CU softball sweeps ASU

Ashlyn Bruce sparked a four-run rally in the fifth inning and Josie Swafford pitched 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball as Cameron grabbed a 6-1 victory over Angelo State to cap a three-game series sweep that sealed no worse than the No. 5 seed for the upcoming Lone Star Conference Tournament and continue a strong season that few saw coming before the season started.

The Aggies are now 25-14 in the conference and 29-18 overall with just one series remaining, that being next weekend at West Texas A&M in Canyon. WT stands 34-5 in the conference and is fighting it out with University of Texas-Tyler (33-2) for the top seed and the right to host the conference tournament. Tyler still has six conference games remaining, three against Texas A&M-Kingsville and three against Texas A&M-International, but neither of those teams have shown the ability to compete with the Tyler crew.

Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Christian are tied at 26-13 after LCU lost three straight against WT this weekend while Oklahoma Christian was beating A&M-Kingsville three straight. Both are facing teams at the bottom of the standings so they could very well end up tied and if that happens OC will be the third seed on the basis of its sweep of LCU.

Despite those scenarios among the top four seeds, Cameron has sealed the fifth seed with its 25-14 record because St. Mary’s is sixth at 21-18 and even a sweep couldn’t move it ahead of Cameron.

What is remarkable is that Cameron was the No. 8 seed last season and in the preseason voting that’s where the LSC coaches and media members had the Aggies. And even with a late start, first-year coach Emma Johansen got a couple of senior transfers to join the program and she found a way to get the group to come together and find a way to be consistent and start getting wins against good programs in the conference.

Saturday’s game was also Senior Day and seven members of the team were honored before the game and then went out and took care of business on the field. One of those seniors, Khmari Edwards, started the game with a triple to deep center. She stayed on third for an infield popup but when Kaiden Boren flied out to right field Edwards was able to tag up and score on the sacrifice fly.

CU tried to keep that rally going as Swafford walked and then Taylor Rowley singled up the middle but a sharp line drive by Karis Clark was caught to end that threat.

Swafford got the Aggies going again in the bottom of the fourth with a triple to deep center and that was enough for the Rambelles as they changed pitchers to try and stop the Aggies. It didn’t help as Rowley singled through the right side of the infield to get Swafford home.

ASU got the first out on an infield popup but Ashlynn Bruce singled to center to put a pair of runners on base. However, ASU was able to get the second out on a ground ball. Mikayla Richmond extended the rally as her dribbler in front of home gave her just enough time to beat the throw to first and load the bases. But ASU dodged another big jam with a fly ball out.

Swafford, a southpaw pitcher with great control, gave up a leadoff triple in the top of the fifth but came right back and retired the next three batters to avoid any further trouble.

That seemed to ignite the Aggies’ offense and French, playing in her 201st game as an Aggie, walked to start the rally and Boren singled through the left side of the infield. Swafford walked to load the bases and force another ASU pitching change. The Rambelles seemed to be on the verge of escaping trouble with two quick foul ball popups.

But Bruce singled to right to drive in two runs and when McMurtrey’s fly ball was dropped in the outfield, Bruce and Swafford raced home to push the Aggies to a comfortable lead.

In the top of the sixth Swafford got two quick outs and Coach Johansen brought Bales into the game to give her a chance to pitch on Senior Day as well. She gave up a home run but got the next batter to end the sixth and then shut down AU in the seventh as the Aggies celebrated the sweep and a great Senior Day.

The Aggies will play a single game at West Texas on Friday at 6 p.m. and then end the regular season with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday. The pairings for the LSC Tournament will be announced next Sunday and the action will begin Thursday, May 4, at either Tyler or Canyon.