NM State Aggies vs CBU Lancers Baseball 05-16-21

I really find myself wishing that that game from two weeks ago had been last game of the season.  Events didn’t go any better today than yesterday, if not worse.  That said, I’m glad I went.  As nearly always in baseball, there are some little moments that don’t always show up on the scorecard that make the sport worthwhile.  We had a few of those today in the most unexpected places.  Now, that I’ve pretty much spoiled everything, let’s get on with the recap.

 

Ron called early.  He was flat on his bad back and unable to move, so he wouldn’t be going.  I kind of figured that would happen as much pain as he was in yesterday.  He was very disappointed to not be going out for the final Aggie home game.  The day was brilliant in the 80’s with a light breeze and clear blue sky.  No weather delays in sight today.  I had no excuse for not going, though I was skeptical I was going to see an Aggie win.

I arrived at Presley Askew Field just as the PA was announcing the CBU seniors for the Senior Day ceremony.  I got to my seat as Jason Bush was honored as a sixth year senior.  He’s one of my favorites.  A group of girls came in to cheer for him.  I thought they were Hooters girls, but I noticed later that they were wearing tank tops with his face printed on them.  Chris Jefferson was honored.  I hope he’ll make it into professional baseball.  He certainly should get a chance.  Several other players were honored as graduates, but they weren’t actually seniors, so they might be back.

 

Emerson, our favorite sports marketing intern, escorted Jefferson’s and Bush’s moms to the mound to throw out the first pitches.  (The boys may have gotten their athletic talent from their dads from what I saw.)  It was a sweet moment as they all hugged afterward.  The mask sign made a comeback today briefly.  I said, “Hi,” to the dog I’d met last time, but I wasn’t sitting by him.  He did introduce himself to a little girl nearby.  She seemed apprehensive, but eventually warmed up to the big furry dog. 

What’s mind blowing about these scorecards is that they added up correctly.  I’ve had much cleaner scorecards that were totally off.  Does this mean I’m getting better at this?  It would make ironic sense that my last scorecard of the year is the one where I finally figured out how to do it.  By next year, I’ll be back to guessing and having to go crawling back to the official scoring.

 

Cam Blazek started for the Aggies.  He got a couple of quality strikeouts to start.  Zerek Saenz made a diving basket catch to end the inning.  I switched around several seats trying to avoid the sun.  I was up by the pressbox again, but at this time of day the sun was coming in.  For the bottom half of the inning, I couldn’t see the pitcher with the pole in the way.  Kevin Jimenez singled, but that was all.

 

Finally in a better seat, I could see the field, but not the scoreboard.  The father and son and the hot blonde from yesterday were back in the crowd.  Zach Smits at first dropped a throw to let on the first batter of the second.  This began a parade of errors later in the game.  Cam was shooting peas though, and worked around it. 

 

The people below me brought in a big sack of McDonalds.  I don’t usually think anything of McDonalds, but it does smell good and I’m hungry.  More on these people later.  Brandon Dieter led off with a single.  He stole second, even stumbling, when the catcher dropped the ball.  Nothing came of it. 

 

Bush’s fangirls came in with sacks of unidentified food.  I may be more interested in the food than the girls.  Back to the fans below me, one of the girls has a nearly shaved head and is wearing spaghetti straps and is sitting in the sun with extremely pale skin.  I’m feeling sunburn just looking at her.  In the top of the third, Ethan Mann took a tough error at third on the second batter of the inning.  John Glenn then came up and hit a monster home run to right center.  The outfielders barely moved.  2-0 CBU. 

 

A family came in directly below me in the bottom of the third.  The dad brought mitt.  He’s probably going to be disappointed if he’s looking to catch a ball.  The dog did come over and say “Hello,” to him and got amicably petted.  And then my pen ran out of ink and I had to persevere with a pencil.  Zerek had an epic at bat after a bunt attempt and worked a walk.  There was a botched pitchout on a botched hit-and-run.  (I think CBU has cracked the Aggies’ signs.)  This resulted in Zerek stealing second.  KJ was struck out looking after a long AB.  The ump had a wide strike zone.  Mann was then given an intentional walk.  Cal Villareal took offense to that and singled in Zerek.  2-1 CBU.

