momentum to pull off another rally.
           
Texas A&M International scored three unanswered runs on its way to a 3-1 win against UAFS on Saturday afternoon in the final game of the Heartland Conference three-game series at Jorge Haynes Field in Laredo, Texas.
           
UAFS (12-3, 5-2) still won the series after winning the series-opening doubleheader 5-2 and 5-4 on Friday at Uni-Trade Stadium. It was the first conference win for Texas A&M International (8-13, 1-5), which has lost both of its conference series.
           
The Diamond Lions led briefly 1-0 after a half-inning on a one-out, RBI single to left field that drove in right fielder Kasey Cooper, who doubled to center field. That's all the runs the Lions could manufacture in the nine-inning affair, leaving 10 runners on base despite collecting 11 hits.
           
Center fielder Tyler Lein and left fielder Josh Vanderpool were each 3 for 4 to lead the Diamond Lions. Shortstop Ozzie Hurt was 2 for 5, Cooper and Justus were each 1 for 4 and second baseman Bryce Neal was 1 for 3.
           
Dustdevils middle reliever Armando Manrrique (2-1) earned the win in relief of starter Garrett Taggert, who lasted 5 1/3 innings. Manrrique allowed no runs on two hits with one strikeout over 2 2/3 innings before giving way to closer Dino Cristiani. Cristiani retired all three batters he faced in the ninth inning to earn his third save.
           
Texas A&M International collected eight hits off two UAFS pitchers. Diamond Lions starter Devin Hampton (2-1) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts over six innings. Reliever Matt Turner allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts over two innings.
           
Dustdevils first baseman Daniel Cruz was 2 for 3 with two RBI, center fielder Andrew Arteaga was 3 for 4 with a double and one RBI and right fielder Reynaldo Adames was 2 or 3 with a double.
 
COLLEGE BASEBALL
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE
TAMIU 3, UAFS 1
UAFS              100      000      000      --         1          11        1
TAMIU             100      001      01X     --         3          8          2
Hampton, Turner (7) and Shealy; Taggert, Manrrique (6), Cristiani (9) and E. Gonzalez. W – Manrrique, 2-1. L – Hampton (2-1). Sv – Cristiani (3). HRs – None.