Party Animals @ Firefighters

0:00 Heat. Heat. N.

0:36 Heat. Heat. N.

0:46 Heat. Heat.

1:15 Heat. Heat.

1:20 Tonight.

2:01 Heat. Heat.

2:26 No more half measures. The Banana Ball

2:29 Open is down to one last spot and only

2:32 two teams can claim it. from Isotopes

2:34 Park in Albuquerque. 14,000 of our

2:37 closest friends on hand for game dose of

2:39 the firefighters and the party animals

2:41 after a record tying performance

2:43 Saturday night to punch their open

2:45 ticket. The fighters aiming to show they

2:47 are the danger in Banana Ball. A sweep

2:49 of the animals would might do even more

2:51 than that. But the reigning world tour

2:53 champs can very much prove they are

2:54 still the ones that knock. They are

2:56 knocking on the door of the banana ball

2:58 open and a win today would kick it right

3:00 on down. It's the party animals. It's

3:02 the firefighters right here, right now

3:05 in New Mexico. In the words of the wise

3:08 Jesse Pinkman, yo yo yo 1483 3 to the 3,

3:12 to the 6, to the nine, representing the

3:14 ABQ. What up isotopes and welcome inside

3:17 the dispatch center. That's the fieriest

3:20 party animal in all of Banana Land Drake

3:22 told. I'm Zach State. Drake stakes

3:24 simple. Party animals win, they're into

3:26 the open. They lose and a whole lot of

3:29 stuff can happen, especially for the

3:30 firefighters. Yeah, both of these teams

3:32 are fighting for a two seat still today.

3:34 The party animals sit at 4 and six. But

3:36 if the Animals win against the

3:38 Firefighters and the Texas Tailgators

3:40 lose to the Savannah Bananas in Chapel

3:42 Hill, that game will have a first pitch

3:43 the exact same time as ours, then you're

3:45 looking at the Party Animals as the two

3:47 seed and the Banana Ball open. Yeah,

3:50 that's exactly what you're looking at.

3:51 It's that crazy. The Animals could be

3:52 the two seed and to host the semiinal or

3:55 lose and not make it all together.

3:56 >> There is so much happening in Banana

3:58 Land right now. Now we got the Bananas

3:59 and Texas Tailgator in Chapel Hill.

4:01 We're here in Albuquerque and the Banana

4:03 Ball Open looks like this. Top four

4:05 teams make it. Bananas, Tailgator,

4:07 firefighters already in. We'll have

4:09 semi-final matchups April 16th and the

4:11 17th and then a twoame championship

4:13 series April 18th and 19th. Those games

4:16 get split. Guess what? Going to a

4:17 showdowns to break the tie. And you know

4:20 what can happen there? The winner will

4:21 clinch a spot automatically into the

4:23 Banana Ball playoffs. So with all of

4:26 that, let's take a look at the Banana

4:28 Ball Open standings presented to you, of

4:30 course, by Geico. You see it right

4:32 there. Bananas, Tailgator, Firefighters.

4:34 Five wins, they're in. It gets real

4:36 interesting after that. Animals at four

4:38 and six. They win. They're in. If they

4:41 lose, Indianapolis Clowns jump all the

4:44 way to the four seed. Drake told this is

4:47 chaos. This is banana ball.

4:48 >> Yes. Here's what we know. The Bananas

4:50 are the one seed and the Loco Beach

4:52 Coconuts cannot make the Banana Ball

4:55 open next weekend. Those are two things

4:56 that are guaranteed. We also know the

4:59 firefighters and tailgators are in. Yet,

5:02 their seating is still to be determined.

5:03 For the party animals, it is a must-win

5:06 game today. If you lose, you are off

5:08 next weekend. The Animals need game two

5:11 in Albuquerque. A split is necessary.

5:13 And if you do split, we'll see both

5:14 these teams again a week from now. And

5:16 it's a very real possibility they split.

5:18 They could go all the way up to the two

5:19 seed. That's how violent this thing

5:21 could shake. You could be out or you

5:23 could be as high as getting a home game

5:25 next week in Grayson Stadium.

5:26 >> It's that impressive what Banana Ball

5:28 has built and what Banana Ball gives you

5:30 with these kind of stakes early in the

5:32 year thanks to that Banana Ball Open.

5:34 Let's take a look at your broadcast open

5:36 schedule as well. The one seed and the

5:38 four seed on Thursday, the two and the

5:41 three on Friday. the higher seed will

5:43 host for the semifinal and then the

5:45 finals. It's the exact same thing.

5:47 There's a world where the three seed

5:49 plays the four seed in the championship

5:51 and that three seed gets a home game on

5:54 both Saturday and Sunday next weekend at

5:56 Grayson Stadium.

5:57 >> There is so much at play still and we

5:59 only have two games left before the

6:00 Banana Ball Open is made official. On

6:03 the same day as Masters Finals, we have

6:05 one of the best final days of Banana

6:07 Ball. We're going onto the field here

6:09 for a minute as we come back up here to

6:11 the broadcast booth. So much will

6:13 happen. So much still to shake out, but

6:15 there's a lot of stuff shaking out on

6:16 the field right now. Party animals out

6:18 on the field. They're dancing.

6:19 Sandstorms not just in the air.

6:21 Sandstorms on the field. Let's go see

6:23 what the party animals are doing.

6:24 >> Guys, I learned it's called a laboo.

6:25 >> A laboo? I thought it was haboo.

6:28 >> A haboo. All in my face here this

6:30 weekend.

6:31 >> That's right. I can break them out, too,

6:33 folks.

6:33 >> We Let's go see sandstorm. I got you. I

6:37 got you on the party animals YouTube.

6:39 Let's go down to the field.

6:46 >> Who's ready to meet your 2026 party

6:49 animal

6:55 >> in left field? Number four in the

6:57 program, but number one in your heart,

7:00 Tanner Dinder.

7:05 In left center field, we call him the

7:07 fish. Number 12, Noah Fisher.

7:13 >> In center field, wearing number six,

7:16 Reese Lightning H.

7:22 In right center field, he's the rookie

7:25 number three, DJ Reed.

7:30 In right field, the reigning MVP

7:34 wearing X Jake Skull

7:41 >> in the hot corner. He's our fearless

7:44 leader.

7:44 >> Zack, you got a quick animal, not just

7:47 starting lineup, their entire roster

7:49 they'll feature today in Albuquerque. We

7:51 are still waiting to see whether or not

7:52 Jake will suit up in this game. He's not

7:55 in the starting lineup. A lower body

7:57 injury. He's nursing, but as you saw out

7:59 in the lineups, he's at least moving

8:01 around. And you know, in an emergency

8:03 scenario, he could be used today.

8:05 >> Yeah, we saw him in an emergency

8:06 situation last night. Hit a two-run

8:08 homer basically on one leg. That was

8:10 spicy. And speaking of spicy, there are

8:12 a lot of chilies in New Mexico. Matty

8:14 Warren had to do the hard-hitting

8:15 investigation to find out from the

8:17 players, red or green chilies.

8:21 I'm here in the calm before the storm

8:23 for Sunday's match up between the

8:24 firefighters and the party animals here

8:26 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. But

8:28 yesterday, I was right here in the plaza

8:30 with all of the fans asking the great

8:32 chili debate of New Mexico. Is it red

8:35 chili or is it green chili? Now, some

8:37 people had some pretty strong opinions.

8:39 Others couldn't really decide. So, there

8:41 was a third option that became a choice

8:44 that I didn't even know about going into

8:46 yesterday. Now, Albuquerque had some

8:48 pretty crazy winds yesterday. So, in

8:50 order for me to save your earbuds from

8:52 the massive wind noise in the

8:53 microphone, I am going to talk over the

8:56 results of what we found with the people

8:57 here in Albuquerque yesterday on their

8:59 chili preferences. Now, we started off,

9:02 we asked some older people, some younger

9:04 people. Some of the younger folks

9:06 actually had some strong opinions about

9:08 this, and I didn't even think they would

9:09 be eating chili yet. I know at 27, I

9:12 can't handle that spice level, so some

9:14 of these kids are really showing me up

9:15 here. And then this little man right

9:17 here, well, he's still got a few years

9:18 to develop those taste buds. Of course,

9:21 we had to ask some firefighters fans and

9:22 they went straight for the spiciest

9:25 option. We even asked a couple of men in

9:27 uniform and they were a little split on

9:29 their preferences as well. And not shown

9:32 here, but we did ask Dalton Cornet his

9:34 preference, and he's never even heard of

9:36 green chili. So, somebody's got to

9:38 change that as soon as possible. And at

9:40 the end of the day, red chili was the

9:42 winner, which I'm more of a green chili

9:44 gal myself, but hey, it's all personal

9:46 preference.

9:50 >> I was a uh I like the green chilies more

9:53 personally for me. Mike, you'll have to

9:54 tell me this or not. Mohawk Mike, our

9:56 producer, green chilies are the spicier

9:58 kind. Correct.

9:59 >> I I feel like in my experience, they're

10:02 both the spicy kind. And I would like to

10:04 not do that again.

10:05 >> Really?

10:05 >> Wherever we ate dinner on Friday, I've

10:08 got the real gringo thing going. I wear

10:09 a fur coat and a romper, boss. The

10:12 spikes is not built for me.

10:14 >> Meanwhile, I'm a firefighter. I kind of

10:16 have to handle the heat a little bit.

10:17 So,

10:18 >> Zach, you see this on the field here? It

10:19 looks like they have a a baby,

10:22 >> a child, a small child.

10:23 >> Is it perhaps the first baby of the

10:25 game?

10:25 >> The f the first baby as opposed to the

10:28 baby.

10:29 >> First baby.

10:29 >> We will not say hello to the baby until

10:31 later, but there is a child. And I think

10:34 this is this is new to me.

10:38 AJ, is that the world's youngest DJ?

10:56 One more time. Albuquerque for Leah.

11:13 Sing it

11:21 >> fans. Most ball games start off with a

11:23 ceremony.

11:36 So I'm here with Daniel.

11:40 will be facing head to head to see who

11:43 can his back. Whoever touches the cand

11:49 of towing the rubber and firing his can

11:52 home toward our catcher behind home

11:53 plate. But that's not all. The stakes

11:56 have never been higher because the

11:58 winner of today's first chug will also

12:01 become the fan challenge representative

12:03 in today's ball game.

12:06 >> Folks, I have just found out what Drake

12:08 Tol writes his lineup card on every day.

12:10 That's incredible. We got a plate of

12:12 popcorn up here.

12:13 >> I So I I take after Mike Vasis. I wrote

12:16 my lineup card on the back of a Dixie

12:19 paper plate today.

12:20 >> That's incredible.

12:21 >> And Zack Stton unknowingly put all of

12:23 his popcorn he'll eat throughout the

12:25 contest on the Dixie plate. So we're

12:27 we're we have problems.

12:29 >> Less so eating it. More so throwing it

12:30 out into the crowd. Allah my friend

12:32 Drake Tol. How about we look at some

12:33 things that are happening here in the

12:35 lab? And that is not just a reference to

12:37 Breaking Bad though. It is, in my

12:39 opinion, the greatest TV show that's

12:40 ever been made. Wow.

12:41 >> Let's look. I know isotopes part. Third

12:44 straight year. You mentioned this a lot

12:45 last night. Third straight year Banana

12:47 Ball has come to one city here at Rio

12:49 Grand Credit Union Field. That is a

12:51 rarity in this sport to go to the exact

12:53 same city, exact same stadium, three

12:56 straight years.

12:56 >> Yeah. Not just rare, impossible until

12:58 this weekend. But Annabal had never done

13:00 it before. And it's it's almost

13:01 strategic. You know, Jesse Cole's very

13:03 open and he's given state of the unions

13:05 many of times in the sport. And but

13:07 wants to mix it up and give the most

13:09 fans possible an opportunity to see this

13:11 sport in all regions across the country.

13:14 And now here in Albuquerque, three

13:16 straight years you set a record. You

13:18 make history for the only city to host

13:21 banana ball three years in a row. You

13:22 see the Isotopes Park named after the

13:24 Simpsons, a fictional Springfield

13:27 isotopes baseball team who wanted to

13:29 move to Albuquerque. Not to mention

13:32 1970s. We got the breakfast burrito

13:34 here. And uh Zack 1957

13:37 uh

13:38 >> a a bomber dropped a nuclear bomb on

13:42 >> accidentally

13:43 >> accidentally accidentally friendly fire.

13:46 Come to find out the nuclear portion did

13:47 not detonate which is good.

13:49 >> Speaking of nuclear bombs, I had a

13:50 breakfast burrito from Frontier the

13:52 other night and might have had to drop

13:53 my own nuclear bomb.

13:54 >> There were some nuclear bombs in the

13:55 wake.

13:56 >> So that uh that Simpsons episode, by the

13:58 way, Homer actually went on a hunger

14:00 strike to not lose that baseball team

14:02 back in 2001. So, Homer Simpson, we

14:04 thank you, I guess, for your uh for your

14:07 service. Now, you have had some fun

14:09 here. You've been in Albuquerque. You've

14:11 been in Albuquerque here a couple years.

14:12 As we start looking at some of the uh

14:14 the statues here, because yes, if you

14:15 haven't been to Isotopes Park here in

14:18 Albuquerque. Yes, there are literal

14:20 Simpson statues all about all strewn

14:23 across the place. It's a whole to-do

14:25 here in Albuquerque there. Yeah, just

14:27 everywhere.

14:28 >> Good hair day from Mars. She looks

14:30 great. We're Oh, we're dialed in there.

14:31 4K,

14:32 >> huge.

14:33 >> It's like the blueberry bush in my

14:34 backyard.

14:35 >> That is focus and a half right there.

14:36 Great job on that.

14:38 >> Interesting, Marge. Yeah. All over this

14:39 place there are Simpson characters. The

14:41 nods they give to the TV show. The

14:43 homage they pay.

14:44 >> That was me last night in bed. That was

14:46 I was not.

14:47 >> We got twist and turning. You were doing

14:50 some crazy stuff.

14:50 >> Let me tell you, I forgot my phone

14:52 charger here. So, at 12:30 at night, I

14:53 had to walk down to a gas station. So, I

14:55 got back to the hotel at 1:00.

14:56 >> One too many benadryil for you last

14:58 night. That's what happens when

14:59 allergies.

15:00 >> Allergies, of course. Folks, now Drake

15:02 Tol has been in Albuquerque every year

15:04 since we started coming here since 2024.

15:07 And so that means you've been in a hot

15:08 air balloon.

15:09 >> I I've been above Albuquerque. You see

15:11 Liz, that's Bryson Bloomer's fiance,

15:13 Avery Hughes, Jake Skull's fiance, a

15:15 myriad of us for the organization all

15:17 hanging out on a hot air balloon. Dustin

15:19 Babers somewhere in there. And there's

15:21 me.

15:22 >> That is why can't Baba fly a hot air

15:24 balloon?

15:25 >> 2024. Thank you to the organization for

15:28 setting us all up on a hot air balloon.

15:30 And it was a special experience in

15:32 Albuquerque. This place has a special

15:34 place in all of our banana ball hearts.

15:36 And this kid uh is about to do something

15:38 special himself on the field.

15:53 >> Firefighters. He steps into the box

15:55 against Christian Dearman who releases

15:58 the first pitch and it's in there for a

16:00 strike. A swing and a miss.

16:04 Here comes the 01. A trick pitch and

16:06 it's fouled off.

16:09 You could cut the tension with a knife

16:10 here, folks. He's down 02, but

16:14 has taken the field. He's placed

16:15 something on the plate. Oh, and he's

16:18 flatulated on the firefighters pitcher.

16:22 The ball is now waiting on a T for

16:23 Angelo. He takes a swing and it's a rare

16:26 ball. He takes off from first base.

16:32 A communication breakdown at the mound.

16:34 The throw to first will be late. He is

16:38 safe. Angelo once more. He's going to

16:41 second. The throw to second is wide of

16:43 the bag and he's safe.

16:47 He rounds second. He's heading to third.

16:50 His vision is obscured by his oversized

16:53 helmet, but that won't stop him, and

16:55 neither will these firefighters.

16:57 He's headed home. He wants it all. There

17:00 will be no play at the plate. Safe. It's

17:05 a home run for Angelo, who's ready to

17:08 celebrate with his family. That kid

17:10 cheated.

17:12 >> He had a T. When has that ever been

17:15 allowed?

17:15 >> That's regulation. Whatever's normal, do

17:17 the exact opposite, boss. Welcome to the

17:19 show. That's the sport. You're supposed

17:21 to get a pitch. What are we doing?

17:23 >> Wait, wait, wait. Let Let the kid dance.

17:26 >> Who are you?

17:28 >> He's shaking that.

17:29 >> He really is.

17:30 >> This is I think Sean Fluke is shaking

17:32 that for him.

17:33 >> Sean's being real light with him, too.

17:35 Oh, there you go. There it is, kid.

17:37 >> To the right, to the left, and then

17:39 forward in the middle. Yeah, he's

17:40 getting the hang of it.

17:41 >> I saw Jake Leios teaching that

17:43 beforehand. Hey, we have a lot of things

17:46 going on in Banana Ball. There were

17:48 three sets of games this weekend. Two in

17:50 Charleston that involved the Coconuts

17:52 and the Clowns. Coconuts lost game one.

17:55 They had to win game two on Saturday

17:57 night. And they got off to a rip roaring

17:59 start. They put four runs up on an

18:02 absolutely torching David Griffin who's

18:05 been unbelievable to start the Banana

18:06 Ball Championship League season out.

18:08 They put four runs up on him before he

18:10 could record an out. Yeah, mind you, the

18:13 Coconuts swept the party animals, the

18:15 defending champions a couple of weeks

18:16 ago. So, you expect them to win just one

18:18 game here, lock in a spot in the Banana

18:20 Ball Open, but um no, they didn't.

18:23 Despite that early lead, Charleston two

18:26 nights ago was all Yeah. All clouds

18:31 somehow. That rally

18:33 >> was incredibly impressive against, as

18:35 you mentioned, the best pitcher the

18:36 Clouds have and David Griffin this year.

18:38 Really didn't matter. It was boys in

18:40 maroon all the way.

18:42 >> And you could tell, look, there was an

18:44 absolute other world scenario the clowns

18:46 had to have to make the banana ball

18:47 open. In a lot of ways, that probably

18:49 allowed him to play a little bit freer,

18:50 a little bit looser where the Coconuts,

18:53 you could see they had to win one. And I

18:55 think you could feel that kind of

18:57 pressure, that tension there. But look,

18:59 top of the fifth, Armani Henderson races

19:01 around. They're going to tie the game up

19:03 here. But then the Clowns just keep

19:06 finding ways. Bobby Leay, that guy is so

19:08 sick. Unbelievable pick for the Clowns

19:11 at Shortstop. It's a two-2 ball game.

19:14 And keep in mind, the Clowns are the

19:15 home team here. They got to find a way

19:18 to win. And they did. Three to2 the

19:20 final. I wish we could show you what

19:21 happened the seventh of the night. But

19:23 hey, Joe Ridle, former firefighter and

19:25 party animal, just a lovable connection

19:27 here. Three for three on the night. He

19:30 was incredible. And the Clowns find a

19:33 way to not just win against the

19:34 Coconuts, they sweep them. And so now

19:37 what happens is the clowns are sitting

19:39 in that cat bird seat of if the party

19:40 animals get swept. They're in the

19:42 Coconuts had a huge chance but cannot

19:45 get it done. They are the first team

19:46 officially eliminated from the Banana

19:48 Ball Championship League Open. Now last

19:51 night Bananas Tailgator

19:54 a game in Chapel Hill. Bill was there.

19:57 >> How long How long do you have for these

19:58 highlights?

19:59 >> Uh an infinite amount of breath. Taylor

20:01 Justice hit this to God. I'm convinced

20:04 of it. That was to dead center in a

20:07 football stadium. He nuked it.

20:10 >> You want to talk about dropping bombs

20:12 accidentally? That was on purpose and

20:14 that was incredible.

20:15 >> When did they move Chapel Hill to South

20:16 Carolina? By the way, that's a new one

20:18 for me. At the home of the North

20:19 Carolina Tar Hills, as you mentioned,

20:21 Bill Bich in tow. My goodness. Home run

20:25 after home run for the red hot, blue

20:28 hot, however hot you want it. Texas

20:31 tailgator. They were blowing the cover

20:32 off the banana ball last night and

20:34 enjoyed a large lead. Surely that lead's

20:36 going to hold, especially for a team

20:38 that will later in the evening win the

20:40 equalizer point.

20:41 >> Buddy, they hit four home runs. That is

20:42 the most a Texas Tailgator team has hit

20:45 in a game. Period. They went up into the

20:47 ninth inning 5-2 thanks in large part to

20:50 the equalizer points. And then, well,

20:53 first of all, Ryan Cox home run. We got

20:55 to show that, right? Glove magician,

20:57 batting magician to on uh on Saturday

20:59 night. That bat might come into play

21:01 here in a little bit because look at

21:04 what David or excuse me Robert Anthony

21:06 Cruz is swinging the same bat. It knocks

21:09 it out the park. And look at that. What

21:11 was a 52 lead is now 55. What are we

21:15 doing? Going to shows round three. Dan

21:18 Overs. That's your ball game. And the

21:20 Savannah Bananas come back from down

21:22 five to three in the bottom of the ninth

21:24 to win six to five in three rounds of

21:26 showdowns. They're 9 and one. And the

21:30 Texas Tailgator now have to win today to

21:33 truly secure that two seed up.

21:35 Meanwhile, the Savannah Bananas outside

21:38 of one game in New Orleans against the

21:39 Animals, they have been rent roaring

21:41 like crazy. Danny Hosley, forget closer.

21:45 He might be the full-on best pitcher in

21:46 the sport right now. The way he's

21:48 moving.

21:48 >> You You know, Zack, what's crazy is the

21:50 Bananas have only lost one game, and

21:51 it's to the party animals who, if they

21:53 lose today, will miss the Banana Ball

21:54 Open. The one team that was the Giants

21:56 slayer this year, the boys in black and

21:58 pink could miss the open entirely if

22:00 they're not able to get it done against

22:01 the firefighters. And speaking of that,

22:03 I want to give some reprieve to the Loco

22:05 Beach Coconuts who are obviously

22:06 disappointed watching from home today.

22:09 >> You watched any Major League Baseball

22:11 this year, I think one of the best

22:12 teams, the AL's, the Seattle Mariners,

22:14 but they're like 5-1 right now. There's

22:16 a long season. They can still very well

22:20 win the entire thing. You've missed the

22:21 Banana Ball Open. It's still a long

22:23 season and your year's not over to win

22:25 the Banana Bowl League Championship at

22:27 the end of the season. But let's take

22:29 you back to last night where your

22:30 firefighters were, pun intended, redhot.

