The Aggie softball team finished up their season losing 7-6 in 10 innings to #10 Fresno State in the second round of the WAC Softball Tournament. The result of the game was a microcosm of much of their season. This was the Aggies' 10th loss by one run or less, 5th extra inning loss, 16th loss by two or fewer runs and 14th loss against a Top 25 opponent. All season the Aggies put themselves in a position to win the close games but unfortunately more often than not, they came up just short. The good news for this team is that they only lose two seniors off of this year's battle tested club and all of the pressure packed close game wins and losses will not go to waste as the experiences they've had this season will carry over to next season where they will undoubtedly learn from them. The season began way back on February 8th with a one run loss to a ranked team (#2 Texas A&M) and the season ended on May 8th with a one run loss to a ranked team (#10 Fresno State). The Aggies finish the season at 26-36 overall and 8-13 in conference play. Congratulations to the Aggies on a fine season, no doubt the experience this very young team gained this season will propel them to great things next year.
Unfortunately the trend continued for an Aggie women's team being eliminated in postseason by the Fresno State women. The only team not have have been dealt a loss by Fresno State in postseason was Mike Jordan's volleyball squad which faced Fresno State in the quarterfinals and beat them 3-0. Coach Spence and the women's hoops team lost in the conference championship game, Coach Ball and the women's tennis team lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament, Coach Briliant and the women's golf team finished 2nd to Fresno State in the conference championship tournament, Coach Hanson and the equestrian team lost head-to-head in the Varsity Equestrian National Championships and now Coach Rodolph and the young Aggies softball team was eliminated in the second round of the WAC Softball Championships. And while not really a head to head battle, the women's cross country team finished 6th at the WAC Championships and the Fresno State women finished... 5th. Curses.
On a much brighter note the Aggie baseball team spotted Hawai'i a five run lead after the first inning and then rallied to score the final seven runs of the game on home runs by Joe Leghorn (an absolute rocket to right field that may have landed in the football practice field), a home run by Joe Scaperotta and a bomb to center from Franky Busani which would be the coup de grâce. As we mentioned immediately following the game last night, Tyler Sturdevant and closer Erik Nyquist both pitched themselves out of jams, Sturdevant a bases loaded, one out jam in the top of the seventh and Nyquist a runners on second and third with one out jam in the top of the ninth. Pitching and holding onto leads had been an issue early in the season but the Aggie bullpen has righted the ship and escaping those types of situations that they faced in the seventh and ninth can only bolster the pen's confidence. The Aggies improve to 12-13 in conference play and are now tied with Hawai'i in the loss column as the Warriors dropped to 16-13.
The Aggies and Warriors will face each other again tonight and you can follow all the action on the radio in Las Cruces on KSNM AM 570, streaming audio is also available via Aggie Access (subscription required) and Live Stats are available via the NMSU athletic website. The first pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
For a full preview of this week's WAC baseball action and standings implications and (gasp) predictions, check out our preview over at The College Baseball Blog.
Finally, Samantha Dillard and Kim Watson were named to the 2008 Academic All-District Softball Second Team in District VI and Aggie first baseman Chris Auten was named to the 2008 Academic All-District Baseball First Team in District VI. Congratulations all three players.
On to today's links...
