Comics Review: Red Sonja, Blackbird, Matt Baker

Like the magazines, I’d randomly bought these.  The first two were purchased at Zia Comics, likely just to be nice.  The last one was a real find at Coas.

Savage Red Sonja #2

I’d given Issue #1 of this series a glowing review at the beginning of the year (1-3-24).   What a mistake.  It was all crap in the next issue.  I’d actually sought this out on the stands at Zia Comics.  I’d liked the stylized, kind of minimal artwork before, but that was with a better story.  Here, the art carried the whole comic and it didn’t work.  I don’t know if there wasn’t enough story for two issues or there was supposed to be more and it was cutoff or it was rush job.  There’s just no point in buying individual issues of new comics anymore.   

 

The only art I'm posting from this are a couple of house ads.

Blackbird #1 The Great Beast

This comic was not written for me.  It’s more like a young adult female magical girl series, probably a pitch for a show.  And I liked it.  This might say more about me than the comic book.  However, in my defense, the artwork in this is bright and attractive, the characters have some depth, and there is a decent story.  I kept waiting for something dumb or irritating to happen in the story to make me regret buying this, but it never happened.  This is a mother/daughters/sisters story, not an Agenda-driven tale. 

 

This trade is an introduction to the main characters and the setting.  I’d actually like to read more and see where the story is going.  (After a quick look, I don't see any more of this series available.)

 

The Lost Art of Matt Baker Vol. 1 Canteen Kate

This is why I keep going to Coas Bookstore.  Some of the stuff I’ve found there has been amazing.  I was already familiar with the “good girl” artwork of Matt Baker from the 40’s and 50’s.  When I saw his name on a hardback, I snapped it up.  I had no idea something like this even existed.

 

This is actually mostly because Baker’s work is in Public Domain, which is where I’d read some of it on an online archive.  I don’t know if this is Baker’s best work (that would probably be Phantom Lady), but he clearly had a lot of fun with it.  The stories are funny as Kate continually gets herself and her cohorts into trouble.  These were originally published in a violent military comic, so I question how the comedy fit in with that.        

 

My main complaint is unfortunately the image quality.  The reproduced pages are slightly larger than original.  These are scans from the original comics and not the original artwork.  There was some touching up of the scans, but the color choices were questionable in places.  So you’re getting the stories and a crude reproduction of the artwork.  You’re not getting some archival quality artbook. 

 

I don’t know if I’d recommend this.  I paid $25 (used) for material I could get for free online with about the same quality.  Still, this is a really cool artifact to own, since I’m a fan of Matt Baker’s artwork.  I’d certainly like more in book form.

Magazine Rack: Back Issue, Cursed and Creepy, Epic

I’d bought these a while back from three different places, for three different reasons along with some comics.  It’s taken me some time to read all of them and get around to writing about them. 

 

Back Issue #151

I found this on the racks at Barnes & Noble.  I am a big Sandman fan, though I think I turned down buying this the first time I saw it.  I had not seen this title before there and haven’t seen it since, so I guess it was a good thing I decided to pick this up.  (I don’t remember why I changed my mind or refused it to begin with.) 

 

This is a magazine about Bronze Age comics and features interviews with the creators and articles about various characters.  Wow, it’s like somebody wrote this just for me and it is rather bright and colorful.  Unfortunately, it’s kind of ephemeral.  There’s no real substance to it.  What I’ve learned from it I didn’t need to know or didn’t want to know.  For example, a lot of comic book writers are jerks.  (I sort of feel like I should be using stronger language.)  This magazine came out right before Neil Gaiman’s recent legal trouble, so at least now I know that it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.  The informative articles mostly just refer you to the original issues of the comics.  It’s maybe a bit more detailed than a Wiki article.  

Awesome Bill Sienkiewicz Death painting

 

Actual Death (and why I won't watch Netflix Sandman adaptation).

I did like the interview section with the various Sandman artists.  I guess that and the general premise was enough to get me to go to their website and order several pdf’s of their past issues.  I ended up with ten of them (including a giveaway).  I’m still reading them.  (It’s a lot of material and reading on a computer is tiring.)  Overall, I’m still not hugely impressed.  (But that could change.  I haven’t read a bunch interesting articles yet.)  I still have a list of a few more I’d like to buy, and I went to B&N like three weeks in a row looking for the next issue when it should have come out.   

