NM State Aggies vs Northern Colorado Bears Baseball 4-13-19

Honestly, it wasn’t the nicest day for a game.  It could have been worse, as it was only partly cloudy with a cold breeze blowing in.  It felt more unpleasant than it was according to then current listed conditions.  My day didn’t get off to a good start with a neighbor banging on my door at 7:00am sharp, asking for a ride.  This was a two-hour too early wakeup call.  It was very cold at 7:00am driving down the road.  When I got back home, I was too cold to go back to sleep and I ended up exercising to warmup.  I got in an hour nap before Ron picked me up for the game, but I couldn’t sleep the next night, thinking I was going to get woke up again.  I still haven’t recovered. 

This helped my day.  I got a free t-shirt entering the stadium from a pretty and sweet blonde attendant upon entry.  They threw out a few last week, but I didn’t get to see what it looked like.  They also didn’t advertise this giveaway in their media.  I was hoping it was a camo Aggie shirt, but instead it was an olive shirt featuring the state fish, the cutthroat trout.  I think I’ll be giving this to my dad. 

A co-worker, Chuck, came in shortly after we did.  He didn’t have anything to do this afternoon, so he drove by the ballpark and hoped there was a game on this afternoon.  I gave him a limited recap of last night’s exciting win for the Aggies over Northern Colorado, which I’d watched over the Internet.  (Annoyingly, Ron could remember what the score was in an inning-by-inning manner.)  The Aggies came back four times in the game and won by a run.  They left the bases loaded in the ninth and ended the game on a double play.  Of special note in the game, Jack Pauley led off the game for the Bears with a monstrous home run to dead center over the 25’ tall batter’s eye.  I’d never seen a ball go over that wall.

Before the game, about half the team prayed in a circle by the dugout.  However, Tristen Carranza prayed by himself by next to third base.  It’s a bit of an odd scene, but it happens every game.  It’s good to see some public faith out there though.  In spite of the not entirely welcoming weather, a really good crowd showed up for the game.  The center section was nearly full.            

Jack Pauley is indeed a very large individual.  I was very impressed with his stature leading off for the Bears and seeing him in-person.  Justin Dehn, starting for the Aggies, did not give up a leadoff home run and cruised through the first.  I had an amusing exchange with Ron during the game.  I mentioned that San Antonio had acquired a new Triple-A team.  “The San Antonio Chicken Strips,” I called them.  For one horrible, civilization-doubting moment, he believed me.  Given other minor league names, it seemed plausible.  (They’re still “The Missions,” by the way, a great baseball team name.)     

Logan Bottrell and Nick Gonzales walked in the bottom of the first.  Nick was trying out a new walkup song.  I approve of it.  The kid has pretty good musical tastes.  A passed ball did advance Botts to third.  Adam Young, over the radio, commented that Lucas Allen was a good catcher, but had had a long four-hour night last night.  Next up, Tristan Peterson, apparently inspired that it could be done, jacked one over the batter’s eye himself for a three-run homer.  3-0 Aggies.  I’m thinking the team had some sort of contest going on about doing that. 

Carranza got a bit intimate with his bat next, kissing it.  We didn’t need to see that.  Adam probably shouldn’t have mentioned that over the air either.  (Yes, I know there are Major Leaguers who lick their bats.)  He hit a mile-high popup behind the plate that Allen squeezed for the out.  He is a good catcher.  AD Mario Moccia and his little girls came in.  He was wearing a really cool long-sleeve crimson and white Aggie pullover.  I saw two other people wearing them.  I admit I want one.  I hope those aren’t a staff exclusive, like those hockey sweaters that are just available for the Roadrunner Review Band.  (They could make a bunch of money selling those.)

I kept taking my sunglasses on and off as clouds rolled by overhead.  Eventually, they came off for good.  Ron had gone off hunting balls after the first.  He came back with a Carranza foul and gave it to Chuck.  He was pleased with the gift.  A trio of senior Aggie fan ladies in front of me chatted amicably with a fan couple there for UNC.  See, we’re friendly here.  Dehn blew through another inning. 

In the bottom, Connor Anderson, pitching for the Bears, went airborne diving for a popped up Jason Bush bunt.  It was an impressive effort, but he landed on his catcher.  Both were laid out for a minute.  Meanwhile, Billy Moreland from third, grabbed the ball and threw out Eric Mingus at second.  Good concentration there.  Anderson and Allen were tended to by an attractive blonde trainer.  (She reminded me of the legendary WAC Girl.)  The guys were okay and got a round of applause. 

A kid hit the window on his first try for the window contest.  They’re picking winners now.  The kid got high-fives from the Aggie dugout.  Dehn worked another quick inning.  He’d set down nine in a row.  Mingus made a great dive stop and throw from third to end the frame.  Joey Ortiz led off the third with a solo shot to right.  The wind carried that one over the fence.  4-0 Aggies.

One of the senior ladies in front of me screamed for the drawstring backpack giveaway.  She got one.  I noticed Pauley, leading off the fourth, had a sparkly shinny helmet different from the rest of the team.  Either he’s polishing his or it’s a different model.  After sitting down 10 straight batters, Dehn finally gave up a hit to Jake Gitter.  No, not Jack Glitter, like I thought his name was when I first filled out the scorecard.  (That’d be a tremendous name for a guy in a 70’s rock band.)  Dehn didn’t give up anything else in the inning.  The Aggies went down in order in the bottom.

To start the fifth, two little boys were brought down to the field for the “Scream Off.”  Yep, there was no subtly to it.  The boys took turns letting out a scream.  The loudest won.  It was surprising hysterical.  The winner chatted with the Aggie players afterward.  Dehn struck out two to start the fifth.  Botts made a good running catch to end the inning.  The Aggies went down in order in the bottom, but more disturbing was the PA message asking for the owner of a certain vehicle to report to the pressbox.  That sounded ominous.

Dehn yielded a double with two outs in the sixth.  Botts dove for the ball and just missed it.  On the next batter, Dehn redirected a comebacker.  Nick stayed with it and got the out to end the inning.  Here’s your stat of the game to this point, courtesy of the radio call, the Aggies had four runs on two hits. 

Some Volleyball girls came in for the seventh.  They were wearing their long-sleeve championship shirts.  I recognized Halle Razo and Cat Kelly (I’d like to ask her what she got sick with last year), but I still don’t know who the tall pretty girl with the long dark-hair was with them.  Joey made a great diving attempt on a single by Sam Leach behind second.  With that, the Bears actually had more hits than the Aggies.  Mingus did a good job to cutting down the lead runner at second with Nick making a stretch for the throw. 

The crowd was in good voice for the Stretch today.  The Aggies tried to manufacture a run in the seventh.  Kevin Jimenez was caught stealing after a hit.  Botts stole second after a hit, advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was left stranded.  The game was unbelievably under two hours old to this point.

Braxton Inniss pinch hit in the eighth.  He was like a smaller version of Pauley with the same long blonde hair coming out the back of this helmet.  He got on via an infield hit that hit Dehn on the leg.  Braxton stole second and took third on an errant throw by Bush behind the plate.  With that, Justin Dehn’s day was done.  Wyatt Kelly came in and got a strikeout to preserve the shutout.

By this time, it was actually getting colder.  More clouds were moving in.  Some of them looked like rain.  The Aggies still had the strategy of trying to manufacture a run in the bottom of the eighth.  Nick walked, took second on a wild pitch on a strikeout by Peterson, and stole third.  Carranza singled him in to make it 5-0 Aggies. 

Gitter got a leadoff hit in the top of the ninth.  “That run doesn’t matter!  Where was Gitter going?” said Adam as Gitter was thrown out trying to steal second.  Leach doubled later, but Kelly struck out the last batter looking to end it.  There was a scary moment in the inning.  A popup went straight back.  I lost sight of it.  Bush came to the grandstand netting and looked with some concern at the crowd.  I was about to cover my head, but the ball hit the canopy and rolled off.  It hit the front of the stands where a kid snagged it.

5-0 Aggies win!  With the cold and the threat of rain, I was glad for the quick game, which only went about two-and-a-half hours.  I can only wish that more of these games could be played in under three hours.  Justin Dehn is an obvious gameball recipient, going seven and 2/3, giving up just four hits.  Tristan Peterson gets one for his massive three-run homer.  With that, Ron and I had Long John Silvers for dinner for a change.  Two of my last three meals there had made me sick, but I couldn’t stay away.  This time I ordered sensibly and had no ill effects.  It was a good day after all, even with the bad start.