Comics Review: Secret Origins #1

I went with dad to the Coas Used Bookstore satellite location a few weeks ago.  The store had been damaged in a storm last year and reopened after a lengthy remodel.  I wanted to see what the store looked like.  Basically, it was about the same, except the Kid’s Section had been moved to the front of the store.  There was one comic book in the Graphic Novel section and I picked that up.  

Secret Origins #1

I was a little leery of the faux anime-style artwork on the cover, but I liked the characters (before they were mangled beyond recognition in the current DC continuity).  For the most part, the art inside wasn’t a selling point even with a couple of stories drawn by Amanda Conner and Ethan Van Sciver.  The stories themselves are just vignettes recounting the origin stories of the members of Young Justice, as well as introducing a new character, which forms the framing device for the stories. 

 

The new character is Secret.  I’d never seen her before or since.  The story briefly gives her origin, as Red Tornado tells her the origins of the Young Justice team. 

 

Impulse, yet another young version of the Flash, has a convoluted, to say the least, origin.  The story where he recounts it has him fighting some school bullies.  The Flash fighting school bullies and even losing.  Still, Impulse has a likable, well-defined perky personality.  (The artwork and scenes aren’t worth posting a sample of.)  

This was Superboy back in his original 90’s “radical” look, before his makeover (thank goodness).  For the remodel, he got a haircut and just wore jeans and a black t-shirt with a Superman logo on it.  Minimalist, but cool.  This story was set as an X-Men Danger Room-style training lesson.  He’s being mentored by Guardian, a DC version of Captain America. 

     

This story features two Robins, Tim Drake and Dick Grayson, chatting about Tim’s background.  This was probably my favorite of the stories, since I like the characters.  Tim basically became Robin because he figured out Dick was Robin and that Bruce Wayne was Batman.  At least, it’s a straight forward origin.  

 

Okay, I am an unabashed Grayson fan.  I’ve said before, he’s more interesting than Batman.  I’m not saying he’s cooler or a better superhero; he’s just more interesting.  This goes back to Burt Ward and the ’66 Batman show.  Ward was a martial artist and was neighbors with Bruce Lee and sparred with him.  (And they fought on the show as Robin and Kato when Batman met the Green Hornet.)   

Stephanie Brown had a bad upbringing by a Batman villain.  She changed sides and became the Spoiler to “spoil” his plans.  By this, she met Batman and Robin and had a relationship with Tim.  This I knew.

Imagine how shocked I was by this panel.  This delicate condition was not explained in the story and sent me scurrying to Wikipedia.  Tim didn’t have anything to do with Stephanie’s pregnancy, which would have been scandalous, but very interesting.  Steph was also later killed off.  What an overly tragic story. 

 

I didn’t know the origin of the Cassie Sandsmark/Wonder Girl.  After reading the story, I still don’t think I know.  It was told from her own highly biased and embellished perspective.  This was again before her later Teen Titans makeover (a tremendous improvement).  Here, she’s portrayed as a ditzy kid.  In Titians, she’s more mature.  Later, in the Yara Flor/Wonder Girl series, Cassie was kind of a ditz, but had some brains.    

   

The Arrowette origin was again uncomfortable with another bad upbringing story.  Basically, Cissie’s mom was forced into becoming a champion archer by her mom and returned the favor by forcing her own daughter to become an archer and a superhero to boot.  This character has the most attitude of the bunch.       

 

A consistent problem of all of these characters is the lack of a really good origin story, which sort undercuts them finding greater popularity.  (That and being not just derivative, but in fact, a copy of a copy.)  That you needed to make this 80-page giant to explain their origins sort of bears this out.  The Tim Drake/Robin has the best origin of the bunch and is definitely the most popular, though I think that popularity is more due to his updated Robin costume.

 

I wasn’t a fan of the artwork and there wasn’t much in the way of story here, but I kind of liked it anyway.  In spite of their weird origins and lack of originality, these characters are pretty likeable.  The book would have the selling point of making you want to read more about them.   

NM State Aggies vs LA Tech Bulldogs Baseball 5-5-24

It was a perfect day for the final home ball game for Aggie Baseball.  It was warm and sunny with a nice breeze.  Since we starting in the morning, instead of the late evening like yesterday, it wasn’t too hot and there was some shade in the stadium.  I visited the restroom first and ran into Mando, the son of a co-worker, who works for Aggie Vision.  He wasn’t there for yesterday’s game.  I told him that his brother, Rito, had been out in the heat holding up a camera for 13 innings.  Mando said he’d be working the roof camera today.  

 

I picked up a bottle of tea and a tasty corn-in-a-cup at the concessions and joined Fan Michael inside.  He was handing out signed posters to the player parents that were there for Senior Day all during the game.  He does this every year to give them a keepsake.

