Aggies get sixth conference victory

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (April 4) - Ten games into the Lone Star Conference North Division baseball schedule and the Cameron Aggies have already surpassed their league win total from last season.

Coach Todd Holland's squad moved to 6-4 in LSC North play on Sunday, rallying from two runs down to post an 8-4 victory over Northeastern State. The win gave Cameron a 2-1 win in the weekend series, improving the Aggies to 20-10 overall.

The Aggies were 5-17 in conference play last season.

Northeastern State got on the board first Sunday, plating two runs in the bottom of the second on a two-run homer by Travis McCollough. Camern responded in the next frame, however, capitalizing on two NSU errors and two-RBI double by Rick Justice to take a 3-2 lead.

The Aggies made it 4-2 in the sixth when Steve Clark belted his fourth home run in the last five games over the wall in left-center. Northeastern struck back in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer by Tanner Altares, but Trey Chambers answered for the Aggies in the top of the seventh with another solo home run to left field to make it 5-3.

Both teams went scoreless in the eighth before Cameron broke the game open in the final inning. After a leadoff double by Mike Espinoza and a walk to Cody Brooks, Clark doubled down the left field line to collect his second and third RBIs of the game. Rodney DeLong followed with a single to center, scoring Clark.

Northeastern threatened to make a game of it in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with no outs. But Cameron reliever Jesse McDermott enduced NSU leadoff hitter Matt Simmons into a double play and struck out pinch hitter John Ford in the next at-bat to earn his first save of the season.

Garrett Ritter got the win on the mound for the Aggies. Ritter (3-1) worked six full innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out five. McDermott gave up just one run on two hits in three innings of work.