22:32 >> Lamar Sparks hit this one to the heavens

22:34 as well. That one still hasn't landed.

22:36 Made it all the way to the Sandia

22:38 Mountains. And the trick plays for the

22:40 firefighters were massive. They didn't

22:42 hit one after the fifth inning, but they

22:44 hit so many before that it really didn't

22:46 matter. They go up as many as three to

22:48 one in the top of the fifth. Mason

22:50 Maxwell first homer of the year. He was

22:53 absolutely blitzed out of his brains. At

22:55 this point, you're thinking the

22:56 firefighters might just banana ball blow

22:58 this thing right out the door. But the

23:00 party animals have a response. Reese

23:02 Hampton, see you later. It's a 3-3 game

23:06 just like that. And then the next

23:08 inning, what do they do? Tanner Tender

23:11 Thomas to the scoreboard. It's four to

23:15 three. They were down two and were about

23:18 to go down three, but the firefighters

23:20 had a response thanks in part to the

23:22 equalizer point again. Tied it up going

23:24 into the ninth and then Eric Jones Jr.,

23:26 what else can you say about the guy?

23:28 Five for five on the night that tied a

23:30 banana ball record. Tied it. The last

23:32 time it happened was in 2023 when

23:34 someone had five hits in a game. Had

23:36 three RBI as well. And then Ben Dum

23:38 slams the door shut. Jason Swan pops it

23:42 up

23:43 >> and South Trimble locks in the

23:45 firefighters to the Banana Ball Open

23:48 with one squeeze of the glove. And so

23:50 that's how the third team punched their

23:52 ticket to the open next weekend. You

23:55 look at this, the showman of the night,

23:57 Lamar Sparks, home run, triple, single,

24:00 three RBI sprint. He's a rookie. He

24:03 looks anything other than that.

24:05 >> Yeah, I mean EJ was right in there for

24:07 the conversational showman tonight as

24:08 well as you mentioned. five hits that

24:10 ties the banana ball record as well as a

24:12 ball four sprint. He was not retired.

24:14 We'll talk about it throughout the day

24:15 today. But the firefighters, their team

24:17 batting average jumped by 30 points in

24:19 one game. Their season batting average

24:22 as a team jumped by 30 points. Eric

24:24 Jones Jr. his batting average jumped by

24:26 over 100 points after his evening last

24:29 night. The firefighters looked

24:31 incredible and they scored 10 total runs

24:33 against Garrett Deleno and Drew

24:35 Gillespie combined. Two of the best in

24:38 the sport. That's doubly impressive.

24:40 >> And that's how we get you here tonight.

24:42 Drake, can you hear? I can't hear

24:44 anything. This crowd at Albuquerque is

24:47 coming unglued right now. They are fired

24:49 up to see the animals and the

24:52 firefighters. These folks have come for

24:55 three straight years to see Banana Ball.

24:59 Noah Fischers on top of a dugout. He

25:01 doesn't have his shirt off,

25:02 unfortunately, for the the folks here in

25:05 New Mexico, but that's okay. That's what

25:08 we're doing here. We're subverting

25:09 expectations.

25:11 >> I was promised that this weekend, and it

25:14 better be today, because this is the

25:15 last game of the weekend, either Noah

25:16 Fischer or Andy Cosgrove won, will have

25:18 their shirt on.

25:20 >> Well, boy, I hope

25:22 >> I really do hope is Brett Hton start

25:25 tonight.

25:25 >> It's a Hton day, man. If you want

25:27 anybody out there in the Dardy, it's got

25:28 to be that guy. Mike Vasis, Thomas

25:32 Simino, Anthony Cororamato, and that's

25:35 the party animals as the national anthem

25:38 is ready to sound in Albuquerque.

25:48 >> Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, we

25:50 ask that you please rise if able, remove

25:53 your caps, and join us in honoring

25:55 America with the singing of today's

25:57 national anthem. Please welcome to the

26:00 field Kiana Huerta.

26:06 >> Oh, say can you see

26:11 by the dawn early

26:14 light?

26:16 What's so proudly

26:19 we

26:21 at the twilight

26:24 last gleaming?

26:26 Who's brought stripes and bright stars

26:31 through the perilous

26:35 fight.

26:37 All the

26:40 it was

26:42 so gallentally

26:45 streaming.

26:47 And the rockets

26:50 red glare.

26:52 The bombs bursting

26:59 gave proof through the night

27:04 that our flag was still there.

27:10 Oh, say does that star spangle

27:16 then

27:23 or the land

27:26 of the free

27:31 and the home

27:35 of the

27:38 brave.

27:44 Albuquerque, stay standing. Put your arm

27:48 around the person to your left. Put your

27:51 arm around the person to your right.

27:53 We're starting this thing off with a big

27:55 old

27:57 >> My friends, it is time. Two games of

28:01 banana ball with massive sticks going on

28:04 at the same time. What beautiful growth

28:08 for this young sport. Six teams, four

28:12 trying for the Banana Ball Open. Three

28:15 are in, two teams today with massive

28:19 stakes with their Banana Ball Open

28:21 mortality on the line. The Firefighters

28:24 very well could win their way to the two

28:26 seed, at the very least the three seed,

28:29 but they've got to win. The key word

28:32 today is stakes. pressure, tension.

28:37 There is so much happening here today.

28:40 And it all starts right here, right now,

28:43 3:00 Eastern time, 1:00 Mountain time.

28:47 Party animals and firefighters right

28:49 here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Let's

28:52 look at this firefighter defense that

28:54 won an equalizer point on Saturday

28:57 night. The key guys to watch are your

28:59 infielders in the middle, Tiner Hughes,

29:01 Peanut, Kaden Green. 15 a piece. It's 30

29:04 between your shorts stop and second

29:06 baseman. Armando Betta, the former party

29:09 animal last night, turned a couple of

29:10 doozies. Might he have something fun up

29:12 his sleeve. Two new corner outfielders

29:15 as well. Lamar Sparks, his first start

29:17 in the field this season. He's been DH

29:19 for most of the year. He'll go into the

29:21 field today. And South Trimble, that is

29:23 not a designated fielder. That is a

29:25 fullon hitter today. The magic man,

29:28 Smoke, is in the field. And how about

29:30 the man on the bump? We call him Austin

29:33 Temple. Why, you might ask? Because it's

29:35 his name. That guy has been gritty this

29:39 year. You look at his stats over the

29:42 last three starts. He's six and three on

29:45 points earned versus points lost. Six

29:48 strikeouts, four ball, four sprints, six

29:50 hits, and just six runs allowed. At came

29:54 into the year really wanting to work on

29:56 adversity situations. And so far outside

30:00 of one game in Grayson Stadium, he has

30:02 more than been up to the test. He's

30:04 going to have to find it one more time

30:06 today against the party animals which

30:08 host even without the MVP Jake Skull

30:11 Drake. They host a vicious lineup.

30:13 >> Yeah, former two-year minor leager

30:15 Austin Temple, former Astros Farmhand,

30:18 Savannah Bananas, Coastal Plane League

30:20 member. I mean, this guy's he's been

30:22 around both pro baseball,

30:25 the fans first organization, and today

30:27 he tries to cut down the party animals.

30:29 Let's take a look at their lineup.

30:31 >> Reese Hampton, Chase Aub, Mikey Ballard.

30:33 So, with Skull out of that threehole,

30:39 >> with Skull out of that three hole,

30:40 things shift up. Ballard out of the

30:42 three spot now instead with that 333

30:45 batting average. And TJ Reeves right

30:47 behind him gets the nod today. He'll

30:49 start in right field. The Birmingham,

30:51 Alabama kid for the party animals has a

30:54 pro bat himself. And we'll start in

30:56 place of Jake Skull who's still in the

30:58 dugout walking around. You saw him

31:00 warming up pregame. He is an emergency

31:03 option. At least that's the expectation

31:05 of the party animals get into a

31:06 dangerous scenario where they could call

31:08 upon Jake Skull. You saw last night, he

31:10 was working with maybe a half a

31:12 hamstring and still hit a home run off

31:14 of Ben D in the ninth inning. You see

31:16 those batting averages there. You'll

31:18 also take a look at Bronson Ballhome

31:20 who's only had 17 plate appearances this

31:22 season but has made the most of them. A

31:24 417 batting average to go along with his

31:26 588 OBP. And take a look at this on top

31:30 of the dugout here. Jake Leios, Brady

31:33 Kais, Dalton Pon, the rude dudes.

31:39 >> It's a tradition here at the party

31:40 animals games. They break out once a

31:42 weekend where Leios will introduce the

31:45 men who join him for the entire top of

31:47 the first inning and dance with the

31:49 crowd, teaching them each of the

31:51 individual walk-offs that the party

31:52 animals have. Should be clear, by the

31:54 way, and this is something we haven't

31:56 touched on quite yet. The format prior

31:59 to the open, every weekend is filled

32:01 with twoame series where home and away

32:03 flips. Yesterday, the party holds for

32:05 the home team and today is still their

32:07 headline show. So, party down and don't

32:10 stop believing. Jake Leio's on the mic.

32:13 The big switch here is now the

32:14 firefighters are the home team party

32:16 animals can win the equalizer.

32:17 >> You know what's interesting?

32:19 >> Jake Skull is actually coaching first.

32:22 Look at that. He's next to Eric Jones

32:23 Jr. watching Seth Markham do his ninja

32:26 stuff. So, Jake Skull might have a hand

32:28 in this game as the first base head

32:31 coach. By the way, Reese Hampton stepped

32:33 into the box and now he's out of it. I

32:35 think that should be a strike.

32:37 I don't even think we've started the

32:38 clock here.

32:39 >> The party has yet to truly begin. But

32:41 Jake Skull, a 350 hitter. He was the MVP

32:43 last year. Won the triple crown in this

32:47 sport. And today he's coach Skull. Coach

32:50 X to these guys is Reese Hampton gets us

32:53 underway.

32:56 >> Austin Temple. First pitch in a little

32:59 low. Ball one. He'll hit you with a four

33:00 seam, a 126 curve, which has really been

33:02 moving. slider and an occasional

33:05 splitter outside 20.

33:08 >> Part of his resurgence over the first

33:10 couple of games here in 2026 is because

33:12 that curveball has found its groove and

33:14 when it does,

33:17 >> it gets lit up as that one did too by

33:19 Reese Hampton. But it's in the dirt

33:20 foul.

33:20 >> Hampton had his first homer of the

33:22 season last night for the party animals.

33:25 >> A walk-off blast in the sixth. Tanner

33:27 Thomas walked off the seventh.

33:30 >> Just like that. Austin Temple brings it

33:33 back around to a two-2 count.

33:38 >> And throws that one into the dirt and

33:40 will go full on the first batter of the

33:41 day.

33:42 >> Yeah, I wouldn't steal first base on

33:43 that one.

33:44 >> Probably would have been tough. Little

33:46 change from last night. Eric Jones Jr.

33:48 moves from his catcher spot over to

33:49 first base. Mason Maxwell will go into a

33:51 designated hitter position. Dalton

33:53 Cornet is behind the back stop and that

33:55 one gets away. Reese Hampton might very

33:57 well have a free pass to two. Yeah, you

33:59 saw in the corner of your screen there,

34:01 Jake Skull is coaching first base. He's

34:03 the one yelling at Hampton. Cornet, drop

34:05 the ball. Catcher, drop the ball.

34:06 Catcher, drop the ball. That's how

34:08 Hampton knows, I've got to go second

34:10 base no matter what on this ball four

34:11 sprint.

34:13 >> It's very interesting, too. Most of

34:14 these guys have either been caught by

34:15 Eric Jones or Zachary Bridges. We

34:18 haven't seen Daltton Cornet behind the

34:19 dish very much here in 2026.

34:24 We'll see about it today. How about

34:26 Chase Auff?

34:27 Don't just think of him as a a wizard

34:31 in the field. Almost called him a glove

34:33 magician. That would have been

34:34 >> wizard. He's the hand wizard.

34:35 >> Yeah, that might have been copyright

34:36 infringement.

34:38 He has been absolutely tearing the cover

34:39 off banana balls left and right.

34:43 Saw it last night with a couple 13 hits

34:45 on the year and Austin Temple not

34:47 pitching to him. It's two count.

34:51 >> That was one thing last season that

34:53 Temple struggled with control. Oh my

34:56 goodness. Chase Auff blistered into left

34:59 off the bottom of the wall. That'll

35:01 score a run for the Animals.

35:04 >> Auff easily into second with a double.

35:06 Hampton around and the party animals

35:09 much like they had against him last

35:10 night. Get early damage done against the

35:13 firefighters.

35:17 >> Man, Chase Auff.

35:18 >> Yeah, great piece of hitting last night.

35:20 He was three for four. Today, now one

35:21 for one. Let's keep him in Albuquerque.

35:24 382 average is certainly going to go up

35:26 here today as Austin Temple goes to

35:28 Mikey Ballard.

35:30 What a connection there between Auff and

35:32 Ballard, old college teammates.

35:35 Mike Fava Basis. I said that weird. Mike

35:39 Baba basis. I tried, man.

35:41 >> You're learning English slowly but

35:42 surely. And I appreciate that.

35:45 >> Also has the connection to the same

35:47 school.

35:49 >> And as soon as my

35:52 >> There we go.

35:52 >> computer will land up. There we go. Ear

35:54 College. There it is.

35:55 >> Little rookie Ballard. Lake Mary,

35:58 Florida kid.

36:00 >> That's a big strike out for Austin

36:02 Temple.

36:04 >> Gets Ballard swinging and missing. And

36:07 Ballard, who has swung a nice bat here

36:08 to start the year out, is the first out

36:10 of the day. And how about from one

36:12 rookie back to another almost a rookie

36:14 in a full sense. He did play one game

36:17 >> with the Party Animals in 2023. And that

36:19 is TJ Reeves. Runner going from second

36:21 to third. And that will clearly beat him

36:24 over at third. Logan Lacy gets it with a

36:27 lightning quick transition from Dalton

36:28 Cornette. And now the base is empty and

36:31 only one run has come across.

36:33 >> Yep. Former party animal Daltton

36:35 Cornette behind the dish.

36:38 >> A great strike to third and it was not

36:40 close.

36:41 >> Reeves

36:43 didn't mean to swing. Instead fouls off

36:45 over to Fardy,

36:47 who I've been told smells like cupcakes.

36:49 >> Yeah, he does.

36:52 Reeves gets a handle on that one out to

36:54 right center field. It'll land at the

36:56 track.

36:58 >> Armando are going to have to catch that

37:00 one up again and they'll replace Jay

37:01 Auff with TJ Reeves at second. But how

37:04 about that swing? His first day back in

37:05 the lineup and it's a double.

37:07 >> Look, if you play the whatif game in

37:08 this sport, you'll never you'll never

37:10 make it. But I love the whatif game. If

37:13 if Akuff does not test third base and

37:15 Daltton Cornet, another runs on the

37:17 board for the Animals. Instead, it's up

37:19 to Jason Swan, who was one for four last

37:20 night with an RBI to help his team out

37:23 here.

37:24 >> Represented the last out as that one

37:27 touches the outside part of the black

37:28 for strike one.

37:29 >> Last out of last night for Swani.

37:32 >> Yeah,

37:32 >> this is a guy who was perennially called

37:35 underrated.

37:36 >> Underrated. Yep.

37:36 >> I I It's so hard to figure out how in

37:39 the world this guy

37:40 >> just beated. When can we just rate him,

37:42 please?

37:43 >> Drop the under part and and just admit

37:46 how good he is. Dalton Cornet loses the

37:48 mask and almost his mind

37:51 able to keep that one there

37:52 >> at 364

37:54 475

37:56 364 his slash line. He just gets on

37:59 base. No strikeouts yet this season in

38:01 40 played appearances.

38:02 >> That's the part that's just staggering.

38:06 Rips that one back to right center

38:08 field. Mondo won't get to it. Second

38:10 run's coming across. Swan going for

38:13 second. Nobody there to cover. It's

38:15 three doubles in the inning for the

38:16 Animals and it's a tworun inning.

38:19 >> And team Slug's going to go up a bit

38:21 here. Ball four sprint followed by three

38:23 doubles in a span of four ABS.

38:27 >> Very much a reversal of course from last

38:29 night

38:31 as Austin Temple just needs to find some

38:33 sort of momentum here and he'll use that

38:35 mover on Andy Cosgrove to get strike

38:38 one.

38:43 cause the rookie of the year

38:46 over two with a ball four sprint last

38:48 night

38:51 only stepped to the plate three times in

38:53 contrast to guys like Eric Jones Jr. who

38:55 got six blade appearances.

38:57 >> That obviously includes a gold mid at

38:58 bat, but still firefighters went almost

39:00 six times through the lineup.

39:03 >> They did. Tiner Hughes had six abs. That

39:05 should be should be clear though.

39:07 >> 3-1 count. Ball four sprint would score

39:09 third run. Temple got to find him.

39:15 He won't. Ball four spread, his second

39:19 issued in the inning and the third run

39:21 that's going to come across earned

39:22 against Temple and the Animals. Boy, if

39:25 you thought they'd lack any motivation,

39:28 they have quickly stymied that narrative

39:30 in the first inning.

39:32 >> Temple entered 10 and a3 innings pitched

39:34 this year and four ball four sprints.

39:36 Now in 11 full innings, he has six ball

39:39 four sprints.

39:41 >> His last three starts, he had four

39:43 earned runs against him. Already three

39:44 in just the first inning. And it might

39:46 be a little bit more here as Tanner

39:48 Thomas fights that one into center

39:49 field.

39:51 >> Two ball, four sprints, three doubles,

39:54 and a single. Yet still the only damage

39:57 done.

39:58 Three runs on the board.

40:01 >> Could it could still be worse.

40:03 >> Only is a loaded word there.

40:04 >> Could still be worse.

40:07 >> But it is crazy the reversal

40:10 of the story line here. Last night, the

40:12 firefighters of the visiting team as

40:14 Temple goes inside. They put the

40:16 pressure right on Garrett Toeno. Today,

40:18 the party animals do it. And now, a

40:20 literal rocket scientist, Bronson

40:22 Ballholm, is at the dish trying to make

40:24 a little bit more.

40:28 >> He got a 588 OBP this year. 17 played

40:31 appearances, too. That's a healthy

40:32 number. I mean, he's hot in the five

40:34 games he's played.

40:35 >> Ronnie finally a little bit healthier

40:37 this year after last year with the hand.

40:39 Yeah,

40:40 >> so far it looks good.

40:42 >> He always looks good though. Let's be

40:44 real.

40:46 >> His off season was

40:49 >> so critical and he put in the work.

40:55 >> Another chance for a ball for Sprint and

40:57 another run's going to score off a free

41:00 pass.

41:03 >> Austin Temple.

41:04 >> And we expect to see Temple for a good

41:06 chunk of this game, too. This first

41:08 inning has really gotten away from him.

41:10 Again, I want to go back to it. He came

41:11 into this game having started five

41:14 contests, played in five contests this

41:16 year. 10 innings pitched, four ball,

41:18 four sprints. In this first inning, he's

41:20 allowed three.

41:24 >> We are already at the nine hole

41:27 for the party animals. Check over to

41:29 first. Mark Smith is wearing

41:31 >> He's a gnome today.

41:33 >> Yeah. Okay. Out of context, that's wild.

41:37 checks on over. Bryson Bloomer looks at

41:38 one in the dirt.

41:48 >> Okay,

41:48 >> great pitch. Yeah, I think

41:49 >> all right.

41:51 >> Temple was robbed of a strike there.

41:52 >> Okay.

41:58 >> Oh my.

41:59 >> That is ripped down the line and right.

42:02 It will land foul. And the fans don't

42:06 come up with it. Everybody up there

42:08 lifting your fist and everything. You

42:10 can't catch it off the ground.

42:15 >> Bloomer fouls that one off. Another

42:17 excuse me swing.

42:18 >> Bloomer was two for three last night. He

42:20 also loves Albuquerque. Had a grand slam

42:22 here last year to win a game against the

42:24 Texas Tailgator and showdowns. We've had

42:26 some classics in this ballpark the last

42:29 three years in this sport. Austin almost

42:30 working on his 10th minute as Mark Smith

42:32 leans out the first base side and he

42:35 will go back. Full count though. Massive

42:38 payoff pitch here. Firefighters need it.

42:40 Party animals would love to get a fifth

42:42 run on the board.

42:44 And that's a backwards K as Bloomer

42:46 looks at one high and the inning is done

42:49 but not before a 10-minute explosion for

42:52 the Animals. They go up four to nothing.

42:55 And the firefighters got some work cut

42:56 out for him here as we go to the bottom

42:58 half of the frame.

43:02 As we look at the party animals defense

43:03 and Drake, they're just as good as ever

43:06 on the trick plays.

43:07 >> Correct. Got to highlight Chase AUP who

43:09 leads the team with 20 this season and

43:11 Mikey Ballard who is in the ether has

43:16 eight.

43:19 >> Mikey Ballard invisible by the way. And

43:21 no Jake Skull as you see

43:23 >> TJ Reeves in there with his one trick

43:25 play.

43:26 >> Correct. Correct. We'll see if Tanner

43:27 Thomas get the trick play category and

43:29 Reeves can double his number.

43:32 >> In the meantime, there's no Brett Helton

43:34 on the mound and there's no defense on

43:35 the field. I'm not sure, Zach, what the

43:38 Party Animals are going for here, but I

43:40 think they've got something

43:41 choreographed to start this game.

43:43 >> Well, it is banana ball. It wouldn't

43:44 shock me. Let's find out.

44:09 I can't close my eyes

44:16 and dad has to hide.

44:20 I went to church in concord.

44:51 Mr.

44:58 Nice

45:00 >> on the mound for the party animals.

45:02 Number two,

45:03 >> no more Mr. Nice Guy.

45:14 >> No more Mr. Nice guy. Brett Helton

45:19 with a myriad of gnomes

45:22 just behind the rubber. One of them

45:25 oddly Mark Smith shaped.

45:28 >> Is he staying out there for the entire

45:30 inning?

45:30 >> I hope so.

45:31 >> Oh my god.

45:34 Mark could be in real danger here. We've

45:36 seen some of the struggles of the uh the

45:38 longtime party animal pitchers. Brett

45:40 Helton is not having those kinds of

45:41 struggles. Drake told he has been on his

45:43 game. veteran of the sport, veteran of

45:46 baseball. Watched him pitch a couple

45:48 years with the Fargo Morehead Redhawks.

45:49 Brett Helton still just as good as he

45:51 was back in 2020.

45:52 >> Yeah, not too far away from his old

45:54 stomping grounds, both in Colorado

45:56 Springs and collegiately in Salt Lake

45:59 City, Utah, playing for the Utah Utes.