 

Speaking of perfect, the team photographer was in the dugout chatting with the players, while the hot marketing intern girl was organizing the parents for the first pitch.  Both were dressed alike and had their long, pretty hair straightened out today.  They were like beautiful twins.  (Are they best friends?  Coincidence?) 

 

13 sets of parents threw out first pitches to their sons on field.  We had a flyover with a squadron of birds for the Anthem.  (How do they organize that?)  I was wearing my nice Aggie polo shirt today.  A guy next to me assumed I was working for team, as I had my scorecards out, too.  No, and if the Aggie Sports department read my blog, they’d disavow me and refuse me entry to the games. 

 

Otherwise, it was a decent crowd for a Sunday morning start.  Bianca Perez from the Volleyball team was there, maybe with a couple of new players that I didn’t recognize.  She’s been a regular supporter of the Baseball team this season.  (Is she going out with someone on the team?)  Soccer Coach Baarts was here also, but I didn’t see the team.  On field, LA Tech was in a solid blue top and grey pants and were the spitting image of the Cubs’ road uniforms.               

 

Aaron Treloar was way too amped up for Senior Day.  In his first inning pitching for the Aggies, he walked two, threw two wild pitches, and threw to the backstop a couple of times.  Somehow, LAT did not score.  Titus Dumitru made a great twisting, jumping catch in right for the first out. 

 

The Aggie offense was amped, as well.  Keith Jones hit a line drive homer to begin the bottom of the frame and also Nick Gore solo homered.  2-0 Aggies.  The hot intern came down for a couple of t-shirt tosses.  Between innings, she was joined by the ever effervescent marketing chief, Nicole Sacks.  They handed out rolled tacos to everyone.  I don’t like rolled tacos, but couldn’t resist free food, even if it possibly spoiled my lunch.  (It didn’t.)  Actually, they were okay.  It’s good thing I avoided a $1 dog at the concessions.

 

Treloar worked another scoreless inning.  He had a pair of strikeouts between another walk and another wild pitch.  The Aggie offense kicked it up a notch in the bottom of second.  Steve Solorzano began with a double.  Edwin Martinez-Pagani brought him in with a single.  Damone Hale singled.  In his at bat, Keith Jones protested that he was hit by a pitch.  The umps conferenced and agreed, which loaded the bases.  Titus sacrificed one run in.  Logan Galina, who was starting at first today, hit a three-run homer to make it 7-0 Aggies.  I think the boys wanted to win on Senior Day.  LAT brought in a new pitcher to finish the inning. 

 

During the inning, the ump talked to EMP after he scored.  Edwin protested that he didn’t do anything.  I also thought I saw a couple of Aggies taunting the LAT dugout while running to first.  After the inning, the home plate ump talked to both coaches.  However, later in the game, Michael came back from delivering posters and said that the argument was that the LAT coach said the Aggie dugout was using binoculars on their bullpen.  Well, if that’s the case, they were using them to see who was warming up, which isn’t secret information.  I don’t know what was going on. 

 

The hot marketing intern handed out more souvenirs in the break.  She handed a fanny pack to an adorable little girl in a cheerleading outfit.  Good call.  Josh Sharman relieved Treloar, who was the opener today, I guess.  LAT plated their first run after a double, a wild pitch, and a sac fly.  7-1 Aggies.  The Aggies didn’t score in the bottom, though Solo collected another hit and advanced to second after a bad pickoff throw.

 

I went to bathroom during the break.  I came back to find my seat occupied by another fan.  Meanwhile, Michael was speaking to a very attractive blonde woman.  She didn’t seem to be the right age to fit any profile to be related to the players.  After she left, Michael said that was the coach’s wife.  “Can this guy recruit or what?” he said.  She was extremely pleasant and circulated around the crowd to the different player families and probably charms the boosters, too.  That is a husband and wife working as a team. 

 

LAT tacked on two more runs via a walk and a home run in the fourth.  7-3 Aggies.  In the bottom, Titus hit a hustle double off a lazy throw to the infield, but was left stranded.  Romeo Ballesteros hit a grounder to first to start the frame.  Dalton Davis juggled it, dropped it, and finally flipped it to the pitcher ahead of Romeo diving headfirst to bag.  Michael mentioned he’d once asked him if he had any trouble living up to his first name.  The roguishly handsome young man answered, “No.”

 

Sharman allowed another walk and homer combination and was relieved by Kade Benevidez, who got the final out in the fifth.  The Aggies responded in the bottom with Solo’s third hit of the game and Damone driving him in with a single.  8-5 Aggies. 

 

Kade was getting squeezed by the ump in his second inning of work in the sixth and was pitching well below the strikezone on top of it.  He left the game with the bases loaded from two walks and a single.  Austin Corbett relieved him.  Wait.  (Checking scorecards.)  He was yesterday’s centerfielder and he’s not listed as a pitcher on the program.  Michael said he’d pitched on Friday.  This didn’t seem like the best moment to put in a position player to pitch with the bases loaded and one out.  The next batter grounded to second.  EMP tagged the runner going by and threw to first for the inning-ending double play.  This is why I’m not the coach.

