LAWTON, Okla. – The Cameron University softball team hosted Tarleton State on Friday afternoon for their home and Lone Star Conference opener and fell 8-4.

In game one of the three game series at McMahon Field, the excitement bookended the seven inning contest. In the top of the first inning, TSU jumped out to a commanding lead with seven runs on six hits and a CU error. All seven of their runs came on four straight hits, with two coming on a Kayden Kirkpatrick 2 RBI single, three on an Amanda Conner homerun, and two more on a Karli Herron deep shot.

The Aggies were able to respond with two runs in the bottom half of the first. Brenna Busby led off the inning with a walk, and Kaylyn Smith put two on as she was hit by a pitch. Breley Webb then singled to left field, allowing B. Busby to score and in the next at bat, Smith scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Abbey Warren.

Defense and pitching took over in the next five innings as both teams put up zeros in the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. TSU's Jordan Withrow and Cameron's Rylee Willmon and Turner Whorton did all three did a good job of working out of trouble, as CU left 13 runners on base and the TexAnns stranded 10 runners.

The game picked back up in the seventh inning. Tarleton started things off by scoring a run on a throwing error by Whorton in the top of the frame to give them an 8-2 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Cameron drew three walks in the first five hitters in the inning and the third via Alyssa Osterdock allowed Callie Busby to score CU's third run of the game. This prompted TSU to switch pitchers. In the next at bat, Carly Johnson walked to add another run to CU's total. Tarleton then recorded an out on a controversial call that resulted in Osterdock being caught off the bag at second. However, CU was able to reload the bases as B. Busby walked, prompting TSU to put Withrow back in the circle. She got Smith to hit into a fielder's choice to end the game.

Withrow earned her third win of the season, but the reigning LSC Pitcher of the Year was not on her usual game, giving up four earned runs on six hits with nine walks and only two K's.

Willmon received the loss for CU, giving up six earned on eight this and two walks in four innings of work, while Whorton finished off the final three innings.

Cameron's six hits were spread across six different players, while B. Busby reached base three times with no hit. Tarleton totaled 11 hits with two coming off the bat of Georgia Capell and the other nine coming from the rest of the nine hitters that had an at bat.

The Aggies are now 8-4 on the season and 0-1 in league play, while TSU is now 1-0 in conference play and 10-1 overall.

Game two and three of the series will be in doubleheader format on Saturday, Feb. 16 beginning at 1 p.m. at McMahon Field.