NM State Aggies vs Tarleton State Texans Softball 4-17-21

 

(This is what it's come to: I'm doing feet fetish pics on the Internet.)

I didn’t expect to be back at the Softball Complex this season, but here I am.  Ron was available this weekend and wanted to see the softball team since he’d missed the last home series that I went to.  He’d hoped that we could still catch Game 2 of the Aggie Baseball double header afterward.  In any case, the baseball would be on the radio, so we could watch softball and listen to baseball.  I didn’t entirely agree with this plan, but went along with it.

 

Friday night would have been the day to go to softball.  In Game 1 against Tarleton State, the Aggies run ruled thanks to two home runs by Nikki Butler, including a grand slam.  In Game 2, Matalasi Faapito pitched a no hitter for a sweep.  Baseball didn’t do so well.  They gave up a slim lead late and lost to GCU.  While keeping up with those games, I actually got to watch a couple of MLB games, but the marquee game with the Dodgers and Padres was blacked out on the MLB Network.  I don’t understand why Padre games are blacked out in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  We truly don’t have a broadcast affiliate here (and just lost our Rangers affiliate in El Paso).

 

The weather forecast was iffy for this weekend, but it was pleasant when Ron picked me up.  He’d gone by to get tickets first.  I questioned this precaution, but he might have been right in retrospect.  I suggested going over to Subway to get cold sandwiches to eat between games to avoid the panic of trying to run out and get a meal like last time.  Ron had a cooler ready.  As soon as we stepped out of his car to get it, the wind was suddenly blowing hard.  This was not a good sign.          

 

The cool wind alternated between blowing hard and harder for the whole game.  I’d worn a hoodie and put on my windbreaker, but wished I’d put on a long sleeved undershirt.  I’d thought I’d be too warm.  I was wearing a hat, sunglasses, had the hood up, and had earplugs in for the radio.  The mask was again the worst.  When my nose started running from the cold, it became disgusting. 

 

We got a look at the opposing pitcher, Julia Wernet, warming up as we came in.  She was a lanky, pretty blonde and threw hard.  The rest of the Texan team seemed to be built around a slim athletic build.  Their batting helmets were white with sparkling purple bills.  Ron flirted with the pretty ticket girl as usual as we entered.  The crowd probably turned out to be full with the reduced capacity.  We were seated in front of some Tarleton parents, but they didn’t take over that side of stands like GCU fans did last time.   

 

The first inning was eventful from a scoring standpoint.  I think I did this right, but I’m not going to double check it.  After a leadoff hit off of Mata, Georgia Capell hit a deep fly to left as the wind took it.  Somehow it stayed in, but it clanked off of Gabby Aragon’s glove as she ran after it.  I think this was officially scored an error, but a tough one.  Morgan Medford then hit a grounder to short.  Jayleen Burton smothered it, but had no play and a run scored.  I think this was scored a hit. 

 

The next play was a bit confusing.  Katy Schaefer hit an easy double that scored a run, except it didn’t happen that way.  Her hit went over Flex player Jillian Taylor’s head in right field and went to wall.  However, somehow Katy and Morgan both attempted to occupy second base, while Georgia was still standing at third.  I’m not sure what the girls on base saw when that ball was hit.  Georgia eventually broke for home and beat the tag.  Katy was thrown out trying to get back to first.  I’m not going to attempt to figure everybody who touched that ball on that play.  

 

Hailey Tanori in center made a great catch near the wall for the second out.  Mata recomposed herself and got a strikeout to end the inning.  The Texans went up 2-0.  That was a stressful half inning for the guy with the scorecard. 

 

In the bottom, Hailey took a walk.  Mata followed with a single.  Georgia, in right field, made a good diving attempt at it, but only trapped the ball.  Meanwhile on the baseball field in the first inning, GCU took a 4-0 lead, including a three-run homer.  I could clearly see home plate through the tree screen over the walls, but figured I’d better watch the game in front of me and just listen to the other.

 

Ramsay Lopez singled to load the bases.  Nikki was clearly licking her chops at the thought of hitting another grand slam this weekend.  She gave the ball a ride in right field, but Georgia stayed with it and hauled it in.  Hailey scored on the long sacrifice.  Kayla Bowen drove in another run on a fielder’s choice to tie the score at 2.  Morgan at short made two slick plays to get the last two outs.

 

A remake of Blondie’s Heart of Glass played on the PA between innings.  I don’t know who the artist is, but it was pretty good.  [Edit: It was Gisele Bundchen.  I was not expecting that.  Miley Cyrus also does a rock version of the song.]  Mata started the second with another strikeout.  Hailey made a good catch on a liner to center for the next out.  Unfortunately, Jayleen bobbled a grounder at short by Hallie Saintignan, who then stole second.  Mata was not ruffled and struckout the last batter to end the inning. 

 

On the baseball call, it was announced as a probable sellout.  This would be confirmed after the game was over, so there would be no double dip for me and Ron.  After being out in the wind for a couple of hours, I wasn’t going to go anyway.  There were multiple souvenir tosses into the crowd.  I think it was the Marketing lady, Nicole, but I couldn’t tell with the mask.  Certainly she was enthusiastic.  In addition to a t-shirt toss, there were two different package tosses.  Ron caught those and gave them to me.  One was a small towel.  (There was also a little drawstring Lays chips branded bag that was tossed, but I don’t know what was in it.)  The other was the awesome Aggie socks pictured at the top.  Now this was a great giveaway.  Although much like t-shirts, I have too many socks already.  I’ll make room for these though.