 

Connor Nation (what a great name) came in to pitch for LAT in the sixth.  He began with a walk and a single, which were cashed in by Logan and Preston Godfrey for two more runs.  10-5 Aggies.  Hayden Walker pitched for the Aggies in the seventh.  Wait.  (Checking scorecards.)  He pitched two innings yesterday.  No problem.  He went 1-2-3 for the inning. 

 

The Aggies exhausted another pitcher in the bottom of the seventh, as Damone doubled to start the inning and Romeo suddenly hit a two-run home run on an arc to left field.  Wait.  (Checking program.)  That was his first home run of the season.  Caden Copeland came in to mop up the inning.  Adarius Myers made a great diving catch on a liner that was curling away from him.  12-5 Aggies.

 

To start the top of the eighth, Walker threw five straight balls.  Gore went out for a chat with him.  Hayden came back with a strikeout and double play ball.  That was a good talk.  In the bottom, Grant Comeaux was given a tough error on a squib shot to third, but Copeland came back with three strikeouts.  Regular first baseman, Mitch Namie, came in for the ninth.  I’d seen him in the dugout cheering earlier in the game.  He seemed okay with letting Logan get the Senior Day start.  Walker began the ninth with another leadoff walk.  He almost worked around it, but Romeo lost a popup in the sun and a run scored.  That’s okay.  Aggies win 12-6.           

  

Both teams came out to shake hands after the game.  I always like to see that.  Oh my goodness!  Michael had mentioned yesterday that LA Tech had a 7’ player and there he was!  Brenton Thiels towered over everyone else on the field.  Wow is this kid playing the wrong sport. 

 

Here’s your Gameballs.  For the Bulldogs, I’m giving one to Caden Copeland for pitching two scoreless innings and he looked fairly impressive doing it.  For the Aggies, I’m glad to say Steve Solorzano seems to finally be back from his injury with a couple of hits yesterday and going 3 for 5 today.  Coach Angier did well sticking with him.  Damone Hale also broke out of his slump going 3 for 4 with an RBI. 

 

Logan Galina shined going 3 for 5 with 4 RBI’s and a home run.  He also made a couple of great stretch plays in his return to first.  Aaron Treloar was all over the place to start the game, but came away with two scoreless innings.  Lastly, Austin Corbett and Edwin Martinez-Pagani probably saved the game for the Aggies with that DP in the sixth. 

 

The Senior Ceremony was tremendous.  The photographer girl and the intern girl were on the field the whole time.  There were also 13 guys graduating: Aaron Treloar, Josh Sharman, Tyler Hoeft, Cade Swenson, Preston Godfrey, Logan Galina, Edwin Martinez-Pagani, Romeo Ballesteros, Damone Hale, Trey Meza, Nick Gore, Hayden Walker, and Keith Jones.  Yikes, I’ll miss these guys, almost as much I’ll miss the girls.  I should give some parting advice to the graduates.  Logan!  Marry Xophia Venegas already!

 

That was a tremendous way to end the season at the ‘Skew.  This was a great weekend for baseball.  I was handed a Raising Cane’s coupon on the way out, so that settled lunch.  There was a new red Corvette parked behind me as I nervously pulled out.  I wonder who owns that. 

          

This marks the end of my Aggie Country Pass this year whether I go to the Softball tournament this week or not.  By my count, I went to 49 games with it, including Baseball, Softball, Women’s Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball.  I might have to pick Saturday’s Baseball game as the best game of the bunch, but that’s mostly because I don’t feel like auditing 48 other games on my blog. 

 

I certainly got my money’s worth.  Individually, all those games would have probably cost more than twice what I paid for the pass, especially with the ticket price increase.  I almost didn’t get it as there was talk of another lockdown in August of 2023, and I haven’t forgotten losing half the value of my card in 2020 when Softball and Baseball were canceled (for nothing I might add).  I don’t know what I’ll be doing in the fall with Aggie Sports, but I do plan on coming back for more baseball next year, and following along with the rest of their season this year.      

NM State Aggies vs LA Tech Bulldogs Baseball 5-4-24

May the Fourth be with you.  It’s a Star Wars celebration at the ballpark.  (Star Wars wasn’t actually released in the theaters on May 4.  Star Wars is also currently a dead franchise.  Thanks, Disney.)  They changed the start time on tonight’s start time from 2:00 to 4:00, which screwed up my evening.  Given last night’s performance by Aggie Baseball, I nearly decided not to go, but it was an opportunity to wear my Aggie Star Wars shirt.  (What a mistake that would have been, if I hadn’t gone.)

