Aggies debut in South Central regional poll
LAWTON, Okla. (April 3) - An 11-2 mark over the past 13 games has paid dividends for the Cameron University baseball team. Coach Todd Holland's Aggies notched their first regional baseball ranking of the year Monday, debuting at No. 10 in the NCAA Division II South Central poll released by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Voted upon by a regional ranking committee consisting of sports information directors representing each conference in the region, the regional poll is one of two determinants - along with automatic bids issued to conference champions at the end of the year - in selecting teams for NCAA postseason play. Three conference champions (Lone Star, Heartland, Gulf South), along with the next three highest ranked teams in the region will advance to the South Central Regional Championships, which are scheduled for May 18-21.
Cameron, which enters this week tied atop the Lone Star Conference North Division standings with Southeastern Oklahoma State, is 19-15 overall this season and 4-1 in conference play. The Aggies will travel to Durant Wednesday for a showdown with the Savages in an early battle to take control of the divisional race. Cameron returns home this weekend, hosting Southwestern Oklahoma State in a three-game series beginning with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at McCord Field scheduled to begin at 2.
Holland's squad has rallied in recent weeks with a combination of strong pitching and opportunistic offense. Senior right-hander Kacy Groves collected his third LSC North Pitcher of the Week award after pitching Cameron's first no-hitter since joining the NCAA ranks on March 24, against third-ranked Abilene Christian. On Saturday, the Aggies belted 18 hits in a 22-1 rout of East Central.
Sixteenth-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville continues to hold down the top spot in the region with an overall record of 26-8. No. 8 Abilene Christian is second, followed by No. 14 Delta State and 21st-ranked West Alabama. Incarnate Word rounds out the Top 5.
South Central Regional Poll (April 3)
1. Texas A&M-Kingsville (26-8)
2. Abilene Christian TX (27-9)
3. Delta State MS (25-10)
4. West Alabama (28-11)
5. Incarnate Word TX (23-8)
6. Angelo State TX (24-11)
7. St. Mary's TX (23-9)
8. North Alabama (25-12)
9. Montevallo AL (20-12)
10. Cameron OK (19-15)
