LAWTON, Okla. – The Cameron Aggies (15-8, 10-5 LSC) baseball team split an opening day doubleheader with Augustana College (7-6, 0-0 NSIC) at McCord Field on Monday.
Under cloudy and windy conditions, the Aggies pounded out 10 tens and 11 runs in game one to take the 11-5 victory. They were unable to keep the offensive firepower up in game two and were beaten 5-2.
The windy conditions were noticeable at the plate as the two teams combined for seven home runs in the two seven-inning games.
Clay Vanderlaan picked up his first victory of the season in six innings of relief work in game one.
At the plate, the Aggies were lead by Josh Dawson, Chase Larsson and Nate Valdez who all tallied two hits each and combined for five RBIs.
The Vikings built a 2-0 lead through three but saw their lead vanish in the bottom stanza as Dawson and Larsson plated their first runs of the day with a pair of singles.
CU struck again in the fourth with two more as Taylor Lyons pushed a sure catch ball to right field. As the ball came down, right fielder Nate Baumann lost his footing and was unable to stay under the ball as it fell to the ground, allowing Lyons to advance to third and clear the bases.
Augustana was able to tie the game up in the fifth behind a Nate Hewes single shot, but it seemed to only anger the Aggies who put up seven runs in the fifth to put the punctuation point on the game at 11-4.
Behind Larsson’s round tripper to straight away center field, the Ags were able to hold on for the 11-5 victory.
In game two, CU struck first in the third for only the second hit in the game as Larsson showed his opposite field power as he homered to left field to put the home team up 1-0.
The Vikings were able to plate five runs over the final three innings to build a 5-1 lead heading into the final stanza. In the seventh, Valdez kept the game alive with a towering shot to left field but that was all the Aggies were able to muster as they fell 5-2.
Wade Myatt (1-1) was tagged with the loss on six innings of work while allowing four runs but striking out six. Tyson Gau picked up the win for the Vikings on a complete seven inning performance. Gau was able to sit down 11 batters and allowed six hits.
The two teams return to the diamond tomorrow at 1 p.m. for another pair of seven inning games at McCord Field. Fans are also encouraged to visit the hospitality tent where CU staffers will be grilling as the “Push to the Playoffs” begins.