 

Last weekend, the Aggies swept out Jax State, the last place team in the C-USA.  The final game was 22-8.  Earlier this week, they’d beaten the UNM Lobos, 10-8.  Even better, they’d come from behind, 8-2, and won it on a Keith Jones’ walk off home run.  (The game was on month end.  I couldn’t take that day off.)  Friday, things came right back down to earth.  The Aggies lost to LA Tech, 18-4, in a run rule.  Logan Galina did hit a home run in the game.  He’s definitely got this stroke back.

 

I was not feeling well last week and going to Softball on weekend caused me to relapse on Monday.  I kept going to work, but I slept all during the day for two days before going there.  At least my back was feeling better from being laid up.  On Saturday, I shouldn’t have exhausted myself doing it, but I walked over to the mall to get a foot-long chili cheese dog at Legend Burger.  It was a bit of a labor, but delicious.  With that, I was ready for the game.         

 

I went through an improvised car wash on the way past the soccer field, as a few sprinklers were on and spraying the road.  A groundskeeper on a cart drove by me as I pulled into the parking lot.  I went for a tea at the concessions, as it was hot and cloudless with only a slight breeze.  I’d need it.  At the merch trailer, I noticed they were selling Keith Jones t-shirts, which didn’t entirely surprise me.  (They were also selling Jaileen Mancha shirts from the Softball team, which did.)   

 

A local organization was handing out sunscreen, which I took and used during the game, and inflatable bats for the kids, which they used on each other.  I found Fan Michael under an umbrella, so know it was hot.  Once again, the canopy over the stadium is gone.  There’s no shade, especially not at 4:00 in the afternoon.  On field, the cute team photographer girl and the hot marketing intern girl were working with the people throwing out the first pitches.  Both had their hair down and looked gorgeous.  The intern girl hung out outside of the press box for most of the game and looked majestic there.   

 

Some Star Wars music played over the PA before the game.  There was a trivia contest later in the game.  That was it for the promotion.  No Aggie/Star Wars giveaways today.  I was disappointed that the photographer didn’t even take my picture for social media, since I was the only one there in a Star Wars shirt.

 

LA Tech were in road greys that were a splitting image of the Texas Rangers’ uniforms.  I felt like I should have worn my Ranger hat to fit in.  (I got a compliment on it at the mall earlier.)  Their lineup was read off to the tune of the Imperial March.  Michael told me they were first in the conference and looked very impressive Friday night.

 

I have to mention the first pitches.  The first fellow pitched from the mound and threw and actual strike.  An El Paso TV weather girl and alumni, Monica Cortez, threw out a second pitch.  It wasn’t quite as accurate, but she enjoyed herself immensely.  The crowd for the game was a bit light, though the Diamond Club section was packed with boosters.    

 

As you can see, we all got our money’s worth from this game.  I was actually somewhat worried I was going to run out of space on the back.  College baseball is using the pitch clock, but they are not banning shifts, limiting throws to first, and, obviously, aren’t using the “Ghost runner” rule in extra innings.  (They might want to revisit that.)  Even more shocking, these scorecards added right up.  (I did miss during the game when the first Bulldog reliever came in and I had to look that up.)

 

Dalton Davis took the first pitch of the game from Aggie pitcher, Conor Wylde, over the left field fence to give LAT a 1-0 lead.  Michael groaned that the Bulldogs were slugging like last night.  Titus Dumitru answered in the bottom of the first with a line drive homer center.  I could hear someone in the LAT dugout say, “That just barely got out.”  1-1. 

 

It should be noted that the strikezone was called very tight this evening.  Pitchers were at a disadvantage.  Keith Jones made a good running catch in the top of the scoreless second.  In the bottom, Edwin Martinez-Pagani walked and Austin Corbett doubled him in.  Austin was then thrown out at the plate, when he tried to score on a deflected Romeo Ballesteros’ infield single.  2-1 Aggies. 

 

Wylde started the third, but after three straight hits, including a two-run homer off the scoreboard, he was lifted for Trey Meza.  3-2 Bulldogs.  Next inning, Meza gave up a leadoff homer off the scoreboard.  There was another solo home run to right that I wish we had Statcast for, because it screamed out.  Finally, a pair of doubles plated another run to make it 6-2 Bulldogs.  The Aggies loaded the bases in the bottom, but a popup and a fielder’s choice ended the inning without changing the score.

 

Meza worked 1-2-3 fifth with Romeo making a nice play on an infield grounder.  The Aggies also went down in order in the bottom.  Titus hit a monster foul ball in his at bat.  Meza had a rough sixth.  A leadoff walk was brought in by a two-run homer.  A double, an error, and a groundout brought in another run, and LAT was up 9-2.  Michael Ballard made a nice sliding play at second to begin the bottom of the sixth.  The Aggies got some traffic on the bases, but didn’t score.