 

To the top of the fourth, Emerson came out for Aggie trivia.  The little girl and a nearby little boy were playing with the dog.  It was too sweet.  Harrison Spohn led off with a single.  He stole second and took third on a bad throw by Bush.  It was a tough way to start an inning.  Spohn was then sacrificed in.  Zerek made a nice running catch on the flyball.  Nick Plaia then hammered a solo homer to the same spot Glenn had.  It was his first home run of the year.  There was a bad throw by Mann from third that was ruled an infield hit.  Blazek worked out of further damage.  4-1 CBU.

 

Emerson came out and tossed souvenir balls to the crowd.  The dad with the glove caught one for his daughter.  I stand corrected.  AD Mario Moccia came in earlier.  He visited the pressbox, but didn’t come on the radio.  I was disappointed, since he usually says something interesting.  He was sitting below, chatting with a fan.  (Mario had his mask off.)  I noticed his daughter was sitting above with friends by the pressbox.  She came in later with sacks of What-a-burger and cups of ice cream.  I’m now completely dying of hunger.  This isn’t even fair.  Mario did stop her as she walked by, but she stiffed him without giving him anything.  At least, I’m not alone in hunger.  Adam later reported that she also retrieved a couple of foul balls and brought them to the pressbox.

 

The Aggies got two hits to start the bottom of the fourth.  Smits had an infield hit that was scored an error to load the bases.  (I’m having a problem with the official scorer.)  Tommy Tabak just missed a grand slam home run but for a leaping catch by Chad Castillo.  It did work as a sacrifice to bring in a run.  Zerek singled to bring in two runs.  Castillo bobbled getting the ball, which moved Zerek to second.  4 all.

 

Blazek got a strikeout and a flyout in the fifth, but gave up a double off the batter’s eye in center that nearly went over.  After a walk, Lyle Hibbetts came in to finish off the inning.  The Aggies went down quickly in the bottom.  Between innings, Emerson came out for the pocket contest and was handing out Aggie lunchboxes.  That was a heck of a giveaway.  (I didn’t have any of the items in my pockets.)  Back to the McDonalds fans, the girl with the bad haircut and about to get sunburn was getting felt up by her man-ish girlfriend.  Unlike last time, this was a definite lesbian encounter and not the hot porn kind.  I definitely don’t want to be seeing this, but they’re directly in front of me and it took me long enough to find a seat in the shade.  I live with it.

 

There were changes for the Aggie infield for the sixth.  Smits was taken out, Mann went to first, and Jake Baer took over at third.  We almost lost Bush at catcher as he took a back swing to his “lower area.”  He bent right over, but got up and waved off the trainer with a strangely high-pitched voice.  This was painful symbolism for what happened in the inning to the Aggies.

 

Hibbetts came out after two walks.  Ian Meijia comes in a walks another to load the bases.  Damon Keith then unloaded them with a grand slam.  It went to right center again.  The Lancers have figured out the jet stream wind going out of the stadium today.  With that, Keith took over the WAC lead in home runs over Ethan Mann. 

 

By this point, I’m trying to get the Chihuahuas’ game on my radio, but can’t get decent reception.  After two more walks, a hit, a hit batter, and another run, Hayden Johns was brought in.  He struck out his first batter, which was the first out of the inning.  Then there was a sacrifice, a double steal (no one covered second), a two-run single, and finally a flyout to center.  That was 8 runs off of 3 hits and 5 walks (and a hit batter).  12-4 CBU. 

 

The Aggies went down in the bottom of the sixth with a double play.  Ben Des Rosiers pitched in the top of the seventh.  Castillo singled in Keith, who had walked.  He then took second, which was ruled a stolen base, but seemed more like indifference.  The bases were loaded with a walk.  By this point, we were a run away from a run rule.  God help me, I was rooting on hit, but it didn’t happen.  13-4 CBU.

 

Emerson came down to see, who I think is her boyfriend, former player, Logan Ehnes (4-7-19).  He’d been down in front talking to one of the regulars for much of the game.  Emerson led Logan out as he trailed behind.  Dude, put your arm around her waist, hold her hand, at least smile (and put a ring on her).  The lesbians were more affectionate.  Sh****t.

 

Mann homered in the seventh to keep up with Keith and put the run rule more out of reach.  13-5.  Another Aggie pitcher started the eighth.  Bush warmed him up, but he was taken out to a round of applause before the inning began.  Several other players were also changed out.  Mark McNelly, who came in defensively, was plunked hard to start the bottom of the eighth.  He stole second, but didn’t advance further.  Adam Young on the radio talked about seeing the previous Lancer starters’ intense workouts before the game.  He mentioned Chris Jefferson works out about same.  This was the secret to being a great starter: the work ethic between starts.   

