Aggies settle for split with Southwestern
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LAWTON, Okla. (March 29) - Cameron took the first game of a doubleheader with Southwestern Oklahoma on Monday, but had to settle for a split as the Bulldogs ended a four-game losing streak with a win in the nightcap.
The Aggies won the first game 4-1, but dropped the second contest 8-2 to move to 17-8 overall and 3-2 in Lone Star Conference North Division play. Coach Todd Holland's squad will look to add to their win total on Wednesday, travelling to Edmond to face Central Oklahoma in a conference doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
Monday's opener started out as a pitching duel between Cameron's J.W. Koweno and Southwestern's Ryan Kauk. Both hurlers combined to allow just seven hits over the first five innings. Cameron broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth, however, using a double by Rick Justice and an RBI single by Chris Balsiger to take a 1-0 lead.
But Southwestern answered in the sixth, chasing Koweno from the game with three hits, including an RBI single by Randall Gall that knotted the game at 1-1. Koweno scattered seven hits and struck out six while allowing just one earned run.
Senior Allen Mitchell entered in place of Koweno and made short work of the Bulldogs. The Snowflake, Ariz., right-hander, who earned a save in Sunday's victory over SWOSU, pitched one and a third innings of perfect ball. Mitchell retired all four Bulldog batters he faced to earn his fifth straight victory to move to 5-1 on the year.
While Mitchell held Southwestern's offense in check, the Aggie hitters came alive. Three consecutive hits, including a two-RBI double by Balsiger, sparked a three-run sixth for the Aggies. It was the second straight game-winning RBI for Balsiger, who tripled in a pair of runs in Cameron's 6-3 win over SWOSU on Sunday.
Southwestern jumped out to a quick lead in the nightcap, starting things off with a leadoff homer by Cory Givens in the top of the first. The Bulldogs added two more in the second before Cameron scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to make it 3-2.
Southwestern was up 4-2 in the fifth before breaking the game open. After the Aggies loaded up the bases with an intentional walk, Southwestern's Kyle Sims smashed a grand slam over the left field wall off Aggie starter Derek Bennett to make it 8-2.
Cameron, meanwhile, was handcuffed by Bulldog starter Steven Hurst, who allowed just one hit after the third inning to earn the complete-game victory. Bennett (4-3) took the loss for the Aggies, allowing eight earned runs on eight hits in just over four innings of work. Dustin Henry came on to finish for the Aggies, striking out three and allowing no hits in two and two-thirds.
