The morning started off well. I remembered that Aggie Softball was playing on the radio and listened to their game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. It was another run rule win for the Aggies. Desirae Spearman hit a two-run homer, but Kristina Watson was the star with her own two-run homer and a three-run double, that won the game, as part of a 6 RBI day.
From there, I took off to the ballpark for today’s game. I did NOT watch, instead, this year’s Daytona 500, as I would usually do. Thank you KFOX and your “signal upgrade.” (I’m still not buying a new TV to watch your station.) I found out later one of my favorite drivers, William Byron, won. I’d be happier, but I don’t think I’ll be able to watch any Cup Series this year with the second half of the season going to Amazon Prime (?). I can at least watch the Xfinity Series, though I did miss their Daytona race yesterday for the baseball game.
It was 62-degrees and sunny, but I took no chances and brought a coat. (That was a good idea, as it got a bit colder as the sun went down and the stadium was covered in shadows.) As I entered the gate, I saw the Hot Marketing Girl rounding up a group of Little Leaguers to go meet the players and stand with them for the Anthem. They were excited.
Inside, there was a larger crowd than yesterday at 713. A St. Thomas Tommie fan was chatting with Fan Michael. The lady was the mother of their starter today, Marcus Kruzan. She was asking permission to go to netting to video her son. Of course, it was okay. I finally met the person that was with Michael and Ken yesterday. He was the father of freshman pitcher, Cooper Reese. It got more interesting. This was Trey Reese, a former Aggie Baseball player, who was married to a former Aggie Volleyball player. I connected some dots. This was also the father of Nellie Reese, setter on the Aggie Volleyball team. This man is seriously committed to NMSU.
It was another good day adding up the scorecards. I doubt this will last. Hayden Lewis started for the Aggies. This was rehab start with a low pitch count. In the first, he got two outs, but hit a batter and then Max Nyrop hit a two-run laser shot over the wall to give St. Thomas an early 2-0 lead.
The Aggies came right back. Brandon Forrester worked a walk, stole second, and took third on a bad throw by the catcher. Mitch Namie immediately cashed him in with a two-run line drive homer. Camden Kaufman brought in Jonatan Clough, who had walked, with a little dump shot. Sheehan O’Connor doubled Camden in, but pulled up lame at second. He eventually walked it off and stayed in. Sheehan has been hitting so well, I’m sure he didn’t want to come out. 4-2 Aggies.
The fan with the big novelty Aggie hat that I’d seen at Softball was here. Michael complimented his hat. The PA announced it was 10-degrees in the St. Paul, where St. Thomas University is. The Tommie fans kind of cheered. They also cheered as Easton Fritcher (who was not listed on the program) hit a sac fly to drive in a run and make it, 4-3 Aggies, in the second. The Aggies loaded the bases and threatened in the bottom, but a double play ended the inning. Kruzan took a liner off his foot in the inning. He was okay, but don’t make me concerned about opposing players just because their moms are here.
The cute team photographer girl was snapping pics of the dogs in the crowd for Bark at the Park today. She found a shy, little cute dog that was in a girl’s lap. There was a German Sheppard in the crowd wearing booties to protect him from the metal stands. Dylan Weakly relieved Lewis in the third. Adam Young on the radio call mentioned a group of freshman pitchers would likely be called on in this game. This was the first one. Dylan loaded up the bases on a couple of singles and a walk, but got out of it.
Adam reported that some of the Softball team were in the stands. I saw some Volleyball players, as well. In the bottom of the third, after a double by Steve Solorzano, Sheehan launched a moonshot two-run homer. That’s his third homer in three games. He’s seeing the ball well. 6-2 Aggies.
Dylan got a double play in the fourth and Cooper Reese came in to finish the inning. Trey got out the phone to video him. Cooper gave up a double and a walk before getting the final out. I passed on to Trey that Adam had said that Coach Angier had praised Cooper’s poise, “He doesn’t seem like a freshman.” There was another great catch in the bullpen on a long foul ball. The player dove for it and held up the ball to the crowd, who cheered him. St. Paul brought in a new pitcher for the fourth. Easton Bobb gave a single and a wild pitch, but was not scored on.