 

Nick Rogers came out for the top of the ninth, but not wearing the number listed in the program.  For a moment, I thought they’d taken somebody from the stands to pitch (which might have worked out the same).  Rogers gave up four hits in a row directly up the middle.  (I might have tried repositioning the infielders.)  Even with a double play, a couple more runs still scored.  Now, they score runs.  Where you in the seventh?  Now I officially hate the Lancers.  They’d get theirs before the end.  17-5 CBU.

 

Tristan Stacy led off the bottom of the ninth.  Hey, what happened to him?  He was regular at the start of the season.  (Where’s Noah Haupt for that matter?  He’s not on the roster.)  Surprisingly, Chris Jefferson donned a helmet for his first Aggie at bat.  The crowd and the dugout roared.  He struck out, but it was a great moment anyway.  Did he talk the coach into it or was it the coach’s idea?  Local player, Ryan Olson, came in and was given a hit, though the fielder made a bad throw.  Connor Laux was hit on the helmet, but he was okay. 

 

Cal Villareal, the only starter left in the lineup, singled.  There was an error on the play, which allowed Olson to score.  The Lancer coach came out infuriated.  He brought in another pitcher to try and get the final out.  Mark McNelly came up and grounded to short.  However, third and short collided trying to get the ball.  I laughed out loud.  It was a perfect Little League single.  Oh, now I’m glad this game went to the ninth.  A run scored and McNelly was given a single in the scoring.  I can’t believe that wasn’t some sort of error.  A groundout to first finally ended the game.  17-7 CBU was the final.

 

Gameballs?  Sure, why not?  Damon Keith had the big blow of the game with his sixth inning grand slam.  Michael Carpentier came in in the sixth inning and finished going 2 for 3 with 3 RBI’s.  Liam Rocha pitched 3 effective innings of 1 run relief. 

 

For the Aggies, Zerek Saenz was 1 for 3, but drove in the 2 runs that tied the score in the fourth.  Hayden Johns was the only one of three Aggie pitchers in the sixth to record any outs.  That was a bad spot to be in.  He gave up three inherited runs, but finally finished the inning.  Finally, Chris Jefferson gets a gameball for taking that at bat and Jason Bush gets one for playing through the pain.  I hope he’s still able to entertain his fan club this evening.    

 

I’m sure those Lancer guys were really looking forward to hearing from the coach after the game.  That’s what you get for not finishing this game an hour ago.  That was three-and-a-half painful hours.  So, we had 24 runs, 11 pitchers, a bat-around inning, most of the players got subbed out, and 6 errors (should have been more).  And you wondered why I was so happy about the scorecards adding up. 

 

CBU and GCU will be playing each other for the WAC Regular Season Championship next weekend.  Having seen them both demolish the Aggies in person, I can say the Lopes are the better team.  If GCU can avoid giving up the big inning to the Lancers, they can sit back and wait for them to self-destruct.  The Aggies have a bye-week going into the tournament in two weeks with only a Tuesday game against Arizona.  They had gotten offers to play out of conference, but turned them down.  I interpret that as no one offered to pay them to play them.         

 

I had finally identified one of the player’s walkup songs earlier in the week that I liked, The Chemical Brothers’ Galvanize.  It was used in a commercial and I found it from there.  Unfortunately, nobody used it this weekend and I don’t remember which player used it.  Meanwhile, there’s still another one that I like that I still can’t figure out, even though I know what song it’s sampling from.  It’s a mystery. 

 

What’s also a mystery is what’s going to happen in the fall.  Will there be games?  Will I be able to go?  I don’t know.  Aggie Baseball at home has been a bit brutal this season.  It’s been uncomfortable for multiple reasons.  I may give a quick summary of Aggie Sports for my upcoming Memorial Day post, but not now. 

 

After the game, I waved to Adam in the pressbox.  I hadn’t actually realized I was virtually sitting right next to him.  Three weeks ago I’d wanted a Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich from Dominos, and I finally paid off that desire.  I also wanted a What-a-burger and McNuggets, but I held myself back.  Everything felt a little better after eating.    

 

I only got to hear the post game of the Chihuahuas game (they won).  Afterward, KROD went right to the ESPN Sunday night game between the Padres and the Cardinals.  I called my aunt in Missouri, who’s of course a Cardinals fan, and we talked baseball.  Any day with a good meal and some baseball can’t be all bad.  