 

The son of one of my co-workers, Rito, is on the Aggie Vision staff.  He was working the handheld camera by the Aggie dugout.  I could see him kneeling in between innings.  He really looked gassed working out in the heat.  Meza worked a quick top of the seventh for his final inning.  LAT brought in a reliever to start the bottom of the seventh.  Logan Galina came up big with a two-run homer to make it 9-4 LAT.  He might have passed AD Mario Moccia on the All-time Aggie home run list with that one.  Michael was surprised to learn that Mario used to be a really good baseball player.

 

Matt Romero pitched the eighth and gave up a home run to Jorge Corona that went over the batter’s eye.  10-4 Bulldogs.  From here, it starts to get wacky.  Three walks with one out loaded the bases for the Aggies.  KJ hit a hard liner to the wall that nearly went over, but ended up being a single.  This caused some confusion on the basepads.  EMP scored from third.  Corbett held up there, but then Romeo joined him at third.  This started a comical rundown that took forever and I had no chance of scoring.  Corbett made the out and Romeo stayed at third.

 

A member of the stadium staff came by and asked me for the score.  He might not have had good enough vision to see the scoreboard.  I told him it was 10-5 LA Tech and he said, “Good, we’re making a comeback.”  I’d remember those words. 

 

The Bulldogs brought in a new pitcher, who hit his first batter to load the bases.  He then hit Logan to force in a run.  Catcher Nick Gore came up next.  He hit a foul popup that was dropped by the catcher.  That felt like that should have been an error, but it wasn’t scored that way.  (I looked it up.  There’s a specific situational rule where that isn’t an error if judged that way by the scorer.  I don’t think that situation applied here.)  The next pitch, Gore grand slammed it and tied the score at 10!

 

That was encouraging.  Saul Soto came in for the ninth—probably the Aggies’ best closer.  What was discouraging was that he gave up four runs, including a three-run homer.  14-10 Bulldogs.  KJ made a great diving play after the scoring to help end the inning. 

 

Shadows were crawling across the home plate area.  I wasn’t sure what the time was.  The game had been clipping along until the eighth.  Gnats were flying around and annoying people.  The Bulldogs had to be feeling pretty good going into the bottom of the ninth, but the Aggies were like gnats today.  The Aggies began the frame with a walk, a single, and a hit batter to load the bases with no outs, which brought on a new pitcher.  A sac fly and a three-run homer by Titus and we’re tied at 14 and going to extras and flipping over the scorecards.  The stadium worker came by again and I told him, “Hey man, you were right!”

 

You could tell how often games go to extras at Presley Askew Field, as the tenth inning lights on the scoreboard were way brighter than the rest of the board.  LAT loaded the bases in the top of the tenth with two outs, but didn’t score.  In the eleventh, Corona hit a solo home run to make it 15-14 LAT.  That was his third home run of the game.  In that inning, EMP caught a liner at second, it popped out of his mitt, and then he re-caught it.

 

Grant Hubka struck out the side in the bottom of the 11-th, but unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Logan hit a home run to tie the score again.  15 all.  That was clutch.  Hayden Walker came on in the 12-th and worked two 1-2-3 innings. 

 

We go to the bottom of the 13-th.  I took a quick trip to the bathroom between frames, sensing the Aggies might finish it here and wanting to avoid the rush after the game.  KJ (who else?) led off with a double against a new pitcher.  To add insult, Corona took a hard foul ball that leveled him during the at bat.  (The ump took one the previous inning.)  Credit Corona and Gore for catching all 13 innings today.  Titus moved KJ over to third and Logan was intentionally walked.  Finally, the biggest play of the game was a pitch that spun well away from Corona’s reach and all the way to backstop.     

 

KJ trotted home and was immediately mobbed behind home plate.  Aggies win 16-15!  A barrel of Gatorade was dumped on the impromptu mosh pit.  The crowd likewise went crazy.  What game!  How does a four-and-a-half hour game not get boring?  Well, this one somehow accomplished that.

 

Your MVP of the game today is me!  I credit going to Rally Hat-mode in the bottom of the ninth for the victory.  I folded the back of my black and white Aggie hat in and put it on top of my head like a NASCAR rear deflector.  Before you scoff, I did run into someone else wearing their hat like that on the way out.  Do not doubt the Rally Hat!

 

We’ll hand out some Gameballs for the players and their less important efforts in the game than mine in determining the outcome.  For the Bulldogs, their starter, Luke Nichols, should have gotten the win after a great long effort, but the bullpen lost it for him.  Ethan Bates went 4 for 8 with 6 RBI’s off of 3 home runs.  Catcher Jorge Corona went 3 for 8 with 4 RBI’s off of another 3 home runs.  The top half of the LAT’s order did massive damage today.  Also of note was Will Safford.  He was warming up in the on deck circle swinging a sledgehammer. 