 

Brianna Gallegos doubled to start the bottom of the second.  Maya Martinez singled Bri in and took second on the throw in just getting in under the tag.  The Tarleton parents disagreed with the call.  (I probably did as well.)  The Texans brought in a new pitcher, Tristan Bridges.  She was rather petite and slim-looking with a herky-jerky pitching motion.  Tristan could throw hard, but had an impressive offspeed.  She finished off the inning.  The Aggies went up 3-2.  Across the field, Noah Haupt homered to make it 4-1 to cut into GCU’s lead.

 

To the third, the wind knocked down a high fly to center to start, but two batters later, Katy caught the jetstream to right and hit a line drive home run.  Mata gave up another hit.  Jayleen made a play on a big infield popup to end the inning.  3 all. 

 

The next softball homestand was announced as Senior Day.  Nikki is the only senior on the team, but PA said that seniors from last season would also be honored.  I don’t know it they’re still in school.  I’d think not.  I wouldn’t mind seeing some of those girls again if they were around.  I’m missing them as I mentioned last time.  Over at baseball, Ethan Mann drove in a run to make it 4-2.

 

In the bottom of the third, Nikki started off getting hit by a pitch.  Once again, she wasn’t lifted for a pinch runner here.  Gabby singled to put two on.  Brianna hit a fielder’s choice, which Tristan made a nice play on to get the lead runner, Nikki, at third.  (A pinch runner might have had a better chance there.)  Maya doubled to drive in Gabby to put the Aggies back up 4-3.

 

For the top of the fourth, there was the pocket contest.  Hats were the prize.  Okay, I got way too many hats.  I’m not trying.  On the radio, baseball was running about an inning ahead.  I told Ron about the last softball game, which had continual delays for arguments and conferences.  This game was running long, but had been nothing but action.  On the PA, there was an old friend, Harry Belafonte’s Jump in the Line.  I’d missed that happy tune last year.

 

Mata racked up two more strikeouts in the top of the fourth.  Ramsay hit a line drive homer to center in the bottom to make it 5-3.  There was a t-shirt toss to the crowd for the home run.  Ramsay then made a great catch on a shoe top liner at third in the top of the fifth.  In the bottom, Kayla beat out an infield hit.  MacKenzie Peterson at first impressively did the splits trying to get her.  Kayla was thrown out trying to steal second.  Brianna singled.  She took second on a wild pitch and went to third on a bad throw by the catcher, but the Aggies did not score. 

 

Meanwhile at the baseball field, the Aggies foiled a safety squeeze at the plate.  Ron saw it while it was happening.  I heard it a few seconds later on the radio.  In the sixth, Mata walked the first two batters and was relieved by Felicia De La Torre.  She slammed the door with a couple of strikeouts and a grounder.  The final out was caught looking with a dramatic call by the ump.  Nikki did an extra high ball flip to the circle as she came off the field.   

 

The baseball game ended with GCU winning 4-2.  Both starters went the distance in the 7-inning game.  I had trouble hearing the final stats during the bottom of the sixth.  Chris Jefferson for the Aggies had 9 strikeouts at least.  GCU’s pitcher had 11 strikeouts.  Adam Young on the call said he was unusually wild with a couple of walks.  Heh, heh.  Yeah, the guy was really off his game today.  A bunch of scouts were in the crowd to see him.

 

Mata was still in the game hitting and cashed in with a monster shot to right field with the wind.  Ramsay then walked.  Nikki hit a hard foul into the dugout and nearly took out a teammate.  The girl took cover deeper in the dugout.  Nikki almost also took out Kayla on deck with another foul.  Nikki walked and Audrey Shelboski came in to pinch runner (as the trailing runner, I still don’t understand this).  Kayla then almost took out Gabby on deck.  It’s obvious where the most dangerous place to be in the Softball Complex is.  Kayla walked.

 

As the wind was picking up, this was just what I wanted to see: three walks in a row.  For some reason, the Tarleton coach wasn’t inclined to change pitchers at this point.  (I really don’t understand this strategy.)  Georgia in the right field then dropped a short flyball.  The increase in wind and the second baseman also running for the ball probably contributed to the error.  A run scored there and another scored on the fourth walk of the inning to Brianna.  Antuanett Dean came in to pinch run for her.

 

At this point, the run rule was coming into play.  Tristan was finally relieved, but it didn’t help.  Maya singled to drive in two runs.  Tarleton finally got the second out on a fielder’s choice.  Freshman Kendra Levesque came into the game as a pinch hitter.  She looked like bopper and that she did.  Kendra blasted a three-run homer to right center to end the game 13-3 on a run rule.  She’s apparently very popular with her teammates as they completely mobbed her at home plate. 

 

There’s gameball number one.  Kendra Levesque’s three RBI’s on a homer.  Maya Martinez went 3 for 3 with 4 RBI’s.  Matalasi Faapito got the win and went 2 for 3 with a home run.  Felicia De La Torre got the save and did a good job closing it out when the game was still in doubt.  Katy Schaefer for Texans went 3 for 3 with 2 RBI’s and a home run. 

 

I invited Ron back to my apartment to eat dinner, since we weren’t going to be going to Game 2 of Aggie Baseball’s double header.  But first, we went to PQ Treats.  I’d seen a couple of new specials for their Frozen Tornados earlier while getting the sandwiches.  I picked the Elvis Tornado as you might guess.  It was vanilla ice cream, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, bananas, and peanut butter flavoring.  (Of course it all should have been fried if you’re trying to do the classic Elvis Fried Peanut Butter and Banana sandwich.  I tried one once.  It was . . . edible.  That’s all I’ll say.)  We listened to the baseball game while playing some classic Nintendo (badly).  The Aggies dropped that game in a close contest.  We awaited tomorrow’s weather to see if we’d go to the Sunday game.