 

I’m buying more of it, but not really recommending it?  I’m recommending it, but don’t expect much?  Okay, I don’t know what I’m recommending here.  Let’s move on.  (I may do review of the digital editions, but not until I finish reading everything, so it may be awhile.  There’s a bit more to the story of me ordering from their website.)   

 

The Traveler’s Guide to Cursed & Creepy Destinations

 

I’d gotten this off the rack at Wal-Mart because my Aunt Judy had sent me a gift card.  I got a couple of diecast NASCARs and had money left over.  I was under orders to buy something “fun.”  It looked kind of fun when I skimmed through it.

Read this and this is real

Ever see the 80's horror movie, The Keep?

It is.  This is chocked full of spooky places, ghost stories, and monster sightings.  I’d certainly recommend this for Halloween reading, perhaps out loud to an audience.  I’d really recommend this for writers and RPG players, particularly Game Masters.  There are adventure and monster ideas all through this.  The topics aren’t exhaustively detailed, but they can lead you to more comprehensive sources. 

It does start off with a bummer warning about visiting Ukraine and Russia and tells you to watch for catching a cold when traveling.  Everything else is swell.  If this particular magazine isn’t available during Halloween, I’m sure there will be something just like it on the racks then.  

   

Epic Illustrated #8

I forgot when exactly I bought this at Zia Comics.  I don’t remember if it was by itself or with something.  This was a purchase just for the excellent Howard Chaykin cover, of which, unfortunately, there’s no story inside attached to it.  That would have been cool.  As is, there are stories by Jim Starlin and a beautifully illustrated story by Charles Vess, but this is far from peak Epic Illustrated.  I was reading the magazine for months right before it was canceled (and I never got the end of that Last Galactus Story).  That was the good stuff. 

 

This was the best feature in the magazine.  How totally cool and imaginative.  Oh, wait.  This an ad for D&D.  It is done by Bill Willingham, though.

 

This issue, early in Epic’s history, is trying to be classic Heavy Metal, but without most of the talent.  It’s trying to be edgy and failing.  I’m told Heavy Metal was written to be read when high.  I can believe that.  I doubt most of the stories in this Epic, would be entertaining, regardless of your state of obfuscation.  It’s pretentious and a bit juvenile, but that’s not a mark against it, since it’s “art.”  It’s just not well done or enjoyable.  I’m surprised Marvel stuck with this experiment for as long as they did, but they probably wanted a “classy” art outlet for their artists.    

But this issue does work as a time capsule of the Year 1981.  We have movie reviews by Denny O’Neil (yeah, the Batman guy) of Superman II and Raiders of the Lost Ark.  He liked Superman, but said of the plot, “I’m chagrined that what would be a mortal sin in a 50-cent comic book is acceptable in a $40 million film.”  Raiders drew O’Neil right back to his youth watching action serials and he loved it. 

 

Meanwhile, comic writer, Steven Grant, did a page of computer game reviews, which is fascinating.  First, there’s mention of a printed catalog of all available computer games for sale.  Have you heard of the movie, Quintet, starring Paul Newman?  Me neither, but apparently it was a cult hit that spawned real-life fan-made versions of the game featured in the movie.  How about 3-D hologram Space Invaders and 3-D TVs (coming soon).  Then there’s the innovation of the Casio watch, which is a digital watch, a calculator, and has a built-in video game with it.  There’s a warning that playing video games at the arcade exposes you to unsafe radiation levels.  Finally, there’s article about “hackers,” people addicted to interacting with their computers.  “The hacker may be the model for future human behavior, moving into a symbiotic relationship with the computer.”  Dwell on all that. 

 

Since, Heavy Metal had reviews and articles, Epic thought it should, as well.  I don’t remember the later Epic issues having reviews in them, but maybe I just don’t remember.  Buying this may have been worth it just for the cover and reviews.  

MLB Pre-Postseason Picks

That is a lie.  The postseason has started before I’ve posted this, but I did write most of this before it started.  (Though the first day of the playoffs was over before I finished this.)  This is just a little note for the end of the season, not any sort of detailed analysis (like I ever do that anyway).

