Aggies split conference opener with Southeastern

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DURANT, Okla. (March 24) - Coach Todd Holland's Cameron baseball team struggled offensively in Game 1, but rebounded to forge a double-header split against Southeastern Oklahoma on Wednesday.

The Aggies lost the first contest 7-2, but came alive for an 8-4 win in the nightcap as both teams opened conference play in the Lone Star Conference North Division.

Southeastern's Heath Pierce tossed a complete-game five-hitter to earn the victory in Game 1, as Cameron starter Derek Bennett was tagged for six earned runs on nine hits. Allen Mitchell ran his mound record to 4-1 on the season with the victory for the Aggies in Game 2. Mitchell, a senior right-hander from Snowflake, Ariz., scattered six hits over six innings while allowing just three earned runs. Brad Passmore worked a scoreless seventh for the Aggies in the nightcap.

The Aggies will look to add to their conference win total this weekend, hosting Southwestern Oklahoma in a three-game series beginning with a Saturday double-header. First pitch at Cameron's McCord Field is set for 1 p.m.

Cameron opened up a 2-0 lead in Wednesday's first contest when Rick Justice belted his seventh home run of the season in the top of the third inning. But Pierce buckled down after that, allowing just one hit the rest of the way.

Southeastern's offense, meanwhile, rallied to tie the score on a two-RBI single by Brent Wadley in the bottom of the third. The Savages then took the lead with two more in the fifth and plated three in the sixth to forge the final score.

Cameron again took the early lead in Game 2, capitalizing on two walks, two wild pitches and two SOSU errors to plate two runs in the top of the first. Derrick Mihecoby made it 3-0 Aggies with a solo homer to right in the fourth.

Southeastern answered with three runs to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth, but Cameron responded with three runs in the next frame to take the lead for good. The Aggies put together a two-out rally that included hits by Cody Brooks, Rodney DeLong and Mihecoby to go up 6-3.

The Aggies added a pair of insurance runs on a two-run homer by DeLong and Passmore took the mound in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win.

DeLong finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored. Mihecoby and senior Chris Balsiger also recorded two hits each in the winning effort.