46:02 Ninth rounder in 2015 to the Pittsburgh

46:04 Pirates. He was a hell of a farm hand

46:06 and now a great banana ball pitcher.

46:08 >> Hey, you said a bad word.

46:10 >> Which one?

46:11 >> I can't say it. How about the

46:13 firefighters lineup which you started

46:15 off with Tiner Hughes an aggressive

46:17 leadoff batter. You saw it last night.

46:19 Took the first pitch Garrett Delo threw

46:21 at him and nearly sent it to Santa Fe

46:24 right back up the middle. A 200 or 400

46:27 foot double. Mark is staying out there.

46:32 Oh, now he runs away. Oh, come on,

46:35 Mark. You got to stay out there.

46:40 Tiny foul down the left field line. Tiny

46:43 is a 10th round pick out of the

46:45 visitors. And the way he's swinging the

46:47 bat, you would not think this is his

46:49 first fulltime year in banana ball.

46:51 >> Batting better than 350 on a six-game

46:53 hitting streak. He is just nails up at

46:57 the plate.

46:58 >> 442 OBP as well.

47:01 >> Kid gets on base.

47:04 >> Will he there? No. John Crosser calls a

47:06 foul.

47:06 >> And look, playing in in place of Liam

47:09 Spence really right now and Tyler Hughes

47:10 has been great. So so good

47:19 outside ball two

47:27 count.

47:31 >> Tiny golfed at that one by Chase Auff.

47:33 base knock. Crafty piece of hitting for

47:37 the big man wearing 55.

47:39 >> Now three for six on his weekend in

47:41 Albuquerque. Keeps the hot

47:45 >> Suare going.

47:46 >> Suare.

47:47 >> Yeah,

47:48 >> good word.

47:48 >> I wanted suare there.

47:50 >> Is that French?

47:52 >> No.

47:53 >> I got to figure out what that is. It

47:54 sounds French. Portuguese.

47:57 >> I don't know. We'll find out later.

47:58 >> Maybe.

47:59 >> Dalton Cornett was a man on a mission

48:02 since March 15th. And right now he's

48:04 going to sit down. Oh no, he won't.

48:07 Instead, he might advance to second if

48:08 he just gets going just a little bit.

48:10 Jason Swan throwing it over to second.

48:13 Mikey Balor trying to take him out, but

48:14 instead it will go as a mistrick play

48:17 and Dalton's aboard to second, but Tiner

48:18 Hughes is out.

48:19 >> I love what Swan did there trying to go

48:21 for the trick play. Up four to nothing

48:23 in the runs category this inning. I'm

48:25 surprised Auff didn't. I mean, you you

48:27 have up four to nothing right now.

48:30 Almost nothing to lose. go for the trick

48:32 play. I thought Chase should have gone

48:34 between the legs to second base there

48:35 and you could have seen Balor go between

48:37 the legs to Swan.

48:38 >> Yep. Instead, it put all the onus on

48:40 Swan and he misses it behind the back as

48:42 Lacy takes a healthy hack at the first

48:44 two pitches and misses. This how weird

48:46 his year has been. Game one, he's only

48:48 had one hit. Game two, he's five for 14

48:50 on the season so far. Can he find

48:53 something here against Brett Hel? Maybe.

48:55 So, Lacy to left field. Showtime out of

49:00 this park.

49:03 The first homer of the season for Logan

49:06 Lacy. And Showtime turns the spotlight

49:09 up.

49:12 >> It was only a matter of time for Logan

49:14 Lacy. One of the most dangerous hitters

49:17 in the sport. Matty Warren's down there.

49:22 >> Hey,

49:24 >> Logan. Hey. First home run of the

49:26 season. Firefighters are battling back.

49:28 Yeah,

49:28 >> my first hit. Yeah, fires are battling

49:30 back. It ain't over yet.

49:31 >> Hey, it's first inning. It's early on.

49:33 Let's go.

49:35 >> Logan Lacy.

49:37 >> Two time allstar. And you see why he's

49:41 having some fun with the microphone down

49:42 there for good reason. Eric Jones Jr.

49:44 and Brett Hton have faced each other a

49:45 couple different times. Don't you think

49:48 Drake is in the middle of some hot

49:49 tamales?

49:50 >> These guys know each other well.

49:51 >> Yes, they do.

49:52 >> Every now and then when I don't throw

49:53 one out of the window, I

49:55 >> Oh, no.

49:56 >> put them in my mouth. The popcorn all

49:57 over the crotch of Drake Cole Dole. I

50:00 just said Cole

50:03 >> held in a two-1 count.

50:04 >> That's what happens when you put your

50:06 popcorn on a paper plate on a windy day

50:08 right in front of me.

50:09 >> Oh my goodness.

50:11 >> I'm so sorry.

50:12 >> It tastes delicious.

50:13 >> Yes, it does.

50:19 >> Usually try not to say the word I just

50:20 said on the air, but it was just too

50:22 good.

50:23 >> Plus, I heard you and AJ Switk say it

50:25 last week.

50:25 >> Crotch. Yeah, man.

50:27 >> Yeah. Cross will play

50:28 >> EJ ball four sprint and he continues to

50:30 get on base here in Albuquerque.

50:33 >> All of a sudden, Zack

50:34 >> slow ball for sprint defense and EJ is

50:36 going to slide in with a two base ball

50:38 for sprint.

50:39 >> The inning tying run is at second base

50:42 and Eric Jones Jr. by the way, bad play

50:45 from you to put the popcorn right back

50:46 on the same plate in the same spot.

50:48 >> I'm taking it down. I'm going to put it

50:50 on the floor.

50:51 >> By the way, your paper plate with a

50:52 lineup card also falling down because of

50:55 the wind.

50:56 How about this? Are you eating it off

50:57 the floor?

50:58 >> Yep.

50:59 >> No wasted popcorn here from Drake Tol.

51:00 Nope.

51:01 >> All right, it's going on the floor.

51:03 Mondo against Brett Helton. Teammates of

51:06 old facing each other.

51:09 >> Boy,

51:10 >> Zambon.

51:13 >> Another potentially 10-minute inning. On

51:15 tap here is Visera. Oh, that's a slow

51:18 roller. Swanie having to go underneath

51:20 and he does. Misera out at first. EJ

51:22 advancing to second. A beggar pardon.

51:24 It's Noah Bridges as the designated

51:26 runner. And now Kaden Green. We call him

51:31 Peanut because that's what they've

51:33 always called him. As you take a look,

51:34 Jason Twan might be better than a trick

51:36 play there. Saved it from going into

51:38 Ninja. That would have almost certainly

51:39 scored Noah from second,

51:42 >> but instead it's a second out.

51:44 >> Peanut has had power and a great swing

51:46 this year as he takes a look at strike

51:48 one inside. 483 average, 1.418 418 OPS.

51:54 That is sadistic.

51:58 This dude has taken a superstar leap

52:02 after year one in Banana Ball.

52:08 1-1. Oh, he wanted to tie it up there.

52:10 He won't.

52:13 I've rolled over some popcorn. It's all

52:15 over the floor still.

52:20 Helton to try and get out of it. Peanut

52:23 left field

52:26 >> foul.

52:28 >> Yeah, that was assuredly foul, but my

52:31 goodness,

52:31 >> hit that one a mile.

52:33 >> A moonshot.

52:35 >> Touch the top of the sand of mountains

52:37 behind us. So, we'll try it again.

52:44 >> Hot shot second. Mikey Bow. A little

52:46 trouble on the behind the back transfer,

52:48 but he gets it. And that is the first

52:50 trick play of the game. And the first

52:51 point goes to the Party Animals.

52:53 >> One to nothing. Boys needed that. Matty

52:56 Warren, what you got with the Party

52:58 Animals head coach?

53:00 >> Hey coach, a must win for the Party

53:02 Animals today, but the offense did not

53:05 come to play today. Let's go. What What

53:08 do you guys do to turn around from last

53:10 night into today to start this game off

53:11 the way you did?

53:12 >> You know what? It's just uh knowing that

53:14 you got a new a new day, a new game, a

53:16 new uh a new time to have fun out here

53:18 and uh really attack. And that's what we

53:20 talked about today. We met as a team and

53:21 I was like, guys, we haven't earned

53:23 anything yet. It's time we still have to

53:24 earn stuff and let's play let's play

53:26 with all we got today.

53:27 >> Who do you see really stepping up for

53:29 this team to pull it all together?

53:31 >> You know, it's a lot of the veteran

53:32 leaders, but you know, like we have the

53:33 AUFs, the Swans out here, but I'll tell

53:35 you what, it's really nice to see the

53:37 the new guys like the TJ Reeves and the

53:39 Ballards really stepping up and, you

53:40 know, hitting in the three and four spot

53:42 tonight. It's uh they're all gamers. I

53:44 could really put them anywhere.

53:45 >> I love it. Well, coach, got a lot of

53:47 game left, but it's looking good. Best

53:48 of luck.

53:49 >> Thank you, guys.

53:50 >> Off to you guys.

53:51 >> Thanks, Maddie.

53:54 >> Mike Vasis, that man is strong.

54:00 >> Also, I got to shout this out. Brian

54:03 Trapaniier, who's not here, he's at a

54:05 wedding. He just texted me, "I'm feeling

54:08 a Showtime bomb." I swear to you, he

54:11 sent that one minute before Logan Lacy

54:13 hit a home run.

54:14 >> No kidding. Speaking of,

54:15 >> look at that. Logan Lacy. I'm not even

54:17 sure he knew it until it hit the rock.

54:20 But there it is. His uncle Bobby, by the

54:22 way, in town. Ran into him in the

54:24 airport coming from Atlanta to

54:25 Albuquerque.

54:27 He's been here game one and two. And how

54:29 about that? Showtime sees it. Brett

54:30 Helton squinting to the heavens. It is

54:33 what it is. BK, wherever you're watching

54:34 from, dude. Wish you were here, bud.

54:36 We'll see you in Grayson next week. Love

54:38 you.

54:41 already down to the 10-hole batter.

54:45 >> That's weird. Brian Trapanny are slated

54:47 to pitch in the fifth inning today.

54:50 >> We'll see about that.

54:52 >> So, how does that work, Zach Stton?

54:53 >> Well, we're going to have to adjust.

54:55 >> I'm reading the lineup card. It says

54:56 Trapanni or fifth inning.

54:58 >> Was that lineup card written on a

54:59 napkin?

54:59 >> Oh, no. It's written today. It's on the

55:02 card itself.

55:03 >> Okay, good. On a card.

55:04 >> He may struggle to pitch this afternoon.

55:06 might

55:08 >> you know how Mikey Ballard was invisible

55:09 on the graphic?

55:11 >> BK might be the same way.

55:12 >> That's a great call back from earlier.

55:14 >> Yep.

55:22 >> Temple really wanted that one. And from

55:24 an 02 count, it's all the way full.

55:32 >> Fisher foul. We'll do it again. Noah had

55:35 a little trouble in the field last

55:36 night. So today he's a DH.

55:40 >> Comes on in.

55:41 >> Party animals have rotated a lot of that

55:42 outfield.

55:43 >> And that's the good part about having

55:45 depth is Austin Temple.

55:46 >> Yeah. Reeves Thomas today. You see skull

55:50 a bit banged up.

55:51 >> Something about

55:52 >> something about these party animals,

55:54 man. Fava loses great players like

55:56 Armando Betta and Saljacobo. and he

55:58 replaced them with guys like TJ, Mikey

56:00 Ballard, and Noah Fischer will replace

56:03 himself at the plate with a swing and

56:05 strike. Austin Temple, that's three set

56:07 down via the K.

56:08 >> Yeah, I mean, he's gotten four outs,

56:10 three of them via strikeout, but he's

56:12 also allowed three extra base hits,

56:16 three ball, four sprints.

56:19 >> Something has wafted into my nose here.

56:22 That smelled good. It was a little

56:23 burnt.

56:24 >> Oops. Sorry. That's breakfast earlier.

56:27 Darn it.

56:28 >> You ate the breakfast burrito, didn't

56:29 you?

56:30 >> Way too much bacon.

56:33 >> There was a lot of bacon for breakfast.

56:35 >> Fiber's good for you, man.

56:37 >> Sure.

56:37 >> I don't think bacon has fiber, but I

56:39 just wanted to make sure you knew that

56:40 fiber in general is good for you.

56:41 >> It very well might.

56:44 >> 300 count quickly to Hampton.

56:45 >> They still sell wedies.

56:47 >> I told I told a kid last night in an

56:49 autograph line, I said, "Hey man, if you

56:50 keep eating your waties, you'll be big

56:52 and strong." And I thought, man, I

56:54 >> I don't even know if they still do

56:55 wedies. I'm certain they have wedies.

56:58 >> Two ball four sprints earn and two

57:00 played appearances for Reese Hampton.

57:02 Yeah.

57:02 >> Takes a quick trip around first. It goes

57:05 right back to it.

57:06 >> Colorado was the first state to legalize

57:08 wedies.

57:10 >> Okay.

57:10 >> And in New Mexico, they certainly

57:12 promote it.

57:16 >> I'm googling now. Wedies. Are they still

57:18 a thing? Yes, Waties are still a thing.

57:19 >> Yep. Federally, we're getting much more

57:21 loose on the Wedies situation.

57:24 >> Correct.

57:27 Oh man, we do things differently here on

57:29 the Party Animals YouTube as I'm

57:30 learning for the first time this

57:31 weekend.

57:33 >> How about Chase Auff coming up? RBI

57:35 double in his first plate appearance

57:37 and quickly Austin Temple has thrown six

57:40 straight bad ones. Got to find it.

57:47 >> A Cuff fights it off and goes fouled.

57:49 Again, want to point out we are nearing

57:52 nearing, if I could spit it out, the

57:54 11th game completed for the

57:56 firefighters. They have not induced one

57:58 fancaught foul bomb. They've had one

58:00 caught against him. That's it.

58:02 >> That's impressively bad, by the way.

58:03 >> It's bizarre.

58:04 >> Somehow it has nothing to do with the

58:06 firefighters.

58:07 >> No, they've had more than enough

58:08 opportunity, the fans. And I've seen

58:11 gloves, just haven't really been able to

58:13 catch them. Ball force sprint

58:15 potentially on the table here. That

58:17 would move runner over to first or from

58:20 first to third. It might actually get

58:21 him home.

58:22 >> Yeah, I think Reese Hampton wants to go

58:23 home with this. He's getting away. This

58:26 would be tight. No throw. Reese

58:29 Hampton's just that guy. That's the tone

58:32 you have to set in a must-win game.

58:34 Reese Hampton, the veteran, sets it.

58:39 >> Austin Temple entered this game having

58:41 thrown four ball, four sprints all

58:43 season. Zach, he's thrown five through

58:46 an inning and a third today.

58:47 >> And this is the problem with ball four

58:49 sprints in this league. If you throw

58:51 them back to back, you are risking a run

58:54 scored on you immediately

58:57 >> as Mikey Ballard doesn't swing at that

58:58 one. Sat down via K in his first plate

59:01 appearance.

59:02 >> And Temple's had a couple of close ones,

59:05 but a lot of these misses have been

59:08 fairly obvious even on ball on three

59:10 ball counts.

59:17 That one gets away from Cornet. Doesn't

59:20 even throw down to second. And Jay Cuff

59:22 has moved into scoring position.

59:26 >> And the wild thing is the firefighters

59:28 really have not had a lot of

59:29 opportunities to even get a trick play

59:30 on the board.

59:31 >> Yep.

59:32 >> Cuz the strikeouts

59:34 >> strikeouts in ball four sprints.

59:36 >> Yeah. He goes high

59:39 and a lot of stuff right now is missing

59:41 up or way in the dirt.

59:43 >> Speaking of Colorado

59:48 >> and he misses outside again right now.

59:50 Austin Temple is laboring.

59:52 >> I I think you've got to in a league

59:54 format the two seated ball open on the

59:57 line. I think Val Perez has got to make

59:59 a move to the bullpen and and that's

1:00:01 exactly where I think she's she's going

1:00:03 here. Blake Morgan is running out to the

1:00:05 bullpen. Again, not a full lineup here

1:00:08 for the firefighters in the pitching

1:00:09 rotation.

1:00:10 >> I'm surprised it took that long to just

1:00:11 send somebody out there to get loose

1:00:14 >> cuz Temple, he does not have it and then

1:00:16 some today.

1:00:17 >> Looks like a pitcher trying to almost

1:00:19 pitch perfectly as Reeves down the line.

1:00:22 Will that land fair? No, it won't. South

1:00:24 Trimble trying to make a magic play.

1:00:26 Instead, it will land foul.

1:00:28 >> Credit to Smoke for the effort, too.

1:00:29 That did not feel good. Diving right to

1:00:31 the dirt.

1:00:33 I'm going to give you a strawberry.

1:00:36 >> Okay. A strawberry. You

1:00:38 >> never had those?

1:00:39 >> I have had strawberries.

1:00:41 >> Very good. Like

1:00:42 >> when you dive on dirt or a turf.

1:00:46 >> Reeves crushed left center. Armando

1:00:50 sliding to field that one. He'll throw

1:00:52 it into second and hold Reeves to just a

1:00:54 single. That's a big one. Double play is

1:00:56 a potential here,

1:00:58 >> but maybe not with this guy Jason Swan

1:01:00 coming. dangerous about this party

1:01:01 animals lineup man is that TJ Reeves has

1:01:04 only played six games came with 17 play

1:01:06 appearances you know Ballard to Reeves

1:01:09 to Ballh home the reserves or the the

1:01:12 guys who aren't everyday guys have

1:01:14 worked their way into such an impressive

1:01:17 lineup

1:01:18 incredible depth for the boys in

1:01:20 pinstripes today

1:01:23 I should mention Ballard has worked his

1:01:25 way to an everyday guy Reeves is showing

1:01:27 he should probably be in that category

1:01:28 as well home right there with them.

1:01:32 >> Can we bat 13 guys next game please?

1:01:36 >> If it's spring training, absolutely

1:01:39 >> saw a lot of 15 at bat orders there

1:01:42 sometimes.

1:01:42 >> Yeah,

1:01:45 >> man. Temple really wanted that one.

1:01:47 >> Yeah, he's a couple of pitches in this

1:01:48 in this plate appearance for Swan have

1:01:50 not gone Temple's way.

1:01:51 >> Jake Moore not giving it to him.

1:01:55 3-1 ball four sprint could turn this

1:01:57 into a disaster and it is a ball four

1:01:59 sprint.

1:02:03 >> So Temple had entered the game. I want

1:02:05 to emphasize again 10 and a third

1:02:06 innings pitched and allowed four ball

1:02:08 four sprints in those 10 and a third.

1:02:11 Zack the last five batters he's faced

1:02:14 he's allowed four ball four sprints.

1:02:16 Yep.

1:02:17 >> In this game in in this inning.

1:02:20 >> Hey uh where's Andy Cosgrove?

1:02:25 Hot

1:02:35 me.

1:02:45 What's wrong with being confident?

1:02:48 What's wrong with being What's wrong

1:02:51 with being?

1:02:56 It's time to get the chain out.

1:02:59 Tied up

1:03:08 tonight.

1:03:12 Helic.

1:03:23 >> I'm feeling things that I'm not so sure

1:03:26 I should be feeling.

1:03:28 >> This kind of feels wrong.

1:03:30 >> Does it?

1:03:32 >> That's the hottest creature to grace the

1:03:34 face of this planet.

1:03:39 >> Swan taking off for second. Do you think

1:03:41 that's what they felt when Artemis 2 was

1:03:43 landing in the ocean? That velocity,

1:03:46 that pressure?

1:03:49 >> Probably.

1:03:54 >> Andy Cosgrove makes me feel like an

1:03:56 astronaut.

1:03:57 Reaching orbit.

1:04:01 >> Volumptuous.

1:04:06 >> Austin finally gets one to go his way.

1:04:08 Boy, I thought that ball three was

1:04:09 strike. No matter if he swung or not,

1:04:11 but either way,

1:04:13 Temple got to find it and he won't.

1:04:15 Another ball force spread and this is

1:04:17 going to score two. It's another

1:04:19 explosion for the Animals and they

1:04:21 haven't really done a ton of hitting.

1:04:35 At this point, you got to wonder if Al

1:04:37 Val Perez can just get Blake Morgan out

1:04:39 here now.

1:04:43 Temple cannot find the strike zone. Very

1:04:45 much feels like a pitcher who is just

1:04:48 throwing to see if anything can touch

1:04:50 and he's not getting help from the

1:04:51 umpire on anything close.

1:04:54 >> Po Bradford says children are watching.

1:04:57 Zack, children are finding out.

1:04:59 >> Yeah. That Andy Cosgro is hot.

1:05:01 >> Yeah.

1:05:02 >> What can you say? It's a facts of life.

1:05:06 >> I again for Temple, it's every pitch

1:05:09 that's an inch or two off the next one

1:05:11 that that's two or three feet away. It's

1:05:13 he just cannot find the zone.

1:05:16 >> That's even close.

1:05:17 >> So that's where early in these counts,

1:05:19 you can tell Temple is struggling first

1:05:21 pitch, second pitch, these batters to

1:05:23 get a call. But by the time that there's

1:05:25 three balls on the board, that's where

1:05:27 the pitches have been mostly

1:05:28 non-competitive, Zach. He's got to be

1:05:30 pulled from this game. This is this is

1:05:32 unfair. What's happening to Temple right

1:05:34 now?

1:05:35 >> Yep. And the problem for him right now

1:05:36 is everything is earned.

1:05:37 >> He run is earned.

1:05:39 >> He's he's thrown nine ball four sprints.

1:05:41 We're in the second inning. He has got

1:05:43 to be pulled from this game

1:05:45 >> for his sake. He's at

1:05:50 >> the time. Everything about this is

1:05:52 >> and Blake Morgan is exiting the bullpen.

1:05:54 So you wonder if it's coming here now.

1:05:56 >> Nine I mean think about in terms of

1:05:58 baseball. Nine walks from a pitcher in

1:06:00 two innings. Obviously the plug would

1:06:03 have been pulled already.

1:06:08 >> Big swing from Bronnie and a miss. And

1:06:10 right now if Austin Temple can get a

1:06:12 strike out, you wonder if that'll do it.

1:06:16 I think no matter the result here, he's

1:06:17 got to go.

1:06:19 >> He's had five ball four sprints just in

1:06:21 this inning alone.

1:06:27 >> Had four in the first.

1:06:34 >> He started this inning with a strike

1:06:36 out.

1:06:39 >> I'm sorry. He had three in the first. He

1:06:41 has six ball for sprints in this inning

1:06:43 alone. Correct.

1:06:45 >> And right now he's flirting with it

1:06:47 again.

1:06:47 >> Six of the last seven he's faced and up

1:06:49 to seven of the last seven. Hit six ball

1:06:51 four sprints and a and a single. Runner

1:06:53 going. Ronnie high into the sky. Armando

1:06:57 underneath it.