Cooper worked a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth. What a rarity this weekend. Adam commented on Trey standing at the net taking a video and said he looked nervous. Trey confirmed that. (He was also chatting up the photographer girl there. I’m jealous.) Michael added that Adam doesn’t miss much happening in the stadium. There was a dizzy bat race between frames. Ever since the break time got shortened, these kind of things are rare.
Camden singled to start the bottom of the fifth and advanced on a wild pitch. Adam Puder at short made a great dive catch on a liner. With two outs, Joey Craig worked a walk. Boston Vest, who had subbed in last inning, singled and drove in a run in his first college at bat. (Trey noticed that sub an inning before Adam did. It was very stealth. Trey really noticed everything happening on field.) Mitch followed by doubling in a run. 8-2 Aggies. Catcher Max Morris took a shot on the backswing of Clough’s strikeout to end the inning. He was okay.
(Vest and some of the other players are using Classic Rock for their walkup music. Michael and I wondered why Vest wasn’t using Boston’s More Than a Feeling. Clough has a salsa tune that sets the dugout and the crowd to clapping along. From talking to Michael, I finally found out that Nick Gonzales’ walkup song is Sunflower by Post Malone. I’d mentioned that Nick was still using it in the big leagues.)
The top of the sixth started innocently enough with a hat toss. The lady with the cute little dog got a hat in return for the marketing girl getting in some petting. Mitch started off the inning with a great lunging catch at the wall. Cooper hit the next batter and then gave up a single. Cade Shumard came in in relief. It started ominously as umpires insisted he change gloves. Was there something on the glove or was the glove a distracting color? Adam wasn’t sure.
What happened next was two doubles and a single, all of which scored runs. (One double was by Moris, which scored two runs. Maybe some revenge for getting hit behind the plate.) The second out was recorded, but the bases were loaded and a walk forced in another run. Finally, Coach Angier brought in Ian Hoslett, who got a big strikeout for the final out. After that five-run inning, we were now tied at 8. Trey was encouraged from looking into the dugout and seeing Cooper and Cade chatting and probably going over the batters and pitch selection rather than any sulking over the blown lead.
The Aggies went down in order in the bottom of the sixth. Ian returned the favor in the top of the seven and added two more strikeouts. It didn’t look promising in the bottom of the seven, as the Aggies hit into a double play. Craig then came up. I lost the ball off his bat instantly. I wondered if it had disintegrated. In fact, it was just a monster home run to left. 9-8 Aggies with an exclamation point!
Ian gave up a single in the top of the eighth around three more strikeouts. For the bottom, the Tommies brought out Carl Cano, who proceeded to strikeout the side. Where have they been hiding this guy? Cano said something to the Aggie dugout as he left the field, which caused the ump to have to warn both teams. Trey thought it happened because an Aggie batter had questioned a pitch. Protecting a one-run lead, Ian gave Aggie fans a no drama ninth, almost. Joe Roder pinch hit and was called out on a check swing by the home plate ump. St. Thomas fans were in an uproar and even Michael thought it was a bad call. Regardless, Aggies win 9-8!
Kids were invited to run the bases after the game. I didn’t stick around for that show. Let’s hand out the Gameballs. St. Thomas’ Max Nyrop went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s from his first inning home run. Carl Cano worked an impressive scoreless inning in relief. I’d hate to see him close a game against us. [Edit: That would happen the next day.] For the Aggies, Mitch Namie went 3 for 4 with 3 RBI’s and a home run. Sheehan O’Connor went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI’s and a home run. Joey Craig went 3 for 3 with the game-winning home run. Finally, Ian Hoslett pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He probably deserves a medal.
I hope to celebrate my day off for President’s Day by watching some more Aggie Baseball tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment