CU Sports
Kenton Means, Sports Information Director
SILVER CITY, N.M. – Brenna Busby‘s solo homer in the top of the 10th inning helped earn the Cameron softball team their 30th win of the season as they beat Western New Mexico 8-7 on Friday.
After scoreless first and second innings, each team scored a run in the third. CU’s run came on a Paige Daino fielder’s choice that drove in Kaytlyn Kizarr.
The Mustangs scored in both the third and fourth innings to give them a 2-1 lead.
In the next half inning the Aggies struck for five runs in their half of the fifth. CU used five straight hits in the inning with Daino, Abbey Warren, Bethany Hines and Kaylyn Smith all driving in runs.
WNMU answered with three runs of their own to cut the CU lead to just one run at 6-5.
Cameron added a run back in the sixth as Busby scored on a double-play ball after doubling to lead-off the inning, but Western NM answered with their own run in the bottom of the inning to cut it back to a one run lead.
Unfortunately, an Aggie error in the bottom of the seventh tied the game at seven runs apiece. The Falcons had the bases loaded with no outs, but Hines was able to get out of it with a strikeout, a fielder’s choice with a play at the plate, and a pop out in foul territory to right to end the inning.
In extra innings, both teams would have shots, as CU got a pair of hits in the eighth, but did not get a run across. The same happened for UTPB in the bottom of the ninth.
Finally, in the 10th inning, B. Busby homered to right field to give CU an 8-7 advantage. Hines was able to get the final three outs in the bottom of the 10th to secure the win.
In her 22nd win of the season, Hines went 9.1 innings, giving up two earned runs on 12 hits with seven strikeouts.
B. Busby supplied the winning RBI and led CU with three hits and two runs scored on the day. Kizarr, Breezy McComas, Callie Busby, and K. Smith each had a pair of hits, while Kizarr also scored two runs and Daino and Warren each had a pair of RBI in the game.
Cameron is now 30-15 overall and 18-6 in LSC play. WNMU is now 1-42 overall and 0-25 in league play.
The two teams will conclude the three game series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. central time.