1:06:59 Not going to make the throw home.

1:07:00 Instead, we'll just go to second. And

1:07:01 another run comes across at six in the

1:07:03 frame.

1:07:05 >> I think they're going to leave Temple

1:07:06 out there.

1:07:08 >> Sacrifice fly for Bronson. Ball home.

1:07:12 And it does look like Temple's going to

1:07:13 stay. And I cannot mention this or say

1:07:15 this enough. I know we've talked about

1:07:16 how tough of a game this has been.

1:07:18 Before this, Austin Temple was

1:07:20 absolutely reliable and dependable in

1:07:22 the last three starts. He's had six

1:07:25 strikeouts,

1:07:26 had just a couple of ball four sprints,

1:07:28 just six runs allowed. He was dealing.

1:07:31 This is one of those games where

1:07:32 sometimes it happens to a pitcher, but

1:07:34 Austin Temple's been incredibly reliable

1:07:36 for a guy that the firefighters

1:07:38 really wanted to get back as a coach's

1:07:41 franchise and did so as he gives a

1:07:42 little chin music up

1:07:45 to Bryson Bloomer.

1:07:53 >> Up and out. Foul

1:07:57 off the bumper of a Oh, that's a long

1:08:00 drive. White Nissan took a Maxima with a

1:08:03 Arkansas license plate.

1:08:05 >> How far does that drive

1:08:09 >> car license plate 086 wide double

1:08:19 >> full count. Bloomer chops at it and

1:08:22 that's the second strikeout he's had.

1:08:24 >> And that's about the only thing that's

1:08:26 gone well for Austin Temple is some of

1:08:28 the strikeouts. But nine ball four

1:08:30 sprints issued, six in that frame. Six

1:08:34 runs in the inning.

1:08:36 >> And the party animals are dealing again.

1:08:39 There's some little loos on the field.

1:08:40 Everybody watch out.

1:08:41 >> All right, Albuquerque. Who let the

1:08:44 wolves out?

1:08:46 >> AJ, what do you got going all the way

1:08:49 out there at the center field wall?

1:08:51 Well, as I'm approaching deep center

1:08:54 field, we all know that Albuquerque is

1:08:57 the home of the New Mexico Lobos.

1:09:04 And we've got four little loos.

1:09:15 Joey, Abby, Satie, and Jude. When I say

1:09:19 go, all you need to do is run toward

1:09:23 home plate and cross that finish line.

1:09:27 This is the little Lobos race. On your

1:09:31 mark, get set, go.

1:09:35 >> And they're off. Here we go in the

1:09:38 little Lobo race. The one on the right

1:09:40 is moving. The one on the left moving

1:09:43 girl power quick, fast, and in a hurry

1:09:45 in the Lobos. One kid is running

1:09:47 somewhere else. He's not supposed to.

1:09:48 Come straight.

1:09:50 >> Straighten it out.

1:09:51 >> I don't even know what a Lobo is.

1:09:52 >> It's a wolf. I think

1:09:54 >> that. No, they're going the wrong

1:09:56 direction.

1:09:56 >> Or a New Mexico. University of New

1:09:58 Mexico.

1:09:58 >> That kid's crying. That kid is crying.

1:10:00 >> Oh no. Oh no. One kid stopped and now

1:10:03 they're going. This is a 400 ft run.

1:10:05 This is the farthest they've ever run.

1:10:08 >> Halfway there. They're not even halfway

1:10:10 there.

1:10:11 >> They're down to two. They go here. The

1:10:15 Masters has nothing like this. They're

1:10:16 going the wrong way.

1:10:19 Straighten out, kids.

1:10:23 Pigtails, get on your horse.

1:10:25 >> AJ, the host, is just walking. She's

1:10:27 waving and taunting.

1:10:28 >> Get on your horse, Pigtails.

1:10:32 Oh, and the hooded Lobo wins.

1:10:34 >> Slow and steady did not win the race.

1:10:36 >> Not even close.

1:10:38 >> Slow and steady lost by a lot.

1:10:40 >> Red Cap getting escorted off the field

1:10:42 by Allora. He gave it his best shot. But

1:10:45 how about

1:10:47 the Lobo wearing the hood? Finally wins

1:10:49 it. And one of the coolest Lobo races my

1:10:53 eyes have ever seen.

1:10:56 Immaculate. And now something special

1:10:59 for Lamar.

1:11:09 Let's get moving.

1:11:21 >> Hell betting Lamar.

1:11:23 >> Nice dancing

1:11:25 a lot of it.

1:11:28 >> So now as Lamar Sparks tattoos his left

1:11:32 field foul.

1:11:33 >> You know what's crazy? The party animals

1:11:35 are going to win the second inning. It

1:11:37 will only be two to zero. By the fifth,

1:11:40 we could be tied. That's the beauty of

1:11:41 banana ball, man.

1:11:43 >> Let's see if that's a cold takes.

1:11:45 Freezing. Here's Lamar. Chopper through

1:11:47 and underneath the glove of Chase A

1:11:50 Cuff. Stings it in there for a base

1:11:51 knock. And Lamar continuing to see beach

1:11:54 balls out there.

1:11:55 >> If the Firefighters win this inning,

1:11:56 there will be nine minutes left in this

1:11:58 game.

1:11:58 >> Yep. We are potentially in the middle of

1:12:00 a world's fastest inning now and maybe

1:12:03 the third.

1:12:03 >> We will see that. We will see world's

1:12:05 fastest here pretty soon. We have not

1:12:06 even reached the first out of the bottom

1:12:08 half of the second. We are already at an

1:12:10 hour and 20 minutes left to go.

1:12:11 >> Yeah. So, 10 total runs for the party

1:12:14 animals. 12 combined

1:12:16 >> in a baseball game at 10 to2 that that

1:12:19 the score will be 10 to2. Most folks are

1:12:21 hitting the exits. You've already had

1:12:23 your nine nine and nine.

1:12:24 >> Yep.

1:12:25 >> But in this in this situation in

1:12:27 Bananal, in this sport, in this game,

1:12:29 no, we still we still got a lot of play.

1:12:32 >> Demac high into the sky. Swany trying to

1:12:36 find it. Jason Swan brings it in the

1:12:38 oldfashioned way. And right now, the one

1:12:41 trick play seems to be doing the job for

1:12:42 you in the equalizer point

1:12:45 >> as DMAC flies out to first.

1:12:51 >> Now, how about young Mason Maxwell and

1:12:53 the job he's been doing last night?

1:12:57 >> First home run of the game. Another

1:12:58 multi-hit game. That's now four of his

1:13:01 last five games where he's gotten at

1:13:02 least two hits.

1:13:05 Doublem seing it well. Does he sting

1:13:07 that one well enough? Don't believe so.

1:13:09 Reese Hampton lining up for the trick

1:13:11 play behind the back. Reese Lightning,

1:13:15 you're too good.

1:13:17 >> I love him so much. He is my dad.

1:13:21 >> Okay.

1:13:23 >> First played appearance of the year. Tee

1:13:24 it up.

1:13:26 >> Hello South Tremble. For the first time,

1:13:28 as Drake Tol said,

1:13:31 >> swinging a bat in 2026. Smoke usually

1:13:35 been used as a designated fielder or

1:13:37 runner. He is out in right field today

1:13:38 as that is a late strike call from Jake

1:13:41 Moore.

1:13:44 >> One by the way that looked like it might

1:13:45 have been a ball in a previous frame,

1:13:46 but we play on. That one is a ball.

1:13:49 South DL out of George Mason. His

1:13:51 brother Fenwick a member of the Miami

1:13:53 Marlins organization as we speak.

1:13:56 >> South designated runner and fielder for

1:13:59 the most part. He's the resident magic

1:14:00 man. Ernie Cosgrove made me tremble

1:14:02 earlier

1:14:05 >> as well as like 8,000 people here. South

1:14:08 >> going opposite way. TJ Reeves. Can he

1:14:11 catch up to it? No, he can't. That'll be

1:14:12 an RBI on his first swing. South wants

1:14:15 three and he'll put the brakes on at the

1:14:17 absolute last second and go to back to

1:14:20 second with a double. Shot that would

1:14:22 >> I think he would have had a triple

1:14:24 there, too.

1:14:24 >> He might have. He's speedy.

1:14:30 So that's a nice way to make a debut in

1:14:32 2026 at the plate for South Trimble. TJ

1:14:35 Reeves might have lost that one in the

1:14:36 sun.

1:14:39 And it's a two out RBI for Smoke. Tiny

1:14:43 really wanted that one. He's not afraid

1:14:46 to swing at the first pitch. Usually you

1:14:48 hear from hitting coaches, "Hey, get

1:14:49 your pitch." Not Tiny. You give it to

1:14:52 him on the first swing, he'll take it.

1:14:54 He sends that one foul quickly down 02.

1:15:02 Man, change the arm angle. Get the

1:15:05 strike out. Brett Helton, the double dut

1:15:09 down the tree. Party animals take a

1:15:12 two-point to zero lead.

1:15:16 >> Take a look at that. You talk about the

1:15:17 arm slot getting changed, arm angle

1:15:19 getting changed. Brett Helton moving

1:15:22 quick. And now there is a new pitcher

1:15:24 for the firefighters out on the mound.

1:15:26 It is Blake Morgan. You wouldn't be you

1:15:30 wouldn't be blamed if you want to call

1:15:31 him the third Bridges brother because he

1:15:33 played with Zachary Bridges and Noah at

1:15:35 UNCW a couple of years ago. He last

1:15:38 full-time pitched in 2019 when he was

1:15:41 playing with the Seahawks of UNC

1:15:44 Wilmington.

1:15:44 >> And such a great guy. Morgan I I'm in

1:15:47 Savannah, Georgia and I'm at Lone Wolf.

1:15:50 Yes. Good bars at uh Was I?

1:15:54 >> Yeah, maybe. I was at one of those

1:15:56 places.

1:15:56 >> Yeah. Okay.

1:15:57 >> They all kind of merged together

1:15:58 establishments.

1:15:59 >> I was at Moon Rides. That's where I was.

1:16:01 >> Okay.

1:16:01 >> And and Blake was there hanging out with

1:16:04 some guys and he sat me down. And I mean

1:16:06 the the conversation we have,

1:16:09 >> the energy he brings, the moxy, the the

1:16:13 stoicism at the same time. Blake Morgan

1:16:15 that night taught me things I would

1:16:16 never know about the sport of banana

1:16:18 ball from a rookie pitcher perspective.

1:16:20 He said things that blew my mind that

1:16:23 just given the maturity he brings to the

1:16:26 sport already and that's that's I I just

1:16:30 want to note how impressed I am with

1:16:31 Blake Morgan, his adjustment to the

1:16:33 game, his his locker room presence, his

1:16:35 ability to to tribute OTTs. If you get a

1:16:38 chance as a fan at a game to talk to a

1:16:40 player about their experience here,

1:16:41 Blake Morgan's a great one to pick the

1:16:42 mind of.

1:16:43 >> Blake Morgan, one of the things he did

1:16:45 at UNCCW is he throws a strike there. He

1:16:47 worked quick even before banana ball.

1:16:49 He's a guy that wanted to throw hard and

1:16:51 fast,

1:16:53 so this perfect for him as Noah Fischer

1:16:55 chops at that one and shouldn't have

1:16:57 strike two. He's had some issues getting

1:17:00 out of innings

1:17:02 having trouble with some of the ball for

1:17:04 sprints.

1:17:05 Maybe this is the antidote he needed

1:17:07 coming to Albuquerque and Noah Fischer

1:17:10 just swung at three straight pitches and

1:17:12 missed them all.

1:17:14 So, how about that? Come on in, Blake

1:17:17 Morgan. Make yourself at home with a

1:17:18 strikeout.

1:17:19 >> You know, you want to add insult to

1:17:21 injury for the firefighters.

1:17:22 >> They don't have opportunities for trick

1:17:24 plays here. Really here.

1:17:26 >> No.

1:17:26 >> Five times they've struck out the party

1:17:28 animals already. The animals have scored

1:17:30 10 runs.

1:17:32 >> So, the least you can ask for if the

1:17:34 other team is pummeling the ball. Ground

1:17:36 out a couple times. Please give us some

1:17:38 trick play opportunities.

1:17:39 >> Scottsdale game one had 27 outs as the

1:17:42 home team against a very trickery Texas

1:17:44 Tailgator squad. a very trickery Texas

1:17:47 tailgator squad.

1:17:48 >> Triple T, baby.

1:17:50 >> 27 outs. 11 of them were via strikeout.

1:17:53 So already you're limiting yourself to

1:17:55 16 potential opportunities.

1:17:57 >> Hampton's third played appearance, by

1:17:58 the way.

1:17:59 >> And we are only in the third inning. And

1:18:02 he's already worked two ball four

1:18:03 sprints. He's eyeing his third of those.

1:18:06 >> That's three counts.

1:18:07 >> That will put him at zero abs on the

1:18:09 game. No bats.

1:18:14 Blake will get one in there for strike

1:18:16 one. He'll be represented in the count.

1:18:19 >> One of the rare times where we've seen

1:18:20 him not caught by Zachary Bridges. He's

1:18:22 still going by Dalton Cornet.

1:18:25 >> Man, Reese thought about it.

1:18:26 >> Yeah, I think uh I think Reese was

1:18:28 thinking ball four sprint there.

1:18:31 >> Was a generous call from Jake Moore.

1:18:37 >> Full count. Hampton high into the sky.

1:18:40 Can the fans finally do it?

1:18:44 >> Oh my goodness. No.

1:18:47 >> Darn it.

1:18:51 >> Watch your profanity too much.

1:18:52 >> What the heck, man?

1:18:56 >> We'll do it again.

1:18:59 >> Hampton just stays alive. Beimo finding

1:19:02 a way after a three-0 start to give

1:19:05 himself a little bit of momentum.

1:19:13 Hampton again will foul it off and we'll

1:19:15 try it again.

1:19:16 >> Hampton just forcing him to throw

1:19:18 strikes here.

1:19:22 >> This is what happens when you play a

1:19:24 multi-year minor leager.

1:19:28 >> Professional AB here. Hampton again,

1:19:30 man.

1:19:33 >> Going into the ninth pitch of this at

1:19:35 bat.

1:19:39 This will be the 10th

1:19:41 >> 10th pitch of the atbat. I can't count

1:19:47 >> outside ball four sprints.

1:19:49 >> Hampton has worked three ball four

1:19:50 sprints. We haven't even played three

1:19:52 full innings.

1:19:54 >> He'll put the brakes on and stay right

1:19:57 at first.

1:20:00 >> That's a lot of running. It's a lot of

1:20:02 running for that guy. As a center

1:20:04 fielder though, you're probably used to

1:20:05 something like that.

1:20:07 >> So now Chase Aub also has a sprint. At

1:20:10 this point, it'd be hardressed to find a

1:20:12 ball uh party animal that doesn't have a

1:20:14 ball for sprint. The only ones that

1:20:15 don't,

1:20:17 >> Bryson Bloomer

1:20:19 >> and Noah Fischer. Everybody else has

1:20:21 worked a ball for sprint except for TJ

1:20:23 Reeves. I beg your pardon. He's got a a

1:20:25 double and a single. Auff right to

1:20:27 Peanut. Maybe had a little bit trouble

1:20:29 on the transfer, but Tiner Hughes gets

1:20:32 the trick play. EJ punched him out and

1:20:34 that's a double play and a much needed

1:20:36 clean inning for the Fighters down two

1:20:38 points to none. That'll keep you right

1:20:40 in it.

1:20:41 >> Yes, it will. And let's go world's

1:20:42 fastest. Brent Helton will be shoved

1:20:44 right back into the fray.

1:20:45 >> Shoved.

1:20:48 >> You hear that beautiful Mario music? It

1:20:50 does mean ball world's fastest inning,

1:20:52 but the uh party animals aren't moving

1:20:54 that quick.

1:20:54 >> Yeah.

1:20:56 >> Moving along here, boys. 1 hour 11

1:20:59 minutes and 43 seconds on the clock here

1:21:02 in Albuquerque. No new inning can begin

1:21:04 if that timer hits zero. We're only in

1:21:06 the middle of the third here.

1:21:08 >> Albuquerque, you'll be Kirk. He, she,

1:21:12 we'll be Kirk.

1:21:14 >> They be Kirk.

1:21:15 >> Yep. Albuquerque. As our wonderful Mary

1:21:18 James told us yesterday, it's three

1:21:21 straight years. It's like three straight

1:21:23 strikes in bowling. Albuquerque

1:21:26 >> having some fun playing man. Dalton

1:21:29 Cornette,

1:21:30 >> come on in.

1:21:32 >> Fielder's choice, but got to second in

1:21:34 his first plate appearance. DC3 since

1:21:37 March 15th is hitting 400. Might that

1:21:40 improve here? Nah.

1:21:42 >> You know, Zach, Albuquerque, Hoda

1:21:45 Berkkey, Savannah Berkkey.

1:21:49 >> See if you can put that one together.

1:21:50 >> Is that the Today's Show?

1:21:52 >> We'll see.

1:21:56 Aloker.

1:21:58 >> I like it.

1:21:59 >> Cornet sneaks one right by Mikey Ballard

1:22:01 for a base knock.

1:22:04 >> And to say DC3 has found his swing would

1:22:06 be an understatement.

1:22:07 >> Albuquerque,

1:22:09 Lorie Berkkey, Peaches Berkkey.

1:22:14 >> I don't know. Let's take the firefighter

1:22:16 of the night to think about this one.

1:22:20 Lieutenant Andre Mononttoya.

1:22:27 >> Lieutenant Mononttoya is a proud New

1:22:29 Mexico native. Born and raised in the

1:22:31 land of land of enchantment. He answered

1:22:33 the call to service in 2010 when he

1:22:35 joined the Albuquerque Fire Rescue. He

1:22:37 has served in some of the busiest

1:22:39 stations in the country and today he

1:22:41 leads as a lieutenant at station 8.

1:22:43 Above all, he's a devoted husband of 16

1:22:45 years and the proud father of three

1:22:48 amazing children. Off duty, you all to

1:22:50 find him diving into his biggest

1:22:52 passion, family and baseball. Ladies and

1:22:55 gentlemen, your firefighter of the game,

1:22:58 Lieutenant Andres Mononttoya.

1:23:04 That might be one of the loudest

1:23:06 ovations for a firefighter of the night

1:23:08 I have ever heard. Lieutenant Andreas

1:23:11 Mononttoya of Station 8 here in

1:23:12 Albuquerque. A salute to you, this

1:23:15 wonderful crowd here in Albuquerque for

1:23:17 being for giving him his flowers. That

1:23:20 is what firefighter banana ball is truly

1:23:23 all about. Logan Lacy steps on in his

1:23:27 first swing of the game. Two-run blast,

1:23:30 his first homer of 2026.

1:23:33 Now with a clean inning on the top of

1:23:35 the third, man, a run here would do

1:23:38 wonders for the Fighters confidence and

1:23:39 momentum.

1:23:41 Brett having some trouble finding it.

1:23:44 It's a three-0 count. Ball for Sprint

1:23:46 likely moving. Dalton Cornet over to

1:23:48 third.

1:23:54 >> Help fires it in. Ball for Sprint.

1:23:57 Daltton Cornette didn't think so.

1:23:58 Neither did Logan Lacy. I don't know.

1:24:00 The party animals thought it either. DC3

1:24:02 going to clearly get to third in time.

1:24:04 And now runners on the corners. Not a

1:24:06 soul has pin out.

1:24:08 Yeah, I mean just like that the

1:24:10 firefighters cut the lead in half.

1:24:13 >> Nobody out 90 ft away from that. Bring

1:24:15 the infield in.

1:24:16 >> Mr. Jones and me te tell each other

1:24:18 fairy tales and we stare at the

1:24:20 beautiful pitches and and she's looking

1:24:22 at you. No, no, man. She's looking at

1:24:25 me. And last night they were all looking

1:24:27 at EJ. Five hits tied a banana ball

1:24:30 record as that one looked like it was in

1:24:31 the dirt. Instead it's a big old strike

1:24:34 from Jake Moore. Already a hit today.

1:24:36 So, he's had seven plate appearances and

1:24:39 he's reached on all of them. My beggar

1:24:40 partner knows a ball for sprint.

1:24:42 >> Switches the arm angle and let's go to

1:24:44 the fourth. EJ

1:24:47 stings it into center. That's an RBI

1:24:49 walk-off single. DC3 comes on in, takes

1:24:52 the bow, chop that wood, and the

1:24:55 firefighters pull within 2-1.

1:24:59 >> Good on you. EJ number four comes on in.

1:25:02 And from world's fastest to bananas

1:25:04 foster, here's Casey Baker.

1:25:06 market.

1:25:10 >> Across the United States, there are over

1:25:12 400,000 children and teens in foster

1:25:15 care without a permanent home. To raise

1:25:18 awareness and support this community, we

1:25:20 created Bananas Foster, the official

1:25:22 nonprofit of Banana Ball. Our

1:25:24 organization is dedicated to celebrating

1:25:26 those in the foster care community while

1:25:28 educating and inspiring others to get

1:25:30 involved. Today, we are celebrating the

1:25:33 Medina family. Jackie became a single

1:25:36 foster mom in order to support a family

1:25:38 member in need of some help alongside

1:25:40 her biological son and other family

1:25:42 members. She decided that she wanted to

1:25:44 continue making a difference and opened

1:25:46 her home to kiddos outside of her

1:25:48 family. In the last 10 years, she has

1:25:50 welcomed 31 children and teens into her

1:25:53 home and adopted three. Fans, please

1:25:56 help us celebrate this incredible family

1:25:58 for making a difference right here in

1:26:00 your community.

1:26:02 Even if we're

1:26:06 find

1:26:20 >> the Medina family.

1:26:32 The Medina family.

1:26:34 >> Jackie welcoming in 31 children and

1:26:37 teens into her home and has adopted a

1:26:39 set of sisters into her family. This is

1:26:42 what this sport is all about. A

1:26:44 beautiful moment like this. Text bunch

1:26:46 to 50155 to help out families like the

1:26:49 Medinas and so many others around this

1:26:52 country and the foster care community.

1:26:54 And by the way, I called her Casey

1:26:56 Baker. It's Casey Barker. It's the

1:26:58 second time I've done it. I want to

1:27:00 punch myself in the face.

1:27:02 >> Casey, I'm sorry. You're my friend.

1:27:04 You're from Virginia. You went to

1:27:05 Virginia Tech. I won't hold it against

1:27:07 you,

1:27:08 >> but Bananas Foster.

1:27:10 >> This is what this is all about. A moment

1:27:13 like that. Again, shout out to Jackie

1:27:15 Medina and that family. 31 children and

1:27:18 teens welcomed into their home over the

1:27:20 last

1:27:22 20 years. Just incredible.