 

In the AL, I picked the O’s with the Yankees as wildcard in the East.  Lindy’s correctly had the Yankees winning.  I didn’t pick anyone in the AL Central and they got three teams in.  Lindy’s picked the Tigers, but it was the Indians winning it.  I did pick the Astros to win the West, reluctantly, which they did.  Lindy’s had the Mariners, who might not have any fans left in Seattle.  They had a big lead in their division and lost it quicker than any team before them.  Take a bow. 

 

In the NL, the Phillies seemed to be the obvious choice (which was correct), but I had the Braves winning the East (and the Phillies winning the World Series).  Lindy’s and I both picked the Reds in the Central.  Who saw the Brewers winning it?  Of course, the Dodgers won the West, which we all saw coming.  They might rename the division after them. 

 

For the AL Wildcards, I was genuinely happy that the Tigers got in.  This team was a seller at the trade deadline with a losing record and only just held on to probable Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, to keep their fans from rioting.  Likewise, the Royals’ skipping in was awesome.  Good for them!  (I wonder if this is enough to give them another chance at a new stadium bond.)  The O’s have fallen off a bit as the season has gone on, but let’s see if they learned something from last year.  I had them making it to the World Series.  I’ll stay with that. 

 

For the NL Wildcards, the Padres punched their ticket definitively.  Yes!  This could be the year for them.  Oh, the poor Diamondbacks.  They had to wait until the Braves and the Mets finished a double header on Monday (that had been canceled earlier by a hurricane) to find out that they’d been eliminated.  The first game between the Mets and Braves was apparently a classic.  Unfortunately, I had no way of watching or listening to it.                

 

I’d say I’d like to see anybody in the World Series, except the Yankees, Dodgers, Cleveland (change your damn name back and I’ll root for you), or Astros.  But I can’t.  I’ll admit it.  I’d kind of like to see Aaron Judge versus Shohei Ohtani, though it’d be even better if Shohei was pitching right now.  Maybe next year, but don’t count on the Yankees being good next year, whether they retain Juan Soto or not. 

 

It’s hard to pick a favorite match up for me, because several of these teams I personally like.  The Tigers are an old favorite team of mine.  I’ve been rooting for the Padres and Orioles for the last couple of years.  The Brewers and Royals were so unlikely to get this far, they’d be a great feel-good story.  I did pick the Phillies to win it all, so I’m sticking with that.

Baseball Notebook September 2024

I only noted three games in September, but I had quite a bit to say about them.

 

9-22-24

For the last time this season, the Chihuahuas and the Rangers would be on the radio at the same time.  I really wanted to listen to both games, though.  This was the final Chihuahuas game and the final Rangers home game. 

 

The Rangers started an hour before.  They weren’t playing for anything, but their opponent, the Mariners, was trying to get into the playoffs.  Corey Seager is out for surgery.  Evan Carter never made it back.  Max Scherzer made it back but was scratched for the season a couple of days ago.  At least, Jacob DeGrom and Josh Jung are recovered and playing.  There have been a couple of revelations in Josh Smith and Wyatt Langford. 

 

The Rangers went down 5-0, but there was a full house in Arlington and the team didn’t want to disappoint.  They tied it in the seventh.  A Wyatt Langford three-run homer in previous inning got them most of the way there.  In the bottom of the ninth, the Rangers got a single, a stolen base, and an RBI single by Marcus Semien to win it, 6-5.  This was their biggest comeback of the season.

 

Meanwhile, the Chihuahuas were playing to a full house in Las Vegas.  They’d knocked out the Aviators from their playoff hopes as part of the pup’s 10-game winning streak.  As the bonus, the Chihuahuas would be avoiding finishing in last place. 

 

I found out that it wasn’t bad reception that spoiled last night’s game for me.  I could hear the commercials fine, but not the game.  It was the same thing today.  Their volume was low for the game broadcast, but I could hear it better.  I just had to turn it down during the commercials. 

 

This was a tight game.  Tirso Ornelas hit two home runs and the Chihuahuas took a one-run lead into the ninth and added an insurance run in the top.  They’d played with fire all week having to come back from behind and nearly lost it last night after an error in the bottom of the ninth to put the tying run on third.  It finally caught up to them here.  The Aviators managed to load the bases with no outs in the bottom and scored all of them to win it, 6-5. 