NM State Aggies vs CBU Lancers Baseball Game 2 05-15-21

 

Continued from Game 1.

 

During the intermission, we went back to Ron’s car.  He ate his overloaded footlong sub sandwich, while I wished I had something sweet to drink, or snack on, or a dessert.  Ron devastated his sandwich instantly.  He played part two of the “Origin of the high five” story.  Mike Rowe had expressed some regret over putting out the story, because as part of it, he’d said Billy Martin, the A’s manager, had introduced the g*y player to the team as a “f*ggot.” 

 

Billy Martin’s son had protested this allegation, so Rowe went back and did more research and found there was only one source for that story, a reporter.  The other players in the locker room at the time, and the g*y player in his published autobiography, never mentioned this ever happening.  This is only an issue because Billy Martin isn’t yet in the Hall of Fame as of this 2020 podcast.  This blows my mind.  Anyway, this apparently fake news could be used to keep Martin out.  Rowe felt like he was an unwitting accomplice in perpetuating this story.  Since the main participants are dead, there’s no asking them for clarification.

 

If there’s moral to this, Rowe probably shouldn’t have pushed the virtue-signaling part of this story so hard in his original version.  This isn’t even the first time something like this has happened from bad reporting.  Ty Cobb is usually dismissed in his baseball accomplishments because he was a reported racist.  It turned out that all accounts of that trace back to one book written by a reporter who didn’t like him.  Cobb was the grandson of an abolitionist.  He frequented Negro League games and is even quoted as saying that blacks should have been allowed to play Major League Baseball.  Don’t believe anything a reporter says without independent verification.                

 

It rained briefly while we were in the car (as we completely ignore my little rant, like it never happened).  When we came back in, a hot blonde girl had taken the dog’s owners’ seats, so there was no more petting.  (Somehow that doesn’t sound well phrased.)  That wasn’t a good trade, frankly.  Adam had blessedly announced that this was going to be a seven-inning game, since the first game had gone to extra innings.  Ron was clearly in agony from his bad back.  I don’t know why he didn’t bow out for today.   

Britt Graham would be in for the Aggies as catcher for Game 2.  The sky was still overcast, so the lights were on.  My notes for this game are a bit sparse, so it wasn’t that interesting and I was tired of writing by this point. (This might explain the opening digression.  I had to do some padding.)  Game 1, even with the delay, didn’t take that long, but double headers are exhausting even before they start.

 

Sammy Natera started for the Aggies and worked a quick first with a couple of strikeouts.  Harrison Spohn made a good play on a Zerek Saenz liner to start the bottom.  Spohn might have been hurt a bit on the play.  He had a little trouble on Kevin Jimenez’s infield hit on the next play.  KJ was called out on a stolen base attempt on the next batter by the ump at second, but only because he hadn’t heard the home ump call a foul ball.  In this game, the Aggies finally cashed in some runners.  Brandon Dieter drove Zerek and KJ in with a single.  2-0 Aggies.

 

The Aggies’ very attractive blonde trainer ran across the field between innings.  I think every guy in the stands and the opposing dugout watched her.  She is built to heroic proportions.  Natera cruised through another inning.  The bottom of the Aggies’ lineup went down in order in the second.

 

Marty Munoz drew a leadoff walk for the Lancers to start the third.  Their dugout erupted.  I don’t know if it was because he was popular there or because he’d worked the walk.  A very slick double play ended the inning.  There was an extended family sitting below us.  In the bottom of the third, grandpa took his granddaughter down to the bottom of the stands to more carefully explain the finer points of the game to her.  She started pawing at his mask until he took it off for her.  The Aggies also hit into a double play in their third.

 

Emerson made an appearance for Aggie trivia.  The sun came out, but then Emerson left for the day.  Darn.  Adam Young, on the radio call, kept warning the listeners that Natera tended to only be good for limited number of innings.  This was the limit.  The fourth started promisingly with KJ making a diving slide to field a grounder and get the first out.  The next out came 8 batters later.  In between, there was a walk, a double down the third baseline, a double steal, two hits, a walk, a bases-clearing double hitting the left field line, and a walk.  Then there was a flyout for the second out, and then a three-run homer.  At this point, the coach finally put in a new pitcher to finish the inning.  8-2 CBU.

