NM State Aggies vs Utah State Wolverines Softball 5-1-21

Basia Query

 

It’s not my best work.  On the other hand, I would probably do worse with successive attempts.  I’ve also been inking and coloring my sketches for some time (which I’ll post somewhere in the future), but I’d probably ruin this one doing that.  At least, it’s an earnest effort.  I’ll try sketching Basia again someday, but for now and needing a timely sketch, we’ll go with this.

 

Oh yeah, this is supposed to be an Aggie blog and here I am idolizing an opposing player.  I’d link to previous posts, but after a quick search, I see that there have done too many to bother doing so.  Suffice it to say, I am a fan of Utah Valley’s catcher, Basia Query.  I was real sure I’d never see her again, but I guess she took the eligibility exemption to play another year.  Our own catcher, Nikki Butler, did the same even though her other senior teammates left.  These girls are gamers.

 

After the last home baseball and softball series, Ron and I were inclined to go to see softball this weekend.  The baseball team didn’t look real good, while softball seemed to be clicking.  Also, this Saturday was going to be Senior Day and they said even the departed seniors from last year would be attending.  When I noticed the opponent was Utah Valley and took a look at their roster, we were going to see softball definitively. 

 

To bring things up to date, on Friday, Aggie Baseball lost to UTRGV, while Aggie Softball took a double header from Utah Valley.  Game 2 was especially notable as the Aggies came back from a 9-0 deficit to win on a walk-off home run by Maya Martinez.  Unfortunately for Ron, he went to the baseball game that day.  They’d moved up the game time by three hours, so there wasn’t much of a crowd with him.  He said that he saw a guy get a free hat for returning a foul ball, so now he was inspired to give his fouls back.  He also said there were a couple of hot lesbians making out in front of him at the game.  Maybe he was okay with watching the loss then.  There’s more to this story later.  

 

(Also Friday, I got to watch some of the Roman Reigns/Daniel Bryan championship match on WWE Smackdown.  There were stakes for this match.  Roman had put up his belt if he lost.  Bryant would leave the show if he lost.  The shocking thing about the match was that there were no shenanigans or outsider interference.  The guys just went at it for about a half hour.  Of course after the match, all that stuff happened, but I was impressed with the contest integrity.)

 

Ron picked me up and we went to Subway to get sandwiches.  We were still hoping to catch Game 2 of the baseball double header after softball.  I can’t say how much I love patronizing Subway with their mostly subpar food and their new spokes-bitch, Megan Rapinoe.  They’re so proud of their affiliation with her, they don’t even name her in their commercials hoping nobody who would be offended will recognize her.  All I can say is that Subway is convenient to our destination.  Ron impulsively went over to PQ Treats and ordered a shake.  This, of course, was a total breech of game etiquette.  Ice cream is for winners.  We haven’t even played the game yet.  We may be jinxing the team!  Of course I still ordered a Banana Cheesecake Frozen Tornado anyway. 

 

At the Softball Complex, there she was right away.  Basia had her long stylish hair tied up with a pretty pink ribbon and was warming up.  At the ticket window, her parents, my future in-laws, came up right behind me.  Basia actually came over and waved to them as we went into the grandstand.  Part of me really does want to ask my new mom and dad if they named their daughter after the jazz/pop singer from the 90’s.  I listened to Basia’s Time and Tide album all the time back then.  During team introductions, I noticed Utah Valley had nearly brought an entire second team with them.  They were also bigger, taller, more athletic-looking, and prettier than the Aggies.  I nearly change sides altogether, but Ron restrained me from going over to asking my new family for a Wolverines t-shirt.         

 

It was a perfect sunny day with a light breeze in the high 70’s.  I can’t believe my Frozen Tornado lasted 15 minutes until I was able to sit down and start eating it.  I can’t believe my willpower lasted that long with ice cream waiting to be consumed.  It was still frozen and stayed that way until I finished it.  A good, but late-arriving crowd showed up for the game.  There was increased capacity here and at the baseball stadium for this weekend.  Some good-looking young women came in and sat around us.  I invited a co-worker to come to the game.  He should have as he would have had plenty of girls to choose from.  This guy juggles hot Instagram girls.  He wouldn’t have had any trouble getting a date, unless he talked to Basia, then he would have had trouble from me.  