 

Still, it was fun, and after enduring two 10-game losing streaks, this last week of the season has been great.  Tim Hagerty’s send off at the end of the final game is always so sad, but the tears of a bad season always water the hope of the next. 

 

9-27-24

“This is it,” said Eric Nadel for the introduction of today’s game between the Rangers and the A’s.  This would be the last time the Coliseum, and maybe the city of Oakland, would be hosting an MLB game after over 50 years of baseball there.  Their iconic GM, Billy Beane, had passed away recent, so he didn’t have to see this.  (I’d also read Moneyball last month.  Beane did a tremendous job of keeping the team competitive with a very low payroll.) 

 

The media and fans there have villainized A’s owner, John Fisher, for planning to move the team to Sacramento and then to Las Vegas, rather than finding a new home in Oakland.  I view him as the last rat fleeing a sinking ship, as the Golden State Warriors and the Raiders have already abandoned the city.  There was something of an MLB mandate for the A’s to find a new stadium now, as them and the Rays have holding up possible expansion of the league.

 

I was listening to the Rangers’ radio broadcast, but they spent much of their time talking about the Oakland fans and the stadium.  Eric had many memories there (mostly not happy ones for Ranger fans).  Matt Hicks mentioned he had already personally gone through this as a 10-year-old, when his Washington Senators left for Arlington.  He’d been at their last game. 

 

Eric interviewed Manager Bruce Bochy, who was “bothered” by today’s events.  That’s strong language coming from him.  Matt had rode over to the stadium via BART with a bunch of A’s and Rangers’ fans.  Instead of interviewing a player for the pregame, he went into the stands and spoke to three lady A’s fans and a Rangers fan all sitting together.  The ladies were long time fans and even legacy fans. 

 

There was a good contingent Ranger fans there, as this final game was known about at the beginning of the season and many of them wanted to be there for it.  The Ranger fan being interviewed was there on a tour the nation’s ballparks with his daughter.  They’d come just for the final game and even he was emotional being there.  He wasn’t the only one.  A’s great, Dave Stewart, had said he was in denial up until this morning when he broke down in tears.  Another A’s great, Barry Zito, sang the Anthem and the team took the field to a standing ovation. 

 

There was, of course, a full house for the game (over 46,000) and even a full parking lot of tailgaters.  Fans and attendants inside were seen hugging everywhere.  There were fans still coming in well after the game started.  The field mics were picking up a continuous low roar from the crowd.  They would pipe up at times with chants of, “Sell the team!”  I remember these fans had filled that stadium last year for a “Buy-cott” game trying to show that they could sustain the team if it was kept in Oakland.

 

The Rangers had also closed out the Kingdome playing against the Mariners’ there.  That was a different circumstance, as the team was just moving into a nice new stadium in the same city.  Also, Eric noted, “It was a terrible facility.”  While the broadcasters praised the Coliseum today, it’s a dump.  I haven’t been there, but I’ve seen two different streamers take tours in the facility and point out all the warts.  The Ranger guys have also picked in the small crowds in Oakland.  I will say the videos did show how great the hardcore fans were there.  

 

During the game, it was reported that Charlie Blackmon hit a home run today at Coors Field to the approval of the Rangers’ broadcasters, as he’s going to be retiring at the end of the season.  Stuff was tossed on the field in the seventh to the disapproval of the vast majority of the crowd.  In the top of the ninth, a couple of fans ran on the field and a couple of smoke bombs were tossed.  I think a pitch was waved off at one point for a disruption.  Given that the A’s were winning, I think that the crowd just wanted the game to finish peacefully.  (If they were losing . . . eh?)

 

The A’s won, 3-2.  I suppose the only relevant detail of the game was that a Ranger outfielder dropped a flyball in the sun that scored a run, as Josh Hamilton did in 2012, which handed the A’s the AL West that year.  The final result probably didn’t make the fans feel any better, but it made them feel no worse.  Even Jared Sandler on Rangers broadcast and a lifelong fan admitted he was okay with the Rangers not winning this one.  Eric agreed. 