 

Well, a lot of the tension in the game suddenly went away.  The Aggies didn’t give up at that point.  Dieter tripled.  The fielder lost his hat and hit the wall trying to field the ball.  Ronnie Allen drove him in.  CBU brought in a new pitcher, Jacob McCarvel.  That sounded familiar.  Adam reminded us; McCarvel had pitched in Game 1.  Tommy Tabak drove in a run with a single, and Zerek drove in a run with a blooper.  8-5 CBU.

 

Boom!  Spohn spoiled the comeback vibes quickly with a leadoff homer in the fifth.  Zerek jumped for it at the wall.  There was a delayed reaction by the umps to call it, as Zerek didn’t make the no-catch apparent by slamming his glove to the ground.  There’s a reason for that tradition.  It was one run, but it was enough to hurt the Aggies’ feelings.  Before the bottom, the PA committed the unbearable sin to playing a Taylor Sh*t song, Bad Blood.  I almost feel another rant coming on.  I used to be a fan.  Damn her and her politics!  I even liked this song.  Uninspired, the Aggies only managed a single in the bottom of the fifth.  I blame the song for the aborted comeback.  9-5 CBU.

 

The Lancers scratched out another run in the sixth to make it, 10-5.  The dog got close to the good-looking blonde that had taken his seat and successfully flirted with her.  (I’m not actually sure of the dog’s gender.  He was really furry.  Whatever.)  Zach Smits homered to left in the bottom of the sixth.  10-6.  One t-shirt was tossed to the crowd.  They’re scrimping a bit.  Nick Plaia in center made a great diving play to end the inning.

 

Spohn homered to start the final inning.  Joey Arellano, who came in to pitch the inning, did redeem himself a bit by picking off a runner.  The Aggies went down quietly in the seventh.  CBU wins 11-6.  Yay!  It’s over!

 

I’ll quickly hand out some gameballs.  For the Lancers, Ulises Caballero (love the name) had the initial big blow with his three-run double.  John Glenn had the killer blow with his three-run homer in the same inning.  Harrison Spohn went 3 for 4 with 3 RBI’s and two home runs, which were soul-crushing.  For the Aggies, I can only single out Zach Smits for going 2 for 3 with an RBI from a solo home run.  I was at least encouraged that they made a legit comeback attempt after that terrible sixth inning.

 

Ron was standing for the last inning.  He couldn’t sit anymore.  He was hopped up on painkillers, but they’d worn off.  I wasn’t confident he’d be available for tomorrow’s game.  We drove past the football stadium and there was some event going on there.  There were ticket takers, so we didn’t think it was graduation related (which was going on this weekend).  It’s a mystery.

 

After I got home, I tried listening to the Rockies and Rangers’ games on the radio, but neither of their out-of-town stations were coming in well.  I gave up and just listened to the Chihuahuas.  Tim Hagerty, on the radio call, was in a state of shock.  The pups were actually flirting with throwing a no-hitter at home.  It got broken up late, but given the usual scoring at Southwest University Park, it was amazing it lasted that long.

 

Meanwhile, I had to watch the latest Ring of Honor wrestling episode.  Quinn McKay, who’d gone from hosting to wrestling last week, was not there to intro the show.  She was still recuperating from her match.  There was a short backstage segment with her, but I’m not sure if that was shot before she had her match.  I’m clearly fascinated with this.

 

Okay, we’ve got one final home game to go.  We’re not feeling confident.

 

NM State Aggies vs CBU Lancers Baseball Game 1 05-15-21

 

In spite of my grim, vague warnings last time, there was no problem with going to the ball park today.  We’ll see what happens this fall.  For now, everyone is welcome to go to Aggie Sports.  Ron’s health and the weather were actually bigger issues with the game today.  He’d called me Saturday morning in obvious pain.  Ron had hurt his back.  I asked if he really wanted to go.  “I really want to go; I’m just barely physically able to.”  There’s a gamer for you.  He’d gone to Friday’s game, which had two weather delays.  That had resulted in a 10-4 loss to CBU taking a really long time to finish.  Today’s forecast also had a chance of rain.

 

Ron asked if I had an umbrella with me when he picked me up.  No, this wasn’t for the possibility of rain.  Part of the canopy over the grandstand was gone.  I’d thought maybe yesterday’s storm had done it, but it had happened before Friday.  We were going to have no sun protection where we usually sit.  We went by Subway and PQ Treats for a mid-game meal.  I wasn’t enthusiastic about having Subway again.  I did find out that the next door Santa Fe Grill serves hamburgers.  I’m intrigued.

