Yoemen cling to playoff hopes

Down in the district standings, Cameron simply needed to win every one of their three remaining games to make a strong push for the postseason Those hopes took a big hit in a loss to Rogers on the road Friday, 5-2.  Cameron did rebound with a win over rival Rockdale on Tuesday from the Yards of Cameron, 12-9, but a Jarrell win over Franklin on the same night now makes it that much more difficult to get in.  

Rogers (L, 5-2)

It was one bad inning that cost Cameron in a 5-2 loss to Rogers on Friday evening.  In the bottom of the third with Cameron up 2-0, the Eagles managed to send seven straight batters to the plate before an out was recorded.  By that time Rogers had scored four runs, which was more than enough for the win.  

Anthony Layne had a big first few innings for Cameron, driving in Bryce Brashear in the first on a single to center field to go up 1-0.  Layne was back up at the plate in the third and proceeded to double on a liner to left, this time scoring Alex Alonso to put Cameron up 2-0. 

In the bottom of the third, a walk, hit by pitch, single, error, single, single ad walk gave the Eagles the 4-2 lead.  Rogers would add one further run in the sixth to close out the scoring.  

After the third inning, Cameron never sent more than four batters to the plate in an inning.  

Alex Alonso took the loss for Cameron, going five and a third innings, giving up five hits, five runs (three earned) while walking two and striking out seven.  Brashear pitched the other two outs, giving up two hits but no runs.  

Rogers’ Nolan Wolfe went four and a third, giving up five hits and two runs.  Bruce closed out the final two and a third with one hit, no runs and five strikeouts.  

Brashear finished 2-4 from the plate, while Layne drove in both of Cameron’s runs at 2-3.  Rigo Valdez had Cameron’s lone other hit.  

Friday’s Results: Rogers 5, Cameron Yoe 2; Franklin 13, Academy 3; Lexington 10, Rockdale 4.  

Rockdale (W 12-9)

It was back and forth all night long, but it was the Yoemen that had the last push in a 12-9 win over the rival Tigers. 

Rockdale, which came into the contest winless in 20-3A at 0-9, was hot out of the gate with three runs on a triple, single and single from the opening three batters.  

The Yoemen would one up that production in the second, with eight batters sent to the plate.  Rick Fuentes began the inning with a walk, and pinch runner Kadrian Hammond was later brought in with a RBI triple to right-center by Rigo Valdez.  A few walks and an error plated three more runs, allowing Cameron to go up 4-3.  

Luke Greene came up with two big knocks on this night, with the first coming in the third on a two-out double to right to put Cameron up 6-4.  The junior also had a 2-RBI triple back to right in the sixth, putting his team up 12-9.    

In the fifth, Rockdale went up 8-7 on a passed ball, but the damage was limited when reliever Bryce Brashear induced a double play ball with the bases loaded.  An insurance run was added in the sixth when Landon Towns hit a two-out RBI single to center, putting the Tigers up 9-7.  

Jale Walzel, Cameron’s nine-hole hitter, started the rally in the sixth with a sharp ground ball up the middle.  Brashear hit an infield single to third before Jason Llanas singled to center, pushing the deficit down to 9-8.  An Andress RBI ground out and Roeder RBI single to left put Cameron up 10-9 before Greene’s triple.  

Tuesday’s Results: Cameron Yoe 12, Rockdale 9; Jarrell 12, Franklin 5; Academy 9, Lexington 8. 

20-3A Standings: 1. Franklin (10-1), 2. Little River Academy (7-3), 2. Lexington (7-3), 4. Jarrell (5-5), 5. Cameron Yoe (4-7), 6. Rogers (3-7), 7. Rockdale (0-10). 

Cameron will host Academy on senior night this Friday.  It will be Cameron’s final regular season game as Hearne does not have a team.  The Yoemen still mathematically have a shot at the playoffs with a win, but must have Jarrell lose to Lexington on Friday and then to Rockdale Tuesday to finish in a tie for fourth.  That would force a play-in game.