 

The teams had been advised to evacuate the field right after the game, but the A’s stayed on the field to salute the fans.  The A’s manager, Mark Kotsay, addressed the crowd with some pauses from being choked up.  He led the crowd in one more, “Let’s go Oakland!” chant.

 

Nobody left the stands after the game.  Given the crowd, leaving might have been difficult anyway.  It was sort of a party/wake.  A player, Max Schuemann, ran around with an Oakland flag and planted it behind home plate.  He got a hug from Stomper, the team’s elephant mascot. 

 

It was an otherwise meaningless game between two non-contending teams at the end of the season that weren’t playing for anything.  And yet, this was far more emotional than probably any other game so far this season. 

Baseball Notebook August 2024

I haven’t been keeping proper notes on games I’ve been listening to or watching mostly because I’ve been pretty busy and lack the energy.  However, for a few notable games, I had stop and write something.

 

8-7-24

Odd moment in a day game between the Astros and the Rangers.  It was a long game and the bottom of the sixth was no exception.  A popup was the third out of a long inning.  And the Astros stayed on the field and the next Ranger batter came to the plate, before an umpire finally shooed everyone off the field.  Nobody could explain the confusion over the number outs fooling everybody.

 

Broadcaster Matt Hicks later related a similar story from the minor leagues.  After two outs, one team left the field and the other took the field.  Matt, keeping score, stuck his head out of the pressbox and yelled, “There are only two outs!”  Finally, the umps took note, conferenced, agreed, and reset the field.  Apparently, these things just happen in ballgames later in the season.

 

8-9-24

A co-worker, Toni, went to Albuquerque to see the Triple-A Isotopes tonight.  I tracked down their radio coverage so that I could discuss the game with her when she got back.  I was glad I did.  There was a half hour delay for rain before the start of the game.  It sounded a bit cold and windy there, but lucky for Toni she wasn’t there last night with 20mph winds blowing in.

 

The ‘Topes rattled off an 8-run lead halfway through the game.  I needed to step away to do some work.  When I returned, I got to hear the Rivercats complete their comeback and take a 3-run lead in the eighth.  Part of that comeback was a pair of outfield errors by Greg Jones, who had hit a game-winning homer the day before.  (I learned all this stuff about yesterday’s game from the pregame show.  The Chihuahuas don’t really have a pregame show.) 

 

Never fear.  The Rivercats committed two errors on the leadoff Isotopes batter, who reached base to start a rally.  Greg Jones would drive in the tying run.  The ‘Topes would finish the inning by taking a 2-run lead into the ninth, 12-10.  Annoyingly, the coverage went into some sort of commercial loop.  By the time I realized it, the game was over.  What a dirty trick!  Still, it was an interesting diversion from my usual baseball listening. 

 

8-11-24

Ten-and-a-half innings of scoreless Triple-A Baseball tonight.  The Sugarland Space Cowboys and the Chihuahuas were the participants.  Boring?  Admittedly, the drama steadily increased with each inning as the game went later and later scoreless.  Tensions were high as the Chihuahuas manager was ejected halfway through arguing a check swing and the Space Cowboy left fielder was tossed in the ninth on fair ball call.  Late in the game there were chances for both teams, but it wasn’t until the 11-th that the Space Cowboys finally pushed across their ghost runner for a 1-0 win.  This game is noteworthy for being such an oddity.  That Isotopes’ game last week is closer to the norm.

 

8-18-24

Down by 9, the Chihuahuas came back and took a late lead, but soon lost it and lost the game, 12-10 to the Reno Aces.  This was their seventh loss in a row and they lost the full series to the Aces.  To add to the indignity, Chico, their mascot, got hit by a foul ball and went down.  Thankfully, a fan was right to administer CPR to revive him.   

 

8-23-24

The Chihuahuas finally broke their 10-game losing streak, that is, their second 10-game losing streak of the season.  Oh, boy.

 

The Brewers played the A’s today in Oakland.  Joey Ortiz homered for the Brew Crew, but the real story was in the stands.  A fan in one section caught three foul balls in the game.  The last one was positively acrobatic.  Sign that kid up!