 

Ron had expressed irritation that New Mexico was one of the few states still mandating masking.  At the stadium Friday, the staff had become a bit belligerent in enforcing it.  I found this a bit amusing.  Last month, Ron had been angry that people weren’t fully masking at the stadium.  Is he finally seeing the light, or has his mainstream media brainwashing changed its programming instructions?  The masks in the crowd today were mostly off.

  

My first thought at Presley Askew Field was, “Boy does the music suck today.”  It was generally the worst of Top 40 from a couple of years ago.  Ugh.  I’m turning into a music snob.  We picked a couple of seats at the top of the grandstand under what was left of the canopy near the pressbox.  We walked by broadcaster Adam Young and chatted for a moment.  After sitting down, I finally got into my Banana Cheesecake Frozen Tornado.  Amazingly, it was not melted.  I noticed construction was continuing on the new batting facility next to the field.  Ron said it had continued during the game Friday, and they got a couple of foul balls their way.  They stopped before the game today.

 

Our favorite marketing intern, Emerson, was there in a miniskirt instead of her usual yoga pants.  She looks good in anything regardless.  Former volleyball star Megan Hart was on the other side of the grandstand with a couple of friends, beautiful as ever and supporting Aggie Sports.  (I think her best friend is dating a player, which might also have something to do with her being there.)  The best fan in attendance though was a blonde.  In this case, the fan was a big furry lab that a player’s parents brought in.  The dog was nearby and kept wandering over for petting.  I was so happy.            

 

The game started partly cloudy with a light wind.  Meanwhile in Seattle, Aggie Softball would be starting their game.  Though the number one seed, they’d lost their first game in the WAC Tournament.  The girls had fought their way back into the championship game versus Seattle U.  We’d be looking for updates.

The dog came over and helped me fill out the rosters and with the scoring.  That’s why this one added up correctly.  We were listening to the radio call, but being so close to the pressbox, we could hear Adam from there.  There was a slight delay between the live call and the radio call.  A dad and son came in to sit below us.  It was so wholesome, I just had to mention it.   

 

Game 1 was scheduled for 7 innings.  Chris Jefferson, starting for the Aggies, started off a strikeout.  Kevin Jimenez at second made a great glove flip to first on a grounder for the second out.  Jefferson then gave up a hit, but no further damage.  Near Megan, some fans were setting up a giant umbrella to keep out the sun.  They’d best hope there were no big wind gusts.  In the bottom of the first, the Aggies got a walk and a hit, but no runs.

 

The view from the top wasn’t bad, but there was a netting pole in the way of the scoreboard, a slight irritation.  Another dad came in and sat down below us with his daughters.  Oops.  One of them was his somewhat diminutive wife with a couple of sleeves of tattoos.  She took a family selfie after they get settled.  Their daughter had Henna tattoos on her hands.  I think the dog, naturally loving children, wanted to meet her, but couldn’t get over to her.  It took me a while to see the logo, but the guy was wearing a Buffalo Bisons minor league baseball hat. 

 

I’m maybe not finding the game all that interesting, since those are my top of the second notes.  Jefferson gave up a leadoff single, but struckout the side afterward.  Emerson hustled around the stands handing out souvenirs mid-inning.  Jason Bush was back catching coming off his injury (4-18-21).  He looked good running to first for an infield hit.  The Aggies loaded the bases in the bottom of the second with a couple of hits and a walk, but the inning ended on a high bouncer groundout. 

 

I’m seeing rain in the distance from our high perch.  The wind picked up.  Unfortunately, I’m only getting warm and uncomfortable from wearing long sleeves.  I was trying to protect my arms from the sun, which turned out to be unnecessary.  Jefferson played for The Booya in a summer league last year.  This is why you listen to the radio call while you’re at the game.  A quickly turned double play got the first two batters out in the third, but a walk and two hits gave CBU a 1-0 lead.

       

We have our first softball update in the bottom of the third via Adam, 2-1 SU in the third.  (I’d just asked Ron to check a couple of minutes before.)  There’s a guy down in front of us eating a hamburger.  I’m getting hungry already.  I wonder if he got it at the Santa Fe Grill?  Maybe I should ask him how it tastes.  The Aggies loaded the bases again this inning, but failed to score.  Interesting play with Lancer Harrison Spohn at second, he had to do a little dance to get a force out at the base as he caught the ball in an awkward position.

