NM State Aggies vs Jax State Gamecocks Baseball 4-19-25

The Aggies have had a long week heading into Easter.  They played on Tuesday at home against the Lobos.  The Aggies went down big early, but came back and made a game of it in a 12-10 loss. 

 

 

That's the dust haze on the field

Conference opponent, Jax State blew in on Thursday.  A massive duststorm hit during the game, but they played it out in front of a small, hearty crowd.  The Gamecocks won the back-and-forth affair, 17-12.  Conditions were slightly better on Friday, but the Aggies lost another, 6-1.    

 

Here on Saturday morning, the weather was beautiful, but the forecast wasn’t.  I put on three layers, wore my boots, and brought a hooded jacket.  (It wouldn’t be enough.)  I knew from experience that the weather could quickly change at Presley Askew Field (3-24-18).  I got my ominous warning right after I came through the entry gate.  The director of AggieVision walked by and said to someone, “It’s going to rain.”  The cameras for the game were covered, even though it was sunny.

 

I also saw the Easter Bunny himself, as I came in.  He was greeting some kids with a Little League team before going out to throw the first pitch.  EB hopped (literally) to the mound and, surprisingly, threw a strike, which the catcher dropped.  Boooo!  You’re off the team, loser!  Sign up that bunny!

 

The crowd was listed at 341, but it seemed a lot better than that.  I talked to Fan Michael.  He was here on Thursday and said that every flyball was going all over the place.  Michael also confirmed that the Hot Marketing Girl is going out with Joey Craig on the team.  I’m starting to think it isn’t a coincidence that these pretty girls are working at the ballpark. 

 

Trey Reese and his family came in.  I asked about daughter, Nellie Reese, being on the baseball TV broadcast earlier in the week with Coach Jordan, her volleyball coach.  I wish I could have seen it.  I also asked about Sheehan O’Connor.  I hadn’t seen him in the last series.  They said he’d stopped hitting and was out of the lineup.  This guy was tearing the cover off the ball early in the season. 

 

There was a young girl in a pretty felt cowboy hat next to us.  Apparently, she was there with Trey as some sort of relation.  Michael brought her a brand new ball from the dugout, so she could get autographs on it.  He later flagged down a marketing girl on a towel toss to give it to her.  This was all very nice of him.  I mentioned seeing former AD Mario Moccia at Softball last week.  Michael said he’d been at Baseball, too.  Mario had been enjoying himself pounding beers.  I wonder if he’s gone into early retirement or doing some lucrative day trading (or living well off the rest of the salary he’s owed).      

 

A group of JS players danced around in circle before the game.  Honestly, this was the least of the team’s somewhat obnoxious behavior.  Trey was keeping an eye on the weather on his phone.  I mentioned that rain game from above and that I’d gotten to watch future Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, pitch that day.  He was a bit jealous that I got to see that.        

I had a rough time with these.  As the temperature dropped, my mind kept wandering and I was missing plays I was actually watching.  I wasn’t the only one.  The official scorer changed some calls during the game (that disagreed with the scoreboard totals) and maybe made a couple of questionable decisions.  I had to make some edits.

 

Saul Soto was the surprise Aggie starter.  The feeling was that Coach Angier wasn’t messing around today by putting out his best reliever.  He got two strikeouts to start and only gave up a single.  More clouds began moving in along with a colder wind, as Steven Cash started for the Gamecocks.  He had a quick 1-2-3 inning.

 

The clouds kept moving across the sun and I fiddled with taking my sunglasses on and off.  Soto worked into trouble in the top of the frame with a double and an RBI single.  JS up 1-0.  The JS dugout let out a very long howl.  Cash had a two-strikeout inning in the bottom.  In the third, the wind kicked up hard suddenly, but died back down.  This was another warning and it was another scoreless inning.

 

It was now definitely cold.  I was okay to this point.  There was more trouble for Soto in the fourth.  After a walk, a bobbled and dropped ball at second and a wild pitch put two on in scoring position with two outs.  Soto reared back and struck out the next batter.  He came off the mound shouting.  Bryce Campbell finally broke up the no-hitter in the bottom of the inning.  A hit batter put two on, but Cash got a strikeout to end the inning.

