Wednesday, March 7, 2018

NM State Aggies vs the Harvard Crimson Baseball 3-4-18

Ron was out for this Sunday game to take care of some family members, so I was solo today.  I took advantage of the concessions special and picked up a $1 hot dog for lunch.  It had a stale bun, but at least it was cheap.  I also finally got the Corn in the Cup that I’d been craving.  It was a messy, soupy gumbo swimming in a butter/grease/water concoction.  It was delicious.  I ate the meal while watching the Aggies warm up on field.  Then the “Aggies” retreated to the visiting dugout.  Harvard’s team is called “The Crimson.”  As this implies, they wear crimson, which is the same primary color as the Aggies.  Today, both teams were wearing colored crimson tops and white pants.  I thought that one confused fan from last night’s game was a bit inebriated, but it was probably confusing for everyone at times.          

It was a clear, warm day, somewhat spoiled by a stiff breeze.  At least it wasn’t a cold one and for the fans in the grandstand, it was blowing out and not bothering them.  It was going to be bothering the players during the game however.  This was another TV game with no radio.  Friday night, I’d seen former Aggie pitcher, Matt McHugh, in the booth for the game.  He was here again and was the only guy at the stadium in a suit.  (I’m not sure even play-by-play guy, Adam Young, was as dressed up.)  Matt walked by me on the way to the booth.  I called him by name and told him to call a good game.  He seemed pleased with the recognition.

The Harvard announcer guy from last night was here, but he wasn’t broadcasting.  Once again, I had no opportunity to talk to him to see if he really was broadcasting for them.  The Old Man was there, cheering up a storm as usual.  It was a pretty good crowd.  I noticed a guy in a new Diablos t-shirt.  I think the El Paso Chihuahuas may have undercut their brand by bringing back the old logo and team name. 

A trio of young women sat down in front of me for the game.  Two were pretty attractive and even the other one had a nice hairstyle.  I think they were in the sports medicine program.  They sort of knew the guys in some fashion and were there to support them.  “All my baseball knowledge comes from watching Trouble With the Curve,” said the cute one.  I’ve seen some the movie.  That’s not a bad place to start.  In any case, they were fully engaged in the game and had a good time watching. 

I missed the PA lineup announcement trying to find a trash can for my lunch.  (What happened to the ones at either end of the grandstand?) Thankfully, there was a program today, so I didn’t have any trouble filling out my scorecard.  I finally identified the organ music clip the PA plays.  It was surprisingly Suki Yaki, not a tune I’d expect at a ballpark.  Though a TV game, there was only one lengthy delay for the broadcast at the beginning of the game.  The rest of the breaks were normal.      
           
Though Harvard got a double play to start off the bottom of the first, Mason Fishback came up next and homered.  It looked like an easy flyball to center, but just kept carrying in the wind.  This would inspire many of the other batters in the game to swing for flyballs.  Not a bad strategy.  A popup by Tristen Carranza next, blew all over the place before the Harvard first baseman caught it and fell down.

In the top of the second, Nick Gonzales made a great play on a dying little blooper to throw out the runner at first.  Jonathan Groff, starting for the Aggies, kept the ball low and got a couple of groundouts to end the inning.  The fielding was good there and I wonder if it was helped by Groff working quickly.  The wind picked up in the bottom.  Aggie batters aimed for the sky, but ended up with three fly outs.

The third featured a souvenir cup giveaway.  I already had one.  One of the girls in front applauded a lead-off base hit by Harvard to start the third.  She immediately realized her mistake and said she was confused by the uniforms.  The bases were loaded on another hit and a walk, but a double play limited the damage to one run.  1-0 Harvard.  Nick started off the bottom.  The Old Man and another fan, perhaps Marcus Still’s dad, told him to “Put it over the wall!”  He responded by sending the ball over the wall to right center.  It was a line drive shot, but the wind may have kept it flying.  We were tied at one.  A couple of attractive girls from the Track and Field team came in and sat down behind me.  They were in shorts and, as you might guess, they had great legs.

For the fourth, a little kid hit the window for the pitching contest.  He got some low-fives from the guys in the dugout.  The wind was blowing for both teams.  Hunter Bigge got one up in the jetstream to right with a runner on and put Harvard up on a homer, 3-1.  Groff got in some more trouble after, but worked out of it.      

The bottom of the fourth started with a bang.  Tristan Carranza hit the outfield wall with a line shot.  However, he only made it to first.  I initially thought it was because he was admiring what seemed like a sure home run, but actually he pulled something on the hit and had to be stretched out by a trainer at first.  He stayed in.  Caleb Henderson singled, then Logan Ehnes hit a popup, which the fielder lost in the sun, allowing him to reach.  This loaded the bases. 
“Hit us a granny!” yelled someone in the crowd to Trey Stine, up next.  He didn’t, but did drive in a run from being hit by a pitch.  The girls in front of me took their second group selfie of the game.  “People ask me, ‘How do you get those fine abs?’  I say, ‘It’s from holding out my phone all the time,’” said the cute one in the group.  Ah, she’s clever too.  On the field, Nick Gonzales hit a fly ball to left.  Between the sun and the wind, the fielder never saw the ball, and it ended up being a two-run double.

