LAWTON – The Aggies fell behind in both games of their doubleheader against Lubbock Christian on Saturday and were unable to finish off their comeback in either as the Lady Chaps swept the twin-bill, 11-10 and 13-8.
After upsetting the sixth ranked Angelo State Rambelles in decisive fashion on Friday, Cameron faced another tough test against LCU, who is currently receiving votes in the NFCA top-25 poll, on a windy Oklahoma day at McMahon Field.
Game one started out rough for the Black and Gold as the visitors saw seven players reach resulting in seven runs before the first out was recorded.
Josie Swafford came in to replace starter
Jocelyn Bright and retired three straight to put a halt to LCU's scoring outburst.
Cameron quickly answered in the second with six runs to get them to within one run of the Lady Chaps.
Mikayla Richmond was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and then
Kaiden Boren walked in a run in the next at-bat for the first two runs of the frame. Two batters later,
Khmari Edwards delivered a two RBI single and then a groundout by
Karis Clark resulted in another run. The sixth run came on a throwing error by the LCU third baseman, allowing Edwards to score on the play.
A pair of two-run homers by Lubbock Christian in the third and fourth innings extended the lead back out to five (11-6).
In the fifth,
Breley Webb hit a solo homer to left center and then Boren tripled in a run to make it 11-8. Clark delivered a RBI single in the sixth and then a passed ball resulted in another run to get the Aggies back within one run.
Cameron had a chance in the bottom of the seventh as Boren and
Maci McMurtrey walked to open the frame. Edwards just missed hitting a walk-off homer that was just a few feet left of the left field foul pole and then ended up going down on a close strike three call. The next two batters for CU were retired as LCU hung on for the one-run win.
Swafford struck out six batters in her seven innings of relief for the Aggies. Webb was 3-4 with two runs scored. Edwards also scored twice and had two RBI with Clark adding two RBI and Richmond going 1-1 with two runs scored and a RBI as well.
The Aggies struck for the first run in game two as Swafford hit her first homer of the season in the second inning. LCU answered with three runs in the top of the third, all coming after a pair of CU errors resulting in three unearned runs for Webb in the circle.
Cameron got one back in the fifth as
Kylie French drove in Edwards on a single to left, but LCU answered again with five runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, making it 13-8.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Aggies tried to mount a comeback with Clark hitting her fifth homer of the season, bringing home
Ashlynn Bruce and Edwards who walked and singled to lead off the frame. French doubled and then scored on a Webb single down the left field line and then Webb scored on a Swafford double. That forced LCU to bring Maxine Valdez back in to pitch, who at that point had held the Aggies in check while she was in the circle. Valdez was greeted by a
Madyson Marvulli RBI double, making it 13-8. Valdez then settled in and got a pair of strikeouts and then a pop up to end the game and complete the sweep.
Webb allowed eight runs, five earned, on 10 hits and three walks in the loss. Swafford gave up a pair of runs and struck out two batters during her 1.2 innings of work. Clark was 3-4 with three RBI and Swafford was 3-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Edwards also scored twice and had two hits in the loss.
Cameron is now 14-8 overall and 2-2 in Lone Star Conference play. The make the long trip to the Texas coast next week when they visit Texas A&M-Kingsville for two games on Friday, March 11, and then Texas A&M International on Sunday, March 13, for a LSC twin-bill.