 

JS began the fifth with a single (originally scored as an error) and a double, which chased Soto from the game.  Hazen Wright came in and had a throwing error on a bunt that scored the two runners.  Michael said the Gamecocks had bunted for hits in the last two games.  (I didn’t think it looked like a sacrifice, but that was how it was scored.)  Hazen closed out the inning thanks to a great running catch in the left field gap by Mitch Namie.  3-0 JS.  Their dugout was again very loud as their runs scored.

 

Trey announced that rain was coming in 30 minutes.  (Close, it was more like 45.)  In the bottom of the fifth, a single was rubbed out on a caught stealing and a walk was left stranded.  I asked Robin, Trey’s wife, about Morgan Stewart’s disappearance from the Volleyball team.  She made pained face and told me.  Morgan had a bit of a breakdown after a break up and had even left school altogether.  I was kind of sorry I asked.  I missed the kid dressing contest on the field while chatting.  It seemed cute.

 

The wind was blowing dust off the mound and was kind of blowing in.  I was losing my voice a bit suddenly.  Ferny Barreda came in for the sixth.  He had two walks and a hit batter, but a caught stealing and strikeout ended the threat.  In the bottom, a dropped and bobbled ball at third put the first Aggie batter on.  Boston Vest drove him in with slow single that he hustled into a double.  (I was so out-of-it, I didn’t score the run and thought the scoreboard was wrong later.)  3-1 JS.

 

The sky was turning sort of a white/brown color overhead between the wind and clouds.  Ferny struck out the side in his second inning of work in the seventh.  Cash was relieved by James Wilson in the bottom.  He gave up a single to begin the inning.  Catcher Grayson Ashe made plays on two foul popups next.  On one, the wind kept playing with the ball and he ended up on his back catching it.  After a walk, Steve Solorzano came up with two on and two out.  He hit a sure double foul down the right field line, but on the next pitch, he jacked one out to left for a three-run homer.  The bullpen guys rode the fence cheering him on, as he circled the bases.  Aggies up 4-3!

 

I think the temperature had dropped 20-degrees since the start of the game.  Cold sprinkles were starting to fall.  Maybe half the crowd left (the half with good sense, but little team spirit).  I wished I was wearing that Easter Bunny suit.  Ferny had a scoreless eighth.  A double play ended the Aggie half of the inning. 

 

We go to the fateful ninth.  The light rain smelled more dusty than refreshing.  The remaining crowd was hardcore and loud.  They were trying to will Ferny to the win.  They were going after the ump on every close call he didn’t get.  It wasn’t quite enough.  He gave up two doubles, which tied it.  Ashe then muscled a two-run homer out to center.  The Gamecock dugout went wild.  Ferny was hit on a comebacker on the next batter, which felt like insult to injury, but he picked it and threw out the runner.  6-4 JS.

 

I wanted to leave.  I really wanted to leave.  I couldn’t feel my face.  But, I just couldn’t do it.  If nothing else, I thought it might be over quick.  A new Gamecock reliever began the bottom of the inning, but was relieved after a leadoff walk to Tariq Freeny.  Joe Scarborogh entered the game.  (Not the political commentator.  I’m sure Joe’s gotten enough guff over that.)  Tariq made it to third via a groundout and a passed ball.  Joey drove him in with a sac fly.  The Aggies were now only down by a run, but had two outs.

 

Leadoff batter Brandon Forrester did his job and worked a walk after a hard battle.  Solo came up and Michael correctly predicted he’d be walked intentionally.  There were two meetings preceding this to drag out the affair.  By this point, I was numb, but committed.  Pinch hitter Chris Daniels worked a walk to load the bases.  Bryce was up next and hit a dying line drive to left.  Leftfielder Drew Collins ran in and dove, but couldn’t come up with it.  The ball dropped to the ground.  Two runs scored and the Aggies win, 7-6!

 

The crowd pretty much exploded.  Bryce was mobbed and his shirt was torn off.  I think this a hard earned victory for everybody for enduring elements today.  The teams did go out and shake hands afterward.  Gameballs.  For the Gamecocks, Cooper Blauser went 3 for 5 and Steven Cash pitched 6 innings with only 3 hits and no earned runs.  That’s a hard luck no decision.  For the Aggies, Steve Solorzano had a big 3-run homer and Bryce Campbell went 2 for 5, including the game-winning 2-RBI hit.     

 

I suddenly felt much better, but canceled my lunch plans and went straight home.  I didn’t stay for the Easter Egg hunt.  I’m not sure how that went.  The game went 3 hours and 15 minutes.  Maybe only the final 45 minutes was intolerable.  We never actually got much rain, just sprinkles, of course.  In a couple of hours the sun came back out.  The drought continues and my new car is good and dirty again.      

