NM State Aggies vs Omaha Mavericks Softball 2-15-20

Isn’t that an attractive poster?  Ron and I ate burritos for dinner in his car after going over to the Softball Complex from baseball.  Mine was tasteless and didn’t help my upset stomach.  Inside, the cute usher wasn’t there today, but there was a cute new girl with purple hair working the concessions.  If my stomach hadn’t been irritated and I hadn’t just ate, I would have gone ahead and met her to get a hot dog.  There was a light crowd in the stands, though better than last night.  It thinned out again for Game 2.  Ron was pleased that at least Tom wasn’t there.    

Game 1

It was 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth when we got there.  Freshman Felicia de la Torre was pitching for the Aggies in the top of the seventh.  No one scored in regulation.  In the top of the eighth, Omaha hit a two-run homer to take the lead and get the win, 7-5.  That’s basically what happened.  Coming into the game so late, I was only interested in the outcome.  Also, I was listening to Aggie Men’s Basketball on the radio, as they were playing a late afternoon game.  During the break, I watched the girls goofing off and throwing something presumably gross at each other.    

Game 2

Ron and I had picked Game 2 of softball over Game 2 of baseball, since this was the last time we’d be seeing the girls for a month.  I also thought that the softball would be finished quicker, but with Game 1 here going an extra inning and Game 2 going the distance and baseball being run-ruled, I was mistaken.  No regrets though.  This was a pretty good game.  As it started getting colder, I felt less and less like taking my hands out of my pockets to write.  Keep that in mind if this seems a bit skimpy. 

Unlike last time, I would be keeping track of Omaha’s players this time too.  I did have trouble filling out the lineups.  I was wondering why the PA was muted, before I remembered I was wearing earbuds and still listening to the basketball game.  Chloe Rivas started for the Aggies.  She was also hitting for herself.  Matalasi Faapito was in at DP.  Brandy Hernandez played left field, but wasn’t in the batting order.  I think they call that the “Flex player.” 

Chloe walked the first batter and then gave up a double.  Brandy made a good play on a flyball after that.  #88 Taylor Johson came up next.  That’s like a wide receiver number, not a ball player.  Taylor hit a blooper over the infield.  Brandy dove for it, but couldn’t come up with it.  1-0 Omaha.  Nikki Butler and Ramsay Lopez singled in the bottom, but were left stranded.

I was distracted to start the second.  The song Ron and I liked from yesterday came on the PA.  I took out the earbuds this time and listened carefully to the lyrics.  I got one line and had Ron search on it which finally gave us the song, Blinding Lights  by The Weekend.  (Strangely, the next night on sports talk radio they were talking about that song too.  The host couldn’t identify it either.)  That was also bad timing to cut out of the basketball game, which was in the final seconds.  I’ll recap that elsewhere, but I was back listening in time to hear the Aggie’s last second victory there. 

Chloe walked another batter to start the inning.  That player was scored on a double.  That was followed by a single, a batter hit on the hands, and a two-run double.  Chloe still hadn’t gotten an out.  Mata came in to pitch and was finally able to finish the inning.  (Chloe kept her place in the batting order.)  4-0 Omaha.  I might have been regretting going to this game over baseball at this point.

The entire third went 1-2-3 for both teams.  The Mavericks also went down in order in the fourth, but Nikki and freshman first base Riley Carley collided on a foul popup.  We were sitting near the bottom of the stands, so it happened right in front of us.  They were okay.  Increasing the pain, Nikki was then hit to start the bottom of the frame.  Another freshman, Asa Vigil came in to run for her.  Tom then came into the grandstand.  He must have been at the basketball game.  He got over here pretty quick.  Chloe brought Asa in with a single to make it 4-1 Omaha.

I could hear an Omaha fan talking on his phone.  It was a lot colder when they were watching a game in Arkansas last week, but he thought it was pretty cold here too.  Brandy was busy in the field in the fifth catching the first two outs.  She made a great catch on a liner.  Meanwhile, Tom’s cheering literally ran off a couple of fans in front of him to the other side of the grandstand.  In the bottom, Maverick shortstop Emily Klosterman, whom I’d noticed yesterday playing well, made another good play to get Hailey Tanori at first.  Jamie White made a big stretch to make the catch at first.  She hurt herself pretty bad and had to come out.  She got a round of applause for the effort.

Mata cruised through the sixth.  In the bottom, Ramsay walked and Keala Brown came in to run for her.  Mata singled and Gabby Aragon came in to run for her.  Chloe then came up again and bashed a three-run homer to tie it at 4.  The wind was blowing, but not out.  The ball curled in flight as it flew over the wall.  Casie Roberto doubled after a strikeout.  Tall blonde, Kamryn Meyer, was brought in to pitch.  Her first warmup throw flew over her catcher’s head and hit the backstop.  Jeanelle Medina grounded to third, but a bad throw allowed her to get on and drive in Casie.  5-4 Aggies.

The lead did not last long.  Diana Murtha, who came in for White at first, homered to lead off the seventh and tie it at 5.  Mata surrendered another hit, but finished the inning.  There was great fan catch of a foul behind us.  Boy, was I hoping the Aggies would win this in seven.  It was getting miserable cold.   

Nikki was hit again to start an inning.  This time it was hard.  She’d already gotten hit on a swing behind the plate last inning.  Kayla Bowen came in to run for her.  Sydney Ross made a good play on a bouncer at the plate by Ramsay and cut down the lead runner at second.  Mata then hit a grounder to Emily at short for a possible double play, but she bobbled it and everyone was safe.  Chloe walked next.  With the bases loaded and no outs, Riley hit a bouncer to third, but the throw home was late.  Aggies win 6-5!

Thank goodness.  If this had gone extra innings, I was going to whip out my lightsaber and cut open my tauntaun.  Gameball to Omaha’s Emma Dargy who went 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI’s.  Condolences to Emily Klosterman, who I’d seen play so well in two games, for her critical error at the end.  Baseball is cruel.  For the Aggies, Matalasi Faapito did a great job in extended relief for six innings, only giving up one run (albeit at a bad time).  Chloe Rivas, the starter, did it with the bat instead.  She had a home run and 4 RBI’s. 

It was worth the frostbite, but only because the Aggies had won.  Afterward, I was uncharacteristically uninterested in going out for a meal or even dessert.  (Cold ice cream was terribly unappealing at the time.)  That was pretty cool to see a couple of comeback wins at baseball and softball today (and hear a last second win over the radio).