Aggie Baseball would be playing Game 1 of their double dip at the same time.  Ron and I both brought radios to listen to the game coverage, though we could see some of the game through the tree screen.  Adam Young was doing TV coverage for the softball game, so there was another announcer for the radio.  I never caught his name, but he was doing a good job.  I’ll mention more of his coverage during Game 2.                        

I didn’t have any trouble with the scorecards this time, so that must mean I got something wrong, but I’m not double checking it with the official scoring.  Souvenirs were tossed to the crowd before the game.  I piped up when I saw they were tossing out Aggie socks again and caught a pair.  These would be a gift.  My dad didn’t want them, but I gave them to a co-worker, who liked my pair and often wears novelty socks herself.  The game itself started off well.  Gabby Aragon made a diving catch on a liner.  The Utah Valley coach went out and argued that the ball was trapped.  The umps conferenced and let the play stand.  I cheered Basia’s first at bat.  I showed Ron my scorecard with the hearts on it by her name.  The Wolverines were not to be outdone in defense.  Emery Nielson at short made great snowcone catch on a Hailey Tanori liner.  The Aggies threatened in the inning, but didn’t score.  The dugout was good and loud in singing.

 

We saw a group of hot chicks tailgating in the parking lot when we came in.  They made an entrance in the second and went to the other side of the stands.  They looked familiar seeing them both times, but I couldn’t put my finger on who they were.  Also coming in was a family with a cute little boy and girl in cowboy hats.  It was too darling.  On the radio, Aggie Baseball scored in their game against UTGRV.  In the top of the second, Gabby made another great play in left.  She flagged down a foul ball after a long run fearlessly nearly going into the fence.

 The section of hot chicks yelled for t-shirts during a giveaway.  This would be funnier when I finally recognized them.  Gabby singled to start the bottom of the second.  Maya followed that with a double.  Then we have the inevitable weirdness.  Kendra Levesque grounded out to second.  Gabby was not going to try to take home on that, but Maya started from second anyway and kind of forced it.  The Wolverines may have been a little shocked for a second.  Gabby managed to slide in under the tag.  Block that plate, Basia!  It was too late.  Bad baserunning didn’t cost the Aggies at this point.  Hope Banales singled in another run.  The inning ended on Siena Sandoval catching a screaming line drive at third.  Sometimes softball pitchers wear wire facemasks, but softball third basemen need one as well.  2-0 Aggies.

 

Aggie pitcher, Matalasi Faapito, got two quick outs to start the third.  Jade Miller came up and hit a ground rule double that bounded over the centerfield wall.  It looked like one of fielders might have helped it over, but the umps didn’t think so.  After another hit, Linnah Rebolledo slammed a big three-run homer to left center.  Basia followed with a single.  Yay!  She nearly got picked off as she slipped making the turn around first.  Oops.  Mata finished the inning with a strikeout.  3-2 Utah Valley.  On the baseball field, the Aggies scored a couple of runs as a fielder fell as he lost the ball in the sun.  “Does the sun get the RBI?” said the announcer.  I noticed the Wolverine pitcher, Katie Zuniga, was working with her sleeves rolled up.  She rotated both her arms pretty hard in her delivery.  Kaya Bowen hustled a long single into a double, but Aggie Softball didn’t score in the bottom.

 

In the top of the fourth, Chloe Rivas came in to pitch. She gave up two singles, but didn’t allow a run.  At Aggie Baseball, the Vaqueros homered to make it 3-1 Aggies.  Zerek Saenz then drove in two runs to make it 5-1.  There was an announcement recognizing Aggie Softball’s community service last year.  The award was given to the hot chicks in the stands.  Ah, now I recognize them.  I’d like to think that revelation would have come quicker if they’d worn their uniforms, but maybe not.  I finally clearly saw the diminutive and iconic Brandy Hernandez.  When she took off her sunglasses, I had to catch my breath seeing the stunning Jeanelle Medina. 

 

More souvenirs are tossed to the crowd.  Brandy called for a giveaway and got what looked like a fanny pack.  Do the players not get any swag while they’re playing?  The little boy with the cowboy hat ran down a foul ball and got an Aggie hat.  In the bottom of the fourth, Hope got a hustle double as her popup fell in between three fielders, but that was the only noise the Aggies made that inning.  For the final out, Peyton Prigge on first, fell down to field the ball and crawled to tag the base. 

