Aggies take 2 of 3 against RSU Hillcats
CLAREMORE, Oklahoma (February 10) – The Cameron Aggie baseball team (3-2) played in their first road series of the season over the weekend, winning two of three contests with the Rogers State University Hillcats (1-2). The teams opened up on Friday with a nine-inning game and followed up with a two-game, seven-inning double-header on Saturday. The Aggies won the first game of the series 7-5, lost early on Saturday 1-0, and won the rubber game by the score 5-3.
“Our guys are still trying to get the feel of things,” Head Coach Todd Holland said. “It takes time, but there is still plenty of time left in the season to get into the swing of things.”
In the first game, the Aggies came out swinging and built an early 5-2 lead. Cameron extended their lead to 7-2 going into the final inning, but let the Hillcats crawl back in and make the game interesting at 7-5. Senior pitcher Ryan Bengert erased any chance RSU had of tying the game however, shutting the door in the bottom of the ninth to earn the save.
Senior shortstop B.J. Cole was had a great day at the plate, going 3-4 with 3 hits and 3 RBI’s. Cole and teammate junior infielder Bryan Nichols tied for the game-high RBI total with three apiece. Junior catcher Kyle Walbrick accounted for the team’s other RBI after going 2-4 with a strikeout and a walk.
The second game proved to be a complete pitcher’s duel, with just 1 run and 4 hits in the entire game. Senior pitcher Ryan Totte gave up a run in the bottom of the first, but did not allow another hit for the rest of the game. Although he was awarded the loss, Totte pitched lights out facing just 17 batters and allowing just one hit. He also recorded three strikeouts.
“(Ryan) Totte’s one-hitter was great,” Coach Holland said. “He pitched really well out there.”
Just three Aggies recorded a hit in the second game. Seniors Blake Hughes (infield) and Ryan Whitely (outfield), and junior Jorey Price (utility) improved their batting average in the game with a hit.
When the Aggies and Hillcats took the field for the third and final game, it was to decide the series. Cameron came out hot to start the game, putting a quick two runs on the board in the top of the first inning. The Hillcats played catch-up until a late two-run inning by the Aggies gave them the game.
Bengert recorded his second save of the series and season when he shut down three straight Hillcats in the bottom of the final inning.
Cole had another solid game, going 2-4 with a double, two runs, and an RBI. He and teammate freshman infielder Blake Watson each had a double in the game, with Watson going 2-3 with one RBI. Whitely also drove in a run in the game.
The Aggie baseball team travels to Canyon, Texas this weekend for a four-game series with West Texas A&M University. The team returns home next week to host the Tarleton State Texans on Friday (February 23) and Saturday (February 24) at McCord Field (First Pitch - 1:00pm).
In other baseball news, the 2007 Cameron Aggie home baseball games will be broadcast over the Cameron Aggie Radio Network (goaggies.cameron.edu) this year, much like the Aggie basketball games. A similar Live Stats program is also in the works and will hopefully be up and running in time for the Tarleton State series.
The Cameron Aggie baseball program is also instituting a new tradition this year with the singing of the “Fifth-Inning Stretch” during the middle of the fifth-inning at each game. Similar to what is practiced at the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field (Major League Baseball), different Lawton personalities will be invited to Aggie home games to sing their own rendition of the “Fifth-Inning Stretch” to all those in attendance.
For more information on Cameron Athletics or the new traditions you can visit goaggies.cameron.edu or contact the Cameron University Sports Information Offices.
The delay in the release of this press release was due to the miscommunication of stats and other pertinent information between the two competing schools. You can expect all 2007 Cameron Aggie baseball-related information to be released immediately following the end of an event or as soon as it becomes available.
