Posted by bozar
on 3/17/2009, 8:57 am
69.3.146.174
NMSU (16-2) 10 - Sul Ross (2-21) 0
I need to tell you that most of this will not be about baseball. Surprised? Good. How many of you have actually heard of Sul Ross? What is a Sul Ross? Where is Sul Ross? Why do they exist? Why am I even dealing with this? OK, ok, I’ll answer all of these. I’m thinking less than half of you have ever heard of Sul Ross. Sul Ross is a former governor of Texas who was also a confederate general to give you an idea. Hmm, sorta like Stonewall Jackson State University Tech Institute. It’s a small institution located in Alpine, Texas which is nowhere. Get a map. Find west Texas. Find the area highlighted by Big Bend National Park. There are two ways into the park from the north. From California turn right either at Alpine or Marathon. I’ve been through Alpine and by the University several times on my way to Big Bend which is my favorite national park in the whole world. Again, there is no there there but the general area is the most beautiful area in the soutwest. I love it but Alpine escapes me. How it came to be escapes me but the school is mostly an ag school and, believe it or not, I considered attending there to get a masters degree in range management in an other life (don’t ask).
Anyway, I knew they had football but was surprised they play baseball also and not very well based on what happened yesterday. This game just shows one of the many problems that face NMSU in particular, the WAC as a mid-major in general, and baseball teams in general trying to schedule games. NMSU has trouble finding teams to play that are located in the same time zone and won’t cost a zillion dollars to play due to transportation. Coach Rocky Ward knows all about this and it is an ongoing problem with his program. It is also becoming an issue with basketball and football in the WAC. I hear it all the time on KNBR and ESPN radio; how a midmajor has to sell its soul to play a big name school. The Dukes of the world don’t play one and ones with the San Jose States. Remember when the Spartans played at Duke a few years ago? When are they coming to town? Yes, you know the answer. St. Mary’s basketball coach as well as USU’s Morrill have both waxed eloquent on this subject. Look at the schedules of all the baseball teams in the WAC. They are loaded with Buffalo, Sul Ross, Grambling, Hartford, and Oregon Tech and other similar programs. Nobody wants to see these teams play but both sides are desperate to find games to get ready for the coming conference season. Believe me, the same happens at the high school level also. Few A or B division teams are willing to play a C division team. Much more to lose and nothing to gain for the A or B team.
Now to baseball. The Aggies won this game in a shortened 7 innings. Sul Ross got 7 hits (3 for 3 for SR’s Mata) but couldn’t muster a single RBI while the Aggies got only four more hits but certainly made them count in this rout. The seven walks didn’t help matters. Anyway, not much of a game. This thought comes to mind. Sul Ross’s Mata is the 3rd baseman who also bats cleanup. He must be something special and I wonder why he went to Alpine, Texas to play ball? No choice? No other offers? Right major? Hmm, we’ll never know.
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