 

To start the fifth, it was announced that it was 77 degrees and sunny here and in Orem, Utah, where Utah Valley is.  Aggie Baseball loaded the bases and scored more to make it 10-1.  Ron is starting to get irritated with me for insisting on going to softball.  Chloe deflected a grounder on the first batter that resulted in an infield hit.  Chloe came back to make a good play on the next batter, as she got the grounder and threw out the lead runner.  Basia grounded out again in the inning.  Darn it!

 

The Aggies rallied in the bottom of the fifth.  Ramsay Lopez drew a walk.  Nikki singled.  Antuanett Dean came in to pinch run for her.  Kayla grounded to short, but the ball went right through the wickets.  Ramsay scored just under Basia’s tag.  I can imagine Basia being a bit frustrated by this point, but she’d get her redemption on the next batter.  Gabby grounded to second and Kyla Hardy threw home to get Dean.  From here, the Aggies’ questionable baserunning got worse.  Gabby went to second and beat the throw back into the infield.  Kayla then tried to score and was thrown out at the plate.  There’s your standard double play.  I was cheering for Basia.  Ron was ready to throttle me.  Co-Coach Cat Heifner charged out to argue the third out.  I’m not sure what the basis of it was.  Obstruction?  The umps conferenced and let the play stand.  3-3.

 

I took no notes on the top of the sixth for some reason.  Jade Miller drove in Laynee Betancur to make it 4-3 Utah Valley.  At least I was still keeping the scorecard.  The Wolverines brought in a new pitcher for the sixth.  Maya greeted her with a home run on the first pitch.  Hope then split the outfielders on a single.  Hailey doubled and Hope turned on the jets to score and give the Aggies the lead.  An overthrow into the field moved Hailey to third.  (I called it an error, but there wasn’t one announced.)  Utah Valley’s coach argued the call, but there was no umpire committee meeting this time.  A wild pitch scored Hailey right after.  (I don’t think it was a passed ball.  My feelings for Basia had no effect on my ruling.)  Again, no notes for the seventh, but Chloe closed it out.  Aggies win 6-4!  On the baseball field at about the same time, the Aggies won 12-1.  Chris Jefferson pitched a 7-inning complete game. 

 

We’ll hand out gameballs.  Maya Martinez did it again to the Wolverines with a home run.  Hope Banales went 3 for 3 and really has a set of wheels.  Chloe Rivas got the win as she went four innings and only gave up a run.  For the Wolverines, Linnah Rebolledo gets the nod for her 3-run homer.  And of course, Basia Query wins my heart.

 

The Senior Ceremony felt a little rushed, which was sort of okay, since me and Ron wanted to get over to the baseball field.  The Wolverines’ seniors were recognized first, starting with Basia.  She was all smiles collecting a rose from an Aggie player.  The Aggie seniors from last year were then introduced.  I think Victoria Castro and Amy Bergeson, previous graduates, were in the crowd for them.  I heard AD Mario Moccia say the next day that he didn’t think these girls still all lived in town, so they were just here for the ceremony.  

We’ll miss Brandy Hernandez’s cannon arm.  We’ll miss Caity Szczesny’s name.  She’s a good player, but I think some unspecified illness or injury cut her playing time short.  We’ll miss Shelby Shultes’s extraordinary ability to pinch hit home runs.  The kids in the cowboy hats were her relatives.  We’re missing Jeanelle Medina’s good looks more than ever.  She’s let her hair glamorously grow out.  Jeanelle’s best known for her sure hands playing the infield.  That being the case, it was pretty funny when she fumbled her bouquet.  Nikki Butler, our only still-playing senior, came out with a dog and her family and a long list of playing accomplishments.  The PA played Don’t You Forget About Me after the ceremony.

This time for sure, this is my last softball game of the season.  I’ve enjoyed the games I’ve seen and the team is leading the conference.  Though pleasant out, Ron and I were both a bit baked and slimy with sunblock.  We went out to get to baseball.  The Wolverines were already loaded on to their bus, so there were no tearful goodbyes between me and Basia.  That might be for the best.  I might have been compelled to say something if I’d run into her.  I have to suspect I’m not the only non-Utah Valley fan of hers, not to mention all the fans of the team.  There she goes breaking hearts across the WAC.  I admit I’ve had some fun with this bit.  In any case, good luck to Basia in her future endeavors.