NM State Aggies vs CBU Lancers Baseball 5-18-19

It was weird seeing the baseball field this early in the morning.  Also, it felt like Sunday, but it was actually Saturday.  Ron and I were still confused from the scheduling this week.  The first thing Ron did when he picked me up was to rave about yesterday’s pizza.  It was that good.  Thanks, Zeffiro Pizzeria Napoletana in the Las Cruces Downtown Mall.  Unfortunately, we got some bad vibes right after Ron pulled in to park by abandoned dorm rooms as he’s done most of the season.  A policeman showed up and asked him to move out of the service parking area, which isn’t used at all.  At least that’s all there was to the issue.

This was the last time we got to use our Aggie Country Passes at the gate.  I had figured (12-15-18) that I’d only need to go to three Aggie events this semester to make that $140 pass pay off.  Since that time, I’ve been to at least 35.  Ron only got to see a handful of events last semester, but his paid off as well.  I went to about 55 games on that pass, so I’m going to be looking for another one of those passes next school year.  I picked up one of the senior buttons at the courtesy table inside.  I think it’s Caleb “Don’t call me Earle” Henderson, who’s been injured most of the season. 

So far, it was 1-1 between the conference’s best pitching team, CBU, versus one of the nation’s best hitting teams, NM State.  It was a true rubber match.  However, GCU had lost later at night yesterday, so the Aggies do have the number one seed at the WAC Tournament next week regardless of today’s outcome.  If the Aggies won today, they’d be outright winners of the regular season.  Otherwise, they’d be sharing the title with CBU and GCU.

I was missing Emerson already.  Seeing her was truly a reason to come out to the ballpark.  She was a flurry of activity before the game (and after).  Another great crowd came out for this game.  That was expected with Senior Day.  The big guy fan was here.  Him and another fan talked about Tom for a minute.  He apparently travels to some away games and sleeps in his truck. 

   

I hoped today’s Lancer starter, Andrew Bash, didn’t remember getting hit in the head yesterday while batting.  He would be batting for himself today.  I kind of impressed with him.  One of the CBU catchers was in the dugout, sitting on a bucket, grooving to Justin Timberlake’s Take Back the Night over the PA.  So, some of the players were loose.  Coach Adcock was late delivering the lineup card to the plate.  He took senior Ryan Mota with him as a nice gesture. 

Over the radio, Coach Green, in the pregame, said he was looped out on pain medication for his foot.  This might explain some of his decisions in this game.  Senior Bruno Teramoto started as DH.  I think a pinch hitting role might have been a better idea.  Then there’s what happened later, but we’ll get to that.  The moms of the seniors threw out the first pitches to their sons to start the game.  

On the first batter of the game, Joey Ortiz made an uncharacteristic error at short.  This seemed like the first indicator that the Aggie guys were playing tight.  Undefeated Chance Hroch just pitched right around that, no problem.  In the bottom, the Aggie dugout was good and loud.  Logan Bottrell started the inning with a four-pitch walk, but the start of a rally was killed with a double play. 

Bash helped himself out leading off in the second by homering to left field.  1-0 CBU.  Chance is a pure groundball pitcher, so that was unexpected.  Nick Gonzales probably should have gotten an error on the next batter.  But, Eric Mingus made a great quick turn on a grounder on the following batter and got the runner at second.  Nick also made a quick turn to get the runner at first and finish the double play.  The Aggies answered in the bottom off a single by Tristen Carranza and a run-scoring single by Braden Williams.  1-1.  Bruno did not use his old walkup music with his own name in the song.  I was disappointed. 

I had too much water before the game and had to retreat to the bathroom between innings.  I missed the I Scream contest.  Ron told me I didn’t miss anything, but I feel like I made a mistake.  Some pretty girls of varying ages were sitting in front of us.  One was a player girlfriend.  Another was maybe a player’s younger sister with tremendous hair.  Then a woman and her two kids came in.  She reminded me of an attractive co-worker.  She was wearing a pair of loose short shorts and was seated in a . . . how to say this . . . man-spreading pose, which for a woman looks like she’s inviting everyone to come on in.  She left after a few innings.  I nudged Ron, “Thank God she left.  Now I can watch the game again.”  Yeah, he’d noticed her too.  That was too much of a blatant distraction.

