February 28, 2008
CU splits I-44 battle with USAO
CHICKASHA, Oklahoma (February 28) – In their final tune-up before this weekend’s home opener, the Cameron Aggie softball team (12-11) today made the short drive up Interstate-44 to take on the Drovers of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. The two squads battled back and forth and ended up splitting their afternoon double-header. USAO took the first game 8-5, and CU won the nightcap 6-2.
“We didn’t play very well today,” Head Coach Richie Nye said. “We made too many errors in the first game, and didn’t pitch our best. We got a lot of hits but scattered them too much. We got a couple of big hits but then left quite a few on base. Overall we didn’t show up ready to play.”
In the opening game, Cameron didn’t put runs on the board until the fourth inning when they went up 3-2. The Drovers bounced right back however with a four-run fourth inning to retake the lead. The Aggies cut their deficit to a single run after the fifth inning but USAO padded their lead with a two-run sixth inning to win the ballgame.
The Aggies and Drovers both finished with 10 hits in the game. Additionally, Cameron recorded 4 errors while USAO recorded only 2 errors. The game lasted just an hour and thirty-one minutes.
Sophomore pitcher Ashton McBride was awarded the loss in the game after allowing 6 runs, of which 5 were earned, on 8 hits. She faced a total of 24 batters and recorded 3 strikeouts and a walk.
Three Aggies finished the game with multiple hits. Senior third-baseman Melissa Bour, junior shortstop Megan Young, and junior infielder Chelsey Jordan, went 2-4, 2-3, and 2-3, respectively. All three also recorded a single RBI in the contest.
Young and Bour hit doubles in the game for Cameron’s only extra-base hits. Young was also walked once.
“How bad we played was what really upset me,” Coach Nye said. “I’m a good loser sometimes, but when we don’t play well and have the potential to do a lot better, that’s what irritates me.”
In the nightcap, Cameron started out with an early 1-0 lead but USAO quickly made it 1-1 after the second inning. Cameron responded and put up 3 runs in the top of the third to take the lead for good. USAO tried to make it interesting during their at-bats in the fifth, but did not have enough offense.
The Aggies put their defensive struggles of the first game behind them and failed to record an error in the second game. They also out-hit the Drovers, 7 to 6.
Freshman pitcher Morgan Glawe recorded another win on the season after pitching a very strong 5.0 innings. She allowed 2 runs, only 1 earned, on the aforementioned 6 hits. Glawe faced 24 Drover batters and finished with a strikeout and 4 walks.
Junior pitcher Giselle Guzman came in as a reliever in the sixth inning and pitched two innings of no-hit softball. She faced 8 batters and failed to allow a hit or a run. She also walked recorded a walk and a strikeout.
Junior infielder Jenna Boren had a monstrous day at the plate after hitting a pair of homeruns, including a three-run bomb to give Cameron the eventual winning runs in the third inning. She finished the game with a team-high 4 RBI after going 2-3 from the plate.
“Giselle came in and pitched great and had a few big innings in relief,” Coach Nye said. “Jenna had some big hits and really came through for us.”
Chelsey Jordan also went yard for the Aggies giving the team their first lead of the afternoon in the second inning. She finished the game after going 1-3 with an RBI.
The homeruns hit by Boren and Jordan were CU’s only extra-base hits in the second game versus USAO.
“Now we need to get to practice and work hard on fixing the mistakes we made today,” Coach Nye said. “We also need to learn that we can’t overlook any opponent.”
After twenty-three games, the Cameron softball team finally hosts their first home game of the 2008 season this Saturday (March 1). The Wildcats of Abilene Christian come to town for a 1:00pm double-header at McCord Field. The two Lone Star Conference foes have already matched up three times this season with ACU holding the 2-1 advantage.