NM State Aggies vs Liberty Flames Baseball 4-7-24

 

Liberty, Bibberty.

 

Sorry.  No disrespect intended, but I couldn’t resist.

 

It’s been awhile since my last Aggie Baseball post.  In that time, the Aggies got a road win over Arizona, but were swept over three games by nationally-ranked conference opponent, Dallas Baptist.  (Along with non-conference losses to Nebraska and UNM.)  Friday, in bad weather, the Aggies fell to conference-leading Liberty, 9-3.  It was a close game, until Liberty pulled away late.  (I was told the Student Section was nuts for that game.) 

 

I was woken up Saturday morning to the sound of a 50-mph wind thrashing at my window.  It calmed down a bit in the afternoon, but was still strong and cold.  I decided to sit that game out.  Just as well, Liberty took advantage of that wind blowing out and crushed the Aggies 15-5 in a run rule win. 

 

Aggie Volleyball also played a scrimmage in the morning with Arizona and a couple of other teams.  Unfortunately, they were playing at Las Cruces High School, instead of the Pan-Am.  I have no familiarity with that facility, so I decided not to go, since I didn’t know where to go there.  (It’s a pretty big place.)  It’s a pity, since I enjoyed last year’s a lot.  If only Ron was still available.  I’m sure we could have figured it out.

 

Today was a much better day for a ballgame.  It was a little chilly in the shade, but almost no wind.  Though more pleasant, there was a bit of a light crowd today at 512.  We had radio call with Adam Young and Marcel Renteria.  Marcel’s doing a good job of pointing out the strategy in the game. 

 

On field, the Flames were wearing eye-catching powder blue tops with red numbers.  A new pitch clock timer has been added to the scoreboard.  The bright red numbers were making the dim scoreboard lights look even worse.  (And I’d rather have the radar gun numbers back.)  I was sitting with Fan Michael and we were both surprised that Ken showed up.  He’s a big Iowa fan and their Women’s Basketball team was playing in the NCAA Championship in the afternoon.  He had enough time to see a couple of hours of this game before going back home for that.            

 I guess these are right (sorta).  We’ll go with them.  Hayden Walker started for the Aggies and had a 1-2-3 first.  In the bottom, we started with the fielding weirdness.  Keith Jones grounded out to third on the scorecard, but Flames third baseman, Cam Foster, was actually playing to the left of second.  The NCAA hasn’t banned shifts, like the MLB.  Michael mentioned that Foster had hit two home runs yesterday.  The guy looks huge on field.  After two outs, the Aggies started the scoring with a single by Titus Dumitru, driven in by Damone Hale, who tripled into the right field corner.  1-0 Aggies.

 

Michael also mentioned a kid was hit in head by a foul ball yesterday on a deflection.  It seems so unlikely at Presley Askew Field, but it can happen.  The kid even saw it coming and tried to cover himself.  In the top of the second, Aggie third baseman, Sheehan O’Connor, got the second out of inning . . .  playing to the left of the second base.  A grounder ate him up on the next play and was ruled a hit, but that was the only damage.  The Aggies went down in order in the bottom.

 

My fingers were getting cold and my nose was running a bit.  I was watching the sun line creep too slowly towards me.  Walker got in trouble in the third, giving up three straight singles to start the inning.  Those hits and a sac fly brought in two runs to make it, 2-1 Liberty.  Whatever wind there was seemed to be knocking fly balls down.  Keith would not be denied in the third and jacked one out to left.  Tied at two.  

 

A couple of attractive young women wearing tank tops and shorts came in.  They made sure to sit in the sunlight.  Michael and Ken got an eyeful.  The pretty team photographer wearing her usual yoga pants and tank top went over and chatted with them and got my attention.  Liberty struck back in the top of the fourth.  A single and a hit batter were driven in by a double to make it 4-2 Flames. 

 

Liberty brought out their first reliever in the bottom of the fourth.  With another shift on, Mitch Namie slapped one down the unguarded left field line.  He went for two and was thrown out at second on a good throw by Brayden Horton.  Undaunted, Nick Gore doubled next.  Logan Galina got the start at DH today and made the most of it with a two-run line drive homer to right.  He did not shorten his swing with two strikes.  We were back tied at 4.