1:27:26 >> Blake Morgan. How about it?

1:27:28 >> So, you're telling me the Party Animals

1:27:30 have 10 runs in this game,

1:27:32 >> but they lead it just two to one.

1:27:35 >> Correct. See, this is the beauty of the

1:27:37 sport. They're up 10 to four in the runs

1:27:39 column.

1:27:40 But the firefighters are staying alive

1:27:42 like the BeeGees. Is that who's saying

1:27:44 that song?

1:27:45 >> The BeeGees. Yes. Barry Gibb.

1:27:50 >> There's more than Barry Gibbs, right?

1:27:51 There's like a few. There's a lot

1:27:52 There's a lot of BGs, but fewer than

1:27:54 three BGs, but

1:27:55 >> I think a few of them are gone now.

1:27:57 >> Yeah, we're losing BGs by the hour.

1:27:59 >> My dad made a joke about that when I was

1:28:01 growing up. I probably shouldn't tell it

1:28:02 on the air.

1:28:02 >> Really? About

1:28:03 >> I'll tell you off air and you can tell

1:28:05 me if you think I should tell it or not.

1:28:11 >> Someone just said, "Zack, good to

1:28:13 correct yourself, but punch is a bit too

1:28:15 much." No, man. I can't make a mistake

1:28:17 like that on the air.

1:28:19 >> I'm going to bury my own face. pitch and

1:28:22 a fist. And yes, it was. And I'm stunned

1:28:24 it wasn't a strike.

1:28:27 >> Mikey Ballard up already working a

1:28:29 three-0 count. Make it a four count.

1:28:31 Making a ball for sprint. That's another

1:28:32 one. Peanut had some trouble with that.

1:28:34 Mikey at the last second. Saw it, but

1:28:37 not in time.

1:28:40 >> I'm playing a game today of take a shot

1:28:42 every time there's a ball for a sprint.

1:28:45 >> You're not making it home.

1:28:47 >> I'm not making it to the fifth inning.

1:28:51 Yeah,

1:28:55 >> this amount of this amount of bottles of

1:28:57 liquor was not in my budget.

1:29:00 >> Over at the head of Peanut from TJ

1:29:02 Reeves into left field. The first time

1:29:04 we've seen Lamar Sparks get a little

1:29:05 action out there.

1:29:06 >> And it's another base knock. Mikey Bard

1:29:09 >> Reeves, huh?

1:29:10 >> Yes, he is.

1:29:10 >> Not bad.

1:29:13 >> Mikey Ballard will move from station to

1:29:15 station.

1:29:19 By the way,

1:29:21 >> 13 ball four sprints today.

1:29:25 >> Got the hiccups.

1:29:26 >> What just happened there? I thought you

1:29:28 threw up.

1:29:32 >> Why did I choose Rumplements, too? What

1:29:34 a disaster.

1:29:35 >> I don't know, man.

1:29:38 >> Should be Mort.

1:29:42 >> Shout out

1:29:44 the only It's called the Myrtle

1:29:45 Beach cocktails. Just Mort and

1:29:47 Rumblemans mixed together.

1:29:48 >> That just sounds like Yvon.

1:29:50 >> It's a Myrtle Beach classic.

1:29:51 >> He loves Meort in there. Strike two.

1:29:55 >> Swanie

1:29:56 >> hasn't struck out all year.

1:29:57 >> No, he hasn't. I keep calling him

1:29:59 Swanie, by the way. I need to call him

1:30:00 by his Christian name, Jason Swan.

1:30:02 >> 42 played appearances. Still no

1:30:04 strikeouts.

1:30:06 >> Armando racing in. Sliding catch.

1:30:11 >> That man is incredible with the glove.

1:30:14 First time Swan's been retired today.

1:30:21 >> I mean, what else can you say?

1:30:23 >> Might not be a trick play, but man,

1:30:25 Armando, that's a needed one. And that

1:30:27 could have been real danger if he

1:30:28 doesn't come up with that.

1:30:29 >> Cosgrove could become the second party

1:30:31 animal to work three ball, four sprints

1:30:32 already. No sir.

1:30:35 >> Bounce pass over to Tiny over to first

1:30:37 in time for the double play and add a

1:30:40 trick play to it. Peanut at the last

1:30:43 second puts it in the dirt. Tiny with a

1:30:46 quick transition and EJ a great play to

1:30:49 get that one out of the ground and the

1:30:51 firefighters go from two on to getting

1:30:54 out of it with no damage done and folks

1:30:57 get on your feet. Hello baby.

1:30:59 >> It is time for Hey,

1:31:02 >> let's get those hands up and let's get

1:31:04 them clapping.

1:31:06 >> Where is my fire helmet? There it is.

1:31:11 It ain't hard. Just follow along. Start

1:31:14 with the left.

1:31:28 >> Once again,

1:31:42 Little shuffle to the left.

1:31:45 >> To the right.

1:31:47 >> To the left.

1:31:48 >> To the right.

1:31:50 >> You got it.

1:31:56 >> Back to Hey, baby.

1:32:01 Baby.

1:32:10 One more. Let's go big.

1:32:15 Hey, baby.

1:32:25 >> Albuquerque. That was awesome.

1:32:31 >> All right, partner.

1:32:33 Oh,

1:32:38 >> hey, partner.

1:32:39 >> Yeah,

1:32:39 >> I think you hate your last baby.

1:32:41 >> I think so.

1:32:43 >> I hope some people at home saw the

1:32:44 popcorn, by the way. I spilled more.

1:32:48 Is what it is.

1:32:50 >> Hey, Jake Leios is out there.

1:32:54 >> Twisted steel, sex appeal, those kinds

1:32:56 of things.

1:32:57 >> Is that right? Am I right about that?

1:33:00 >> Something like that. Yeah.

1:33:04 He speaks into microphones for a living

1:33:06 sometimes.

1:33:06 >> One day I'll learn how to actually Hey

1:33:08 baby, today's not that day.

1:33:10 >> Hey, sometimes it's just more fun to to

1:33:13 not do it.

1:33:23 >> So, we're going to be playing some quick

1:33:25 banana ball here for a little bit.

1:33:27 Jake Leios

1:33:29 trying to issue very fast. It's a 3-1

1:33:32 count quickly to his former teammate

1:33:34 Narando Basetta

1:33:40 trying to reach here for the first time

1:33:41 today.

1:33:43 Grounded out to a diving Jason Swan in

1:33:45 his first plate appearance and he goes

1:33:46 inside well from all four. So how about

1:33:49 another ball four sprint Drake shot.

1:33:59 You're going to be like the guy from

1:34:00 Breaking Bad that was just in the chair

1:34:01 that rang a bell by the end of the the

1:34:03 series.

1:34:06 >> Armando got to second, by the way, as we

1:34:08 were making that.

1:34:11 >> That's two shots.

1:34:18 Two baseball, four sprints,

1:34:21 >> and the winning inning winning run is

1:34:23 all the way in scoring position.

1:34:25 >> Hey, why don't these guys dance? Can we

1:34:26 have them dance, please? Thank you.

1:34:29 >> Oh, hello.

1:34:38 >> Oh my.

1:34:40 >> Oh my.

1:34:41 >> I think the fielders behind Jake Leio

1:34:43 said that's a little bit too much for

1:34:45 us.

1:34:45 >> Oh my.

1:34:46 >> You shake your rum. We're good.

1:34:48 >> Yeah, Mikey was

1:34:49 >> Oh, it's a great pitch, too.

1:34:52 >> Mikey Ballard was pointing at him and

1:34:53 saying, "That will not happen to me,

1:34:55 sir."

1:34:57 >> It's a one-1 count. Young Nut has done

1:35:00 the damage with the bat all year long.

1:35:02 Now he needs it again.

1:35:04 And he'll do it again. Peanut into

1:35:07 center field. Mondo running around,

1:35:10 scoring at home. And the game is tied.

1:35:13 Peanut chop that wood. Drew Yanessa

1:35:18 doing the job as the hitting coach

1:35:19 again. And the fighters just like that

1:35:22 have pulled even.

1:35:26 >> That dude is on a sevengame hitting

1:35:29 streak now. Peanut,

1:35:31 he might very well be in the

1:35:33 conversation for MVP by the end of the

1:35:35 year. He keeps hitting this way. break.

1:35:37 >> We're all just slowly h hurtling toward

1:35:40 impending doom as slowly but surely the

1:35:44 rock that we float upon is

1:35:48 >> angling itself ever closer toward the

1:35:50 sun.

1:35:52 >> Truly in the game of life, no one is

1:35:55 counting and the points really don't

1:35:57 matter.

1:35:59 He's saying that because the run count

1:36:02 right now is 10 to five and somehow this

1:36:05 game is tied going into the fifth. And

1:36:07 guess who's coming in? A guy who has

1:36:09 known a lot about these party animals

1:36:12 with the team in yellow. His name is

1:36:15 Zack Phillips. Number one, great first

1:36:17 name, Mr. Phillips. Number two, the one

1:36:20 thing he does maybe better than anybody

1:36:21 is work fast. This is a dude that has

1:36:23 two of the fastest frames we have ever

1:36:25 seen pitched in the galaxies of Banana

1:36:27 Ball.

1:36:28 first year with the firefighters after

1:36:30 not being franchised by the Savannah

1:36:32 Bananas. His fourth world tour. He'll be

1:36:34 throwing to Zachary Bridges who is now

1:36:36 in for Dalton Cornet. We'll likely see

1:36:39 DC3 one more time here in this game. But

1:36:43 now Zachary Bridges, Zack Phillips, Zack

1:36:46 Stton on the booth. It's a Zackto Zack

1:36:48 to Zack connection. Party starters are

1:36:50 having some fun. A two- two game. It's a

1:36:53 fresh ball game here in Albuquerque.

1:36:57 and let's go have some fun.

1:37:00 >> First up, Tanner.

1:37:02 >> I don't deserve nice things.

1:37:05 >> What happened?

1:37:07 >> You're looking at it, boss.

1:37:08 >> Okay.

1:37:10 >> Slow roller. Philly sliding, throwing to

1:37:13 first. And that was thrown all the way

1:37:15 to Arizona.

1:37:16 >> Throwing to first is a is one of the

1:37:18 ways to describe what that was.

1:37:20 >> Thank you, Bobby.

1:37:21 >> That'll be an error.

1:37:22 >> Throw it away again. That'll be an error

1:37:24 on the pitcher very clearly,

1:37:27 >> but that does mean Tanner Thomas is on

1:37:29 second.

1:37:30 >> It's crazy that from 60 ft 6 in, Zack

1:37:33 Phillips is surgical. I mean,

1:37:35 absolutely, no matter what, he's going

1:37:36 to throw a he could just throw it

1:37:37 exactly where he wants it. But first

1:37:39 base, that's where things get so dicey

1:37:41 for pitchers.

1:37:44 >> Low to Bronny.

1:37:46 And this is where you would think a guy

1:37:48 who works quick can find himself very

1:37:50 fast as Bronny chops one over to Peanut.

1:37:52 man that took a weird hop under the legs

1:37:54 and got it for the trick play. You can

1:37:56 count that one. And by the way, that's

1:37:58 now three trick plays for the

1:38:00 firefighters. They have taken the lead

1:38:02 in the trick play column.

1:38:09 >> Should be clear too for Tanner Tender

1:38:11 Thomas. It's a single in the score with

1:38:13 a

1:38:14 >> Oh, okay. Added base on the

1:38:16 >> Let me change that up then. It's not air

1:38:18 on Zack. It's a single for Young Tanner.

1:38:22 Yeah,

1:38:22 >> my apologies. Tanner Thomas, you deserve

1:38:24 a hit. You got one.

1:38:27 >> Seth Markham.

1:38:28 >> Yes. Ashton Landel didn't go.

1:38:39 >> Ashton lands del

1:38:42 >> looks at one outside.

1:38:44 >> It's a 3-1 count. Ball four sprint would

1:38:46 send Drake.

1:38:47 >> You'll red light all the way here

1:38:48 >> into oblivion.

1:38:50 And it is a Paul for sprint RBI for

1:38:53 Ashton. Lands down. She'll stop at

1:38:56 first.

1:38:58 >> Hey, down Ashton Brown.

1:39:03 Shots Mort on the wall.

1:39:08 >> At this point, I got to wonder if uh

1:39:12 if Riley Turner is starting to like

1:39:14 >> curse all four sprints names. That

1:39:16 scorebook's going to run out of pages

1:39:17 real fast. It's the official

1:39:18 statistician of Banana.

1:39:20 >> That is rocketed right back up the cut

1:39:22 for Noah Fischer.

1:39:24 >> Not enough to move Lanzel any further

1:39:26 than second. So, it's station to

1:39:28 station, but a single for the first time

1:39:29 for Noah.

1:39:38 >> Uh, speaking of intoxicated, Reese

1:39:41 Hampton's walkup song. How intoxicating

1:39:43 is it that he's worked three ball four

1:39:45 sprints in his three-play appearances

1:39:47 today?

1:39:48 >> And another one would make it a two-run

1:39:50 lead in the top of the fifth. That will

1:39:53 not be a ball four sprint. That is gone.

1:39:58 Three-run shot for Reese Lightning.

1:40:01 >> Second home run on the weekend for Reer.

1:40:04 He had three ribbies yesterday. Grabs

1:40:06 three of them with this long ball in a

1:40:08 mustwin game for the party animals.

1:40:11 Reese Hampton and the boys in pinstripes

1:40:14 are red hot at the plate.

1:40:25 >> Reese Hampton

1:40:28 is quickly finding his swing in

1:40:30 Albuquerque.

1:40:32 No doubter over the head of Noah

1:40:34 Bridges.

1:40:35 And just like that, Party Animals have

1:40:39 played their 14th runs of the game.

1:40:42 >> We we the offense in the Banana Ball

1:40:45 Championship League over the course of

1:40:46 the first five weeks, six weeks has been

1:40:48 incredible. Each of these teams setting

1:40:51 record after record from base hits to

1:40:53 runs scored. We had a 14-point game last

1:40:57 night.

1:40:59 >> 14-point game. And it was 15 to1 11 in

1:41:01 terms of runs.

1:41:04 It was an incredible offensive

1:41:06 performance, but the pitching, you know,

1:41:09 everybody's taking that one in the bull

1:41:10 pits here a little personally,

1:41:12 >> including the man on the mound right now

1:41:14 as Jason Auff springs that one foul.

1:41:16 We'll do the full count again. AUF so

1:41:19 far, RBI double, RBI ball for Sprint,

1:41:21 then grounded into a double play.

1:41:27 Chopper right by Showtime base knock.

1:41:34 >> At this point, I'm beginning to wonder

1:41:35 how much the Party Animals are going to

1:41:38 break the hits record by.

1:41:56 Mikey Ballard looks at one in the dirt.

1:42:03 >> Zack,

1:42:04 >> hello.

1:42:04 >> The one through seven hole already

1:42:07 stepped to the plate 23 times for the

1:42:10 Animals

1:42:12 >> for a whopping

1:42:15 three total outs. That's insane.

1:42:18 >> 23 played appearances

1:42:21 >> for the one through seven hole in this

1:42:23 game for the party in

1:42:25 >> three outs in those 23 plate

1:42:27 appearances.

1:42:27 >> By the way, the single game ball four

1:42:29 sprint record is that is a slow chopper.

1:42:30 Lacy no choice but to throw it to first

1:42:32 and it's by EJ.

1:42:36 >> That'll be an error.

1:42:38 >> Lacy had time on it. That's an error and

1:42:41 Ballard will reach.

1:42:50 That

1:42:50 >> was a tough one for EJ to try to take

1:42:52 out. Tougher play for Logan with the

1:42:55 bare hand. And right now the

1:42:56 firefighters aren't helping Zack

1:42:58 Phillips with their defense. And that's

1:43:00 not going to help him either. That one

1:43:02 lands on the track between Smoke and

1:43:04 Mondo.

1:43:05 TJ Reeves turn going for third. Tiner

1:43:09 won't make the play towards the plate.

1:43:13 Mikey Ballard was slow going home. Tiny

1:43:15 had a chance to throw him out. Wouldn't

1:43:17 do it. And it's two runs across and

1:43:20 another double and another RBI for the

1:43:23 party animals. It is another sixr run

1:43:26 frame. Their second in five innings.

1:43:32 >> Yeah, for Reeves to be four for four.

1:43:37 >> And that one goes over the head of

1:43:38 Zachary Bridges. This is a disaster for

1:43:41 the firefighters here in the top of the

1:43:42 fifth to get it tied back up after four

1:43:45 after giving up 10 in the first two.

1:43:52 >> Want to be clear here too. Ballard will

1:43:53 be given a hit with an error on the

1:43:56 throw from Lacy.

1:43:57 >> Okay,

1:43:58 >> there is still a hit out of that AB for

1:44:01 Mikey.

1:44:04 >> So, it's a single and he advanced on an

1:44:06 error.

1:44:07 Swan has not struck out all year, by the

1:44:09 way. That's still true. 43 plate

1:44:11 appearances.

1:44:12 >> That's a full count.

1:44:15 >> Chopper Peanut just digs it out. Smart

1:44:18 with a trick play over to EJ.

1:44:20 >> Another run comes home for the Animals.

1:44:24 >> It's a seven run frame.

1:44:27 >> Zack.

1:44:28 >> 26 played appearances for hitters one

1:44:31 through seven for the Party Animals. And

1:44:33 now four outs from the Firefighters.

1:44:38 it right to Peanut. He bobbled it over

1:44:40 to first.

1:44:42 >> EJ off the bag, but he lays the tag in.

1:44:46 >> But not before seven runs come across

1:44:49 against Zack Phillips. And the

1:44:51 Firefighters have major work to do in

1:44:53 the bottom of the frame.

1:44:55 >> The Party Animals have innings of four

1:44:57 runs, six runs, and seven runs. This

1:45:00 game is tied right now.

1:45:02 >> It is.

1:45:03 >> It's still tied.

1:45:08 We salute the hometown heroes here in

1:45:10 Albuquerque, New Mexico.

1:45:14 >> This has been one of the loudest crowds

1:45:16 we have heard in terms of honoring the

1:45:18 firefighters of the night.

1:45:20 >> And now here with our hometown heroes.

1:45:29 And from the Albuquerque heroes to one

1:45:32 of our very own wearing the fire helmet

1:45:34 on the third base side, it's our head

1:45:36 coach, the fire chief Val Perez. Coach,

1:45:39 how you feeling?

1:45:39 >> Hey, how you doing today?

1:45:41 >> All right. I uh I assume this is kind of

1:45:43 a weird one right now, right? You've

1:45:45 given up 17 runs. It's still a tie game.

1:45:48 >> Yeah, that's the beauty of Banana Balls.

1:45:50 No team is ever out of it. You know, we

1:45:51 were on the opposite end of that scoring

1:45:53 thing uh scoring favoring Montgomery the

1:45:56 other day and uh yeah, I looked over at

1:45:58 Eli Patton. And I was like, you know

1:45:59 what's nuts is we just put up nine on

1:46:01 you and it's a one-run game.

1:46:03 >> Yeah. Yeah. You know, I I don't want to

1:46:05 feel that PTSD ever again clenching and

1:46:08 white knuckling the chair up there in

1:46:09 Montgomery, Alabama. But that has to put

1:46:12 more of a uh a spotlight on how

1:46:14 important last night's win was then to

1:46:16 not feel that kind of pressure here in a

1:46:17 game like this.

1:46:18 >> Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it's all about

1:46:20 controlling what you can. You know, I'm

1:46:22 our hitters are are still hitting the

1:46:24 ball really well. I mean, we're putting

1:46:26 together really good at bats, pretty

1:46:27 good pitch selection, and uh you know,

1:46:30 we just got to clean it up a little bit

1:46:32 on the on the pitching side right now.

1:46:34 Uh but the boys are working. I mean,

1:46:36 some games we got our hitters that help

1:46:37 our pitchers out, and sometimes it's the

1:46:39 opposite way, and our hitter our

1:46:40 pitchers are the ones, you know, keeping

1:46:42 us in the game. So, it's why it's a team

1:46:44 effort.

1:46:45 >> Val, longtime listener, first time

1:46:47 caller, big fan of yours. I want to take

1:46:49 you back to what? Greensboro, North

1:46:51 Carolina, 2024. I mean, look how

1:46:55 different this this brand, this team,

1:46:57 this vibe, this clubhouse is. Take me

1:47:00 back to the first days of the

1:47:01 firefighters to the growth of this team

1:47:03 to today.

1:47:04 >> Yeah. You know, we had no idea what we

1:47:06 were doing,

1:47:08 to be honest. I mean, it was, of course,

1:47:09 we had a couple vets come over to help

1:47:11 help start our team um to to help us get

1:47:14 through those those growing pains, but

1:47:16 um yeah, just to see the show and the

1:47:18 way that our headliners get. We've been

1:47:19 headlining the last several weekends and

1:47:21 and you know after the Banana Bowl open

1:47:23 we're back to headlining for the next

1:47:24 three or four weekends in a row. So just

1:47:26 to see the way the show's grown, the

1:47:27 cast grown um you know we got Pyro Rob

1:47:31 hooking us up with the flames that are

1:47:32 20 ft in the air. I mean there's so many

1:47:34 aspects of the show in our headlining

1:47:36 tour that that's completely been uh been

1:47:39 incredible incredible growth. But you

1:47:41 know at the same time just skill-wise

1:47:43 and and the level of talent we got in

1:47:45 our state fair. Hello, Mason Maxwell.

1:47:49 >> A little too far.

1:47:50 >> Just a little too far to the right.

1:47:52 >> But yeah, the level of talent we got in

1:47:53 our clubhouse is huge and it's growing

1:47:55 every year. And you know, I'm very proud

1:47:57 of these guys and the way that they're

1:47:58 conducting themselves both both in the

1:48:00 clubhouse, but also in moments like this

1:48:01 where it's we got 44 minutes left and

1:48:03 and we got some some work to do as far

1:48:06 as making sure we get this game in.

1:48:08 >> Val, I I've got to commend you. The way

1:48:10 you built this roster is so cool to

1:48:12 watch. and talking to EJ and Donnie

1:48:14 yesterday. These guys are bought into

1:48:16 what you're doing and and it's a

1:48:18 different it's a different look than

1:48:20 I've ever seen this team have and that's

1:48:21 a credit to you.

