ND vs Sac St and NM State vs NE Softball 2-16-24

She earned it.

Welcome to a long weekend of crossed-up sports scheduling.  There are so many softball and baseball games over these four days that this almost feels like work.  (Not quite.  I’m not getting paid, but at least I’m enjoying the spectacle.)  Aggie Baseball is opening their season with four games over four days.  Aggie Softball is hosting the Troy Cox Classic with four teams also over those four days.  I took off for Friday (and await the avalanche of work when I return) and I’ll have Monday off for a federal holiday, so I can potentially show up to watch all four days (though not all the games, since some of them are early in the morning).

 

I had lunch over at dad’s apartment before going off for the Friday noon game.  He fixed hamburgers in his new air fryer.  (And it was tasty.  Buying him the fryer paid off today.)  The weather today was gorgeous in the high 60’s and the forecast is good for the rest of it, too. 

 

At the Softball Complex, I saw a little girl and her dad working on her underhand pitching in the parking lot.  She looked startling good throwing.  Inside, Raising Cane’s had a display set up and a prize wheel.  I took a twirl and won . . . Mardi Gras beads.  Hmm.  I ended up giving them to the little girl later.  Her family were Nebraska fans here to watch a couple of future opponents.  Her and her sister were the only kids in the crowd.  They were good fans and shagged fouls and brought them back to the press box. 

Sac St vs North Dakota Game 2

The North Dakota Fighting Hawks were playing the Sacramento State Hornets on field.  (They’d played an earlier game in the morning with the Hornets winning, 8-0.)  I’d arrived a little late in the first inning.  There was no score.  The crowd was light with parents and some Aggie fans, including our friend, Danny.  I sat down by him and we chatted about some women’s sports mostly.  He very nicely bought me drink later and refused to let me pay him back.   

 

I didn’t keep a scorecard; I just scribbled a few notes on the games.  The Hornets got two on in the bottom of the second, but failed to score.  Hornet pitcher Savannah Wahl struck out the side in the top of the third. 

 

Nebraska showed up around this time.  Their team warmed up nearby.  Their staff set up cameras behind home plate and even on the centerfield perch.  One of the girls sat down by me.  I complimented her red shoes with the Nebraska logo on them.  She said, “Yeah, the branding is a bit much.”  I showed her my Aggie socks. 

 

In the bottom of the third, Lewa Day, I think the Sac State DP, slammed a 3-run homer down the left field line.  Malissa George then drove in two runs with a double.  The Sac State dugout, which was very vocal and spirited for the game, gave her an Indian-style cheer.  (I wonder where that came from.)  5-0 Hornets.

 

In the bottom of the fourth, the ND centerfielder, Kennedy Echols, made a great catch on a deep flyball at the wall.  After, Day drove in Gwen Ludwig from first, as she slid in under the tag.  6-0 Hornets.  AD Mario Moccia walked by with his daughter.  He’d talked about her playing high school softball in an interview.  She doesn’t listen to him shouting instructions on the field. 

Hawk shortstop, Katie Joten, started a nice double play in the bottom of the fifth.  Savannah was still pitching in the sixth.  She had a fastball that really popped.  ND got two on in the inning, but Sav had two K’s and a foul popout to get out of it. 

 

The top of the seventh ended with a great jump catch by Hawk Madison Pederson at first.  ND made a comeback in the final frame.  They loaded the bases with nobody out.  Pederson drove in a run.  A hit batter and a walk drove in two more, before a couple of popups ended the inning.  Sac State wins 6-3.

NM State vs NE Game 1

Before the end of the previous game, a large black handsome service dog came in and stole the show.  Another large black dog came in after.  I think I greeted him at the front gate earlier.  They were both with Nebraska Cornhusker fans.  An Aggie fan brought in an adorable little brown dog and sat down behind me and I got a couple of pets in.  In other words, the game was going to the dogs. 

 

While a little robot, the “Turf Tank,” redrew the lines on the field, Marketing Director, Nicole Sack, came by and gave me a fist bump.  I missed my opportunity with Mario and also with Nicole to question why this marquee double header was scheduled to start at 3:00pm on a Friday afternoon and was crossed up with Aggie Baseball’s Opening Day.  A good crowd was present for the game with a large section of Nebraska fans.   

 

The Aggies looked good with their black uniforms with crimson highlights and white lettering and numbers.  Nebraska made an odd fashion choice wearing dark pink with white stripes.  Danny said they were a preseason #7 in the country, but since the start of the season, they’d lost their star pitcher, a transfer from Oklahoma.  The program didn’t list them being ranked. 

 

Since I didn’t plan on staying, I did not keep a scorecard again.  (A pang of regret follows me typing those words.)  There was radio coverage scheduled for the double header, but it did not materialize.  Oh, well.  There was a new female PA.  I didn’t see her, but she sounded older than a student and had a great voice. 

 

“Go Big Red!” shouted the NE dugout.  Aggie pitcher, Desirae Spearman, was not intimidated.  She had two strikeouts and a flyout to start.  Between innings, Raising Cane’s Frisbees were tossed to the crowd.  (I need that like I need beads.)  In the top of the second, Des smiled after just missing another strikeout, but had another clean inning.  An Aggie hat toss followed. 

 

In the bottom, Des was the first batter and on the first pitch, she hit a line drive shot to left center for a homer.  Kendal Lunar drove the second pitch of the inning to the same place.  Aggies up 2-0! 

 

And that’s when I left.  I wasn’t going to be able to stay for the whole game without missing baseball and I figured I’d need a half hour to get over there and get settled.  I will not keep you in suspense, as I was kept and had to wait until the third inning of the baseball game to hear the final on the radio.  The Aggies win 3-0!  Des not only had the homer and doubled in one of the other runs, but also pitched a one-hitter.  Wow!  And I missed it.  The good news is that I think it was worth it, as I’ll post Aggie Baseball’s Opening Day next.