February 23, 2008

Aggies go 3-1 at Lady Buff Invite

AMARILLO, Texas (February 23) – Just days before their 2008 home opener, the Cameron softball team (11-10) this weekend participated in the West Texas A&M Lady Buff Invitational tournament. The Aggie squad has taken part in a number of non-conference tournament thus far this season, and today wrapped up a solid 3-1 showing in their four games at WTAMU. CU swept their two games on Friday, and split their two games this afternoon.

“We won three out of four and were able to beat a fellow Lone Star Conference team,” Head Coach Richie Nye said. “I feel like now that we have played our tournaments and one of the tougher schedules in the LSC from a competition standpoint, it says a lot about the character of our players.”

On Friday afternoon, Cameron was originally scheduled to take on Fort Hays State University and Oklahoma City University, but ended up with a double-header against the FHSU Tigers. In the first game between the teams, CU shut out FHSU, 8-0.

Cameron got on the board early thanks to a seven-run second inning. The Aggies extended their lead to 8 runs forcing the game to be called after the Tigers’ at-bats in the fifth inning due to a run-rule. Cameron held Fort Hays to only 2 hits in the game and did not commit an error.

Sophomore pitcher Ashton McBride recorded a shutout and a complete game victory after going all 5.0 innings. She gave up no runs on only 2 hits after facing a total of 16 batters. McBride also walked only one Tiger batter and did not give up an extra-base hit.

“We have picked up our defensive play a little bit,” Coach Nye said. “Offensively we are still not hitting the ball as well as we should be considering the girls we have in our lineup. But so far every time we have needed a big hit someone has stepped up.”

In the nightcap between the teams, Fort Hays made it more interesting but still did not have the firepower to upset the Aggies. Cameron won the game 12-7 although they were behind twice in the game. FHSU got on the board first going up 1-0 after the first inning, but the Aggies rebounded and took the lead 5-1.

A five-run fourth inning gave the Tigers their second lead of the game, but Cameron once again bounced back and took the lead for good. Cameron recorded 16 hits in the game and only committed 1 error.

Senior third-baseman Melissa Bour had a great double-header with Fort Hays State and a very solid tournament as a whole. Against FHSU she knocked in a total of 4 RBI and went 4-7 from the plate with two doubles and a homerun. For the weekend she went 6-13 with a team-high 6 RBI.

“Melissa had a very good tournament this weekend,” Coach Nye said. “She hit the ball very hard and played well. We need players like her to step up and that’s what it takes to win ballgames.”

In today’s games Cameron started out with a defeat at the hands of the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm. The score was close for most of the game and was only 3-2 after 4.5 innings. The Storm put up 3 runs in the final 2 innings to clinch the 6-2 victory. Cameron finished with 5 hits and no errors in the game.

Sophomore pitcher Sherry Tetreault put in a solid performance from the mound as she went 5.2 innings for the loss. She faced 32 batters and only gave up 6 runs, 4 earned, on 9 hits. Tetreault also struck out 4 batters and walked 5.

Cameron’s fourth and final game of the tournament pitted them against the host Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M University. The Aggies started the game the right way by taking an early 1-0 after their first at-bat. WTAMU stole the lead in the top of the second to go up 2-1, which is where the score stayed for most of the game. Cameron regained the lead in the fifth inning and put the game out of reach in the sixth. CU ended up defeating WTAMU 4-2.

McBride and Bour both put in strong final games as McBride recorded her second victory of the season and Bour knocked in 2 of her aforementioned 6 total RBI. McBride went all 7.0 innings and faced 33 batters. She gave up only 2 runs on 9 hits and struck out 2 Lady Buffs. Bour went 1-3 with a game-winning double in the fifth that put Cameron up for good.

“If we continue to play like this and have a few other players step up we will be in good shape,” Coach Nye said. “I feel like we have improved, gotten better, and made some adjustments throughout these early tournaments. Now that we have some home games we will be able to put everything together.”

Cameron travels just a few miles up Interstate 44 to Chickasha, Oklahoma, this Thursday, February 28, for an afternoon double-header with the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. The teams begin play at 2:00pm.

The Aggies finally host their first home game of the season next Saturday (March 1) when the Wildcats of Abilene Christian come to town for a 1:00pm double-dip.