Troy Cox Classic Softball: NMSU vs Nebraska 2-24-23

Using the NE gameday image just to do something different

After this morning’s game between Oklahoma State and Nebraska, I skipped the game between UNM and Creighton, which the Lobos won 4-0.  I returned with Ron to see the Aggies play the Cornhuskers in the early evening.  Since I’d last time seen them, NM State had went to a Texas tournament and went 2-3, but those two wins were quality ones over UTSA and Texas State.  

Further, Aydenne Brown, who hadn’t debuted in the opening home series, emerged as the staff ace.  She recorded 26 strikeouts and two wins in three appearances.  She’d be tonight’s starter.  (Obviously, she’s also quite attractive.)

 

It was still warm out with a light breeze and some clouds.  Inside the stadium, Pan-Am PA Ed Carnathan was working at the courtesy table.  He’s out of a job at the moment.  We wondered why he wasn’t announcing for the softball game.  Inside, there was officially a crowd of over 300, but it looked like a lot more than that.  AD Mario Moccia was there.  He came in with Volleyball Coach, Mike Jordan. 

 

The Aggies were in their road grays with crimson pinstripes.  We had radio call for the game.  (Nebraska had their own announcer, as well.)  Adam Young mentioned that the Cornhuskers had former Aggie, Mya Felder, on their team.  I’d recognized her from this morning’s game.  She had been the WAC Freshman of Year when she was with the Aggies a couple of years ago.       

 

On some level, this is an easy game to recap, especially from the Aggie side.  In fact, I have one small paragraph of notes on the whole game.  I can explain this.  Keep reading.  It’ll become obvious.  The other reason was that Aggie Football player, Shiyazh Pete, sat down next to us after the game started.  At 6’8” with a huge build and long, dark hair, he’s pretty easy to spot.  I’d also gotten his autograph at the Downtown Rally last month.  Later in the game, I started talking to him when Ron had gotten up from in-between us.  He’s a really nice guy. 

Ron and I both chatted with him during this game and the next.  We changed seats in the next game and I spoke with him more.  I’ll cover that later.  When Ron was next to him, Shiyazh talked about going to the state capitol with Coach Kill, Trevor Brohard, and Diego Pavia last month.  The legislature declared it Aggie Football Day.  He was really proud of it.  
 

Our first and only Aggie highlight occurred in the top of the second.  Jillian Taylor ran down a sure double in center and laid flat out for it.  Adam’s call bordered on hysterics (well merited).  “You’ll see that one on Sports Center tonight!” he exclaimed.  Shiyazh had come in after the play.  I told him to check out the team Twitter to see it.  After I got home later, I checked it out myself.  The cameraman missed the shot.  The posted video had Adam’s call and a view of the infield.  Thankfully, at least there were a couple of photographs posted with the caption, “Trust us.  It was bananas!” 

 

Usually in these kind of games, it’s the winning team that has one of kind of highlights.  Here, the Cornhuskers didn’t need the dramatics, though there were some good plays in the field.  NE started the scoring with a leadoff homer in the top of the third.  1-0 Cornhuskers. 

 

There were a couple of good giveaways thrown to the crowd.  One was a black Aggie beanie and the other was the black and white Aggie baseball hat.  A kid in front of me got one of each.  (I’m hoping the hat will be a baseball giveaway to everyone in the crowd at a game sometime.)  The PA reported that it was 17-degrees in Lincoln.  We were sitting comfortably at about 60-degrees. 

 

In the top of the fifth, Aydenne came out after giving up a single and a walk.  Katelyn Caneda greeted reliever Emily Dix with a three-run homer to make it 4-0.  Jordan King was brought in to finish the inning.  In the bottom, Jillian scraped the wall with a flyball, but it was run down.  By this point in the game, Adam was saying what broadcasters aren’t supposed to say in these kind of situations, unless you were trying to jinx it because it was happening to your team.  I’m sure the Nebraska broadcaster was keeping quiet.

 

In the sixth, catcher Kendal Lunar threw out a runner at second.  After a walk and a single, Abbie Squier singled.  Shortstop Jayleen Burton threw home.  The ump probably got the call wrong and the runner was called safe to make it 5-0 NE.  On the play, the runner from first took third and dove under the tag from Lunar.  The ump there probably got that one wrong, too.  (Maybe I’m a little bitter.)

 

Let’s go to the bottom of the seventh.  As a fan or broadcaster, you kind of want to see it happen by this point even if it’s against you.  You don’t want to see what happened here, though.  Cornhusker pitcher, Sarah Harness struck out the first two batters.  With two strikes on Kayla Bowen, she hit an easy grounder to Caneda at second.  She’d already hit the three-homer earlier and had a put-out in five of the six preceding innings.  And she booted it. 

 

Harness came back with a strikeout to end the game, 5-0 NE.  It was still a no-hitter and first I’ve seen in person.  But it was nearly a perfect game.  Oh, well.  The Cornhuskers had no trouble celebrating anyway.  Caneda immediately ran to Harness and apologized.  Sarah threw her arm around her and gave her a big happy hug. 

 

Those two do get Gameballs.  Katelyn Caneda went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI’s.  Sarah Harness went 7 innings, got 10 strikeouts, and gave up nothing.  For the Aggies, Jillian Taylor gets one for her defensive effort.  I felt like Aydenne Brown was pulled too early.  Adam said Coach Rodolph might have been saving her for the next game.  I question this strategy since the game was really close against a good team.  It would have been a great win.  The coach couldn’t have known that it was going to be a no-hitter.  Could she?

 

So I have to ask you, what was the biggest screw up of this game?  The error that ruined the perfect game or the cameraman missing Jillian’s catch?  I gotta go with the catch, because the error didn’t affect the win, but that catch is now lost for all time.  Thank goodness we in the crowd at least have it in our memories and in a couple of pictures.  

 

There’d be a short break and the Aggies would return to play Creighton in the nightcap. There was no time to ruminate over the Aggies being no-hit.  Ron and I took off during the break for a quick dinner to bring back.  We discovered that the local pizza place down the street, where we were hoping to get a couple of large slices, was now closed.  That’s too bad, because they were pretty good.  (Meanwhile, the crappy chain pizza shops remain open.)  Luckily, there was a Jimmy Johns next door and we picked up subs and brought them back before the start of the next game.