 

I listened to the Rangers and Dodgers on the radio when I got back.  It was another walk off win for me.  Adolis Garcia had a two-home run homer to win it in the ninth, 4-3.  Also on TV, the NASCAR Xfinity Series was racing at Rockingham for the first time in over 20 years.  It was a full house there.  You think they wanted to see some racing?  They got it.  Jesse Love won in overtime.  Love got out at the finish line to collect the flag, but forgot to put the car in park and it rolled away from him.  Never seen that before.  

 

It can’t all be good news.  It was apparently snowing in the Albuquerque, which canceled the Chihuahuas game there tonight.  Aggie Softball was swept in three losses to WKU this weekend.  We’ll celebrate this Aggie Baseball win at least until next weekend.  It’s another rain game memory for now. 

NM State Aggies vs Liberty Flames Softball 4-13-25

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.] 

NM State Aggies vs Liberty Flames Softball 4-12-25

Thanks to scheduling, this is my first Aggie Softball game report since early February.  I’ve put in some little recaps with my Aggie Baseball reports.  The team has been having a pretty good season up until last weekend.  They got swept in three games in El Paso at UTEP.  This was quite the shock, as the Aggies have historically done well against the Miners, have a better record this season than the Miners, and poached the Miners’ best player before the season started.  Just looking at the box scores and recaps, I couldn’t get an explanation.  The Aggies seemed to have everyone playing. 

 

This wasn’t the best time for the Aggies to play the best team in the conference and #25 in the nation, Liberty, even at home.  They lost Friday night, 5-1.  Saturday, after a great lunch at Freddy’s with a grilled cheese hamburger, I chugged a large cup of water and took off to the Softball Complex.  It was hot and sunny with a breeze blowing.  It was reasonably nice, but that water was a great idea.  In two-and-a-half hours, I had no need to go to the bathroom.  Winter was definitely over.  The official scoring listed the temperature as, “Hot enough to slowly cook meat.”

 

I drove past the Soccer field and it was completely torn up with construction.  I was wondering why they’d scheduled an exhibition at a nearby field next week.  (I might go to that.)  Outside the stadium, I picked up two softballs that were loose from the practice field and took them up to the pressbox for a “Sweeeeet prize.”  I might have should have given them to some kids to redeem, but I didn’t see any on the way in.  The little lollipop wasn’t a bad idea to have to suck on in the heat, anyway. 

 

A great crowd of 428 showed up for the game.  There was a good buzz going around and everyone seemed to be having a good time.  One guy was having a really good time.  He was wearing a cowboy hat, cut-offs, and a Western shirt.  He was dancing in the aisle to a 90’s hip hop song.  He would be dancing for the rest of the game during breaks.  He reminded me of the guy with the big headphones that dances in the aisle at the Pan-Am Center.  I hope this guy had something to drink there, because he was really working it in the heat.           

 

The Aggies were doing their usual pregame ritual and included the team photographer in their bump session.  They also did something new by making a circle together.  Afterward, I saw pitcher Taryn Bennett juggling softballs.  I can juggle, as well.  That’s a worthwhile skill. 

As you can see, that grilled cheese hamburger was the best thing about my day.  (Actually, I watched the newest Mobile Suit Gundam, GQuuuuux, on Amazon Prime this morning and loved it, too.  I haven’t seen a new anime that I’ve loved in a long time.)  Jaileen Mancha started for the Aggies.  She didn’t have much trouble, except for a bobbled ball in the left field by Devin Elam.  That was a bad precursor of things to come.  Kaylan Yoder started for Liberty.  One of her pitches to Desirae Spearman flew over the umpire’s head, but she struck Des out looking.  Elam drew a walk and Lauren Garcia battled for several pitches before finally fouling out to end the inning.

 

The PA announced it was National Siblings Day.  I’d mentioned a bunch of sister relations on the team earlier (2-8-25), but I missed one.  The third base coach is the older brother of first baseman, Kristiana Watson.  This guy really looks like he should be playing on the Baseball team or the Football team.  He’s a head taller than everyone else on the field.      

 

The wheels came off in the top of the second.  It started off with a bad throw from Kenzie Nicholson at second to let on the leadoff batter with a two-base error.  The next batter had a bunt single, and then the next batter drove in the first run with a sac fly.  After a run-scoring single, Coach Rodolph went out for a conference.  The PA played the Home Depot commercial music, but it wasn’t an ad.  Or was it? 