 

The PA made the most optimistic statement I’ve heard at Aggie Sports this year in the fourth.  They’ve started selling football season tickets.  Good luck.  It could happen.  Emerson came out and threw football souvenirs to the crowd.  It was now cloudy at the park.  I was kind of glad for it, since it cooled things off a bit.  Jefferson gave up a walk in between a groundout and two strikeouts. 

I’m sure I’ve noticed her before, but in this game, I was fascinated by the beautiful blonde trainer in the Aggie dugout.  She looked like our dear departed basketball star, Brooke Salas.  She’s a very healthy-looking specimen.  If she’s got any eye-hand coordination, she should be playing for the basketball team.  She’s full of spirit, as I observed her and the other trainer high-fiving and then doing it with team.  (I have something of story about the origin of the “high five” later.)    

 

Crack!  Tommy Tabak cranked one to left center to start the bottom of the fourth.  The crowd and the dugout erupted.  I thought I heard a roll of thunder right after.  That’s not hyperbole.  There was a big black cloud right overhead.  Chad Castillo had leapt for the ball and lost his glove over the wall.  I’ll bet the ball was in it when the glove was recovered.  Adam said the wind probably took the ball out.  1-1.

 

By the fifth, I’m protecting my hat and notebook from little random sprinkles.  The wind kicked up hard and rattled the cables holding what was left of the canopy in place.  Jefferson still had it working with a couple of strikeouts in the inning.  Emerson came out for the pocket contest.  (I keep putting her appearances in my notes for some reason.  There wasn’t much else to write about.)  Another stadium attendant was going around attempting to harass people into putting on their masks.  The big guy got push back from a middle aged lady.  A hit batter was the Aggies’ only offense in the bottom.

 

Adam on the radio can’t see the sprinkles, but knows that it’s happening.  He mentions that the Aggies and the Lancers players had a dance off during the rain delay yesterday.  Ron didn’t see it, since the fans were forced out of the stadium during the delay, but I had seen it on the team Twitter.  Zerek had some great moves.  Jefferson gave up a leadoff double to start the sixth.  Bush made a running, diving catch on a bunt attempt that went foul. 

 

And then my notes said, “Drizzling.”  What happened next was a lightning delay.  I was sure we were going to get delay earlier after the home run and the thunder.  I didn’t hear it this time.  The fans would have stayed in the stands, but were forced out.  They were then evicted from underneath the stands.  There wasn’t enough of a threat to get people to really want to leave. 

 

By the bathroom, KJ was there talking to his parents.  Back at Ron’s car, I couldn’t wait any longer and I had my six-inch Cold Cut.  It was bad enough to get me to say something and mentally mark off Subway for a lunch option until I forget about this.  Ron decided to wait to eat his.  We watched a dad and his two daughters play catch with a softball at the park next door.  They needed the practice from what I saw. 

 

Ron had a baseball-themed podcast that he’d wanted me to hear for some time.  We had plenty of time during the 39-minute delay.  It was Mike Rowe telling a story about the origin of the high-five.  It had spontaneously happened after a Dusty Baker home run when he was playing for the A’s maybe in the 70’s.  His openly g*y teammate went nuts celebrating and was waving his right hand and Dusty slapped it as he went by.  This was the first recorded high-five. 

 

I know what you’re thinking.  Who was the g*y guy?  I hadn’t heard of him, but he was supposedly first openly g*y baseball player and he was black.  (I’d never heard this story before, so I didn’t get all the details.  It didn’t occur to me to take notes.)  He died of AIDS in the 80’s.  Somehow, it was implied that this was of fault of homophobes.  There’s a part two to this story.  I’ll cover that later.

 

Out in the parking lot, we heard the PA call the fans back into the stadium.  Jefferson came back out and finished off the sixth inning.  The Lancers sent out a new pitcher and only gave up a single for his inning.  We got a bad update from softball.  The Aggies were down 7-2 in the sixth. 

 

We were still tied at 1 going into the seventh, which was the last scheduled inning.  Chris Jefferson had worked 7 complete games this season.  The rest of the staff had 0.  I’m sure he wanted to finish this, but was pulled for Frank Dickson.  After getting a strikeout, Ethan Mann had a ball go under his glove for an error at third.  KJ then dropped a grounder at second, but managed to get the lead runner.  Dickson then threw the ball away on a throw to first to advance the runner to second.  There was a deep drive to left right after.  Zerek Saenz jumped, caught the ball, and then went into the wall for the final out.

