THE RUNDOWN
LAWTON, Okla. – Midwestern State won the softball edition of the Red River Rivalry, claiming two-of-three against Cameron this weekend in Lawton. The Mustangs split Saturday's doubleheader with the Aggies, winning 3-1 in game one before falling in the finale, 8-0, in six innings.
 
In the opener, the Mustangs rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good. Starting pitcher Riley Adams shut down the Aggies offensively, holding CU to one unearned run on eight hits and four walks in a complete game effort. The Roseville, Calif., native stranded 13 Aggies on base and held Cameron to 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position to improve to 4-3 on the season.
 
With both pitchers putting up zeroes through the first half of the game, Cameron eventually broke the scoring seal in the bottom of the fourth, despite catcher Amanda Thomas throwing out a pair of baserunners. Brenna Busby pulled a two-out single to left and moved to scoring position. Adams got Kaylyn Smith to slap her full-count offering the other way on a routine grounder, but the Mustangs were unable to field the ball cleanly, allowing Busby to score.
 
MSU took the lead in the top of the sixth, aided by three free-passes. Outfielder Tucker Caraway worked a one-out walk and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Outfielder Kelsey Eropkin legged out an infield single deep in the hole to short and an errant throw allowed her to advance to second and score Caraway to tie the game. Third baseman Kelcee Thompson and first baseman Samantha Loos each wore a pitch to load the bases. Thomas dug in and rifled a full-count offering to right-center, plating a pair and giving the Mustangs their first lead of the afternoon.
 
The Aggies threatened regaining the lead from Adams in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out, but the El Paso CC transfer induced a pair of flyouts to strand her ninth, tenth and 11^th runners of the game.
 
Adams closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh with flair. After a routine popup and groundout from Alyssa Osterdock on a first-pitch offering, the game went into about a 20-minute delay to review the rulebook. MSU first baseman Taylor Brintzenhoff entered the game unannounced as a defensive replacement for Loos in the bottom of the sixth. By rule, the Aggies could take the result of the play (a groundout from Osterdock) or reset the situation one pitch before the unreported player was reported. Osterdock returned to bat and popped up to second.
 
An infield single off the bat of Combs followed a double to left from Ramirez brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs. Cameron's Bethany Hines hit a slow roller to second baseman Carli Woolsey, who quickly collected and fired to first to secure the series victory for the Maroon and Gold.
 
In the nightcap, Cameron hung a 4-spot in the bottom of the first, capitalizing on four walks. Busby and Smith were issued free passes. A fielder's choice off the bat of Kaitlyn Alvarado erased Busby, but Callie Busby drew a walk to load the bags. Mekaylah Ramirez was given first base on a catcher's interference call, bringing home the games first run while Annie Combs drove home a run on a bases-loaded walk. Osterdock followed with a two-run single to shallow center, staking the Aggies a 4-0 lead.
 
The Aggies added another run in the bottom of the second. An infield single from B. Busby followed by a one-out hit-by-pitch put two aboard for CU. Ramirez singled through the right-side of the infield to bring home Busby and push the lead to 5-0.
 
Shortstop Caycee Griffin provided the lone bright-spot for the MSU offense, going 2-for-2 with a stolen base.
 
GAME ONE NOTES
- Midwestern State went 2-for-5 with runners in scoring position while holding the Aggies to 3-for-14 (.214) in similar situations.
- The Mustangs were held without an extra base hit for the fourth-consecutive game.
- Junior pitcher Riley Adams tossed her second complete game of the season, improving to 4-3. She did not allow an earned run and stranded 13 runners on base.
- Senior catcher Amanda Thomas threw out a pair of baserunners and drove home the go-ahead run in the sixth. In the last two games, the Marble Falls native has thrown out five would-be base stealers.
- Junior first baseman Samantha Loos reached safely for the 18^th-straight game after being hit-by-pitch in the sixth inning.
- Sophomore outfielder Tucker Caraway drew a season-high three walks, reaching safely for the 14^th-consecutive game.
 
GAME TWO NOTES
- Midwestern State was limited to 0-for-8 with runners on base.
- The MSU pitching staff held the Aggies to six hits, but five walks and two HBPs allowed Cameron to jump out to the early lead.
- The Mustangs were held without an extra base hit for the fifth-consecutive game.
- Junior first baseman Samantha Loos reached safely for the 19^th-straight game after being hit-by-pitch in the first inning.
- Freshman shortstop Caycee Griffin tied for the team lead with her fifth multi-hit performance of the season, going 2-for-2
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State is back on the diamond on Tuesday, March 20, for a midweek non-conference matchup with Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva, Okla. First pitch in the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.