LSC Roundup 4-4

Great start
Two key Lone Star Conference series got under way Friday in San Angelo, and Abilene Christian won both.

The ACU baseball scored three runs in the 10th inning to beat Angelo State, 8-5, and the ACU softball batted around in the fifth to beat the No. 1-ranked Rambelles, 7-3.

MSU caps spring drills with Maroon-Gold game today
When the Midwestern State Mustangs hit the field today for the annual Maroon-Gold game, the team will play an actual game for the second straight year. It’s the way the Mustangs are divided into two teams that will be different this time around. Head coach Bill Maskill split up his coaching staff and the coaches “drafted” their teams to get ready for today’s 11:45 a.m. contest at the MSU practice fields.

“One side (Gold) got the first pick on offense and then the other team automatically got that player’s backup before they took their pick,” Maskill said. “Then the other team (Maroon) got the first pick on defense and we drafted the defense the same way. I was a little worried that the teams wouldn’t be even, but we have 94 guys out there and they should be evenly matched. Our biggest problem may be making sure everyone gets enough snaps.”

WT's political football
The West Texas A&M Buffaloes wrap up spring football drills today with a rivalry. The battle between the Maroon and White, WT's annual spring game, will include a matchup of Hereford vs. Dumas. What has been a storied rivalry between the two towns, especially on high school volleyball courts, spills over to the gridiron.

Hereford Mayor Robert Josserand and Dumas Mayor Mike Milligan will serve as honorary coaches for the game. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. today at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.

Glad to be back
ADA — For a good portion of his career, Willy Gould was as good as any player in sight when he stepped on a football field. A versatile performer for Ada High School, Gould earned All-State honors after his senior season in 2007, despite the fact the Cougars failed to make the playoffs for the first time in a quarter-century. He was a quarterback, a tailback and a linebacker at different times while at AHS, and wherever he played, he seemed to make a difference. And college coaches noticed.

Gould received a “serious offer” from Middle Tennessee State and scheduled visits to a couple of other Division I schools, along with Division 1-AA power Sam Houston State and Division II heavyweight Northwest Missouri State. In the end, though, former East Central University coach Kurt Nichols convinced him that his future was in Ada, and Gould signed to play for the Tigers. “This was home,” Gould said earlier this week.

Baseball wins, Softball splits
KINGSVILLE — Behind the solid pitching of senior left hander Sam Strickland, the Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team took the first game of a four-game series from Lone Star Conference rival Tarleton State, 2-1. Strickland had things rolling from the outset and also did an excellent job with runners in scoring position.

KINGSVILLE — The Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team almost started hitting too late on Friday, but their bats came alive in the second game of a doubleheader with visiting Texas Woman’s University to earn a split. The Pioneers (22-20, 4-7) won the first game 4-0 and the Javelinas (24-17, 6-8) won the second game 5-4.

Buffs gain split with Cameron
West Texas A&M busted out an 11-run first inning to salvage a doubleheader split with Cameron in Lone Star Conference baseball action Friday at McCord Field in Lawton, Okla.

The Buffs dropped the opener, 16-7, getting out-hit 16-8. But WT answered quickly in game two by scoring 11 runs in the top of the first inning, including Rob Mann's grand slam, en route to a 24-8 win.

WT splits with Tarleton State
The West Texas A&M softball team split a doubleheader with Lone Star Conference foe Tarleton State on Friday in Stephenville.

Tarleton (21-16 overall, 6-5 in LSC) won the opener, 3-2, with the Lady Buffs (28-16, 7-7) taking the second game, 7-4.

Texas relays 04.04.09
Adams takes 2nd in Texas Relays