 

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays and Red Sox resumed a suspended game and history was made.  Catcher Danny Jansen became the first player to play for both teams in same game, as the result of a trade in the interim.  He was even catching against pinch hitter, who was finishing the at bat that Jansen started. 

 

This reminds of that baseball trivia question about how to reach first base without a hit.  What is it?  There’s like seven?  But then, there are also a couple of esoteric ways, such as a suspended game with a runner on first, who gets traded.  Has that happened? 

 

8-24-24

Chihuahuas lost a 1-0 game on a solo home run.  That’s not just bad, it provokes the question: How many Triple-A games end, 1-0, in a season? 

NM State Aggies vs Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Soccer 9-29-24

 

Dual coverage here today.  This is the final day of the MLB regular season (maybe?).  The Texas Rangers had their game scheduled at the same time as today’s Aggie Soccer match against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.  Against my better judgment, I took a portable radio with me to listen to the baseball game.  Unfortunately, the radio isn’t a little clip-on and the El Paso station isn’t very clear here.  So I was sitting at the game with the radio at by my side.  Though I was being deafened by loud static, I could hear the game.

 

There were still RV’s and trailers in the Football parking lot left over from last night’s game against UNM.  On the one hand, it was a 50-40 loss.  On the other, at least the Aggie offense showed up for this game.  That is slightly encouraging.  At the same time last night, the Rangers were down 7-1 to the Angels, but came back with a big ninth inning and won, 9-8.  Nate Lowe had an epic like 11-pitch at bat to take a walk and drive in a run.  The fans there in Los Angles were not happy.  (This dual coverage is already getting awkward.) 

 

As an aside, I should mention that there was some chatter on El Paso Sports Talk that UTEP was going to the reconstituted PAC-12.  They were even willing to go to the Mountain West.  Basically, they want to be in a regional conference, have better opponents, and not be in the same conference with NMSU.  They’re actually adamant about that last one. 

 

In the Aggie Football pregame, AD Mario Moccia said he was happy to be in C-USA, but somewhat baffled that NMSU hasn’t gotten an offer from those other two conferences.  Moccia said the Aggies’ athletic budget to comparable to everyone else in C-USA, except for Liberty.  If they joined the Mountain West, they’d have the smallest budget by far.  

 

The skies were clear blue overhead, along with a hot sun and a slight breeze.  A large hawk circled the park across from the nearby football stadium.  There was no Band here today and the crowd was a bit light, but the girls were excited coming out on the field.  I was excited that the Hot Pan Am Girl was working this game in a tank top and tight little shorts.  She tossed out some NM State flags before the game.  There were two unexpected injuries during the Anthem.  Jaiden McCellan and Marlee Cavitt both fell to a knee and went to the ground.  They recovered in time to start the game. 

 

First Half

42’ left in the half and MT earned a corner.  This resulted in a shot put on top of the goal.  A minute later, Meredith Scott received a yellow card for rough play.  “Are you kidding me?” said a fan behind.  I agree.  It looked like she just barely touched the MT player that went down. 

 

40’ Jena Johannes made maybe the defensive play of the game.  She body-blocked a shot at an open Aggie net.  Offensively short-handed today, the Aggies couldn’t afford to get put behind early.  There was an immediate counter.  Sydnee Johnson and Meredith went downfield on a breakaway.  MT goalie Demi Gronauer dove and fell on Meredith’s shot.  Looking at Demi later, I thought she was out there bare-handed, which would have been a first.  Her gloves were actually flesh-colored. 

 

There was a couple sitting under the scoreboard in the shade.  That’s kind of smart, though not great seats to see the game.  Syd made a couple of solo charges.  Raider Emma Brown broke up the second one by kicking the ball out.  After an Aggie corner, the Aggies made another attack and Syd took the shot.  It went high into the scoreboard. 

 

The HPAG walked by the stands.  She was a complete distraction.  30’ Brooke Schultz fired a shot over the MT net with her powerful leg.  Meanwhile in Anaheim, Ranger pitcher Nathan Eovaldi loaded the bases in the first with one out.  He wiggled out of it without giving up a run.  28’ Jaiden took a long kick to finish an Aggie press.  It was caught. 

