LAS CRUCES – The New Mexico State softball team recently spent 10 days in the state of California for spring break where they played seven games, but were able to do much more.
The trip started off early on March 16 when the team loaded the bus to head for the El Paso International Airport for its flight out to Burbank, Calif.
After arriving at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, the team loaded up the vans and headed up the California coast towards Ventura where their hotel was located. The Aggies stopped along the way for lunch, but was in a hurry to get to the hotel in hope of watching the New Mexico State men’s basketball team play in the NCAA Tournament against Texas.
Unfortunately for the team, the game was not televised regionally in Southern California, so the Aggies could only watch the other tournament game and keep an eye out for score updates.
The Aggies woke up early on Friday, March 17 for breakfast at the hotel. Some of the girls wore green to breakfast in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, but they were mostly quite as they started to prepare themselves for their doubleheader against UC Santa Barbara later that day.
Santa Barbara was about a 45 minute drive from the hotel. NMSU arrived on time, as there was not much traffic between Ventura and Santa Barbara, and began their normal pre-game routine.
In the first game of the doubleheader, sophomore pitcher Rachel Lopez made her first career start and had an excellent outing, but the Aggies came up short and lost the first game 1-0. NMSU lost the second game of the doubleheader in the same fashion as the first, with no offensive support as they were shutout again, this time 8-0.
On Sunday, March 18, the Aggies headed back to Bob Hope Airport to head up to San Jose where they would be staying for the remaining eight days of the trip.
Upon arrival the team grabbed lunch and then went to their hotel to check in, but they didn’t stay long as they quickly left in search of a field where they could practice. They found a city park where they were able to have a very productive practice to the delight of the coaching staff who was disappointed after losing both games of the doubleheader with UCSB.
On Monday, March 19 the team had breakfast once again in its hotel and then loaded up the rental vans to head to their game. This time the team was heading up north to Moraga, Calif. to play its doubleheader at St. Mary’s College.
The drive up to the St. Mary’s campus was again about 45 minutes. The team arrived at the field and took notice of the scenic campus that is located in the green hills that makes for a pretty setting to have a college campus.
New Mexico State jumped on the Gaels early in the first game of the doubleheader, 6-1, but lost the lead and ended up losing 7-6 in nine innings. NMSU came back and responded well in the second game, winning 3-0 behind an outstanding pitching performance from sophomore Kim Watson.
Following the games, the team headed back down to their hotel in San Jose, stopping along the way for dinner.
Tuesday morning was much the same as all the mornings of the eight days in the San Jose hotel, breakfast at 9:00 a.m. After eating, NMSU headed back up to the St. Mary’s campus for practice, as the SMC softball staff was gracious enough to let the Aggies use their field following Monday’s game for practice.
Head coach Kathy Rodolph gave her student-athletes much incentive to have a good practice, as she told the team before hand that if they work hard and have a productive practice, she would take the team up to San Francisco on Wednesday to tour the city.
The players responded to Rodolph’s request, as the team was very focused in practice and put much effort and intensity into their practice that lasted over three hours. The Aggies worked vigorously on their offensive and got some of their pitchers some good work in the circle by simulating game situations.
As promised, the coaches rewarded the student-athletes for working hard in practice and they brought the team up to San Francisco on Wednesday.
The team drove up along the east side of the San Francisco Bay, through Oakland and entered the city of San Francisco by crossing over the Oakland Bay Bridge. From there the team was led by Pat Fitzgerald, father of Aggie freshman Krysha and Vanessa, who acted as the team’s tour guide. He took the team to Pier 39 and the Fisherman’s Wharf where everyone had an hour to explore.
After their time at the Fisherman’s Wharf, the team loaded the Sausalito Ferry that travels between Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge. Many of the players and the families with the team took the opportunity to take pictures of the once infamous federal penitentiary that is now a national recreation area along and of the monumental Golden Gate Bridge.
The ferry took the team to Sausalito, the other connecting end of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco. There, everyone had an hour to see the sights. Many of the players did a little shopping and most everyone grabbed a bit to eat. Once the hour had passed, the team and accompanying families returned to San Francisco via ferry once again.
Back in San Francisco, Mr. Fitzgerald took the team to ride the historic Trolleys. The team road up and down the streets of the city, past Chinatown and ended at Union Square, where many of the girls took the time to do what, you named it, shop.
Once all the sights had been seen and all the shops had been shopped, the team returned to the vans to head back to their hotel in San Jose.
Thursday was a day devoted to practice and schoolwork, as many of the student-athletes were able to catch up on their class work. Friday, NMSU had a doubleheader against San Jose State, the first conference action of the season.
New Mexico State’s practice and work on their offensive throughout the week paid off, as the Aggies scored 15 runs off of 22 hits in the two games. NMSU came out Saturday and once again played well, winning the final game of the series to sweep the Spartans.
Following Saturday’s victory, the team was rewarded with a nice dinner at the Texas Road House. The 10-day trip came to an end on Sunday and the team returned to Las Cruces.
Many of the players were glad to return home after being on the road for such an extended period of time.
The Aggies will now shift their attention back to their school work along with the remainder of the softball season, as the team seeks its goal of winning its first conference championship in school history.
Courtesy: New Mexico State University