 

The Lancers brought out CJ Culpepper to pitch.  He had long blonde hair with a sunburned red face.  On the first batter, the Lancer shortstop airmailed first on a grounder for a two-base error.  Mann was then sacrificed over to third.  Unfortunately what happened next was a suicide squeeze.  The Lancers saw it coming and called a pitch out.  Mann was cut down at the plate.  The batter, Brandon Dieter, was initially called out on a tag as well.  The umps conferred and decided he hadn’t actually hit the ball.  (I think.)  Ethan did hit ball in his continued at bat and the third baseman dropped it to let him on.  But it was for naught, as a strikeout ended the inning. 

 

Wow!  I have never seen two teams so desperately try to choke away a win.  CBU is really good team, but they lose focus badly at times (as we will see on Sunday too.)  Going to extras here in the eighth, the automatic runner on second rule came into play.  I hadn’t seen this before in a college game.  I didn’t even know they’d adopted this rule.  Two hits to start brought in the Lancer automatic runner.  The second hit was a high, slow chopper for an infield hit.  A hit batter loaded the bases and a wild pitch brought in another run.  An intentional walk reloaded the bases and another hit brought in another run.  The runner dodged a tag at the plate for the score.  4-2 CBU.

 

Bad news from Seattle.  SU won the WAC championship 7-5.  The Aggies went down swinging.  That game took a while to play out.  I took no notes on the bottom of the eighth.  The Aggies scored their automatic runner with a pair of hits, but did not score any more.  CBU wins 4-2.

 

For gameballs, the Lancers’ Harrison Spohn went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI’s, and their starter, Bryan Pope, went 5 innings and only gave up 1 run with 6 strikeouts, even though he didn’t figure into the decision.  Chris Jefferson didn’t get a decision either, but went 6 innings and only gave up 1 run with 8 strikeouts.  Tommy Tabak drove in both Aggie runs, including a home run.  This brings up the question as to why a .370 hitter is batting ninth.  Ask the coach, who also called for that unnecessary squeeze play.  The Aggie players didn’t help themselves though, as they left 12 batters on base.

 

On the Game 2.

The Elvis Collection: Newspaper Clips 1

There were a lot of loose newspaper clippings in mom's collection.  We'll start with this pull out from The Star tabloid.  These pretty much speak for themselves.  They're equally informative, fawning, and scandalous.

The Elvis Collection: 70's Scrapbook 21

 More stories about the Graceland pilgrimage on the anniversary of his death.

Blah, blah, drug trial. Blah, blah.

OMG!  Colonel Parker made 50% on Elvis' royalties.  That is thievery.  Interesting article at the bottom about Elvis' largess and excess.

A full page picture of Elvis' doctor.  I doubt this needed to be preserved.  

Don't get too excited.  Most of the released material was alternate versions of previously released material.  According to the article, the song that he sang to a bull in a movie will never be  released by Elvis' request.

I can't take any more of these drug stories.

Elvis Costello did indeed have little in common Elvis Presley musically in the top left article.  Story about Elvis coffin pictures in the bottom left.  Story about Elvis in disguise befriending a drifter in Las Vegas.  Finally something topical in the bottom right.  There with the picture of Lisa Marie, the article mentions Priscilla running into Elvis' ex-girlfriend, Linda Thompson, at an exclusive restaurant.  Thompson was there with her husband, Bruce Jenner.  Oh, how times have changed. 

And with that we close out  the 70's scrapbook finally.  I don't know how to say this, but I've still got a lot more to post on Elvis.

The Elvis Collection: 70's Scrapbook 20

Graceland was in trouble shortly after Elvis' death.  The fortunes of the estate have reversed under better management.  It also didn't hurt that Elvis was no longer there spending the money quicker than he made it.

More articles about Elvis' drug use.

Not to disparage the other entertainers named in the top article, such Helen Reddy (?), but pretty much every other celebrity has followed in Elvis' footsteps for better or for worse.  Interesting article underneath about TV ratings.

Drugs and lawyers: a natural combination in our legal system unto this day.

Lots of trouble to move a car here.

You can tell we're near the end of the scrapbook with all of these stories about the recriminations over Elvis' death.

Article at the bottom of the page, Elvis imitators are compared to a cult.