 

Back the other way, MT had a long free kick.  Aggie goalie Valerie Guha fielded the shot, but juggled it and it fell loose in the box.  A rebound shot went over the net.  26’ Andrea Alvarenga, again the shortest player on the field, out ran two MT defenders and took a shot.  Demi ran up in the box to intercept the shot. 

 

27’ Marlee seemed to be blatantly tripped, but there was no call.  21’ Val fell on a slow roller.  A minute later, a ball went into the press table.  The ref decided to call a hydration break after that.  A bunch of Aggie subs came in after play restarted.

 

Back at the ballpark (actually, there was also a game going on at nearby Presley Askew Field that I didn’t know about, but let’s stick to the MLB game), the Ranger broadcasters were scoreboard watching and speculating on the postseason.  8’ Marlee was tripped again.  This one brought out a yellow card.  The resulting free kick was slapped out.  Carolina Rodriguez took a tumble by the net in the scrum and had to come out.  She jogged out, so I think she was okay.

 

6’ Marlee took a shot that flew across the MT goal.  On the radio, broadcaster Matt Hicks started a long discussion about ducks.  I’m really not kidding.  (I love Matt.  He’s great, but that wasn’t his best game commentary.)  3’ MT took a free kick near midfield.  There was a rebound shot on goal from inside the Aggie box.  Val went horizontal to knock it away.  That’s one for the highlight reel (except I later noticed that the broadcast crew wasn’t there covering the game).  The resulting corner was kicked out.

 

Top of the fourth inning, the Rangers finally broke through (and interrupted the wildlife discussion) with an RBI hit by Jonah Heim.  1-0 Rangers.  With under a minute left in the half, Lauren Machuca fired a long shot that was on target, but was caught.  We finish 45 minutes of play knotted, nil-nil.    

 

Halftime

The Aggies were up 4-2 in shots on goal.  Both teams had 1 corner.  Meanwhile, the HPAG walked majestically across the field to the tune of Dreamweaver to perform a t-shirt toss.  She really teases the crowd during the toss, too.  On the other side of the field, the Aggie coaches were huddled together away from the team. 

 

As predicted after the last game, Loma McNeese was not playing today.  While I was refilling at the water barrel, Loma walked by.  I said, “Hello,” to her and asked how she was doing.  She was a little startled, but realized was asking about her injury.  She said she’d be okay soon.  That’s good to hear.

 

Back at the Aggie huddle, Coach Baarts was running around and jumping in front of the team on the bench demonstrating what he wanted from them.  A couple of fans were playing toss with a Nerf football in the stands.  There was another t-shirt toss before play resumed.  The HPAG stiffed a little boy at the fence who wanted a shirt.  He hung his little head in sorrow.  (I assume he got over it.)

 

Second Half

There was a slight delay.  The perfunctory goal net check by the refs found the Aggie net was loose at the crossbar.  There was a quick repair and we were under way.  42’ left in the game, Andrea made a solo charge and put it into the side the MT net.  Right after, there was an Aggie corner that was nearly put in with a header.  It was punched out.

 

Aggie Volleyball made an appearance.  Maggie Lightheart (our sweetheart) came in with Claudia Rossi (err . . . I think it was her and not Nellie Reese, maybe?) and Bella Garcia came in a little later.  Maggie’s luxurious hair was dripping wet, presumably from just getting out of the shower.  They all sat under an umbrella for shade.  Marlee took a shot at them in the stands with a kick, but missed.  (I didn’t know there was that much rivalry between the teams.)

 

The photographers for both teams were running back-and-forth down the field taking pictures of the action.  They were running so much I think they could have played on field.  Of course when the Aggie photographer saw the Volleyball girls, he immediately stopped and chatted with them and took their picture.  (Actually, that’s legit, but I’m still jealous.)

 

There weren’t much in the way of shots to start the half.  32’ Mya Gonzales (Gonzo) was tripped in the MT box.  There was no call.  A minute later, the Aggies got a free kick anyway.  A shot on the rebound was caught.  28’ Mya Hammack (my favorite) broke up an attack with a running kick back to Val.  That was risky, but it worked.

 

Another MT attack followed.  Marlee was one-on-one with Raider Arianna Kinsley on defense and giving up nearly a foot in height to her.  Marlee got the ball away from her and kicked it back to Val.  Right back the other way, Syd was nearly in a one-on-one with the MT goalie.  Demi fell on the shot. 

