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CAMERON — Defense might win championships but the long ball gets you there.
That was the case on Saturday anyway as top seeded Cameron defeated visiting No. 4 Conotton Valley 5-2 in the OVAC 1A Semifinal to advance to the championship game next Saturday.
The Dragons held an early 2-0 edge until Coy Angel delivered a two-run homer to right field in the bottom of the third.
Just seconds after Angel touched home plate, Isaac Ball made it back-to-back home runs as he belted a pitch over the left-center field fence to create a 5-0 cushion and a momentum swing the Rockets could not overcome.
“It was a close game but those back-to-back home runs took the wind out of their sails,” Cameron coach Adam Angel III said. “Then, our dugout started to get up so it was a good way to generate some runs.”
The 5-0 lead was all the Dragons needed thanks to very strong pitching from the Angel brothers, Coy Angel and Adam Angel IV.
Coy Angel went five scoreless frames with 12 strikeouts and four walks, while allowing three hits.
In the sixth, Adam Angel IV took the hill. He did allow two runs but was able to limit the damage by escaping a bases-loaded jam with one out. He finished the last two innings and picked up a trio of punch outs and no walks.
“Coy does a good job,” Coach Angel said. “He has matured a lot and he is only a sophomore. He is becoming a pitcher instead of just a thrower. He’s not just relying on his fastball to strike people out. He mixes his pitches up well and he’s able to throw a lot of strikes.
“Adam is a junior and he has had some experience. He threw 32 pitches in the sixth inning but he threw 23 strikes. I never worry about his poise. He is the type of kid who just figures it out. I like him in that role because I don’t have to worry about his mentality.”
The Dragons struck first in the second inning when Nathan Haeberle walked and stole second, followed by a walk to Mason DeBolt.
Senior second baseman Chris McCauley delivered in the clutch with a two-run double to right field to give Cameron a 2-0 upper hand.
In the third, Cole Burkett provided a strong at-bat and drew a walk to set the stage for Coy Angel’s two-run bomb, followed immediately by Ball’s solo blast for a 5-0 advantage.
With Conotton Valley threatening in the fourth, Coy Angel got out of a bases-loaded jam with one out by firing a pair of strikeouts.
Brett Putnam got the Rockets on the scoreboard with a bases-loaded RBI single in the sixth but he just missed a grand slam earlier in the at-bat that was roughly two feet foul and smacked off the left field fence. Nolan Caldwell also provided a RBI knock in the sixth for Conotton Valley but Adam Angel IV escaped the jam and shut down the Rockets in the seventh to secure the triumph.
“I thought our kids played well,” Conotton Valley coach Dave DiDonato said. “Last year pitching like Cameron’s would have dominated us but we were two or three hits away from getting back into it. We had our chances. Cameron is a really solid team with two solid pitchers. They throw hard.”
Cameron will be looking for its first OVAC title in program history when it takes the field next Saturday.
“We have a couple of games this week,” Coach Angel said. “We should be pretty healthy and we should have all of our arms ready to go for Saturday. That game will come down to who throws more strikes and plays better defense. Hopefully we can get one. That would be pretty cool for this community and this school to get an OVAC Championship. That was one of our goals when we set out so hopefully we can achieve it.”
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