May 3, 2009
#6 CU’s 10-6 win keeps LSC’s alive
ABILENE, Texas (May 3) – Cameron fans can keep their Abilene hotel reservations at least one more night after the Aggie baseball team (42-14) knocked out the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds (28-28) today by the score 10-6. CU staved off elimination for one more day and now sits at 1-1 in the 2009 Lone Star Conference Championship tournament. All games of the event are played at Crutcher Scott Field on Abilene Christian’s campus.
“We started this tournament very slow, and we actually started today’s game a little off too,” Head Coach Todd Holland said. “Once today’s game got going I think we realized that we are the #6 team in the nation for a reason. We are a good team and we need to be playing like it.”
With the win Cameron extends their LSC postseason run at least one more day. Eastern New Mexico on the other hand saw their 2009 season end today with the loss, giving them an 0-2 record in the postseason event. This was the first time in school history that the Greyhounds made it to the postseason.
This season CU won the four-game LSC series with ENMU with a four-game sweep. The Aggies outscored the Greyhounds in the early-February series, 37-14.
“ENMU is a good team and they had a great season,” Coach Holland said. “When you get to this point of the season, everyone is on an even level. The postseason is a brand new season, and you wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t already established yourself as a good team.”
Today’s game began with the Aggies down 2-0 after the first, but CU regained the lead with a three-run top of the second. The Greyhounds countered with a solo run in the bottom of the second to tie it at 3-3, but CU took the lead right back with a solo run of their own in the top of the third.
CU pulled ahead 5-3 heading into the bottom of the fourth, but a three-run frame put ENMU up for the first time in the game. Cameron got back into it and pulled off the victory with 5 unanswered runs late in the game.
The Aggies finished the game with 10 runs on 20 hits, while the Greyhounds recorded 6 runs on 11 hits. Both teams finished with a trio of errors in the contest.
“Luckily our errors didn’t cost us today; our bats were able to come through, especially late in the game,” Coach Holland said. “Hopefully today’s game got us over the hill and now we can start playing the style of baseball we have played all season long.”
Sophomore Logan Grimes (9-1) recorded the victory today after going 6.0 innings and allowing only 6 runs, 4 earned, on 8 hits. He faced 31 batters, throwing a strikeout and giving up 4 walks.
Senior James Maxwell pitched the final 3.0 innings and recorded the save (9). He didn’t give up a single run and only allowed 3 hits. Maxwell faced 14 batters and threw a pair of strikeouts.
With the save, Maxwell breaks the Cameron University single season save record, set previously by fellow senior Jason Smith last year (8).
Another of Coach Holland’s seniors, outfielder Chase Elder, had a huge day offensively as he knocked in a game-high 4 RBI. Elder went 4-6 at the plate with a double.
Senior centerfielder Josh Barnett showcased some amazing speed with a pair of triples. Barnett went 3-5 at the plate with an RBI and 3 runs.
“Overall I’m pleased with today. I think we finally hit our postseason stride and I’m excited to see how we play tomorrow,” Coach Holland said. “Tomorrow’s game will tell us a lot about how we are going to play this postseason.”
Cameron’s next action is tomorrow (Monday) at 3:00pm. Their opponent has yet to be determined, but will be the loser of tonight’s Abilene Christian-Angelo State match-up.
Regardless of how tomorrow’s contest goes, the Aggies have all but locked up a spot in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament (May 14-17). The regional event will more than likely be held in Emporia, Kansas.