 

Hey, Dustin Harris got his first Major League hit and drove in two Rangers to make it, 3-0.  I don’t know who this guy is.  He’s not even on the prospect list from my preseason guide.  I think he just got called up. 

 

23’ Xitlaly Hernandez came in.  She was clearly itching to play and score.  Within a couple of minutes, X took a shot on target that was caught.  A hydration break followed.  Unfortunately, the player formerly known as Twitter, came out after only playing for a few more minutes.  The Coach was still limiting her minutes.

 

Back to the action, Jena and Kinsley, more equal in height, had a head-on collision.  They were a little shaken up, but okay.  MT got a free kick near midfield.  A low shot was scooped up by Val.  They got another free kick in about the same place.  That one was headed out. 

 

In Anaheim in the seventh, Wyatt Langford threw out a runner at home from the outfield.  “No runs for you!” was the game call.  13’ this one was close.  Val was unprotected and Manon Lebargy took a shot on the wing.  Val dropped on it.  This was followed by a long shot on the Aggie goal that Val caught. 

 

12’ Shila Rasoul made a crossing pass in the MT box to Ariana Ellison, but she missed it for what would have been an easy goal.  Milana Eyrich was subbed out of the game, though she walked along the sidelines and behind to the goal to come out, instead of heading directly off.  I don’t know what that means. 

 

10’ the Aggies had a free kick and then a corner.  Brooke took a shot to the gut by the sidelines.  She bent over in pain, but she shook it off and took the next free kick.  At the ballpark, Nathaniel Lowe hit a two-run homer.  The Rangers were now up, 5-0 in the eighth.  It was also reported that Luis Arraez on the Padres had gotten a hit today, which would make him the batting champ for the season.  He’s done this three years in a row for three different teams.

 

6’ MT had a corner, but no attack.  4’ the Aggies took a free kick.  Mya was forced out on her charge.  I noticed the Aggies left no defenders back on that attack.  They went all in.  The crowd was now really into it by now.  They were shouting and yelling for the Aggies to press the attack.  2’ left in the game, Meredith was listening.  She took an open shot in front of the MT goal and buried it!  1-0 Aggies!  They’d hold it from there, though Andrea got flattened on a play and there was a yellow card issued.  She was okay.

 

Aggies win 1-0!  This one was tough, especially without Loma.  SOG was even at 4.  The Aggies had a 3-2 advantage in corners.  I’d to see Meredith’s shot again, if only somebody had been doing video of this game.  [Pre-post edit: Thankfully, somebody with a handheld camera by the net caught the goal on video.  Oh, those poor MT girls.  They were completely crushed.  You couldn’t see that from the stands.]  The girls did some happy jumping up and down after the game.

 

Meredith Scott gets an easy gameball for the winner.  Keepers, Valerie Guha and Demi Gronauer, should also get praise for keeping it scoreless for so long.  The Aggies seemed to keep the ball in the MT end for most of the match, but this one was really close.  I’m also personally grateful that I didn’t have to write up a nil-nil tie. 

 

When I got up to leave, I started having reception problems with the radio, but kept trying to listen.  A remix of The Outfield’s Your Love played us out.  That was appropriate for Charlie Blackmon’s retirement this weekend.  I had the opportunity to say something to the Volleyball girls on the way out.  I think they won yesterday on the road, so I could have asked.  I think I used up my boldness chatting with Loma earlier.  (And Maggie’s so pretty, it’s intimating.) 

 

I’d planned on finally trying out Voodoo Burger today after the game, but they didn’t appear to be open.  (There were no cars out in front.)  I diverted to Jimmie John’s, which was in the area.  I got a tasty sandwich and listened to the postgame sitting outside, though I didn’t need the extra hot sun on me. 

 

The Rangers scored some more to make it 8-0, which was the final.  Eovaldi went 7 scoreless innings for the win.  Dustin Harris also hit his first Major League home run in the game.  That was quite the debut.  The NL Wildcard teams are still not set after today’s games.  This will mess up the timeliness of my pre-postseason post.  Overall, it was a good day at the pitch and the ball field.