 

For the Aggies, hand it to Hayden Walker.  He pitched 2 scoreless innings.  The other 9 pitchers in the game were all scored on.  Titus Dumitru went 3 for 7 with 4 RBI’s from 2 home runs.  Nick Gore was 1 for 6, but that one was a grand slam that tied the game in the eighth.  Logan Galina was 2 for 6 with 4 RBI’s, but that tying run in the 11-th, was huge.  Lastly, Keith Jones was 2 for 6 with 2 RBI’s, but that double to start the 13-th was the key to the victory.  For a game like this, it’s not so much what you hit, but when you hit it.           

 

A few LA Tech fans walked out below me, as I was furiously scribbling on my notepad.  “They’re still in last place, right?”  “Doesn’t matter.  We’re still in first.  The championship still goes through us at home in Ruston.”  Okay.  A trifle bitter there.  

 

I walked past Saul Soto on the way to the gate.  I attempted to congratulate him on the win.  He wasn’t having any of it and only had a thousand-yard stare.  Okay, you had a rough outing, but you win and lose as team.  Celebrate!

 

My stomach was upset when I got home.  I know Michael was saying he couldn’t take the pressure in the game.  Maybe I had a delayed reaction.  I listened to the end the Chihuahuas game and heard a 5-4-3 triple play.  Unfortunately, it was turned by the Space Cowboys, which explained the muted reaction from the El Paso crowd.

 

At least I was home in time for the Canelo/Munguia fight.  I was way too wiped out to think about scoring the fight for a blog post to maintain by press credentials.  (I don’t have a hard card.  I’m just kidding.)  Munguia surprisingly won the first three rounds convincingly, but Canelo came back in the fourth and knocked Munguia down with a shot to the jaw.  Munguia wasn’t knocked again, but didn’t recover for the rest of the fight and Canelo took over for a unanimous decision.  Anyway, what a day for Aggie Baseball!    

NM State Aggies vs LA Tech Bulldogs Softball 4-28-24

What a beautiful day for a ball game!  It warm, not hot, with a clear blue sky and a light wind.  It was Senior Day and we were looking for a win.  Aggie Softball and the LA Tech Bulldogs were fighting for third place in C-USA.    

 

I met up with Fan Danny.  The ladies that were there for Desirae Spearman this season weren’t here today sitting below us.  Des wasn’t starting today, so I guess they didn’t come.  I saw a striking couple come in with a beautiful girl and a handsome young man.  It took me minute to recognize it was Peyton Castillo from the Volleyball team and her boyfriend.  (Boyfriend!)  Also, I saw a guy come in wearing a St. Louis Cardinals Hawaiian-style shirt.  It was sharp.  I’m sure my Aunt Judy would love one.  There were also several people bringing in flowers for the players later.

 

The game went to the dogs immediately.  I saw a smallish sheep dog, who looked so cute and friendly.  I didn’t get to meet him.  Surprisingly, legendary Aggie announcer, Jack Nixon was here.  He was easily recognizable in casual clothes.  He made a bee-line to the sheep dog to pet him.  Some people sitting below us brought in a Siberian Huskie pup, which was the cutest thing in the world.  I didn’t to pet him.  Later, someone brought in an adorable little bulldog—a bulldog-ette, if you will.  No petting there either.  Grrr.  I also saw a cute fluffy dog hanging around.  He’d make a grand entrance after the game was over with one of the players.    

 

There was radio today and I learned that all eight (8!) seniors would be starting today.  This was a bit of a risk, as two of the players, Savannah Bejerano and Xophia Venegas (making her first start ever in college), were very much bench players.  Sav would be taking over behind the plate for Kendal Lunar, who had caught all season.  (Danny was okay with this.  He doesn’t think much of Kendal.)  Kendal’s sister, Kayla Lunar, was back at third.  Dezianna Patmon is the best hitter on the team, but she was pretty rough in that position yesterday.  Dezi would be DP anyway.  The Aggies huddled up several times before the game started.  It was more than usual.    

 

I had help on the scorecard from Adam Young on the radio call today.  (This was the last broadcast until the fall.)  The game was reasonably straight forward and the Bulldogs were very easy to score. 

 

Aggie starter Emily Dix started the game with a walk, but came back with a looking strikeout and a couple of fly outs.  Xophia converted on her first chance in the outfield, though Jillian Taylor was there next to her looking a little nervous.  Jill was plunked to start the bottom of the first.  Jessica Carreon, who is usually the nine-hole hitter, was moved up to second.  After yesterday’s inside-the-park homer, we shouldn’t have been surprised by Jess slapping a double into the gap.  Jill scored on the play. 

