NM State Aggies vs Northern Colorado Bears Baseball 4-23-17

This is my fourth day in a row writing game recaps.  I may be a little unenthusiastic here.  Sunday started pretty cool with a cold, stiff breeze.  Thankfully, it warmed up and the wind died down pretty quickly after the game started.  Ron was with me for today’s game.  We entered the gate with university President Gary Caruthers in front of us.  He stuck around and took in most of the game, but didn’t go up for a radio interview.  Missing breakfast, I picked up a soda and popcorn at the concessions.  Then I picked up an Austin Botello card at the courtesy table.  Unfortunately, I left my tickets there.  Some nice person put them under a weight, and I found them there after a couple of frantic minutes of searching myself. 

Before the game started, Ron went back out to get a hot dog, which he must have inhaled, as he was back for the anthem.  The four-time conference winning Women’s Golf team threw out the first pitches, and then they shook hands with the team.  Given how major league players love golf and that the golf team seems pretty good looking, I’d think they might be fairly popular with the baseball team. 

Adam Young and Nolan Fox on the radio broadcast mentioned that this game was under a curfew, though that cutoff time was four and half hours away.  Both teams certainly played quickly anyway.  Andy Frakes started the game for the Aggies and immediately helped himself out, snagging a soft liner at him and recording a put out at first.  He had a five pitch first inning.  With the Bears up to bat, I have to mention how much I like their helmets.  They’re a shiny, sparkling blue, none of that dull, flat matte finish crap that major league teams are using these days.

The bottom of the inning brought in a few more spectators to an already decent crowd (attendance 557, or something close to that).  A small murder of crows camped out in centerfield briefly.  They didn’t cause any problems, but did later scatter when a hit rolled by.  Aggie hitting caused Bear starter, Aaron Hamilton, some issues though.  Eight men came up to bat and five of them scored.  The runners were also very aggressive on the basepads, including a double steal.  The big blow was a Mason Fishback three-run homer that put the Aggies up 5-0 after one.  That shot actually hit the scoreboard in left center and bounced back onto the field.

Frakes worked a fast top of the second by throwing strikes, only 14 pitches so far.  I’ll go ahead and make a quick summary of the next five innings of Aggie at bats: Fishback worked a walk in the fourth.  (He then got his first steal on a delayed steal no less.)  Don’t worry.  I’ll add some details.  Adam and Nolan talked about Brent Sakurai’s parents from Hawaii being in town.  They’re going to be around for a couple of weeks to see him play and travel to Tucson this week for another one of his games.  They’re even coming back next month for Senior Day.  That is showing some support for your kid and racking up the frequent flyer miles.  Of course, if you already live in Hawaii, where would you bother going with a free trip? 

In the third, a Bear runner got to second.  Frakes and Sakurai started exchanging complicated signs in between pitches.  I hope that was just an elaborate decoy and not for real.  Aggie hitting did not help themselves out.  In the bottom of the third, the home plate umpire made a late call on a borderline pitch as Tristan Carranza was already starting down the line for a presumed walk.  Carranza jogged backward to continue his at bat to amusement of the crowd, but probably not the umpire, who ended up ringing him up on the next pitch. 

The Bears manufactured a run in the fourth after a double, 5-1 Aggies, but the Aggie defense really helped out Frakes to limit the damage.  Brent made a great play running to his right and falling away to throw out a runner.  Marcus Still in center robbed a sure double, running and diving flat out to make a catch and end the inning.  How did he come up with that?  I hope somebody got video of that play.

Frakes gave way to Matt McHugh in the fifth.  A leadoff double would later score on a passed ball, 5-2 Aggies.  The most exciting play was a high popup that threatened to fall into the stands.  The girl who brought the freshly baked cinnamon rolls yesterday got up and ran away from the projected impact point.  I think I saw her with Carranza after the game.  He should teach her how to catch a fly ball.  Got to see the Infield Fly rule invoked in this inning, which was a good thing, since LJ Hatch dropped it on the transfer, or he was trying to deke out the runner at second.  Some interesting fan gear showed up.  A kid was wearing, I swear, a Fresno Tacos hat.  His dad had on a more conventional Chihuahuas hat.  In the bottom of the fifth, Brent struck out looking on a pitch that looked well outside.  Was the ump still mad?  Botello then struck looking on another questionable call to end the inning.  Yep, still mad. 

Top of the sixth, and it’s a banner day.  I finally get the Aggie trivia question.  I’d figured out, and I’m letting you in on this, that their questions are all based on information on that day’s program.  “When did Coach Brian Green graduate from NMSU?”  I waited for a few seconds to see if any kids were running to the pressbox, then I went.  As I opened my mouth to give the give answer to the stadium staff member, a lady at the end of the row shouted out the answer.  “He was here first ma’am.”  So I got the free What-a-Burger coupon.  On the way back to my seat, a guy asked me about my “Aggie Empire” Star Wars-inspired shirt.  It was from Aggie sponsor, Sports Accessories, of course, and would indeed be a great gift for a Star Wars fan and NMSU alumni.  But it wasn’t a complete trip to the pressbox.  I was hoping to get a peek at the female PA voice.

Kris Krosses’ “Jump” started off the seventh.  Well, I enjoyed it anyway.  In the bottom of the inning, the Aggies finally got something going on the bases and knocked Hamilton out of the game.  With the bases loaded, Botello was hit by a pitch by the new pitcher to force in a run, 6-1 Aggies.  And another late strike call on Dan Hetzel to bring him back from a walk. 

Well, there is some equity in the eight.  A delayed strike call brought back a Bear hitter.  But after a walk, McHugh gave way to Kyle Bradish.  Adam was surprised that the Aggies’ ace starter, who’d been given the weekend off was brought in, but I was not.  I’m sure Coach Green wanted to make sure that Bradish didn’t get rusty from being off too long.  For his first relief outing, he worked a seemingly effortless inning and 2/3 to end the game and get his first save.  Our final was Aggies 6, Bears 2.  We were done in a tidy two and half hours, and the Aggies won without getting nine hits for the first time this season.

With this sweep, the Aggies go to 11-1 in conference.  After the game, the Northern Colorado players lined to shake hands with the Aggies.  My stars of the game are Mason Fishback for his first inning three-run homer and all three Aggie pitchers.  Certainly, Marcus Still’s “Superman” catch in the fourth will make the end of year highlight reel, if not go viral.  Aaron Hamilton also gets a star.  He had a rough first inning, but really settled down impressively after that.  I should be happier with the win, and pizza and frozen custard for dinner, but conversation about my future at work put me a funk.  There’s also a dilemma for next Saturday as Aggie baseball and softball host GCU at conflicting times.  How to choose?