Chance worked around a walk for a scoreless third.  Botts walked again to start the bottom of the third.  After two fly outs, Carranza was hit hard enough that he seemed to get angry.  I feel like there was something going on there sub textually.  Tristan Peterson drove in Botts with a single to make it 2-1 Aggies.  The Aggies got another double play to end the top of the fourth.  The bottom of the Aggie order went down with two strikeouts in the bottom of the fourth.   

For the second inning in a row, Chance walked the leadoff batter in the fifth.  Peterson made a good play to get the lead runner on a grounder.  After a single with two on, Botts made a great diving, rolling catch in center to end the inning.  This guy is not playing like he has a back that could give out at anytime.  The wind and sun were causing fielding problems.  The CBU shortstop and centerfielder made good plays on difficult flyballs to end the fifth.

Coach Adcock had argued lightly on a close play earlier in the game.  To start the sixth, he came out to argue another close play at first.  The ump tossed him immediately to the cheers of the crowd.  He had it coming after accusing Justin Dehn of cheating in the last game.  Chance had no problem this inning.  I think Emerson was back in the Dino Dash suit for the pocket contest between frames.  She looked uncomfortable.  I’m not sure why they needed the suit for that contest. 

If it was her in there, she got out of that suit quick, as Peterson cranked a home run to lead off the bottom of the sixth.  Emerson tossed out home run t-shirts for the last time this season.  Peterson’s homer went to left center.  Two fielders converged on the ball, but couldn’t find it as it eventually flew over the fence.  The wind must have caught that one and sent it over.  3-1 Aggies.  Bash was taken out as the pitcher, but remained in the batting order as the DH. 

Chance was only at 78 pitches to start the seventh.  Mingus had an error, but Braden threw out the runner trying to steal second, so the inning only went three batters.  I saw Analise de la Roca from the Softball team enter the stands.  I’d seen her here over the last couple of days, but didn’t see any of the rest of the team today.  Hmm . . . I wonder if she’s going out with someone on the baseball team.  It was a bit nippy with a cool breeze kicking up.  Some girls were wearing jackets.  I was glad I was wearing three layers, including my Aggie Baseball jersey.  I saw a girl wearing a CBU jersey. 

The Aggies had a single in the bottom, but didn’t score.  I noticed a lady moved in below us that I think was Nick’s mom.  Adam Young, on the radio, reported that Verizon, the university’s Internet provider was down because of repairs to the tower at the football stadium.  He was unable to get out-of-town scores.  Below us, the player’s girlfriend was somewhat panicking until the problem was fixed. 

Chance Hroch was taken out of the game next inning.  He had been cruising along and was well under 100 pitches.  Adam speculated that he was taken out early to pitch in the WAC Tournament next week.  Senior Andrew Edwards came in to pitch the eighth.  He’d had an eventful but scoreless inning on Thursday.  I can see what the coach was thinking here to let the senior pitch on Senior Day, but he didn’t seem to be looking at the scoreboard or at his bullpen’s, much less Edwards’, stats when he made this decision.  If the Aggies had had a bigger lead I might be okay with this, but . . . 

What happened next was almost predictable.  I don’t even want to remember this inning.  If only the concession stand sold hemlock.  (They’d probably screw it up anyway.)  13 Lancers came to the plate as they scored 7 runs.  Four Aggie pitchers had come in to finish it.  The CBU fans roared during the massacre.  A group of Little Leaguers did work up a cheer for the Aggies.      

Edwards hit his first batter, but wasn’t helped by his defense, as Mingus committed a second error.  After giving up the lead without getting an out, Wyatt Kelly came in and also didn’t get an out after facing two batters.  Keaton Graf, the more-or-less closer, came in.  He didn’t do much better until he got the first out of the inning on the eighth batter.  That strikeout was questionable, if not pitiable, as the zone was called all over the place.  He was taken out after a final hit that should have been scored as another error on Joey.  Aldo Fernandez had to come in and get the final out, and even then Braden got hurt on one of his warm up pitches.  8-3 Lancers.

Braden sac’d in a run in the bottom of the eighth, but was all of the comeback.  Aldo came back in for the ninth.  At this point, I was actually more worried about the Lancers piling on more runs than the Aggies coming back.  Peterson made a good jump catch for the first out.  The Aggies honored Bash’s hitting and intentionally walked him with a runner on.  The bases were then loaded when Aldo balked in a run.  Alex Reyes had to come in.  Thankfully, the Aggies turned their third DP to end the inning.  The Aggies went down quietly in the bottom.  Lancers win 9-4.         

