NM State Aggies vs GCU Lopes Softball 4-1-23

 

I’m not sure if this is AI art or not, but I like it.  I’m going to have to do some recaps before going over today’s game.  First, I forgot to talk about the Aggie Women’s Basketball team last week.  When last we left the ladies, they’d just lost a heartbreaker in the WAC Championship, but their season wasn’t over. 

 

They were invited to a small tournament in Lexington, Kentucky, and I listened all three of their games over the radio.  After the WAC loss, no doubt the team wanted some redemption.  Again, they made it to the championship game, but were oddly playing CBU, another WAC team.  Unfortunately, it was another heartbreaking close loss, 63-61.  They played very hard, but just didn’t get a bounce or two.  I went back over their schedule.  I have the team losing five games by 3 or less points.  It’s been hurtful, but encouraging. 

 

Back to Softball, after their last home tournament (and me meeting Volleyballer Ryleigh Whitekettle, a season highlight), the girls lost a couple of series in Utah, a double header to Arizona, and a dropped game against the Lobos.  This weekend they were facing a very good GCU team.   

 

Friday night, I was busy at work with Quarter End processing.  Ron was there for the double header in the evening, while I listened on the radio.  In Game 1, the Aggies took a 1-run lead into the seventh inning.  After the bases were loaded with one out, Aydenne Brown, the next game starter, was brought in and closed it out, 5-4. 

 

Game 2 was an 8-5 GCU win.  What was notable about the game, however, was the 20-minute delay while the umpires and coaches debated a rule.  The rulebook was brought out onto the field.  One of the umps even made a phone call, perhaps to the league office.  I’d be more shocked by this were it not for the fact that I’ve seen this happen before.  Ron was incensed, especially since he thought they got the call wrong.  (From what I heard and from looking it up in the rulebook, maybe.  I actually had the El Paso Chihuahuas’ home opener on at the time that delay was happening.)        

 

Saturday morning, it was a brilliant day.  There was a light breeze to compliment a warm, sunny day.  Ron and I drove over to the stadium and noticed the next door Soccer field was being re-sodden.  TV cameramen were set up around the stadium, as the game was being broadcast on regional cable.  (Commercial delays would be an irritation throughout the game.)  Once again, there was no program for the game at the courtesy table, but there was a lovely team photo card for autographs later.     

 

A great crowd of 700 showed up.  (No Ryleigh, though.)  A good, happy buzz permeated the group.  The grounds crew was dancing a little to the good PA music today.  There were quite a few GCU fans.  The Chapin High School Softball team was there to cheer on a grad playing for GCU, Kristen Fifield.  Fan Danny was there.  I chatted with him for a few minutes.  He was finally sold on Coach Adams taking over the Women’s Basketball team.  Coach Rodolph was back from illness for the Softball team, though Associate Coach, Cat Heifner was still out sick.    

 

For GCU’s player introductions, Fifield was identified as a Chapin grad to a cheer from the team.  The PA apparently mispronounced one of the Lopes girls’ names, as the team shouted out a correction.  We were expecting Aydenne to start today, but Jordin King was tapped.  She also took a knee for the Anthem.  The GCU girls gave each other a confused look upon seeing it.  2020 called.  They want their protest back.  Given that I already had poster card, I reconsidered going for autographs later.  During the game, I decided, Okay, if they win, I’ll go. 

Jordin started off the game with a couple of strikeouts for an easy first.  GCU started a flaming redhead, Hailey Hudson.  However, she wasn’t Lexy Coons, one of my player crushes.  The Aggie dugout was really spirited today for their first at bat.  Behind Hailey, Macee Barnes at second ended the inning by catching a low liner by Kayla Bowen, and then crawled to touch second to double off Paige Knight, who had doubled before Bowen.

 

Jordin began the second with another strikeout, but yielded a home run to left to the next batter.  It was a no-doubter just from the sound off of Madison Schaefer’s bat.  What happened next was a single, a walk, and a wild pitch.  Jordin exited to no applause.  Laurali Patane didn’t have it either.  She got a quick hook after coming in mid-at bat and walking that batter, another walk, a run-scoring wild pitch, and a run-scoring single.  Emily Dix finished off the inning.  Paige made a good play, spinning around on a grounder and throwing to Jayleen Burton covering third for the force out. 3-0 GCU.

 

The Chapin team was recognized by the PA in the bottom of the second.  After a pair of singles, catcher Kendal Lunar doubled the runners in.  Devin Elam was the trailing runner.  She fell down trying to slide and came up limping, but smiling.  GCU took out Hailey and inserted Meghan Golden.  She was a stocky young woman, but with a great offspeed pitch. 

 

When Jayleen came to bat, the GCU defense came up with an extreme shift.  The infield played in with the corners crashing, and the outfield shifted to leave no one in right field.  Ron had warned me about this.  Last night, Jayleen got annoyed with it to the point where she reared back and hit her first college home run.  3-2 GCU after two.

   

Dix worked into a bases loaded jam in the third with two walks and a hit batter, but worked out of it without any damage.  In the bottom, Paige singled, but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double.  I noticed GCU brought an attractive photographer with them as she took pictures at the rail.  Danny went over and chatted her up at one point.  Don’t let his senior citizen status fool you, he’s an operator.

