Pitching gems and 19 runs earn CU a pair of wins on Friday
For Immediate Release
February 14, 2020
Cameron University Athletics
Kenton Means – Sports Information Director
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The Cameron softball team outscored their opponents 19-1 in a pair of run-rule wins on Friday night at the Midwestern State Invitational, extending their winning streak to five games.
Game 1 – Cameron 10, Southwestern Oklahoma State 0 (5 Innings)
The Aggies had to wait over an hour past their originally scheduled start time before kicking off the MSU Invitational with a matchup against Southwestern Oklahoma State. That did not seem to be a problem for the red-hot Aggies as they cruised to a 10-0 run-rule victory.
It all started in the opening frame when Cameron saw 11 batters come to the plate in a five-run inning. Brenna Busby was hit by a pitch to start things off and then ended up on third via a stolen base and wild pitch before the next at-bat was over. Khmari Edwards was also hit in her first at-bat, putting runners of first and second. The CU duo that was recently named to the Schutt Sports/NFCA Player of the Year watch list pulled off a double-steal to net their squad the first run of the game.
Cameron was satisfied with just the one run in the first. Back-to-back wild pitches brought home Edwards for the second run of the inning, forcing the Bulldogs to swap out their starting battery. CU’s middle of the order drew three straight walks to load the bases, which set the table for three straight RBI singles by Kylie French, Janessa Larman, and Maci McMurtrey to give Cameron a 5-0 lead.
In the third, the Aggies added three more runs to their lead, as Breley Webb drew a bases loaded walk that brought home Kaylyn Smith and then Callie Busby scored both her sister and Edwards on a two RBI single through the left side.
Edwards came up big again in the bottom of the fourth, as the 2019 All-American drove in French and Smith on a single up the middle to put her team up by 10 runs heading into the top of the fifth, needing just three outs to secure their fourth straight win.
That was not a problem for CU’s senior hurler Bethany Hines on Friday night. The Washington, Okla. native allowed just four runners to reach base in her five innings of work. Hines also struck out six SWOSU hitters on her way to her fourth win of the season and her 59th of her career. She currently leads the LSC in punchouts with 45 just three weeks into the 2020 campaign.
B. Busby, Edwards, and Smith all scored two runs in the win, while McMurtrey had the only two-hit game and both Edwards and C. Busby drove in a pair of runs.
Game 2 – Cameron 9, Northwestern Oklahoma State 1 (6 Innings)
The Aggies kept it rolling in game two of the day against Northwestern Oklahoma State, scoring nine more runs for another run-rule victory.
Cameron once again struck early in Friday’s night-cap. Busby was hit by another pitch to leadoff the inning and then came in to score on a sacrifice fly by freshman Mikayla Oaks. French the brought home Edwards, who reached on an error earlier in the frame, on a RBI single to give her team an early 2-0 advantage.
In the second, the Black and Gold doubled their first inning scoring output, striking for four runs on a pair of hits and one Ranger error. With two outs already in the frame, B. Busby double to put runners on second and third. Edwards walked to load the bases for C. Busby, who delivered a clutch two RBI single, scoring both Smith and her sister. Cameron’s third and fourth runs of the inning scored as Oaks reached on a fielding error by the NWOSU shortstop, giving CU a 6-0 lead.
A leadoff, solo home run in the top of the fourth by the Rangers’ Lauran Adcoc was the first and only opposing run to cross the plate against Cameron hurlers on Friday.
The Aggies answered with two more runs of their own in the bottom of the frame to give them an 8-1 advantage. The first saw C. Busby score on a fielder’s choice via Larman, while the second came on an RBI single by Jaclyn Gray that scored Oaks.
Grey came back up in the bottom of the sixth and drove in Oaks on a single to right center field to end the game, securing the 9-1 win for the Black and Gold.
Turner Whorton was just three blemishes away from being perfect in her second win of the year. The senior gave up just the one run on the homer and allowed two free passes on a walk and a hit by pitch. Whorton also struck out six, giving the CU staff 12 on the night.
Gray delivered two of the Aggies’ six game-two hits, while she and C. Busby drove in two runs each. Additionally, each of the top-4 batters in the CU lineup scored twice against NWOSU.
On deck:
Now winners of five straight, the Aggies are 7-5 on the year and will look to add another tally to the win column on Saturday, Feb. 15, when they continue the MSU Invitational against Nebraska-Kearney. That matchup is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.