Monday, May 28, 2018

WAC Softball Tournament 2018 Game 9 GCU vs UMKC



During the last game, Aggies Nikki Butler and Jeanelle Medina came in and joined Kennedi Sorenson and Mikayla Bongi sitting at the table behind home plate.  Kennedi and Mikayla left at the end of the game.  As I went down to use the bathroom before the next game, I could not resist going over to congratulate Nikki on her tremendous performance in Game 7.  I’d picked the right time as both girls were in a good mood.  I got to tell Jeanelle again how much I appreciate her fielding (she also drove in two runs in that game).    


The Grand Canyon fans had really worn me out in the last game.  The worst was a guy banging on the metal bleachers with his heavy wooden cane.  The UMKC fans came in and congregated in the center of the grandstand.  The sun had just about gone down and the wind had died down a bit.  The Lopes mostly stayed off the field during their allotted warmup time, probably having to change uniforms in a hurry.  The Roos were ready to go.  During the introductions, they started hopping. 

The Lopes picked up right where they left off.  They rapped out four hits and scored two runs.  The Roos were ready to hit too.  Kelsey Goodwin and Maegan Rollow both homered.  After the second home run, the GCU starter was pulled.  They brought in their cute little red-head, Alexa Coons, again.  She was greeted with a home run by Alyx Bloom.  When the dust cleared from that barrage, it was 5-2 Roos.
 
Olivia Fluehr came in to pitch for the Roos in the second, while still DP’ing.  The Lopes started off with a Kendsey Hill double.  She advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a Laynee Gomez groundout.  5-3 Roos.  At one point, the ump was corrected on balls and strikes by the Roo bench.  He agreed and told them, “Thank you.” 

Sierra Smith hit a triple in the third for the Lopes, but came off the bag for the first out.  An Aggie Women’s Basketball assistant coach was in the stands with his family.  He made a good attempt at catching a foul ball that went over the net.  Those balls are hard to catch without a mitt.  The Bakersfield Roadrunners entered the stadium in the bottom to watch the game.  I guess all the teams made the accommodations to stay until Saturday.  The Roos threatened in the inning, but weren’t able to push across a run.

The fourth was another Grand Canyon batting practice inning.  Eight runs scored as the Lopes batted around.  Bianca Boling hit a two-run home run during the inning and an error did contribute to the scoring.  The Roos used three pitchers to get through the inning.  11-5 Lopes. 

The Roos had no answer in the bottom.  The Lopes continued their onslaught in the fifth with three more runs.  Another error contributed.  Roo first baseman Faith Willis at least may have had the play of the tournament.  On a popup by the base, she tripped and fell on her back, but still managed to make the play for the second out.  The Roos went quietly in the bottom and the game was run ruled.  14-5 Lopes was the final.

Lope Bianca Boling gets a gameball for her 3 for 3 performance with 4 RBI’s and a home run.  Brianna Aguilar did a good job in relief, locking down the end of the game. The Roos are the last to bow out before the championship game.  Yikes, Grand Canyon looks good.  They have shown some scary offense in this tournament.  However, the team they’re playing has done the same and already beaten them once.  Go Aggies!

With an early release and not having had dinner, I went to Jack-in-the-Box.  I had a coupon for free tacos, which are pretty good there.  I might have tried to start writing something, but instead sat down and ate and watched TV.  I was beat and wanted to decompress before tomorrow’s big game.  I talked to Ron.  He was happy about the Aggies playing in the championship, but wasn’t going to be able come, so I’d be on my own again.


Who’s going to win this?

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