 

The next Flames batter dropped a bunt perfectly into the small part of the batter’s box that is fair and got on.  The crowd and the coach complained, but it was likely fair.  Rachel Roupe came up and hit a low liner to left that Elam wasn’t able to come up with and two runs scored.  Elam seemed to throw the runner out at second, but Roupe was ruled safe.  The crowd was in an uproar again.  The next batter hit a hard shot to third, but Taylor Nicholson couldn’t come up with it and another run scored.  4-0 Liberty.

 

In the bottom of the second, Yoder accidently rolled a pitch to the plate.  Don’t let that fool you; she could throw very hard, if a bit wild.  A foul ball went backward and dropped onto the aluminum walkaway and put a small dent in it.  Tamara Carranza beat out a hustle double on a blooper.  Taylor singled.  Sister Payton Nicholson pinch ran for her and stole second easily.  However, Yoder finished off the inning with a pair of strikeouts.

 

Desirae, who was playing in center, caught a deep flyball for the first and last out of the third.  She’d also caught a fly there for the final out of the previous inning.  The breeze was blowing across the field and seemed to be knocking balls down.  Jaileen only gave up a single for the inning, which deflected off her glove.            

 

Between innings, the PA mentioned Emma Bunch of the Women’s Golf team played at the Ladies Masters last week and came in 11-th.  I saw some of that tournament.  There were some yellow towels in the crowd and remembered there was a Masters giveaway item today.  Dad had mentioned it yesterday.  If I’d remembered I might have gone early to get one for him.  Or not, I don’t know if being out in the heat for another 20 minutes would have been worth it.  They threw a few to the crowd.  I tried to get one there, but it didn’t happen.  Sorry, dad.  One of the girls tossing them, I think, was former AD Mario Moccia’s daughter.  I can’t believe she’s old enough to be in college.     

 

Desirae was caught looking again for the first out of the bottom of the third inning.  The crowd was angry again, though she was not.  Yoder gave up a walk before Roupe made a great play in right field on a foul ball.  I think.  I couldn’t see it where I was sitting, but assume she had to make a running catch for it.

 

The top of the fourth did not go well.  Jaileen gave up her first walk and was relieved by Zantelle Rodriguez.  She immediately gave up a single and then a three-run homer to Roupe.  The homer was a line drive to center that may have hit the cameraman on his perch there.  He definitely flinched.  Zantelle was not helped out afterward by the defense.  Kenzie had another error at second and Tamara had an error at short.  Those errors and two singles brought in two more runs.  Taryn came in in relief and her first pitch hit the batter on the helmet.  She gave up a run-scoring single, but finally got the last out.  That was six runs to make it, 10-0 Liberty.

 

 

By this point, maybe half of the crowd had deserted.  The PA announced that Football season tickets were on sale.  Tickets come with a Wave the Wonder Dog figure.  As much as I like the dog, I hope they’re not planning on marketing him again as the main reason to see the team. 

 

The Aggies only managed a walk in the bottom of the fourth.  In the top of the fifth, the Aggie defense managed to throw out the lead runner twice on consecutive groundball plays.  The PA played the disco classic, I Will Survive, in the break.  The Dancing Cowboy was still dancing.  Desirae came up again, and with the wind dying down, she cranked one out to left center . . . where KK Madrey reached over the wall and brought it back.  It was that kind of day for the Aggies.  Liberty wins 10-0 in a run rule.

 

I don’t think Liberty needed any help to win this game, but 4 errors definitely did in the Aggies.  That total doesn’t even include a few other dropped balls.  The Aggies were playing nervous.  They also couldn’t hit Kaylan Yoder, who was effectively wild in the shutout.  She gets a Gameball, along with Savannah Woodard, who was 3 for 4, and Rachel Roupe, who had 4 RBI’s and a 3-run homer.  For the Aggies, I reluctantly hand one to Taryn Bennett, who didn’t allow a run of her own in relief. 

 

Both teams came together on field to wave to the crowd.  They then made a prayer circle.  That was a nice touch.  I went home in some measure of dread of having to come back early tomorrow morning for the next game.  This is not how I wanted what is probably my last Softball series of the season to go.  On the radio, I got to listen to three more blowout games against teams I like (though another team I like did win one of those blowouts).  It was that kind of day.