I thought I’d arrived too early for today’s Aggie Softball versus Liberty Flames’ game, because of the sparse crowd. Actually, it was kind of a smaller crowd at 384 for this 11:00am Sunday tilt. (I really don’t like the set game times this season.) The weather was again hot and sunny, but the breeze was stiffer and cooler.
The Dancing Cowboy from yesterday’s game was already here, though he ironically wasn’t dancing to the obnoxious Country music the PA was playing. He was wearing one of those Aggie Masters towels on his belt that I missed out on. I considered if I had anything I could trade for it. I noticed two other things. One, he was wearing cowboy boots to dance in, which I hadn’t noticed before. The other thing I finally figured out was that he was rooting for the other team! No wonder I hadn’t seen him before. He was too young to be some player’s dad. Too goofy and embarrassing to be a boyfriend. Maybe a brother? I don’t know.
Pitcher Taryn Bennett was again outside the Aggie dugout practicing juggling. She was just doing two at a time. I wonder if she was trying to work up to juggling four, because that’s how you learn to do that.
Two very sparse scorecards here. The story will unfold gradually this time. Faith Aragon would be starting for the Aggies. Desirae Spearman was back in centerfield. She would not be pitching in this series, which is odd, given that she’s the Aggies’ best pitcher. If she’s hurt, why is she playing in center? Catcher Bella Clapp started at second over Kenzie Nicholson, who’d had a rough game there yesterday. (Other players who’d also had rough defensive games were still in, though.)
Faith led off the game with a looking strikeout and only yielded a single in the top of the first. The Flames’ starter was Paige Bachman. She is a large, healthy girl with a big fastball. I was intimidated just sitting in the stands. The Aggies weren’t intimidated. I heard them singing in their dugout. The Aggies began the bottom with a walk, but a strikeout and double play ended the inning. Brooke Roberts at first did the splits to complete the twin killing.
There were some ladies below me that seemed to be softball coaches. One of them spoke up and said, “Everybody in softball knows what a river is.” I guess I’m not in the know. No, they were talking about softball, not Texas Hold ‘em. In the top of the second, a single, a stolen base, and a sacrifice got a Flames runner to third, but she was left stranded. In the bottom, the Aggies went down in order. Roberts did the splits again to stretch for an out.
For the top of the third, Kayla Lunar at third juggled a ball for an error on the first batter, who would reach third via a groundout and a passed ball. However, Tamara Carranza made a great catch on a liner at short and a flyball ended the threat. Tamara was also a birthday girl today. Some friends from what looked like the Football team were holding up signs for her and the PA wished her, “Happy Birthday,” after the game.
This hot girl in a little black dress was working for Sports Marketing today and was tossing souvenirs to the crowd. She came around with the Aggie Masters towels. I waved for one. Her first toss hit another fan, but she came up and handed me one. What a sweetheart! It’s pretty cool and kind of clever. I took it over to dad after the game, since he seemed to want one. His reaction was, “Oh, this is a golf towel. Just give it to somebody at work.” So much for that.
In the bottom of the third, Faith tried to help out her own cause by beating out a little nubber for a single, but was erased on a double play. Between innings, they did a Tiny Pete figure giveaway. Marketing Director Nicole Sack walked right by me, but I didn’t ask for one, since I’d already gotten something. If only I’d known how that towel would go over. Oh, well.
The Flames had a good two-out threat in the fourth via a double and a hit batter. The crowd got really angry out of nowhere when a strike call didn’t go Faith’s way. I think something came out of the dugout too, as the ump yelled over there. Credit to Tamara again. With a runner passing in front of her at short and the wind suddenly kicking up, she stayed with a groundball and threw out the runner at first to end the inning.
In the bottom of the first, former AD Mario Moccia walked in. I almost didn’t recognize him. I thought I’d seen his daughter working for the program yesterday. He greeted a few fans and chatted with Nicole. I wonder if he had to buy a ticket? In the bottom of the fourth, Devin Elam gave the crowd a momentary thrill as she hit a big foul ball that wind blew just around the pole. Put a pin that for later. Lauren Garcia singled and advanced on a wild pitch, but there was no further damage.
Faith only gave up a single in the top of the fifth. Bachman cruised through the bottom with a pair of strikeouts, one of which included a killer offspeed third strike. After five scoreless innings, I think I can pronounce this a pitcher’s duel.
The sixth began with Riley Carley making a great running catch of a gapper in right field. Faith walked the next batter and Coach Rodolph came out for a talk. Faith’s next pitch looked like a strike, but the ump called it, “Outside.” Faith stared in in disbelief and walked another batter. The fans weren’t happy, either. Rachel Craine came up and singled up the game’s first run. Faith worked out the rest of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout. 1-0 Liberty.
Desirae worked her second walk of the game with one out in the bottom of the sixth. The Aggie dugout started singing again. Devin came up with two outs and got a hold of one. She hit a big flyball to right center into the wind, but it carried over the wall. Lauren followed that with a single and finally chased Bachman from the game.
Kaylan Yoder, yesterday’s Flames starter, came in, along with Payton Nicholson in as a pinch runner. Kristiana Watson came up and her and Yoder engaged in a battle for several pitches. Kris got a check-swing foul on an offspeed. She fouled another ball into the top row of the stands, which a fan caught on a bounce. The PA told him to come over and return the ball for a “sweet prize.”
Coach Rodolph called a timeout and talked to Kris. She came back and popped one to the outfield, but it was a shallow fly. The left fielder dove for it and couldn’t come up with it. Payton tore around the bases and slid into home, slapping the plate just ahead of the tag. On the next batter, another foul ball went into the stands. A guy behind me caught it on a bounce. The PA offered another “sweet prize,” but all the fans got their prize with a 3-1 Aggie lead.
Nicole and the hot chick in the little black dress were standing below me on the ramp during the inning. I think they were getting ready to leave, but hung around to see what would happen. I was looking at my scorecard after the inning, when the PA called everyone’s attention to the front row. The girls were dancing with the Dancing Cowboy to I Wanna Dance With Somebody. It was a perfect moment of whimsy and sportsmanship. (Actually, I wonder if the ladies knew he was rooting for the other team.) This kind of stuff never ends up in the official scoring or recap.
The tension in the crowd was palatable. The fans cheered on every strike and on the first two groundouts to short. Bella took a tough error at second on a difficult grounder. (I had it as a hit.) Faith, though, wasn’t disturbed. She got a popup on the infield and Bella squeezed it for the final out. Aggies win 3-1!
Though it went the full seven, this game finished in under two hours. The bottom third of the Aggie lineup only got two plate appearances. Credit Paige Bachman for Liberty with a Gameball. I don’t even know if that home run was on a bad pitch. Her counterpart, Faith Aragon, also gets a Gameball for her 7-inning performance while only giving up 1 run. Devin Elam is an obvious hero with her game-winner.
Okay, if this was my last Softball game for the season, this was a great way to go out with a win over #25 in the nation. Both teams made a prayer circle again after the game along with the coaches. That was a nice way to end the game. I did watch the end of the Masters with dad, which ended on a playoff hole and a lot emotion from winner, Rory McIlroy. I got to watch a lot of high-tension sports today.
[Quick addendum: I ran into Coach Rodolph going to the grocery store. I congratulated her on the win and she was pleased. Too bad the coach was leaving, I could have asked her about a few things.]
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