                     

Strangely, everything added up easily on my scorecards for this three-game series.  I am getting better at this?  Unlikely.  It was probably being able to listen to the radio call for all the games.  Let’s take stock here.  The Aggies won part of a three-way share of the conference regular season, instead of winning it outright.  They broke their unbeaten Sunday streak, Chance’s winning streak, winning games Chance started, and winning every series this season.  This ranks right up there with the last two years’ final game losses (5-19-18 and 5-20-17).

Let’s hand out some gameballs.  Andrew Bash for the Lancers had a good day pitching, but probably a better day hitting, going 2 for 4 with a home run.  For the Aggies, Tristan Peterson continued his torrid hitting going 2 for 2 with a home run and 2 RBI’s.  Braden Williams didn’t have a hit, but drove in the Aggies’ other two runs.  What can you say about Chance Hroch, other than he should have gotten the win here?  He went 7 innings and only gave up 3 hits and 1 run.  If only the coach had wanted to win this game as much as Chance did.  Coach Green said afterward, “We didn’t get it done today.”  I hope he was including himself there.     

In general, Aggie hitting run into good pitching today and didn’t do well, but weren’t shutout.  They made some good plays in the field, but also should have been charged with five errors, not three.  As good as Chance was, the relief pitching was uniformly bad.  I can only hope that losing this game motivates them to win the tournament, like last years’ bad loss did, but this team seems to have some real exploitable flaws.  Going for the win here would have silenced some doubts rather than magnifying them. 

Senior Ceremony

The stands cleared right after the game, though there were friends, family, and a few hardcores (myself, Ron, and a few others) remained.  CBU’s seniors were announced.  Their team celebrated on field twice after the game.  Thankfully, they left right after.  If there was some bad blood during this series, it’s definitely going to carry over to next season. 

The seniors and their families were brought out one at a time with their accomplishments announced.  They were given giant silver baseball card plaques.  Bruno Teramoto’s family wasn’t there (being in Brazil).  Emerson rushed over to walk him out until Eric Mingus’ family joined him.  He’s lived with a couple of player host families here.  Tristen Carranza’s resume with the Aggies was impressive.  If only I’d had time to write it out.

Coach Green was almost too choked up to talk as he discussed each of the 11 seniors.  It looked like half the team was leaving, especially since Joey Ortiz is eligible to be drafted.  The coach spoke about Mingus not playing at all as a junior and told the bench players that he should be an inspiration to them for working hard.  Bruno was praised for being a great teammate with a great attitude and for his hard work.  A scout had told the coach to recruit Bruno because he was going to be a great Brazilian politician someday.  Caleb Henderson, while he wasn’t able to play much this year because of injury (though he might figure into the tournament), was called the “team captain.”

Brock Whittlesey’s unbelievable relief efforts in last years’ WAC tournament championship (5-26-18 and 5-27-18) were brought up.  Justin Dehn got a shutout win over Alabama last year and beat the Lobos three times in his career.  The coach teased Andrew Edwards.  His playing status was a bit up in the air, so he didn’t get a card right now.  The coach said he just wanted to come back next year and get another ceremony.  Then the coach completely lost it on Tristen Carranza and could barely speak.

The college Chancellor was there for the ceremony.  The coach had the guys put on black gowns and hats and announced each of them as they shook the Chancellor’s hand.  The coach seemed incredulous that some of them had actually graduated.  The players then tossed their hats in the air.  Coach Green invited everyone out to the RV’s for dinner.  That was nice of him, and I must admit, he did a good job of making me feel better after that terrible loss.  As me and Ron walked out, we passed by a girl with a small dog wearing a vest that said, “Emotional Support Animal.”  I might have laughed other days, but today I wouldn’t minded having one myself. 

Ron and I felt better about things after filling meals over at Jack-in-the-Box.  I had an Ultimate Cheeseburger.  When we pulled up, I pointed at the sign out front advertising a triple-decker burger meal deal.  “I think they saw you coming,” I said.  Well, this was it for in-person Aggie sports until the fall.  It was kind of bummer way to finish, but there’s still the tournament to listen to and we’ve got another year of memories.