 

I was occasionally hearing a guy behind me doing what sounded like a radio call for Liberty.  I didn’t see him.  I was getting dual commentary on the game sometimes.  It was a dog day at the park.  I saw a cute dog coming in, but the owner shook her head about petting him.  (He looked friendly enough.)  Later, a Dalmatian came in.  He took a shine to Ken, but I didn’t get any pets.  After he left, a troop of three little kids kept coming over to play with him.  It was so cute.

 

I was finally in the sun by the top of the fifth and was comfortable for the rest of the game.  Liberty started off with a leadoff walk.  A deep single moved him over to third.  A sac fly by Camden Troyer brought in a run.  Keith made a great throw in to the infield.  In a heady play, Sheehan cut it off and threw to second to get the runner there to end the inning.  5-4 Liberty.  In the bottom, Keith tried to do it all himself.  He worked a walk and stole second.  On a bad pickoff throw, he took third.  On a bad throw to third, he tried to take home and was thrown out by Foster.  Great effort.

 

As I warmed up, I got hungry and wished I’d had a $1 dog here instead of having a bowl of cereal at home.  Michael said he saw a girl drop a whole box of hot dogs, while I was in the bathroom.  Worse news was that I watched new Aggie pitcher, Saul Soto, give up a leadoff home run in the sixth to Brian McClellin.  Saul let on two baserunners, but got out of it with a pair of strikeouts.  6-4 Liberty. 

 

Liberty brought in a new pitcher, Ben Blair, in the bottom after the bases were loaded via two hit batters and a walk.  Blair is one of Liberty’s best relievers and had blanked the Aggies Friday.  He’d only given up one hit.  Kade Benevidez had that hit and came in to pinch hit.  Kade singled and brought in a run.  Romeo Ballesteros brought in another on a fielder’s choice to tie the score again, 6-6.  That play would have probably been an inning-ending double play, but when Blair fielded the ball, there was no one covering second and he had to settle for one. 

 

Saul gave up a triple to Foster in the top of the seventh with one out.  No problem.  Saul came back with a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.  He came off the mound pumped up.  Damone was inspired.  He hammered a homer to right center to give the Aggies a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the seventh. 

 

In the top of the eighth, Saul got helped out with a couple of good defensive plays.  Mitch made a great dive stop on a grounder and Saul lost his hat outrunning the batter to first for the out.  Next, Ty Acton made a jump catch on a liner at second.  The third out was harder to get, after a double and a walk, but Saul got a fly out to end it.

 

Saul needed some insurance for the ninth.  In the bottom of the eighth, Romeo worked a walk and stole second.  Keith drove him in.  The Aggies would load the bases after and force a pitching change, but they’d have to settle for an 8-6 lead for the final frame.

 

The shift worked for the Aggies in the top of the ninth.  Kade, who had taken over third, caught a liner to the left of second to start the inning.  Foster was walked.  After a deep fly out to center, McClellin, who’d homered off Saul earlier, was lifted for a pinch hitter.  I’m not sure about the reasoning, but it ended with a foul out, so I’m okay with it.  Aggies win an epic one, 8-6!   

 

Plenty of Gameballs to hand out.  For the Flames, Kane Kepley went 2 for 4 with 3 RBI’s and Brian McClellin was 2 for 4 with a homer.  For the Aggies, Saul Soto got the win with four innings of work and only giving up 1 run.  Keith Jones went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI’s and a homer.  Logan Galina went 1 for 4, but his two-run homer kept the team in it.  Damone Hale went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI’s.  His home run was the game winner.          

 

I was pleased to see both teams line up and shake hands after the game.  I appreciate good sportsmanship.  That was a pretty entertaining three hours.  I think I walked past Keith’s dad on the way out.  Many parents in attendance wear shirts with their kid’s name on them.  I went over to Dominos to take care of my hunger with a Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich.  I ate it while watching the fourth quarter of the Women’s NCAA Championship.  I didn’t get the result I wanted, but you can’t win them all.  (Hopefully, Ken will get over it quickly.)