 

Jessica was thrown out trying to steal second, but Dezianna and Riley Carley kept up the offense with a pair of solo home runs.  Dezi’s homer was a low liner just over the wall to right field.  There was a t-shirt toss after and I was unexpectedly bombed by a bundle.  Normally, a marketing person runs down the steps and stands in front of the crowd to toss.  Whoever this person was, she just threw them from the press box.  (Somebody else grabbed the shirt after it hit me.)  Carley’s homer just barely cleared the left field wall.  I was watching this time when the shirts came raining down.

 

After giving up a single, Bulldog starter, Allie Floyd, was pulled.  She was Friday’s starter and had thrown 125 pitches and had a rough go of it at the end of that game.  Yesterday’s starter, Brook Melnychuk, came in.  Jayleen Burton hit a double play ball to second.  LAT got one out, but missed Jayleen at first.  She ran into the ump at first before he could make the safe sign, but she was left there.  3-0 Aggies. 

 

As Savannah was the final out, she was late coming out.  I saw her grinning ear-to-ear before she put her mask on.  You could tell she was just so happy to be playing.  The crowd was still filling in.  (Bea Martinez from Channel 7 was one of them.)  It seemed a bit light to start, but ended up being decent (425) with a lot of friends and family present for Senior Day.  Today’s 12:00 start time had been moved up an hour.  The last two games were moved up for the wind.  This one was for a travel curfew.  This is probably why Baseball starts all of their Sunday games at 11:00am. 

Dix blew through the top of the second with a couple of strikeouts and a popup.  Melnychuk made a great play on a low liner to begin the bottom of the inning.  Xophia came up for her first at bat today and only her sixth as an Aggie.  She slapped a hit to the loud cheers of a group of friends and family there for her (and me).  Jess came up and laid down a perfect dead ball bunt for a single.  After her last two AB’s, the infield and outfield were both playing back on her.  Unfortunately, the girls were left stranded.

 

The top of the third went 1-2-3 for Dix, though the final batter was a workout.  Leadoff batter, Alannah Rogers had an epic at bat fouling off pitches.  Xophia went all out and dove for one of them in left.  Finally, Rogers hit a screamer at third.  Kayla caught it before it hit her in the head.  The Aggies went down in order in the bottom.

 

Dix had another in order inning with a couple more strikeouts.  Xophia made another dive attempt on another foul ball.  She was selling out for her chance to play today.  Some LAT batters seemed like they were trying to go the opposite way to hit to left field and Xophia.  Mostly they just got themselves out trying to do so.

 

In the break, one of the Aggie players danced for the crowd to YMCA by the dugout.  I’ll avoid naming names.  The bottom of the fourth began with another caught low liner.  This one went to the shortstop.  Krissy Boyd and Xophia singled next and Jillian came up.  Adam on the radio did call it before it happened.  Jill smacked a three-run homer and the crowd erupted as he predicted.  Bea was filming it from the top of the stands.  She ran down to the bottom to get a crowd reaction shot as well. 

 

Melnychuk fumbled a comebacker from Jess and she was on via an error.  (Jess might have had chance even without the error.)  The crowd erupted again.  This brought on another pitching change to Mattison Buster.  Uncharacteristically, the Aggie dugout serenaded the outgoing pitcher.  I’m not sure if there was some bad blood with Melnychuk.  Buster got the next two outs to end the inning.  Aggies up 6-0.

 

There were a bunch more giveaways to the crowd during the game.  During one t-shirt toss, Peyton and her BF were leaving.  The guy begged for a shirt, but didn’t get one.  He looked devastated, like I did when I didn’t get to pet any those cute dogs today.  He at least got to go home with Peyton, though.  Danny got up and chatted up Bea for a minute, since she was nearby.  That sly dog.  She seemed nice and pleasant with him and was smiling and laughing.  On the air, she’s a bit uptight.  Pistol Pete himself came in.  He’d be there for the ceremony.  (Where was Athletic Director Mario Moccia, by the way?)  Pete got a cheer and round of applause when he went up to the press box.

 

LAT began the top of the fifth with a pair of walks.  Coach Rodolph came out to talk with Dix.  Emily came back with a couple of the strikeouts and a foul out.  The umpire had a wide strike zone for the game.  The fans seemed okay with it.  His call for looking strikeouts was especially dramatic.  In the bottom, Sav legged out a bunt for a single and Krissy followed with another single, but they were both left on base. 

 

Jess began the top of the sixth with a jump catch of a liner at second.  Kayla caught another liner aimed at her.  Dix finished with a looking strikeout.  A murder of crows circled around the trees in the outfield.  That doesn’t really have anything to do with anything, but it sounds very evocative. 

 

Jillian was hit again to begin the bottom of the sixth.  She had zero reaction to it.  Jess singled right after, but Dezi hit a comebacker to Buster.  She threw out the runner at third and a strong throw across the diamond by Claire Raley got Dezi at first for the double play.  Dezianna complained about it and might have had a point. 

