Box Score (Angelo State)
SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Cameron Aggies (20-18-1, 5-4 LSC North) softball team capped off their trip to the 2011 Lone Star Conference Softball Crossover Tournament with a victory over Incarnate Word and one point loss to No. 2 Angelo State on Sunday.
The team finishes the tournament with a 4-2 record and was part of a dominating performance by the LSC North Division in the tournament. Following the Aggies victory over UIW, the North Division stood with a 28-8 record over the South.
“The North Division played really, really well this weekend,” said Head Coach Beth Watson. “Considering our schedule and who we play, I was really pleased with our results this weekend. I think (the performance of the North) really surprised a lot of people.”
Against Angelo State, the Aggies fought tooth-and-nail to upset the nation’s No. 2 team on their home field but were unable rally, falling 12-11 as the teams combined for 30 hits.
It was the second time this season the Aggies were beaten by the Rambelles after falling in their season opener 4-3 at the St. Mary’s Tournament.
It was the first time this season the Aggies had faced Incarnate Word and the Black and Gold came away with a 5-4 victory after stunting the Cardinal rally in the bottom of the seventh.
The Ags jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead over Angelo in the day’s opener after some crafty base running and error-filled fielding from the Rambelles.
Drew Wright and Kelly Lentz managed to connect on a pair of pitches to drive in two more runs in the second but Angelo answered back with four runs of their own to knot the game at 5-all.
In the third, Angelo showed its power at the plate by knocking in five runs on seven hits, helped by two Aggie errors, to take the 9-5 lead.
The Aggies added two more runs in the fourth and three in the fifth, including a Meca Chambers homer, to draw the game to 12-10. They continued their rally in the sixth as Amanda Karth roped a double to right center and was knocked in by a Shelby Meadows’ single up the middle.
Trailing 12-11, Watson’s squad was unable to come up with the tying run as the Aggies went down in order in the seventh.
Kelsy Hebert was tabbed with the loss, her seventh of the season, after working two innings. She scattered nine hits and allowed nine runs. Carrie Harvey appeared in relief for four innings. She allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out five batters.
“We jumped out to an early lead but were unable to hold on,” said Watson. “I was very pleased with the way we battled and to run the No. 2 team in the country to that close of a game speaks to the tenacity of our players.”
It was a different story in the day’s second game as the teams ran the board scoreless through four innings.
Cameron broke open the scoring in the fifth with a four-run outburst highlighted by a three-run double to left center from Meadows.
The Cardinals got in on the action with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame
In the top of the seventh, the Aggies plated what proved to be the winning run as Meadows again provided the pop to bring Lentz across the plate.
For the game, Meadows racked up four RBIs in four at-bats.
The Cardinals managed two more runs in the seventh by way of the long ball but it wasn’t enough as the Aggies held on for the 5-4 victory.
Hebert (7-7) was tabbed with the victory after working 4.2 innings with just two runs and four hits. For the tournament, Hebert got her most extensive work of the season, working 20 innings over four starts in order to give Cameron opponents a different look in the circle.
"I thought Kelsy did an outstanding job this weekend for us," said Watson. "She provided us with a different look in the circle, and it really benefited us this weekend."
Harvey made her second appearance of the day and earned the save (4) in 2.1 innings of working allowed two runs and three hits while also striking out three. She now has 230 strikeouts on the season and remains among the nations’ best in total strikeouts.
The Aggies will return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 5 when they host Oklahoma City in a doubleheader at Cameron Field. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.
