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The music stopped roughly 45 minutes before the Isotopes鈥� home opener. 

Playing in front of Isotopes Park, one member of New Mexico鈥檚 marching band turned their head, squinted and almost gasped when he saw him walking along the perimeter of the ballpark. Then another one did the same. 

Eventually, the whole group realized it was, in fact, the one they first thought it was. 

Is that 鈥� 

COACH ECK! 

UNM football coach Jason Eck鈥檚 appearance 鈥� and his high ball of a ceremonial first pitch 鈥� was one of the highlights of the Isotopes鈥� home opener, an 8-1 loss to the Reno Aces in front of 5,735 fans Tuesday night. 

The Lobos鈥� second-year coach was recognized in a pregame ceremony with Chrissy Baines, the Isotopes鈥� new general manager. But for many in attendance, it was not a football coach making the trek across the street that drew them in for the game, one the Aces broke open with a six-run eighth inning on a gusty spring night. 

It was rather the return of baseball 鈥� and hey, the promotion didn鈥檛 hurt either. 

Sitting in the right field bleachers, Bryan Harvey said he was drawn to both. The 52-year-old baseball fan has been to a handful of home openers over the years, but enjoys the club鈥檚 promotions 鈥� especially Mariachi nights. 

Above all, it鈥檚 local sports. If there鈥檚 a game going on, Harvey鈥檚 likely to be there. 

鈥淭he Isotopes, I鈥檒l support because I live here in sa国际传媒官网网页入口,鈥� he said, wearing a Mariachis hat and shirt. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the reason why I come out 鈥� I go to all the United games, I go to all the different Lobo games. I support our local sa国际传媒官网网页入口 (teams).鈥� 

That he鈥檚 able to bring home Tuesday鈥檚 giveaway 鈥� a scarf bearing the likeness of Orbit, the club鈥檚 mascot 鈥� only sweetened the pot. 

鈥淥ne of my granddaughters will probably get it,鈥� he said with a smile. 鈥淥r maybe my wife will get it. So we鈥檒l see.鈥� 

The Isotopes will host the Aces the next five nights, including a Mariachis night on Saturday.

Angela Feery, 48, was also drawn to baseball鈥檚 return and the opportunity to add to a growing collection of Isotopes giveaways. Sitting with Kaidan Krenik, 17, in the upper deck down the left field line, she said they were excited to get back into the stands. 

鈥淲e love it,鈥� said Feery, wearing an Isotopes jersey with neon accents. 鈥淏aseball鈥檚 our life.鈥� 

鈥淲e like when they do good,鈥� Krenik said of the team, 鈥渂ut they don鈥檛 always do good.鈥� 

The Isotopes are now 1-3 in the young season and, despite ending the past 11 seasons with a losing record, have been at or near the top of minor-league attendance for decades.

Sam Watts brought his family of five out to Tuesday鈥檚 game simply because it was 鈥渟omething to do.鈥� Seated out on the berm, he said he and his family aren鈥檛 avid baseball fans and come to only one or two games a year. 

That he was at the home opener was simply a matter of checking the calendar at the right time.

鈥淚 was just looking at when the games were gonna be starting and I saw this week that the opener was today,鈥� he chuckled. 鈥淪o I was like, 鈥榦h, let鈥檚 go.鈥欌�� 

Watts 鈥渄efinitely鈥� felt the Isotopes still provided a good deal for families, though. And as somebody who grew up going to sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Dukes games at the old sa国际传媒官网网页入口 sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Stadium, he said the Isotopes have been a more-than-adequate replacement for the since-moved (but still popular) Triple-A franchise. 

鈥淓specially if you鈥檙e a Simpsons fan and you know where (the Isotopes鈥� team name) comes from,鈥� said Watts, referencing how the long-running TV series gave the club its name.  

Whether the Wattses be back this season 鈥� and some assuredly will 鈥� will have more do with simply being there than the result of any game. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 not about winning or losing,鈥� Harvey said from his perch in the right field bleachers. 鈥淚 mean, if we get the win, it鈥檚 awesome, it鈥檚 great. Get the loss, there鈥檚 always the next game.鈥� 

Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at .