Marcus Still’s Dad started repeating the Old Man’s cheers as the Aggies batted around for the frame.  Marcus Still singled in a run.  Joey Ortiz sacrificed in a run.  Fishback and Carranza both doubled in runs.  When the dust cleared, the Aggies were up 9-3.  The PA had to take a minute before announcing the inning totals.  No errors were given out for the untouched fly balls.  Conditions were a bit rough for the players in the field and generally, if nobody touches the ball, it’s not an error.

The girls brought back something vicious-smelling from the concession, like really strong pickles.  Here, I regretted sitting near them.  The Aggies turned a double play for a quick top of the fifth.  Marcus Still drove in another run with a double in the bottom, 10-2.  Patrick Robinson for Harvard made a good diving catch in left field for an out.  In the sixth, I knew the trivia question (or more accurately, I knew to look at the program for the answer).  I would have run to the pressbox if I’d know they were giving away an umbrella.  I’ve destroyed both of mine going to softball and soccer games.  Also, I would have gotten to finally see the female PA voice. 

While the Aggies had been blasting away this game, Jake Suddleson for Harvard got the height and distance medal for a homer today.  His solo shot in the top of the sixth went 400’ to dead center and cleared the 20’ batter’s eye.  This one was definitely wind-aided.  Marcus Still out in center, didn’t even move or look as the ball flew overhead.  10-4 Aggies. 

Then the Aggies sent 16 men to the plate in the bottom of the sixth.  (Deep breath.)  Ortiz walked, Fishback doubled him in.  A hit batter and another walk loaded the bases.  Harvard changed pitchers (a little too late).  The PA ran him off with multiple sound effects and played Pressure by David Bowie and Queen for his replacement.  Ehnes singled in two runs.  Trey Stine then came up and hit a three-run homer.  The right fielder turned around and watched the ball hit one of the pine trees behind the wall.  He flapped his arms in resignation, or perhaps he wanted to fly away.

The girls, meanwhile, were reviewing some emergency medical procedures, maybe for a test.  Certainly the hemorrhaging on field might have reminded them about it.  Where were we?  Let’s see.  Next up, walk, hit batter, hit batter, grand slam home run.  That last one was courtesy of Joey Ortiz.  He hit the scoreboard in left field.  Fishback then got hit in the head on a fastball.  Given how many batters Harvard hit today (6 in total, 2 in Game 2 yesterday, I don’t know about the other two games), it might have been an accident.  Unfortunately, this one was hard.  Fishy had to come out of the game.  The pitcher was also yanked immediately.  Aggie pitching showed remarkable restraint in not retaliating. 

The Harvard shortstop, Chad Minato, came over to pitch.  Harvard does have close to a full roster, but I guess he was their best option at that moment.  His first batter, Carranza, fouled out to the first baseman.  That was the first out of the inning.  Then another hit batter, a three-run homer by Ehnes, and finally the second and third outs.  13 runs on five hits for the sixth.  23-4 Aggies.

The girls left after that barrage, but there was an Aggie Baseball t-shirt toss to the crowd from the pressbox.  There weren’t many kids there today, so heck yes, I wanted one.  I stood and waved, but came away empty.  “Good effort, Yale! . . . I mean Harvard,” shouted out a fan as they came to bat in the seventh.  That was just cruel (but you shouldn’t have pegged one of our star players).  After three quick groundouts, the game suddenly ended.  The run rule was in effect for this game apparently.  (Why isn’t this rule in effect for every game?)  Our final Aggies 23, Harvard 4

Jonathan Groff did a great job pitching in conditions not conducive to good pitching.  Good job by the fielders too.  Offensively, holy crap!  Let’s hand it to Logan Ehnes going 4 for 5 with 5 RBI’s and a homer.  Of course, there were plenty of other great performances hitting today (Joey Ortiz 5 RBI, grand slam HR; Mason Fishback 3 for 4, 3 RBI, HR; Trey Stine 4 RBI, HR).  This was one of those days where the Aggies looked like world-beaters.

Thanks to the truncation, the game ended in under three hours.  I drove by the tennis complex on the way home, since I knew there were matches going on today.  I saw a bunch of people there, but didn’t see the girls playing from the road, so I decided not to stop.  I wouldn’t finally be seeing Eli Arnaudova today.  This was a feel-good win today after yesterday’s loss.  If that strong wind had been blowing into the stands, I might not have felt so good about it.  Okay, no live Aggie sports for this upcoming weekend, but we’re hoping to hear the Men and Women’s Basketball teams playing for the WAC championship on Saturday.              
  

No comments:

Post a Comment