Aggies drop both versus UCO
LAWTON, Oklahoma (April 11) – Looking to get back on the winning track, the Cameron Aggie baseball team (18-22, 5-6 LSC) hosted the Bronchos of Central Oklahoma (28-13, 8-4 LSC) in a double-dip at McCord Field this afternoon. The Aggies had lost their last two games after winning four straight, and needed a spark going into the final two weeks of the season. Unfortunately the Aggies lost both games today, their third and fourth in a row, by the scores 13-4 and 6-5 in game one and game two, respectively.
“We just didn’t come to play today,” Head Coach Todd Holland said. “It would have been nice to get at least one win but we didn’t play as well as we could. UCO is a good team, but so are we.”
The first game saw the Broncos take the lead after just the first inning, a lead they would not relinquish for the entire game. The closest Cameron came to a tie was when they were down 5-2 after just the second inning.
Junior pitchers Bevon Anderson and Cody Dillon split the pitching duties for the Aggies, going 3.1 and 3.2 innings, respectively. Anderson started the game for CU and was awarded the loss after giving up eleven runs on eight hits. He also walked three and struck out one. Dillon gave up just two runs on five hits, while striking out two and walking two.
Junior catcher Kyle Walbrick had the best day at the plate, going 2-2 with a walk for a perfect on-base percentage. He also recorded a team-high two RBI against the UCO pitching staff thanks to a huge single to centerfield in the bottom of the second.
Senior rightfielder Ryan Whiteley went yard for Cameron, hitting a huge bomb in the fifth inning. He finished 1-3 with an RBI, a walk, and a strikeout.
In the second game the Aggies again found themselves down 1-0 after just the first inning. The contest proved to be much more exciting than the opener however, as it was tied for two innings and nearly went to an extra frame. UCO went up 6-3 going into the bottom of the seventh when the Aggies found themselves just a basehit away from tying it up.
“I really thought we were going to win it in the seventh,” Coach Holland said. “Our guys did a great job of putting the first game out of their minds and really gave something extra in the second. It tells a lot about our team that we stayed in it.”
Senior pitcher Ryan Totte got the start for the Aggies, going 6.1 innings in the losing effort. He allowed all six runs on ten hits. Totte also struck out six and walked one after facing twenty-nine batters.
“(Ryan) Totte threw real well, they were just having a good day,” Coach Holland said. “He had some solid strikeouts that will come in handy late in the season.”
Senior firstbaseman Josh Mathiesen hit CU’s lone homerun in the game with a monstrous shot in the fourth inning. He finished the game 2-3 with an RBI and two runs. He also walked once.
Senior centerfielder Waylon Pettet and freshman designated hitter Blake Watson both doubled in the game, Cameron’s only other extra-base hits. Pettet finished the game 1-4 with an RBI and three strikeouts. Watson went 2-4 and also knocked in one RBI.
“There is still a lot of baseball left to play,” Coach Holland said. “We still are in the running for the playoffs.”
The “Fifth-Inning Stretch” was sung by the radio play-by-play commentator of both MacArthur Highlander football, and Cameron Aggie basketball, Kyle Weatherly.
The Aggies host the Northeastern State Redmen in the final home weekend series of the season. The teams match up Saturday in a double-header beginning at 1:00pm, and on Sunday in a single, nine-inning game also starting at 1:00pm.
