NM State Aggies vs Omaha Mavericks Softball 2-14-20

After Ron and I had watched Aggie Baseball’s Opening Day, we went next door to the Softball Complex to catch Game 2 of their double header.  We asked a softball fan outside (he was wearing an Aggie Softball shirt) about Game 1.  It was a 7-6 loss.  Apparently, the Mavericks had won it in the ninth.  Aggie freshman Ramsay Lopez was responsible for the titanic home run shot that went onto the baseball field earlier. 

There was a small crowd inside, nothing like last week’s game against Arkansas. Unfortunately for Ron, his favorite fan Tom was there.  Tom’s loud cheering for the Aggies seemed to amuse the Omaha fans and even the PA.  Just to even things out, there was a loud Omaha couple cheering right behind us. 

So, we arrived in the bottom of the first and I started an Aggie scorecard.  In the top of the second, I suddenly realized that I had no idea where the Omaha lineup was in their batting order.  I couldn’t make out a scorecard for them without making a mess.  Since I’d already started the Aggie scorecard, I went ahead and carried on with it.  In other words, this recap is going to be more one-sided than usual.

Freshman Hailey Tanori was leading off for the Aggies.  I hadn’t seen her play last weekend.  Coach Rodolph had assured everyone after the Troy Cox Classic that she still had a more new good new players to showcase.  Hailey singled to get on, stole second, and took third on a wild pitch.  I was already impressed.  Nikki Butler walked to set the stage for Ramsay to come up and hit a three-run homer.  This one wasn’t a tape-measure shot, but it only needed to go over the fence to count.  3-0 Aggies.

Hailey had an encore in the second.  After Casie Roberto had walked, Haily slapped one to the fence.  It was probably a double for any other player without afterburners, but she turned on the jets and flew around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.  I don’t think there was an announced error, so it was Haily just beating it out.  No offense to Aggie Baseball player Daniel Johnson from a couple of years ago, but I think this was the fastest I’ve ever seen someone run around the bases.  Just to top it off, Gabby Aragon got on the hard way with a bruise and Nikki drove her in with a homer to center.  7-0 Aggies.

There was a brilliant red sunset in west on display to the right of the grandstand.  This meant the sun was going down and it would be getting colder.  Having already seen a full game today, I admit I was kind of hoping for a quick run-rule for the night cap.  Analise de la Roca was in the circle for the Aggies had a great offspeed working.  Ramsay was at third and made a fearless catch of a liner aimed directly at her head to start the third.  However, the Mavericks scored a run on a double this inning to make it 7-1.  The Aggies loaded the bases in the bottom with one out, but failed to score.

Analise gave up a leadoff homer to start the fourth.  Coach Rodolph shouts out a code to call for pitches.  The pitcher and the infield then consult a matrix on their wristband to know what the pitch should be.  After one pitch, the coach said, “That was supposed to be an offspeed.”  I think Astros might be able to break that code.  Hailey, working in centerfield, went over the wall to rob a player of another home run.  She’s not tall either.  After a walk, there was another deep flyball to center that Hailey tracked down.  This girl is rapidly impressing the heck out of me.  7-2 Aggies. 

Nikki and Ramsay walked to start the bottom of the fourth.  Keala Brown came in to pinch run for Nikki.  Matalasi Faapito came into the lineup and singled to load the bases.  The Mavericks brought in a new pitcher.  Newcomer Hope Banales grounded one off the plate and was out at first.  However, there was confusion on the play.  It was thought the catcher had stepped on home for the force and made a double play, but it was instead ruled that Keala had crossed the plate safely.  The Omaha fans behind us let the ump what they thought of that decision.  Maverick shortstop Emily Klosterman made a couple of good plays to end the inning.  8-2 Aggies.

Mata was now in to pitch (and hit).  Nikki took over for Shelby Shultes as catcher.  Mata gave up a hit and hit a batter and loaded the bases with one out.  There was also a foul liner shot into the Aggie dugout.  Two runs scored on a sacrifice and a hit to make it 8-4.  Ramsay lost the third out on a pop up foul ball in the lights, but Mata got a strikeout to end it anyway.  The coach put in a couple more bench players in the bottom.  The Mavericks worked around an error to get a double play and a strikeout to end the inning.

By the bottom of the sixth, fans were starting to abandon ship for the cold.  That’s about what I felt like too, but I wanted to see a win.  Ramsay singled and Brandy Hernandez came in to pinch runner for her.  That turned out not to be necessary as Mata, with a nice easy stroke, sent the ball on a short flight over the center field wall.  Mellika Ofoia came in off the bench.  The dugout sang a song to her and went crazy for her when she singled.  Unfortunately, after a foul popup at first, she was picked off for a double play.  10-4 Aggies.  Freshman Maya Martinez had come in to play short earlier.  In the seventh, she made an error, but then got the final out.  10-4 Aggies was the final score.

Analise de la Roca and Matalasi Faapito only gave up a combined four runs for a good split effort.  Mata also made the most of her two at bats with two hits and two RBI’s.  Hailey Tanori got a home run the hard way and went 2 for 2 with two RBI’s.  Her defense also impressed me.  Sorry I can’t say much about Omaha, other than Emily Klosterman’s defense, without a scorecard.  This was a good bounce-back win for the Aggies and a bunch of players got to see some action.

Ron was fascinated by a new song that the PA was playing during the game and after it was over, but didn’t know what it was.  I liked it, but didn’t recognize it either.  Ron chatted up the ushers, including a little cute one, to ask about it.  Neither of them knew the name of it, but were familiar with it.  One of them had Shazam, but it didn’t work where they were standing.  We’d have to work on this mystery again tomorrow.  The cute one said she’d see us then, but was disappointingly not there on Saturday.  Okay, it was bit cold, but I think I used my day off from work pretty well.