1:48:23 >> Yeah, I mean these guys were available

1:48:25 and why would I not want to want to add

1:48:27 them to our roster, right? I mean, aside

1:48:28 from what they can do on the field, like

1:48:30 I said, that better and leadership that

1:48:31 they're bringing um is unmatched. And

1:48:34 you know, we only got three new guys

1:48:35 completely need a banana ball and

1:48:37 they've all fit right in as well. and

1:48:39 and carrying all the culture of what we

1:48:40 what we build here the firefighters. Um

1:48:43 it's been a a smooth transition for

1:48:44 Donnie, Philly, EJ, Mondo, U Tiner, you

1:48:49 know, got his feet wet with the visitors

1:48:50 and now he's he's looking pretty

1:48:52 comfortable here in the leadoff spot.

1:48:54 >> Yeah, Val, you talk about the growth of

1:48:56 the team. What about the growth of the

1:48:57 league? We saw Monae Davis debut this

1:48:59 weekend for the Indianapolis Clowns.

1:49:01 Ashton Landell just had an RBI. I know

1:49:03 you didn't like that. Between those two,

1:49:05 Da Megan Wiggins, yourself here with the

1:49:08 firefighters, the representation of

1:49:10 women in the sport. How much fun has

1:49:12 that been to see the growth of the women

1:49:14 here in Banana Ball?

1:49:15 >> It's incredible. I mean, you know, when

1:49:17 I first got here a few years ago, uh, I

1:49:19 knew that it was something that was

1:49:20 life-changing. And anybody that I knew

1:49:24 that I knew, Hold on, hang on one

1:49:25 second. Get there. Get there. Get there.

1:49:26 Get there. Got a boy.

1:49:29 >> Nice job. Nice send. Um yeah, just the

1:49:31 growth of of of this game in general and

1:49:33 and how um welcoming the not only the

1:49:37 organization but the fans have been to

1:49:38 to adding women to Banana Ball is

1:49:40 incredible. And you know, these are some

1:49:41 of my some of my USA teammates obviously

1:49:44 with D, Ash, and K. And you know, adding

1:49:46 Megan and

1:49:48 >> Hold on a minute.

1:49:49 >> No, go ahead.

1:49:52 >> What is happening here?

1:49:54 >> That's Johnny H.

1:49:55 >> Val, did you coach this?

1:49:56 >> Absolutely not. Where? What is Tiner?

1:50:00 >> Oh my goodness.

1:50:03 >> Tiny has on only his undies.

1:50:05 >> He's got his panties on.

1:50:08 >> Look at this guy.

1:50:08 >> Did Chief sign off on this? Those are

1:50:11 Chief patented underwear.

1:50:14 >> Same spot pattern as our guy.

1:50:17 >> He's down to his undies, man.

1:50:21 >> He's going to hit in his boxers.

1:50:23 >> Tiner Hughes.

1:50:24 >> Is this allowed?

1:50:25 >> I It apparently is. as Tiner Hughes

1:50:27 hoping to pack a punch with this one.

1:50:30 >> We like to tow the line here, but Annal,

1:50:31 if you haven't noticed,

1:50:33 >> Val, how important last night's win and

1:50:37 the vibes from your guys after the game?

1:50:39 So awesome. Like dinner, just the

1:50:41 smiles. Donnie to DC3. How important is

1:50:44 a win today when it comes to seating? I

1:50:46 mean, how locked in is this team?

1:50:47 >> Yeah, we're we're looking to play on

1:50:49 Friday. So, we want that two or three

1:50:50 seed. Uh we want to we want to control

1:50:52 what we can. Like I said, at this point

1:50:54 today, that's taking the win. And so

1:50:56 that's what we're looking to do.

1:50:58 >> Um but at the same time, you know, we

1:50:59 we've started to to slow down and and

1:51:03 kind of focus on our mission every every

1:51:05 game. And you know, the the mission of

1:51:06 today is 1 and0. Um amongst a couple

1:51:09 other things, but um yeah, I mean, we're

1:51:11 we're looking to take this game for

1:51:12 sure. We'd like that seating.

1:51:14 >> Val Tiny just drew a boxer for sprint

1:51:16 there.

1:51:17 >> That was nice to see.

1:51:18 >> First time for everything.

1:51:19 >> Well done. I was hoping he'd have to

1:51:21 slide to see how the underwear would

1:51:23 actually hold up, but

1:51:24 >> he's got sliders on underneath.

1:51:26 >> Oh my goodness. Bryson Bloomer. I'll

1:51:28 >> play blue.

1:51:30 >> That was a laser by Zachary Bridges.

1:51:32 >> Hey, what a piece by ZB right there.

1:51:34 >> That was a great piece of hitting. Just

1:51:35 a better job of fielding. Val, thank you

1:51:37 for doing this.

1:51:38 >> Absolutely. Thank you.

1:51:38 >> I tell you what, Val,

1:51:40 >> I wish we could keep talking.

1:51:41 >> We're in You want to You want to stay?

1:51:43 Can you stay?

1:51:43 >> Absolutely. Why not

1:51:44 >> stay? We're in world's fastest. We're to

1:51:46 keep

1:51:46 >> Oh, let's do it. Okay, Val, let's just

1:51:48 keep talking then. You you mentioned the

1:51:49 guys being so locked in today and

1:51:51 wanting to win. The party animals for

1:51:54 those guys, they know if they don't win,

1:51:55 they're out of the Banana Ball Open. And

1:51:57 what the kind of that discussion in the

1:51:59 locker room is the the importance of the

1:52:01 open going winning this early in the

1:52:02 year. How important is it to have an

1:52:05 extra week of the guys in town and

1:52:06 practice in a game, keep the bats hot?

1:52:09 How how crucial is that in making the

1:52:11 open? you know, us having that week off

1:52:13 and, you know, the guys doing simple

1:52:15 things like spending time with their

1:52:17 loved ones and sleeping in their own bed

1:52:19 goes a long way, right? So, this last

1:52:21 week of practice that we had, the boys

1:52:22 were completely loose, having a good

1:52:25 time. Um, just just ready to go and and

1:52:27 we we showed out yesterday. Um, we're

1:52:30 hitting pretty well. And so, you know,

1:52:31 that's same thing going into the open.

1:52:33 All six teams will be at home. Um, yeah.

1:52:36 So, the four that the four that are

1:52:37 competing, I also feel like the level of

1:52:39 play you're going to see is going to be

1:52:41 elevated just for some of the

1:52:42 intangibles that we get to do when we

1:52:44 play at home.

1:52:45 >> Val, we've seen you now in a couple

1:52:47 different walkups this year. Obviously,

1:52:49 the one with Eminem with Peanut, then

1:52:51 the one in Montgomery with Gay, but

1:52:53 you've been a part of so many. What's

1:52:54 been your favorite OTT moment that

1:52:56 you've been a part of? Because there's

1:52:58 been some Hall of Fame ones for

1:52:59 yourself.

1:53:00 Uh the the monsters one that we did with

1:53:03 Peanut and and um uh Mason hit pretty

1:53:07 well last year. Yeah, that was fun. But

1:53:09 the fact that part of my actual job is

1:53:12 to mimic Beyonce, Rihanna, and Pink. I

1:53:15 mean, it can't get any better than that.

1:53:17 >> Girl power, right?

1:53:18 >> Absolutely. Monsters in the game, all

1:53:20 three of them. So, that's an honor.

1:53:22 >> Now, I do have to ask, did you and

1:53:23 Chelsea have to cancel any dinner plans

1:53:25 because you guys are playing next week?

1:53:27 >> Our dinner plans always involve the ball

1:53:29 field. No.

1:53:30 >> Yeah. If we can involve them on the ball

1:53:32 field, then that's a good thing.

1:53:33 >> We're happy about it.

1:53:36 >> Hopefully get to see them next week at

1:53:38 Grayson Stadium as Tanner Tender Thomas.

1:53:41 >> Oh, that first

1:53:43 >> Oh, good. Good. I haven't seen Chelsea

1:53:45 in a minute. I got to say hi.

1:53:46 >> I know. She's she's working working

1:53:49 taking care of those crazy kiddos of

1:53:51 ours helping us out. But yeah, she'll

1:53:53 she'll be there in uh in Savannah. So,

1:53:56 I'm excited for that. You just had a

1:53:58 daughter go get braces in Corpus

1:53:59 Christie, Texas. So, what a plane trip

1:54:01 that was for her.

1:54:02 >> Yeah. What a moment, right? I mean, next

1:54:04 year I got a kid starting high school,

1:54:06 middle school, and

1:54:07 >> make a play. Val,

1:54:09 >> I'm busy. I'm talking to you though.

1:54:10 We'll let Baba shine a little bit.

1:54:13 >> Val,

1:54:14 >> I wish I could hear you.

1:54:16 >> Before we let you go here, Mike Mves is

1:54:18 standing right in front of you. I mean,

1:54:20 how much have have the other coaches of

1:54:22 the sport? How have they welcomed you

1:54:24 into Banana Bowl the last few years?

1:54:27 What have you gotten to learn from guys

1:54:28 like Baba?

1:54:30 >> They've been incredible, honestly. Like

1:54:31 I like I grew up with three older

1:54:32 brothers. I've been in the fire service.

1:54:34 I played men's and boys sports my whole

1:54:36 life. I mean, like I've said, this is

1:54:37 home, as home as it can get for me. Um,

1:54:39 and so the guys have been the other

1:54:41 coaches, I've been learning from them

1:54:42 like like brothers, honestly. And so

1:54:44 there was there's been zero issues in

1:54:46 that front. It's just they've been

1:54:47 extremely welcoming. Um, and one of my

1:54:50 favorite parts about about Banana Ball

1:54:52 is that yeah, we're all fighting for for

1:54:53 a championship here, but we're also on

1:54:55 the same team in a lot of ways. So,

1:54:56 we're trying to trying to build this

1:54:57 thing and take it to the next level. And

1:55:00 doing that together is is a huge part in

1:55:02 us learning from each other. So, VA,

1:55:04 love them to death. Um, you know, same

1:55:06 thing with the other coaches that I get

1:55:07 to work with on a on a daily basis. So,

1:55:09 it's been great.

1:55:11 >> All right, Val, before I let you go, can

1:55:12 you please uh can you go play a prank on

1:55:14 Fabi real quick? Can you like take his

1:55:16 sunglasses or something? on Baba.

1:55:17 >> Oh my gosh.

1:55:18 >> Yeah.

1:55:18 >> You think that he'll You think that

1:55:20 he'll uh

1:55:20 >> Hey, I think he's on to you.

1:55:22 >> I think he's Damn.

1:55:23 >> Can I barley with you?

1:55:24 >> Huh?

1:55:24 >> Can a barley?

1:55:25 >> Yeah, take him.

1:55:25 >> Thanks, man.

1:55:26 >> He said take him.

1:55:27 >> I don't even need it. I don't even need

1:55:29 him.

1:55:29 >> That's a gentleman. That's a gentleman.

1:55:31 >> He's the best. Look at his eyes. He's

1:55:32 squinting right now.

1:55:34 >> I got I got to give him back cuz he's

1:55:35 going to need some Botox in a little

1:55:36 bit. Look at this guy.

1:55:37 >> Thank you so much.

1:55:38 >> That was a strategic prank, Val. I was

1:55:40 trying to get him to not wave around

1:55:41 runners at home potentially.

1:55:43 >> Oh, no. No.

1:55:44 >> Val, you're the best. Thank you so much

1:55:45 for doing this. We'll let you go back to

1:55:47 your day job.

1:55:47 >> I'll see you in a week, Val. See you

1:55:49 next weekend.

1:55:49 >> I'll see you in the plaza in like 35

1:55:51 minutes.

1:55:53 >> See you later. Javon Ray in now for

1:55:56 Christian Dearman on the bump.

1:55:59 Baby G going up against Bryson Bloomer

1:56:01 who just had one of the craziest laser

1:56:04 outs at third base you'll ever see. And

1:56:07 before that, couple of Ks and a single.

1:56:12 Baby G coming in. This is the second

1:56:14 time we have seen it. And man, he just

1:56:17 gave Bryson Bloomer another K with the

1:56:20 shutdown shell on a bump.

1:56:26 >> Oh no, a leprechaun is in the house.

1:56:30 This is the house that Ber built.

1:56:33 >> A Ber bomb in 2024 after a beer chug

1:56:37 alongside Holly Holm. His first home run

1:56:40 in the sport of banana ball came right

1:56:42 here at Isotopes Park. The lab. What can

1:56:46 he cook up?

1:56:51 >> Double play potentially in the books

1:56:53 here for the fighters

1:56:56 or another run potentially coming in.

1:56:58 Javon Ray has stepped in in a moment of

1:57:01 relief in the middle of an inning before

1:57:04 against the Savannah Bananas and limited

1:57:06 the damage. had no earn runs against

1:57:08 him. Going to need to do that again here

1:57:11 with two on and one out.

1:57:13 Mark Smith with a play on beard is at

1:57:17 first and Tender is still at second.

1:57:23 >> One, two, end of the dirt.

1:57:26 >> If the mound was 57

1:57:29 feet 6 in from the plate, that's a

1:57:31 strike.

1:57:31 >> Yep. We're looking good.

1:57:35 But we don't play the whatifs in banana

1:57:36 ball. We play the hits. And how about

1:57:38 that? Baby G making him swing out his

1:57:42 shoes. And the leprechaun might have

1:57:45 been drunk after that one.

1:57:49 >> But how about this? Reese Hampton.

1:57:53 >> Yep.

1:57:54 >> Three ball four sprints. He is one away

1:57:56 from tying the single game ball four

1:57:58 sprint record held by his former

1:58:00 teammate Joseph Lidle. A four.

1:58:02 >> Jake Skull. Jake Skull, his current

1:58:04 teammate as well.

1:58:05 >> First one to ever do it.

1:58:07 >> Hell yeah.

1:58:09 >> Right now, nobody able to find the zone.

1:58:11 And now the runners will move as Zachary

1:58:13 Bridges thought about throwing a third.

1:58:14 Thought better of it.

1:58:18 >> By the way, the one time he didn't get a

1:58:19 ball for sprint, it's because he hit a

1:58:21 three-run bomb

1:58:23 to the scoreboard.

1:58:26 >> What are we on here, by the way? Trip

1:58:28 five for Ree.

1:58:29 >> Yes, it's his fifth play appearance. We

1:58:33 are in the sixth inning.

1:58:35 >> Ball force sprint's going to walk in two

1:58:37 runs.

1:58:41 >> Hey, go tally him. Wow,

1:58:44 that is questionable.

1:58:50 >> I would love to see a replay of that

1:58:51 pitch cuz I didn't think it missed from

1:58:53 my view.

1:58:54 >> Boom, baby. Two runs come across the

1:58:57 party animals. Needed that.

1:58:59 >> Okay, it was low. Never mind.

1:59:01 needed that

1:59:04 >> too low.

1:59:12 >> Javon works up high now. He's got two

1:59:14 runs against him. Zachary Bridges down

1:59:16 to EJ.

1:59:19 So now four ball four sprints

1:59:22 for Reese Hampton. That'll move him into

1:59:24 a tie for a banana ball record for

1:59:26 single games. is that one into the dirt

1:59:27 and Ree is going to get to second with a

1:59:30 freebie.

1:59:36 >> Why is Tiner Hugh still not put his

1:59:37 pants on?

1:59:40 >> He's playing second base.

1:59:42 >> Why would you want him to?

1:59:43 >> Well, I'm just asking questions more so

1:59:46 than anything. Auff Junan. Oh, he went

1:59:49 it through his legs, fumbled it up, and

1:59:51 still found a way to get it over to EJ.

1:59:53 So, I don't believe that'll go as a

1:59:55 trick play. It will go as the third out,

1:59:57 but not before two more runs come across

1:59:59 for the Animals. And now the

2:00:01 firefighters in a world's fastest coming

2:00:04 up against Ryan Rodriguez.

2:00:06 Really got to have something.

2:00:09 What's more impressive about the party

2:00:10 animals today is they are doing all of

2:00:12 this Drake Tol without the reigning MVP

2:00:15 of this sport and Jake Skull who is out

2:00:19 with an upper leg injury. And when you

2:00:21 take these stats out of many lineups, it

2:00:24 doesn't go well for your team.

2:00:25 >> Yeah, the offense has been electric

2:00:27 today in picking up the slack where you

2:00:29 lose a guy like Jake Skull. It's such a

2:00:31 consistent hitter for you. Not having

2:00:33 him today, at least not in the starting

2:00:35 lineup. He's still in the dugout, still

2:00:36 around coaching the team. He's

2:00:39 >> It's a It's a blow, no doubt. But the

2:00:41 guys have done a great job of rallying

2:00:42 to put up

2:00:44 >> what is now a 18 19 run game.

2:00:49 19 runs total.

2:00:52 >> I just threw a lifesaver out in the

2:00:53 crowd. That is

2:00:57 >> intoxicating right back up the middle.

2:01:00 >> Got to have a trick play. No trick play.

2:01:02 >> Wow.

2:01:04 >> Does Swanie get it at first going

2:01:05 between the legs?

2:01:06 >> The party. No, but the party animals an

2:01:08 opportunity to win the equalizer.

2:01:10 They're only down by one trick play. And

2:01:11 Rodriguez, he taps his chest, says

2:01:13 that's on me. You have plenty of time to

2:01:14 work with it. He just didn't want it.

2:01:20 Dude, he's saying red. We can't think.

2:01:27 >> Also, we couldn't possibly lose this

2:01:29 act.

2:01:38 >> Ry Rod up against EJ. One on the

2:01:40 outside, part of the black. He didn't

2:01:41 like it.

2:01:50 EJ

2:01:52 >> out to nowhere.

2:02:02 The one-two count to a man who has not

2:02:04 been retired all weekend long

2:02:08 >> and it'll stay that way for now. Ry Rod

2:02:10 man

2:02:14 >> stepped up. Santa Clarita, California

2:02:16 kid has four games this year. A 225 ERA.

2:02:19 >> Look at Cory Pie over there. Milking the

2:02:22 crowd.

2:02:24 >> He's doing what?

2:02:25 >> Milking the crowd

2:02:28 >> just for a ball.

2:02:33 Meron

2:02:39 the 2-2 with 30 minutes left on the

2:02:42 clock and we are still in the sixth

2:02:43 inning and EJ holds off. By the way,

2:02:46 there are four players who have gotten

2:02:48 ball four sprints four times in a game.

2:02:50 Joe Lidle, Jake Skull, Jason Swan, Nick

2:02:53 Lopez. You can add a fifth now in Reese

2:02:55 Hampton at this point

2:02:57 >> as EJ swings and misses and for the

2:02:59 first time he's retired. Right. Rod,

2:03:06 >> we think at this point Rehampton's going

2:03:08 to get another trip to the dish. He

2:03:10 might very well work his fifth ball four

2:03:13 sprint and break a record.

2:03:20 >> Fondo's got a ball for sprint today.

2:03:22 >> He sure does.

2:03:25 >> 19 runs for the party animals. Remember

2:03:27 the firefighters had 22 runs that broke

2:03:29 a banana ball record a couple of weeks

2:03:31 ago in Montgomery. That's very much now

2:03:32 in danger. 18 hits. That clown's 22 hit

2:03:36 spot very much in danger. By the way,

2:03:38 that was equal by the fighters last

2:03:39 night. That might be in danger as well.

2:03:43 >> Here's a weird one, Zach.

2:03:46 >> Oh my.

2:03:51 >> Wow. Chase A short stop. Jason Swan

2:03:54 trick play first. Ryan Rodriguez is

2:03:57 insensed. Are you kidding me? The party

2:04:00 animals take the point and lead four to

2:04:03 two. My goodness. And holy banana ball.

2:04:14 >> Oh.

2:04:16 Oh.

2:04:19 >> Well, we talked about showing this

2:04:22 before the game. Maybe that would have

2:04:24 been a bit of foreshadowing. by the

2:04:26 party animals. This is before the game.

2:04:27 This is these are the stats prior to the

2:04:30 start of the game. That 12.9% is only

2:04:32 going to increase, my friend.

2:04:34 >> Yeah.

2:04:35 >> You think,

2:04:37 by the way, the firefighters not far

2:04:38 behind him at 9.4.

2:04:41 >> They've earned a couple. Not many,

2:04:42 though. Not nearly as many as

2:04:45 >> the animals have gotten to.

2:04:47 >> 12. They they've collected 12, I should

2:04:49 say, of all four sprints in this game by

2:04:51 my count. Uh, that is, Zack, a lot. Yes,

2:04:55 animals have issued six. They have 12.

2:04:57 That is 18 ball force sprints as this

2:05:00 crowd is losing its mind to a neon.

2:05:04 And man, I'm so excited to watch the

2:05:06 Chad today. Tony and company dropping in

2:05:09 super chats and whatnot. Getting VIP

2:05:11 wristbands. Catherine, Peggy, Captain

2:05:13 Crunch, the Harley Q, Carmen. A lot of

2:05:18 usual suspects. Kiki and Biff even in

2:05:20 there. And man, it's weird, Zach. I was

2:05:22 alluding to it. The Party Animals are

2:05:23 huge fans of themselves and the Savannah

2:05:25 Bananas today.

2:05:27 >> Massive fans of the bananas.

2:05:28 >> The Pinstripes want the bananas to win.

2:05:31 If Party Animals and Bananas both win,

2:05:33 the Party Animals are the two seed home

2:05:35 game in the Banana Ball Open.

2:05:38 >> And if you are not a fan of score

2:05:40 updates, shut your ears.

2:05:41 >> Oh, yeah. Let's give them 3 seconds.

2:05:43 >> Three, two, All right, here it comes.

2:05:47 Javon Ray is looking at a two-1 count.

2:05:50 >> Oh, the delay. It's a 2-1 lead for the

2:05:52 Savannah Bananas in the top of the

2:05:54 seventh. And they have a run across

2:05:57 >> looking to try to make it 3-1. Mikey

2:05:58 Ballard

2:06:00 >> fans

2:06:00 >> should be uh clear as well. The Bananas.

2:06:02 >> Oh my gosh.

2:06:04 >> The Bananas are the visiting team there.

2:06:06 So that's why they've got a run in the

2:06:07 top of the seventh. Could bring home

2:06:09 another point in the inning and take a

2:06:10 three to one lead over the Gator out

2:06:12 UNCC.

2:06:13 >> Fans, somebody catch a foul ball when

2:06:16 the visiting team is at the dish.

2:06:23 Backwards K and Mikey Balor knew it.

2:06:25 >> Yeah, he did.

2:06:27 >> Another strike out for Javon Rey. His

2:06:29 third of the game.

2:06:31 >> You know,

2:06:33 if they have just had Javon pitch the

2:06:35 whole game.

2:06:36 >> Yeah,

2:06:39 >> cuz you wonder at some point they took

2:06:41 Blake Morgan out after the third and

2:06:42 fourth when they put up clean sheets.

2:06:44 Might she have thrown him back out there

2:06:46 a fifth inning? That is a question you

2:06:48 could ask.

2:06:51 Oh, right back up the middle. Javon

2:06:53 blocked it with his glove. Underhand. EJ

2:06:55 behind the back. Javon goes to 0 for

2:06:59 fours for a moment.