 

The top of the fourth was the “Grand in the Stands” contest for the students.  Unlike the Lunchbox Contest last month, they got a winner on the first try here for $1,000.  Jayleen made a good play on a liner in the inning, where Dix only gave up a single.  In the bottom, Hannah Lindsay started off with a sky-high popup that was dropped on the infield.  (Scored a hit because the first baseman had to dive for it.)  Jillian Taylor beat out a surprise bunt to put two on, but both were left stranded. 

 

I questioned Jessica Carreon coming up as a pinch hitter with two on, but actually she was a sub for Kristen Boyd in the third that I hadn’t noticed.  I think I saw Krissie later with her thumb bandaged.  Jessica also got the extreme shift treatment.  She made a good running catch in the next inning.          

 

A bunch of hats and shirts were handed out during the game.  One of the Chapin girls was going insane for everything thrown to the crowd.  She got a couple souvenirs.  It was getting a little hot out.  I was appreciating my unfashionable floppy hat.  A stiff, cool breeze blew across the stands every so often and was welcomed. 

 

Ramsay Lopez led off the fifth with a home run to center.  Wait a minute!  Isn’t she one of ours!  Well, she was, but Ramsay defected, err, transferred a couple of seasons ago.  After a second homer by Kaitlyn Brannstrom and a pair of singles, Dix was relieved by Felicia de la Torre, who ended the inning with a strikeout.  5-2 GCU.  The Aggies went down in order in the bottom. 

 

I think I saw Xitlaly Hernandez from the Soccer team going through the crowd.  I hope I didn’t.  She was limping along in a leg brace.  (If it was her, she’s also changed her hair coloring.)  The hot Pan-Am girl was also here in little cut-offs.  Meanwhile on field, Felicia had it working and blew through the sixth with a couple of strikeouts.  Kayla led off the bottom with a single.  She got to second after Jillian was hit by a pitch.  Kayla advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Devin finally scored her with a grounder to third.  Kayla just slid under the tag at the plate.  5-3 GCU.

 

Felicia finished the top of the seventh with four pitches and three lineouts.  Kayla caught a low one taking a knee.  See, there’s when taking a knee on field is okay.  At the PA's insistence, I tried putting on the "rally hat," but that just doesn't work with a floppy hat.  Golden got the first two outs of the Aggie seventh.  Riley Carley came up and kind of casually stroked one out to left.  It wasn’t a hard swing, but it cut the GCU lead to 5-4. 

 

Paige worked a walk.  The GCU coach came out for a talk, but didn’t change pitchers.  A guy next to me told another guy, “Kayla’s gonna come up and win it.”  In an interview after game, Kayla had also told the dugout she was going to win it before she came to bat.  First pitch, POW!  Kayla slapped a monster jack to right.  It may have gone over the trees.  Aggies win 6-5!

 

Kayla Bowen gets an easy Gameball.  She worked every part of the ballgame and really wanted a win today.  Felicia de la Torre’s lockdown relief effort set the stage for Kayla’s heroics.  Jillian Taylor gets one for getting on base in all three of her at bats.  For GCU, Kaitlyn Brannstrom gets a Gameball for going 2 for 3 with a home run. 

 

Autographs

After not meeting the team at Aggie Baseball last week, I was going to get the opportunity here with an autograph session.  I was waiting for them to set up on field by the front gate with the Chapin team.  They weren’t line for autographs; they were waiting for a ride.  Kristen Fifield on GCU came out to them and talked to the coach.  She seemed devastated by the game.  “I tried so hard, coach,” she said.  A straggling parade of depressed Lopes players walked past.  They are a good team and nationally-ranked in some categories.  I did see some Twitter postgame videos of a couple of Aggie and Lopes players hugging.

 

Eventually, they let the fans on to the field.  This was a first.  I was standing in line for autographs for a girls team with mostly a bunch of adult men.  Where were all of the teenaged girls that I’m usually embarrassing myself standing with?  Here’s also where I usually go into detail about meeting the team, but I didn’t have any meaningful interaction with them.  I told Hannah Lindsay that Shiyazh Pete had come to see her last month at a game.  She might not have heard me, but I got no response.  That’s it.  The girls were in a good mood, but they all had their heads down talking to each other.  I’m reconsidering going for any more team autographs.

 

That disappointment for me notwithstanding, Ron was elated and kept going on about Kayla’s home run for the rest of the evening.  We picked up a Pretzel Crust Pizza at Little Caesars for diner and went over to my dad’s apartment to watch the NCAA Final Four game between San Diego State and Florida Atlantic.  Who had that match up in their bracket?  It turned into a great game with an incredible finish as SDSU won on a last second shot.  We also watched the end of the Giants beating the Yankees during halftime. 

 

Ron and I went for Paleta ice cream bars after the game.  The shop is next door to me and I’ve been there many times, but surprisingly I’ve never been there with Ron.  He was impressed with them.  We went back to my apartment to watch the other Final Four game.  It was mostly a beat down.  Well, they can’t all be thrillers.