 

The Aggie infield had a long team huddle in the circle before the inning started.  I can make a guess as to what they were talking about.  A walk started the seventh inning.  Catcher Brooke Diaz came up and hit a gapper double to right.  Krissy had no opportunity for heroics to try and catch it.  Well, that broke up the no-hitter, which I haven’t been mentioning.  Adam was, but there was no jinx. 

 

Coach Rodolph came out for another talk.  During the break, they threw out whatever else they had for giveaways.  This included the state flag of New Mexico souvenir that I missed out on a couple of times this season.  I thought about calling for one, but didn’t.  A girl below got one.  She wore it like a cape and was all smiles. 

Emily rallied and got a foul out and a strikeout.  On the last batter, the crowd finally started getting on the ump, as they wanted the final strike.  A groundout to short ended the game.  It was Dix’s only grounder of the game.  Aggies win 6-0! 

 

Needless to say, I’ve never seen a no-hitter in person, but I have on TV.  Maybe it was too much to ask for, since the Aggies got the win.  (I’m imagining Jillian laying out with an impossible Superman catch in the outfield to save the no-hitter for the final out.)  Oh, well.  It’s been an entertaining two days at the Softball Complex anyway.

 

Gameballs.  I have to give one to LA Tech to Brooke Diaz for breaking up the no-hitter.  (It’s surprising the game went two hours given that one team almost went hitless.)  Also, Mattison Buster did well in relief for the second day in a row. 

 

For the Aggies, toss a Gameball to Coach Rodolph for playing the seniors today and for sticking with them.  For the players, Jessica Carreon went 3 for 4 with an RBI.  (And might have gone 4 for 4 without the error.)  Xophia Venegas went 2 for 3.  Given how little she’s been able to play that was some redemption.  No wonder she was a bit bitter about not playing.  Hopefully, she’ll find somewhere to play as a graduate student. 

 

Jillian Taylor was hit twice in the game.  I don’t know if she’s hanging over the plate, or if it was something personal against her.  Regardless, Jill got one hit today and it was a three-run homer.  (I would have liked to have seen one more awesome play in the outfield, as I got two yesterday, but let’s not get greedy.)  Lastly, our star performance was from Emily Dix.  She went 7 innings with 1 hit, 4 walks, and 9 strikeouts.  Let’s hope she can work up that magic again in the tournament.   

       

Senior Day Ceremony

Jessica Carreon and Jayleen Burton were the first seniors to pass under the tunnel that their teammates were making with their bats.  Oh, no!  That’s our middle infield!  What are we gonna to do?  The girls took the long final walk in happy alacrity.  Kayla Lunar was also in good spirts.  Wait, that’s our third baseman!  Oh, crap!  This a disaster!  Hers was the only uniform on the team that was completely covered in dirt.  I’m not entirely sure how that happened.

 

Savannah Bejarano was in tatters even before going through the tunnel and cried on all the coaches.  Krissy Boyd, in total contrast, seemed to be looking towards a happy future.  She came out with her toddler sibling.  I didn’t know she was Canadian and actually plays for their national team.  Xophia Venegas was all smiles.  The PA mentioned she currently has a 1.000% fielding percentage after that catch in the first inning.  Wait, wait, wait!  These are three babes on the team!  You can’t leave me like this!  This is a nightmare!

 

Emily Dix came out smiling, but crumbled when she got to Coach Rodolph.  The Aggies did need this win.  The coach stuck with her after starting a couple of late innings with walks.  Oh, no!  Emily just totally figured it out in this game.  We need her pitching next year!

 

Oh, no.  No.  No.  It’s Jillian Taylor taking the walk.  Noooo!  Not my favorite!  I’m completely crushed.  Jill was hopping up on her heels before going through the tunnel like she was coming out to start a game.  She was also the owner of the cute, fluffy dog I mentioned earlier.  She had a long list of accomplishments, including the over 96% fielding rate.  When I worked with Melika Ofoia, she told me the story that the other girls teased Jillian because she was a bit undersized.  Jill would flip up her shirt and show off her six-pack and told them she was in better shape than any of them.

 

Well now I have no reason left to come back.  I don’t even think there was an Autograph Day this season so that I could gush on Jill and tell Desirae we were both graduates of Hanks High School.  I need to tell Xophia that Logan will probably be popping the question to her soon.  (No need to thank me for nudging him.) 

 

Danny left before the ceremony and said, “See you next season at soccer.”  He’d asked me a couple of times if I was going to the Softball tournament.  I told him, “No,” but if the Aggies are in the championship, I’ll probably be there, since it would be on a Saturday.  I have work and endurance concerns about going out to the tournament for four days.  More seriously, I’m also not sure about coming back for Aggie sports next season.  I’ll think about it over the summer.  In any case, if this is my last Aggie Softball game for the foreseeable future, it was a pleasantly memorable one.