2:07:01 >> We wait to see if he's okay. It looked

2:07:03 like he got the glove up. He's going

2:07:04 back to the mound.

2:07:05 >> See if we got a replay of this.

2:07:06 >> Oh my goodness.

2:07:08 >> Yeah.

2:07:09 >> Oh, it looked like it might have gotten

2:07:10 through.

2:07:10 >> Hit his glove. I think he come off his

2:07:12 glove there.

2:07:13 >> Kill that guy.

2:07:15 >> That does not feel good. No, but Baby G

2:07:19 between this and spring training has had

2:07:22 so many of those go right back up the

2:07:24 middle and he's put his body on the line

2:07:26 multiple different times.

2:07:30 >> My goodness.

2:07:31 >> Trick play on that as well.

2:07:33 >> Yep. EJ gets the trick play to pull the

2:07:35 firefighters up five to four in that

2:07:37 category. You understand if Javon's

2:07:40 shaken up after one like that as he goes

2:07:43 up against his old college teammate

2:07:45 Jason Swan at Georgia Southern

2:07:47 University.

2:07:52 >> Oopsy swing and an oopsie foul.

2:07:56 Swan already has

2:07:58 >> Swan's got a lot

2:07:59 >> an extra base hit in the ball for Sprint

2:08:01 today.

2:08:04 And he's going to look at one outside

2:08:06 >> and a full count.

2:08:17 >> Swani stays alive.

2:08:20 >> He's miked up, too. He's got us in his

2:08:22 ears. We'll have him live from first

2:08:23 base here in a second.

2:08:24 >> I wonder if he can hear us.

2:08:26 >> Yeah, he can.

2:08:26 >> Oh, the mic pack is waving.

2:08:32 Swan upstairs to the fans. Does somebody

2:08:36 do it? No.

2:08:44 >> It is so weird how this is not

2:08:47 happening.

2:08:50 >> Swan backwards kick.

2:08:52 >> Oh, no. No. No. That's not That's not a

2:08:56 strike. We've got to see a replay from

2:08:57 center field camp. BK,

2:09:00 >> we've got to see a replay from center

2:09:02 field cam if we can.

2:09:04 >> Here we go.

2:09:06 >> Oh no.

2:09:07 >> Oh no. It moved at the last second.

2:09:09 >> Oh no.

2:09:10 >> And baby G grabs his fourth K of the

2:09:13 game.

2:09:14 >> Frustrated for sure. He deserves to be.

2:09:15 But yeah, nice job from Javon Ray.

2:09:17 >> On your feet.

2:09:18 >> I think J is about to make sure we don't

2:09:20 stop believing. I'll never stop

2:09:22 believing in Javon Ray after what he

2:09:24 just did. Maybe took one to the physace

2:09:26 >> and stays through. First K of the year

2:09:29 for Jason Swan.

2:09:31 >> Small town girl

2:09:34 living in a lonely world.

2:09:38 She took the midnight training anywhere.

2:09:46 He's just a city boy.

2:09:50 Born and raising.

2:09:54 He took the midnight train going

2:09:57 anywhere.

2:10:18 A single smoke.

2:10:22 The smell of wine.

2:10:26 for a smile they can share. The night it

2:10:29 goes on and on and on and on. Strangers

2:10:36 waiting

2:10:39 up and down the

2:10:42 shadows

2:10:45 in the night.

2:10:50 Saying don't stop what

2:10:55 hold on to the feeling.

2:10:58 Street lights.

2:11:05 One more time. Sing it.

2:11:06 >> Don't stop. Huh?

2:11:11 >> Hold on to that feeling.

2:11:27 Incredible stuff from party down. Jan

2:11:29 does it again on a day game in

2:11:30 Albuquerque, New Mexico. And now miked

2:11:32 up.

2:11:34 They use the word underrated to describe

2:11:36 him too often. His name's Jason Swan.

2:11:38 Swany, how you feeling down there?

2:11:43 >> Up there,

2:11:45 >> man. It's uh the air conditioner's on up

2:11:46 here, so I'm happy.

2:11:48 >> I'm feeling good. Give me Look, man, you

2:11:51 mentioned this on the cruise right

2:11:52 before the season starts. You said that

2:11:54 word underrated. People say it a lot on

2:11:56 broadcast. They say it on social media

2:11:57 about Jason Swan. Why do they say

2:12:00 underrated? Why? When do you get to just

2:12:02 be rated? Uh, you want to pop? I'm here.

2:12:07 I got

2:12:13 boy.

2:12:16 Nice pop from Ber to Swan out right

2:12:18 there.

2:12:19 >> A trick play for the party and almost

2:12:20 ties this game at five trick plays a

2:12:22 piece.

2:12:23 >> Swan, it's that underrated word, man.

2:12:25 Why do they keep saying that?

2:12:26 >> Oh, I don't know, man. Uh

2:12:28 >> it is what it is. I just keep balling

2:12:30 every day. Make say whatever,

2:12:33 >> you know.

2:12:34 >> Here to help my team out, win.

2:12:36 >> Your numbers speak for themselves. I

2:12:38 mean, it's the fact you walk in every

2:12:40 day and have this intensity about you to

2:12:41 get to work. Do you think that's what it

2:12:43 is? You don't sing and dance. I mean,

2:12:45 what's what's what's the rub? Uh

2:12:48 >> oh my.

2:12:50 >> Ballard flings it away.

2:12:58 >> His earpiece keeps coming out.

2:13:01 >> That's okay.

2:13:02 >> What do you got on that Swany base hit?

2:13:04 >> Uh, I'll give that a hit.

2:13:07 >> Okay.

2:13:09 >> Lamar's out.

2:13:10 >> Yeah, Lamar. Lamar will take that.

2:13:12 >> Yeah, I know. He's been swinging it this

2:13:13 weekend. Yes, he has.

2:13:16 >> But, uh, no, man. I just go to work

2:13:19 every day. We got every all the guys on

2:13:21 our team. We all feed off each other

2:13:23 trying to get better. So, it just

2:13:26 builds.

2:13:28 >> D-Mac into center.

2:13:32 That ball's slow enough. It might put up

2:13:34 in the corners. It does. Sw how

2:13:36 important is it to win today? What was

2:13:37 the conversation pregame in the locker

2:13:39 room about this game?

2:13:40 >> We had a team meeting before coming out

2:13:42 here.

2:13:43 uh talking about how how big this game

2:13:46 was. Definitely need a dub to secure a

2:13:48 spot into the tournament, but we just

2:13:51 got to keep fighting every pitch. Win

2:13:53 every pitch and we came out swinging

2:13:56 hot. Got to keep it on him. Oh. Oh, no.

2:14:03 Nate Tellier face off against Mason

2:14:05 Maxwell.

2:14:09 >> Telly riding out of Albero,

2:14:11 Massachusetts.

2:14:15 Third tour for the animals.

2:14:25 >> Hey,

2:14:30 >> second tour making for the animal soft

2:14:32 campaign.

2:14:32 >> All right, y'all hear me now?

2:14:33 >> Yeah, we got you, boss.

2:14:36 >> Swan, how important all four sprints? We

2:14:38 We just showed a graphic earlier.

2:14:40 Nobody's better at the party animals

2:14:41 than working them. The firefighters walk

2:14:43 off this inning. Man, what makes you

2:14:45 guys so good at the plate?

2:14:46 >> It just shows veteran leadership at the

2:14:47 plate and like uh even though we're down

2:14:50 a couple pitches, 02 counts, we still

2:14:52 fight, make uh make the pitchers work

2:14:54 and everything.

2:14:56 >> Jason Swan, your pros pro boss, MVP

2:14:59 candidate right there. Thank you for

2:15:00 your time.

2:15:01 >> Thank y'all.

2:15:02 >> Jason, just wanted to say hi. I didn't

2:15:03 ask you a question. I just I want to say

2:15:04 hi. You're cool. You're a great dude.

2:15:08 >> He didn't say anything. ignore me.

2:15:09 >> Zack Stton,

2:15:11 >> four to three is the new score.

2:15:13 Highscoring banana ball game. Not a lot

2:15:15 of trick plays in this contest.

2:15:18 >> The party animals, if they lose, will

2:15:20 not play in the open. They have a

2:15:21 weekend off, a free weekend next

2:15:23 weekend.

2:15:24 >> And here is that schedule. We still do

2:15:26 not know the teams that will fill those

2:15:28 slots, but here's how you can watch when

2:15:29 we do.

2:15:31 >> Yep. Semi-final one is top seed versus

2:15:34 four seed. Right now, if this score

2:15:36 holds, that would likely be the bananas

2:15:38 and the firefighters. Then semi-final

2:15:41 number two, two seat versus the three

2:15:43 seed. If this score holds, party animals

2:15:45 are in that game against the Texas

2:15:47 Tailgator. We got to figure out who

2:15:48 would have more trick plays at that

2:15:50 point. Then the championship games on

2:15:51 April 19th and the 18th, game one on the

2:15:54 18th, game two on the 19th. They split

2:15:57 that. Hello, we're playing a showdown

2:16:00 for a tiebreaker. Hello, John Hmel

2:16:02 >> out of the University of Kentucky.

2:16:04 second year in banana ball

2:16:05 >> earned his second save of the season

2:16:07 last week, two weeks ago I should say,

2:16:10 in Scottsdale. And now Lightning

2:16:13 just got to get the firefighters into

2:16:15 the ninth or the bottom of the eighth

2:16:17 with a chance to do something good and

2:16:19 big. And maybe trick plays would help

2:16:22 here.

2:16:26 One-tw count. Throw the Beaver sitting

2:16:27 at top the ladder.

2:16:29 That could end disastrously.

2:16:32 By the way, Zack, Swan's strikeout

2:16:35 earlier was his first of the season and

2:16:37 he just got

2:16:39 >> it's tough tough to get robbed on that

2:16:41 one.

2:16:41 >> That hurts.

2:16:44 >> Makes it even more impressive what he

2:16:45 did to come on the broadcast with us

2:16:47 right after that and be such a

2:16:48 professional.

2:16:49 >> Felt like every time he tried to answer

2:16:50 something would happen. He had to stop

2:16:52 his answer in sentence.

2:16:53 >> Had to play the game.

2:16:54 >> Yeah.

2:16:56 >> Bros pro. Andy Cosgrove climbing the

2:16:59 ladder. Save a kitten from a tree. won't

2:17:01 land for a hit. South Tremble. Oh, a

2:17:03 double trick play.

2:17:06 Tiny behind the back off a South Treble

2:17:09 tip drill. You need a trick play. You

2:17:13 need to get out of pitcher jail. Better

2:17:16 call South

2:17:25 >> and the Animals have just not had it

2:17:28 from a trick play standpoint today. Only

2:17:29 five for them, seven for the

2:17:32 firefighters.

2:17:33 >> They came into the game with 101 trick

2:17:36 plays on the season. You would think

2:17:37 that would be something as a visiting

2:17:39 team you really try to focus on. Right

2:17:41 now, the firefighters just seem poised

2:17:44 and composed in the field on the trick

2:17:47 play column. It's a 2-1 count to Tender

2:17:51 and he smokes that into right field.

2:17:54 Smoke diving catch.

2:17:58 Unbelievable.

2:18:00 The magic man makes the ball disappear

2:18:04 in the last moments.

2:18:07 Again, I say if you need a crazy play to

2:18:11 get out of a jam, better call Smoke.

2:18:18 That was nuts between Bloomer's catch

2:18:20 diving out at third and now that one.

2:18:24 Fielders are laying their bodies on the

2:18:26 line.

2:18:34 That was rocketed off the bat of tender.

2:18:37 >> Yeah,

2:18:42 >> that's so impressive.

2:18:46 >> Just on the outside part to Branson ball

2:18:48 home. It's a one-two count.

2:18:52 Johnny could really make this one quick

2:18:54 if he can get it out here.

2:18:57 Oh, you bet he does. Lightning

2:19:02 with a lightning quick inning. Earns the

2:19:05 K, first of the day. And just like that,

2:19:09 the firefighters have wrestled some

2:19:11 critical momentum

2:19:14 out of this one. And so now a very

2:19:17 critical bottom half of the eighth

2:19:19 inning, especially with trick plays. The

2:19:23 firefighters lead at 75. Party animals

2:19:26 need three to win the equalizer point.

2:19:28 Again, here's the rule. If the away team

2:19:31 has more trick plays than the home team

2:19:33 going into the final inning, they will

2:19:36 get an equalizer point. If the home team

2:19:39 has more trick plays, that point is no.

2:19:44 It is a massive rule. The firefighters

2:19:47 tied the game up going into the ninth

2:19:49 last night because of the equalizer

2:19:52 points. The Texas tailgator got a shot

2:19:55 in showdowns last night because of the

2:19:57 equalizer points. And look who's here.

2:20:00 The hometown kid. Albuquerquey's Drew

2:20:03 Gillespie. Last night gave up four in

2:20:08 the top of the ninth to allow the

2:20:10 firefighters to punch a ticket to the

2:20:11 open. Can he find redemption today?

2:20:14 Drake told

2:20:22 >> if he does not find redemption,

2:20:27 >> then the firefighters will tie this

2:20:30 game.

2:20:31 It's a must-win. Drew asked me pregame.

2:20:34 He said, "What is it from your view 200

2:20:37 feet away? What is it?" I said, "Dog,

2:20:40 you're Drew Gillespie, the best pitcher

2:20:42 in banana ball.

2:20:44 He said, "I forgot that for a second.

2:20:46 I'm back."

2:21:02 >> Gillespie dials outside

2:21:05 >> two straight.

2:21:09 >> So deep to center. Reese Hampton just

2:21:12 hauls it in. That's one out down without

2:21:15 a trick play.

2:21:17 >> That one would have been tough to try to

2:21:19 make it on.

2:21:19 >> Yeah. Yeah.

2:21:21 >> And and you don't want to force a trick

2:21:23 play here and lose the inning.

2:21:28 >> Seven to five. Double trick play would

2:21:30 tie it.

2:21:34 >> Tiny high into the sky. This one getting

2:21:37 into the fans.

2:21:41 No catch.

2:21:45 >> Is everybody okay?

2:21:48 >> Looks like it.

2:21:54 Tiner Hughes a single and a ball for

2:21:57 four sprint to reach base today. Big

2:21:59 swing at that one.

2:22:01 >> Gillespie looks right at home.

2:22:02 >> Will he go trick pitch?

2:22:07 No business.

2:22:10 >> Tiny right to Swanie. Goes between the

2:22:13 legs and Gillespie collects it the

2:22:15 oldfashioned way, but it is a trick

2:22:17 play. And now you've set yourself up for

2:22:20 a potential double trick play to get out

2:22:23 of this one.

2:22:25 >> Zack, a double trick play for the party

2:22:27 animals here. And that's it. The

2:22:30 equalizer point is theirs.

2:22:36 But if Daltton Cornette puts the kind of

2:22:37 swing he did on a pitch in the eighth

2:22:40 inning two weeks ago in game two at

2:22:41 Scottsdale, they won't get a chance. And

2:22:44 he rockets one into right field that'll

2:22:45 go foul out.

2:22:49 >> Party animals are a double trick play

2:22:50 away from the equalizer point. This is a

2:22:53 massive AB.

2:22:55 >> There is something to be said about do

2:22:56 you just strike out here and ensure they

2:22:58 don't get it

2:22:59 >> or do you hit a home run?

2:23:01 >> Well, that's easier said than done, I

2:23:03 think. But Dalton Cornet going to give

2:23:04 it a shot.

2:23:05 >> Strikeout is easier than a home run.

2:23:07 That's That is a good point. That's a

2:23:08 good point.

2:23:14 >> Gillespie moving through the first two

2:23:16 batters. Much easier than last night.

2:23:19 >> Great pitch. What do we What What's

2:23:22 going on here? Huh?

2:23:22 >> Took it all the way. There's been

2:23:24 something about that inside part of the

2:23:25 zone. Jake Lore says, "Let's not call

2:23:27 it."

2:23:30 >> Cornett stinks it out into left center

2:23:32 field. It's going to get to the track.

2:23:34 Hampton catching up to it. Can Cornette

2:23:36 get to third? He's going for it.

2:23:40 Cornette a standup triple.

2:23:45 And now anything through or a ball for

2:23:47 sprint wins the inning for the fighters.

2:23:53 >> Bless you.

2:23:56 >> Oh my. Well,

2:23:58 >> I have goosebumps.

2:24:05 Logan Lacy,

2:24:07 >> his first swing of the game, a two-run

2:24:09 bomb.

2:24:11 >> Since then, a ball force sprint a ground

2:24:12 out to Swan.

2:24:15 Took a big swing at strike one. Won't

2:24:17 there

2:24:19 >> great block from Bronson.

2:24:23 >> My heart is beating out of my chest.

2:24:26 >> You should get that checked out.

2:24:29 >> Correct. Elevation. It's the elevation.

2:24:31 >> I have a great cardiologist.

2:24:35 >> Lacy into left center. That's right

2:24:37 center. I don't care. The fighters walk

2:24:41 off the inning and they deny the

2:24:44 equalizer point. Tie game going to the

2:24:47 ninth.

2:24:59 The sound of the bells means it's time

2:25:03 to take a look up at the video board.

2:25:09 with the score being tied up at 4-4

2:25:15 and the firefighters are able or had

2:25:18 more trick plays than the party animals.

2:25:22 So, no equalizer point is awarded. So,

2:25:25 here's what's going to happen.

2:25:26 Albuquerque,

2:25:29 we got to have the party animals score

2:25:31 and hold

2:25:33 or the firefighters can walk off in the

2:25:35 bottom half. Albuquerque, you've been

2:25:38 amazing all weekend long. I need to feel

2:25:42 your energy

2:25:50 because this is the final

2:25:57 unit.

2:26:06 A restroom is in my future. I have

2:26:09 anxieties out the wazoo. Out your wazoo.

2:26:13 Out all of our wazoos. And I'm not

2:26:15 talking about Washington State. Johnny

2:26:18 Hmel on a bump. Jake Leios is going to

2:26:22 take his shirt off as we might in the

2:26:24 broadcast booth

2:26:26 because this is banana ball through and

2:26:29 through.

2:26:31 If the Animals lose, the Indianapolis

2:26:34 Clowns will go to the Banana Ball Open.

2:26:36 If the Animals win, they could be the

2:26:37 two seed playing a home game next

2:26:39 weekend in the semifinals.

2:26:42 >> Bryson Bloomer, the man who was not

2:26:45 franchised, but was automatically picked

2:26:47 right back up by the Party Animals in

2:26:50 the Banana Ball player draft. He is

2:26:53 Banana Ball.

2:26:55 Can he find something here as Johnny

2:26:56 Hmel goes low? No chance for a walk-off

2:26:59 here at the party almost as a visitor,

2:27:01 but Bloomer had a walk-off home run on a

2:27:03 big spot a year ago here.

2:27:05 >> The first ever Grand Slam in Manal

2:27:08 history was hit by this man.

2:27:12 He's had one tremendous play at the

2:27:14 plate today.

2:27:16 >> By the way, this is that emergency

2:27:18 situation. Skull's warming up. He's

2:27:20 getting hot.

2:27:21 >> He could golden bat for Bab.

2:27:23 >> Skull is in the batters box. You could

2:27:25 very well just pinch it for him.

2:27:30 Bloomer strikes out for the third time

2:27:34 to make it the fourth time today.

2:27:37 And now, ladies and gentlemen,

2:27:39 >> that's right

2:27:40 >> on one leg, the MVP,

2:27:44 the man that wears the X, Jake Skull,

2:27:50 comes in to face Johnny Hmel.

2:27:53 Two strikeouts in two straight at bats.

2:27:56 But Jake goal last night on one leg,

2:27:59 two-run bomb off of Ben Tom. Can he do

2:28:04 it again?

2:28:10 01 didn't go around. Make it 1-1.

2:28:15 We thought he could be available in

2:28:17 emergency situation with their banana

2:28:20 ball open life on the line. I think this

2:28:23 counts. And

2:28:24 >> you mentioned it. No need for a golden

2:28:25 batter. He didn't start today, so he can

2:28:27 just pinch hit.

2:28:29 >> And you bet your bottom dollar, too. If

2:28:31 he gets on the bases, Mark Smith is

2:28:33 coming in to run for him. That is

2:28:35 lasered foul.

2:28:40 Skull last night. If you watch that home

2:28:42 run back off of Ben was so hobbled on

2:28:45 that leg, he couldn't really even take a

2:28:47 stride on a swing and he's still hit one

2:28:50 to right field and gone.

2:28:52 He thought maybe I should hit like that

2:28:54 all year. He faces a two- two count. One

2:28:58 away.

2:29:00 >> Humble outside ball three. Cole had a

2:29:03 home run in the ninth just to tie the

2:29:05 game in a day game against the Tailgator

2:29:06 a year ago to send us to showdowns here

2:29:08 at Albuquerque.

2:29:12 >> Payoff.

2:29:13 Strike three.

2:29:16 Three straight Ks for Johnny Hmel.

2:29:30 And now Reese Hampton, four ball four

2:29:35 sprints to go with a three-run homer. He

2:29:38 has been the hottest I can't talk.

2:29:42 Hottest player at the plate today and he

2:29:45 has barely had to move the bat.

2:29:49 The one

2:29:52 >> make it two. No, make it one more.

2:29:55 >> Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Now

2:30:00 >> caught the inside part of the black

2:30:05 >> should note animals nine and 10 hole

2:30:07 combined for eight strikeouts today.

2:30:10 Here comes the one spot. Reese Hampton

2:30:11 who you mentioned has not been retired.

2:30:18 Hampton two home runs on the weekend.

2:30:19 Ball three.

2:30:20 >> This could be the record.

2:30:24 >> The most ball four sprints in a game

2:30:25 worked by a single player.

2:30:34 >> Strike two. Hampton wanted it so bad.

2:30:38 >> And now the ultimate payoff.

2:30:41 >> 3-2 in the top of a tied ball game.

2:30:47 Liner to Tiner, scoops it to EJ. We are

2:30:51 going to the bottom of the ninth.

2:30:55 A clean top of the ninth for Johnny

2:30:58 Hmel. Two strikeouts and a ground out to

2:31:02 Tiny. And the Fighters somehow are going

2:31:06 to have a shot to win it.

2:31:20 The party animals have 19 runs today.

2:31:25 >> 19 runs.

2:31:29 The firefighters have nine.

2:31:32 You look at the live stat sheet, you'd

2:31:34 wonder why this game is tied.

2:31:38 19 runs to nine, 18 hits to 11. But

2:31:43 maybe the biggest separator, the one

2:31:47 trick play difference. The firefighters

2:31:50 win it 7 to6.

2:31:53 The party animals don't get that elusive

2:31:55 equalizer point. And now it's a tie ball

2:31:58 game with the firefighters potentially

2:32:01 having a shot to win. They do have their

2:32:03 golden at bat with EJ, Mondo, and Peanut

2:32:08 all coming to the plate.

2:32:10 >> The guy on the buff is Peter Holden.

2:32:12 >> I I wouldn't use it for any of those

2:32:13 three guys right here either.

2:32:17 >> Tell you what,

2:32:19 if it wasn't going to be Drew Gillespie,

2:32:21 this is the guy to get it done. Last

2:32:23 night was so locked in. Had an 822 pitch

2:32:26 scheduled. Told Entertainment, "No,

2:32:28 we're not doing this now. I have to get

2:32:30 this inning done. I have to get this

2:32:33 inning through. And he did. This is a

2:32:36 businessman.

2:32:38 >> This is no party in the front, business

2:32:41 in the back. I got that confused. Either

2:32:43 way, this is a stone cold competitor,

2:32:47 but so is the guy at the plate. Eric

2:32:49 Jones Jr.'s first swing with the

2:32:51 firefighters was a home run. Could he do

2:32:54 something here?

2:32:56 Stars at strike one.

2:32:59 has been retired just one time this

2:33:01 weekend and that was a K in his last

2:33:04 plate appearance.

2:33:08 >> Ball outside.

2:33:20 EJ hot shot foul.

2:33:25 Holden had eyes potentially on becoming

2:33:28 a firefighter, but the party animal

2:33:29 scooped him up before they could

2:33:34 >> now in a huge situation. One, two count.

2:33:39 The best hitter combined this weekend.

2:33:42 Six plate appearances on Saturday night.

2:33:46 Got on on all six. One, two. EJ strikes

2:33:49 out.

2:33:51 >> Peter Holden with a huge fist pump.

2:33:55 Pistol Pete. That's one.

2:34:06 >> The firefighters are invoking the golden

2:34:08 batter rule. Hitting in the place of

2:34:11 Armando Bisera, number 11, Logan.

2:34:15 Showtime

2:34:17 Lacy.

2:34:21 How appropriate is it that the man named

2:34:23 Showtime

2:34:25 is going to step to the plate with the

2:34:27 show on the line. Two-run homer, a ball

2:34:31 four sprint, and an RBI walk-off single.

2:34:35 Is his damage done? He's grounded out to

2:34:38 first as well. Lacy has been sparkling

2:34:42 in game twos this year. That story has

2:34:45 not changed today.

2:34:48 Does he have one more powerful swing

2:34:50 left in him?

2:34:52 >> Outside.

2:34:55 >> Next up would be Peanut. After him,

2:34:58 Lamar Sparks

2:35:09 >> Lacy Rockets foul.

2:35:14 >> Don't Don't throw that pitch again.

2:35:16 We're good, Pete. We're all right.

2:35:18 Everything's okay.

2:35:19 >> That jumped off the bat of number 11 and

2:35:23 wanted to stay fair, but it just

2:35:24 wouldn't.

2:35:26 Ben Dumb is warming up in the Fighters

2:35:28 bullpen

2:35:30 potentially for showdowns. Ball three.

2:35:34 Ball four sprint and Lacy could have

2:35:36 eyes for two.

2:35:38 >> You got to be so careful here, Pete. You

2:35:40 can't leave it too far out over the

2:35:41 plate. You got to be in the zone. But

2:35:43 it's Logan Lacy.

2:35:47 3-1 Lacy just barely.

2:35:50 >> Oh, it hit Lacy. Was he out of the box?

2:35:55 >> They will say it's a foul clean.

2:35:57 >> Yeah,

2:35:58 >> 3-2 count.

2:35:59 >> That was the right call, but Lacy got a

2:36:00 head start. That was tight.

2:36:03 >> Just off the end of the bat.

2:36:05 >> Looked like he might have potentially

2:36:07 swung a ball forward, but he's got to

2:36:08 protect the plate.

2:36:12 Three balls, two strikes, one out, tie

2:36:16 game.

2:36:19 >> And he hit him.

2:36:23 Oh my goodness. So Lacy can only go to

2:36:27 first

2:36:29 and it's Noah Bridges who will stand

2:36:31 there.

2:36:33 >> I mean, look, if you throw a ball for a

2:36:35 sprint, you risk an errant throw in

2:36:36 three bases.

2:36:39 Hitting Lacy there is not the worst case

2:36:41 scenario whatsoever.

2:36:42 >> Not in the least bit

2:36:43 >> for the party animals against the golden

2:36:45 batter.

2:36:45 >> If you're going to have anybody run in

2:36:47 this situation, Noah Bridges has seven

2:36:49 stolen bases

2:36:52 >> and the guy at the plate might be the

2:36:53 hottest hitter in all banana ball.

2:36:56 >> Peanut.

2:36:59 He's had a walk-off today. One for

2:37:01 three.

2:37:02 >> He gets one deep enough Noah could score

2:37:05 from first outside.

2:37:08 Two count.

2:37:12 >> The breath being held around this park

2:37:15 is staggering.

2:37:20 >> Oh, they caught Noah.

2:37:25 >> Oh my gosh. Pistol Pete has done it

2:37:28 again. That is just what Peter Holden

2:37:30 does. The wy lefty's pickoff move is the

2:37:33 best that Banana Ball has ever seen. And

2:37:36 he does it again. There are two down in

2:37:38 the ninth. I want showdowns. I want

2:37:41 showdowns now.

2:37:43 >> And Kaden Green standing up at the plate

2:37:46 wondering maybe what could have been.

2:37:49 >> Noah got fooled on a great pickoff move.

2:37:52 Nothing he could do about it. Didn't

2:37:54 look like he was trying to steal. Peanut

2:37:56 stares at ball three. And now you really

2:37:58 got to wonder what could have been.

2:38:02 >> Let's go. If Peanut reaches

2:38:05 on a ball for sprint, Noah could have

2:38:07 easily been at third and maybe scored.

2:38:09 3- 0 ball for sprint.

2:38:13 >> And now the defense has to be pristine.

2:38:15 Peanut will stop at first.

2:38:21 >> Wow. It would Yeah, it would have been

2:38:23 first and third. It would have been

2:38:24 first and third if not ball game. It

2:38:26 could have been a walk-off ball for

2:38:28 Sprint. You replace Noah Bridges at

2:38:30 first with Kaden Green, but with an out

2:38:32 included. The guy up we saw last night,

2:38:37 home run that hit the moon and a triple

2:38:40 that gave the firefighters a lead. They

2:38:42 never surrender. Lamar Sparks has power

2:38:46 that he can absolutely use at a moment's

2:38:49 notice.

2:38:51 One of the top rookie hitters we have in

2:38:54 this beautiful sport. Does Holden even

2:38:57 try the pickoff play again?

2:39:00 >> The one thing you can say about Peanut

2:39:02 Lamar, they both have speed.

2:39:06 >> Peanut is the run that matters. He is

2:39:07 the runner that matters, but Lamar could

2:39:10 end things here. 10.

2:39:14 >> Ball two.

2:39:31 Mar inside strike one. Didn't like it.

2:39:35 Doesn't matter.

2:39:44 >> The 2-1 holding. Peanut. Not even close

2:39:48 enough to make it much of a play.

2:39:53 Staying tight on that bag.

2:39:56 >> If he steals, I will eat my fire helmet.

2:40:01 31.

2:40:03 And now with two outs,

2:40:05 does Kaden Green get a healthy lead

2:40:07 knowing what just happened to Noah

2:40:09 Bridges?

2:40:12 >> He's got to respect the pickoff move.

2:40:14 >> Yes, he does. Ball for sprint is issued.

2:40:18 So, here we go. Defense has to be clean.

2:40:21 So far looks good. Swan. Everybody was a

2:40:24 little far back, but they hold it

2:40:26 together. And Kaden Green's got a stop

2:40:29 at third. Runners on the corners with

2:40:31 two away. And the man at the plate is

2:40:35 the original firefighter himself.

2:40:39 One of the longest tenur banana ballers

2:40:41 we've got, Dakota McFaten. Was benched

2:40:45 after just three games to get a swing

2:40:47 right. Since that benching, he is

2:40:49 hitting 500. He doesn't need to hit

2:40:52 something hard. It just has to get

2:40:53 through.

2:40:55 Ball one. And the ball force sprints

2:40:58 might be coming back to bite the party

2:41:00 animals

2:41:02 where it did the firefighters.

2:41:10 >> And every every member of the

2:41:12 Indianapolis Clowns is watching this

2:41:13 right now. They know that if that run

2:41:14 scores for the firefighters, it's a

2:41:16 point and it's over. Every clown is

2:41:18 watching this, wondering if they'll play

2:41:19 in the open next weekend.

2:41:21 >> The 1-1

2:41:23 >> DMAC into the crowd. Fans want Oh, they

2:41:28 did. They caught it. Oh, the concourse.

2:41:31 We're going to shows. The party animals

2:41:33 are alive.

2:41:35 The fan catches the foul ball and we are

2:41:38 going to shows. If he drops that, the

2:41:42 firefighters could have walked it off

2:41:44 and sent the party animals home for the

2:41:46 banana ball open. What a play.

2:41:54 Oh my goodness.

2:41:56 Hydroglycerin pills.

2:42:00 I cannot believe what I have just seen.

2:42:06 He was on the concourse.

2:42:09 I've never seen a concourse catch like

2:42:11 that.

2:42:12 >> Maddie, you got him.

2:42:16 >> All right, Matt. Hey, you are an

2:42:18 honorary party animal right now. You

2:42:20 just sent this game into showdowns. You

2:42:22 just gave the party animals a chance to

2:42:24 make the BBCL Open. Did you think your

2:42:26 day was going to go like this?

2:42:27 >> No, but at the bottom of the ninth, I

2:42:29 was like, you know what? I'll walk over

2:42:31 to the side of the the first base side

2:42:33 and maybe I'll get lucky.

2:42:35 >> Hey, he got lucky and he brought his

2:42:36 glove. Bring your gloves, folks. We're

2:42:39 going to showdown.

2:42:40 >> Maddie, ask him what is wrong with him.

2:42:42 >> No, don't do that. Don't do that,

2:42:44 Maddie.

2:42:44 >> Don't do it. I don't want to be mean,

2:42:46 but what's wrong with you, purple jersey

2:42:48 guy?

2:42:49 >> Incredible.

2:42:50 >> Let the players decide it.

2:42:53 >> Incredible.

2:42:54 >> But now, for the second night in a row

2:42:56 in Banana Ball, showdowns for the first

2:42:59 time in the firefighter season. For the

2:43:02 second time for the party animals this

2:43:05 year, showdowns. Here are the rules. May

2:43:08 I tell you as you go into these in

2:43:11 Albuquerque,

2:43:12 three of the last four games we played

2:43:14 in this ballpark have gone to showdowns.

2:43:16 Texas tailgators at the party almost

2:43:18 twice last year and now in game two, the

2:43:20 Dardy this season. There are your rules.

2:43:22 >> Here are your rules. Round one, pitcher

2:43:24 has a fielder behind him.

2:43:27 Round two, there's no fielder. Round

2:43:29 three. There is one, but the bases are

2:43:31 loaded. Ball four sprints are different

2:43:33 this year. There's no chase. Ball four

2:43:35 sprints issued. That hitter is going to

2:43:38 second.

2:43:40 They could put a runner on second and

2:43:42 bring that hitter right back up if

2:43:43 they'd like. There is no chase. It is

2:43:46 only by

2:43:49 the swing of the bat or the throw of the

2:43:51 of the fielders. And look who's up.

2:43:54 Reese Hampton.

2:43:54 >> Come on, Reer.

2:43:57 Oh, that would not have done it.

2:43:59 >> Danny Hosley last night went three

2:44:01 rounds of showdowns and shut them all

2:44:03 down. If you can't get strikeouts, it's

2:44:06 about inducing soft contact. Reese

2:44:08 Hampton has not hit a lot of soft ones

2:44:10 this week.

2:44:13 The 01

2:44:15 strike two.

2:44:29 O2 ripped down the right field line.

2:44:32 That will get maybe to the track.

2:44:34 Bridges racing for all he's got.

2:44:37 Hampton.

2:44:39 We got to go. H. We got to go. H.

2:44:41 >> Sunny. Throw home. And he's out. He's

2:44:45 safety. He's safe. He's safe. Hampton.

2:44:50 Why didn't he slide?

2:44:51 >> Val Perez immediately calling for a

2:44:53 challenge.

2:44:57 >> Val Perez has called for it.

2:45:02 >> Yeah, they've got to challenge that.

2:45:04 >> The fans still have their challenge.

2:45:06 >> This is up to the umpires on the field.

2:45:08 By the way,

2:45:08 >> animals have their challenge and the

2:45:10 firefighters have just used theirs.

2:45:12 >> So, we'll we'll see a replay.

2:45:13 >> Let's get a replay right now.

2:45:14 >> You and I have no bearing on what this

2:45:16 call is going to be.

2:45:18 Oh, he's safe.

2:45:19 >> He is safe.

2:45:20 >> He's safe. Oh, how did Bridges not get

2:45:23 the tag in there?

2:45:24 >> Oh my goodness. He's safe.

2:45:26 >> Let's look at this here.

2:45:31 >> It's clear he's safe. Oh my goodness.

2:45:35 What a completely incredible banana ball

2:45:39 game.

2:45:40 >> The only thing I can't tell is is his

2:45:42 foot on the plate. And I can't tell it

2:45:44 from either of these angles, but you

2:45:45 would assume it would be. I mean,

2:45:48 >> here's another angle.

2:45:49 >> The crowd's chanting safe, safe, safe.

2:45:53 You can't overturn this. There's not

2:45:55 enough evidence.

2:45:55 >> There's a tag right there on his hip.

2:45:58 >> I don't see where the foot hit the back

2:46:00 or the plates, but I can't tell.

2:46:03 >> Yeah, if you can't tell, there's 14

2:46:05 seconds left in the challenge. If you

2:46:06 can't clearly tell, you cannot reverse

2:46:09 it.

2:46:10 >> Now, the It's not over. The firefighters

2:46:12 still have a shot. No matter what the

2:46:14 call is here, there is

2:46:16 This is a long replay. They have got to

2:46:19 get this right.

2:46:21 >> If they've got to go over the 60 seconds

2:46:23 allotted, they'll do it. Here's another

2:46:24 look.

2:46:25 >> Yeah, I mean, at this point, there's no

2:46:26 reason for a minute long timer. You got

2:46:27 to figure it out and get it right.

2:46:29 >> Is the foot on home plate, though?

2:46:31 >> We're going to see. Val Perez is with

2:46:32 our home plate umpire.

2:46:39 >> What's the call, Zach?

2:46:41 >> Stand safe.

2:46:45 I think I think they got it right. I I

2:46:47 don't know how the t a I don't know why

2:46:49 he didn't slide. B I don't know how the

2:46:51 tag didn't get there.

2:46:54 There's still an argument happening

2:46:55 between

2:46:56 >> Joe Meyer and all the firefighters at

2:46:58 this point.

2:46:59 >> Joe Zolo, but a lot of going on.

2:47:01 >> My fault, Joe Zolo. Sorry, Joe. A lot of

2:47:04 chos. But but now the firefighters could

2:47:06 win the game with a a home run over the

2:47:08 fence and an inside the park home run

2:47:11 >> with just one right with just one

2:47:13 fielder for the party animals would send

2:47:15 us to a second round of showdowns.

2:47:22 >> Okay. And look, I'm going to give you a

2:47:24 score update from the Savannah Bananas

2:47:25 and the Texas Tailgator. So if you if

2:47:27 you do not want to know that score, if

2:47:29 you're waiting to watch it back later,

2:47:31 mute for the next 12 seconds.

2:47:34 But final in Chapel Hill, it is a sweep

2:47:38 for the Savannah Bananas. A five to four

2:47:40 victory. They stave off the Tailgator in

2:47:43 the bottom of the ninth. The Nanners

2:47:44 have that one seed. The Texas Tailgator

2:47:47 await the outcome here. But they can

2:47:49 smell that two seed. It could very well

2:47:52 come down to trick play count.

2:47:55 Still so many scenarios, so much that

2:47:58 can happen from a seating standpoint.

2:47:59 And Zack, the Indianapolis Clowns are

2:48:01 the biggest firefighters fans in the

2:48:03 world right now. If the Firefighters

2:48:05 win, the Clowns are in the Banana Bowl

2:48:06 Open next weekend. They'll play in that

2:48:08 tournament. If the Party Animals win,

2:48:10 they're in.

2:48:10 >> The man coming up is Tiner Hughes,

2:48:14 10th round pick.

2:48:15 >> I like this call. I like that they're

2:48:16 going with Hughes here. I like this

2:48:18 call. The leadoff batter. He does have

2:48:21 some home run power in him, but you're

2:48:24 using this because of his speed.

2:48:30 Holden had some trouble locating the

2:48:32 strike zone in his first inning. Tiny

2:48:35 right field going to the track and it

2:48:38 sticks there. It's rolling back

2:48:40 >> so fast.

2:48:42 >> Is going to get home. Swan slides and

2:48:45 tripped. We're going to round two.

2:48:49 >> Wow.

2:48:59 In the biggest spot, Tiny makes the

2:49:03 impact that the firefighters needed.

2:49:09 >> Oh my gosh.

2:49:11 >> I can't breathe.

2:49:17 >> So now, folks,

2:49:20 I mean, where do the animals go here?

2:49:22 Skulls banged up.

2:49:23 >> Chase AUP has his helmet on in the back.

2:49:25 >> Skull struck out earlier. He's banged

2:49:27 up. You see Skoles jogging on the

2:49:29 infield right now.

2:49:30 >> The only way you could maybe put him up

2:49:33 is with the bases loaded

2:49:36 >> because at least there's a shot to walk

2:49:37 it off with a grand slam. You are not

2:49:40 putting him out there even with no

2:49:41 fielder because he's on one leg. Jace

2:49:43 Auff is the batter. DJ Re is in the

2:49:46 batters box. Remember a ball force

2:49:48 sprint

2:49:49 >> in the on deck circle we should say

2:49:50 >> is not a chase.

2:49:53 >> It will be AUP in the batters box.

2:49:55 Reeves on deck circle. It could be

2:49:56 Reeves in the third round.

2:49:58 >> Yep. Reeves is in the on deck because if

2:50:00 it's a ball four sprint

2:50:03 AUP is going to second and they bring up

2:50:06 another batter. There is no chase this

2:50:08 year on a ball force sprint. So you have

2:50:10 to have someone ready to go.

2:50:13 But it is one-on-one. Hmel alone against

2:50:17 Auff. No fielder.

2:50:20 Auff swing and miss.

2:50:24 Johnny Hmel has been locked in

2:50:27 completely.

2:50:27 >> A two for four today.

2:50:30 >> The O2 is thrown.

2:50:40 O2 popped up. Soft contact into foul

2:50:43 territory. Zachary Bridge is tracking.

2:50:46 It's popped out. Two rounds of showdown.

2:50:50 Shut down for Johnny Hmel.

2:50:53 And the fighters are going to have one

2:50:55 more chance.

2:50:56 >> Should be should be clear. One shut down

2:50:58 for Hmel here. Round one at a time. A

2:51:01 point of peace.

2:51:02 >> Oh, my fault.

2:51:02 >> This is the moment for Dylan Porter,

2:51:04 though, who could keep the party animals

2:51:06 in it.

2:51:07 >> Folks, that's my fault. Reese Hampton

2:51:09 scoring in round one.

2:51:11 Then Tyler Hugh scoring to answer. It is

2:51:14 not a showdown shutdown.

2:51:16 >> And Porter has to have a showdown

2:51:18 shutdown here. This is he he's coming in

2:51:20 cold now out of the bullpen. So his his

2:51:22 arms warm, but we we've not seen today.

2:51:25 And oh my goodness,

2:51:26 >> what is happening?

2:51:27 >> They'll flip

2:51:29 >> the righty Porter and keep the lefty

2:51:31 Holden out there.

2:51:34 >> You need somebody who can induce soft

2:51:36 contact,

2:51:38 >> something high in the air on the

2:51:39 infield.

2:51:41 And now Mason Maxwell screaming at the

2:51:42 party animals dugout. Here comes Val

2:51:44 Perez.

2:51:44 >> Val Perez and Mike Vasis are going to

2:51:46 have a meeting with Jake Moore and Joe

2:51:48 Solo.

2:51:49 >> So Val saying that Dylan Porter was on

2:51:51 the mount, he's got to stay out there.

2:51:54 >> Wow.

2:51:54 >> And here comes Porter back out now. Vava

2:51:56 and Val are going after it and they're

2:51:58 having a it's a cordial conversation,

2:52:00 but the the statement is okay. If the

2:52:01 party animals

2:52:03 >> already put a guy out on the mound, Mark

2:52:04 Smith's warming up, by the way. I don't

2:52:06 think they're going to go with Mark.

2:52:06 They already put a guy out there saying

2:52:09 you got to stick with him. You got to

2:52:10 stick with him in showdowns. You can't

2:52:11 play matchups here. And that's what

2:52:13 Baba's going to do. He's going to have

2:52:14 to stick with Porter.

2:52:15 >> And there are two batters helmeted up

2:52:18 for the firefighters, Daltton Cornet and

2:52:20 Logan Lacy. And Lacy has just taken the

2:52:21 helmet off. It will be Dalton Cornet.

2:52:23 >> They they wanted the lefty pistol Pete

2:52:26 against Daltton Cornette.

2:52:28 And VA just didn't see it. I I don't

2:52:30 know if he knew Cornette was the one

2:52:32 going out.

2:52:33 >> And in the end, it's Porter and

2:52:35 Cornette. two guys who won the

2:52:37 championship together, the tour

2:52:38 championship in 2023

2:52:41 with Dylan Porter on the mound

2:52:43 >> that day in Coopertown. There was no

2:52:45 bigger Dylan Porter fan than DC3. But

2:52:48 right here, right now, the firefighters

2:52:51 could end the party animals week and

2:52:54 nicks them from the Banana Ball Open,

2:52:56 sending the Indianapolis Clowns to next

2:52:58 week's tournament in Savannah. Must we

2:53:00 remind you last October Dalton Cornet in

2:53:04 round two of Showdowns took a Vulcan

2:53:06 change from Danny Hosley and sent it

2:53:08 into the seats for a showdown walk-off

2:53:12 homer. It completely ended the game.

2:53:15 Tore apart that Savannah Bananas team.

2:53:19 There is no fielder to help Dylan

2:53:21 Porter. It is one-on-one.

2:53:24 If Dalton Cornet can get something

2:53:26 rolling to the track, this game might be

2:53:27 over. If he can get one over the wall,

2:53:30 the game is over.

2:53:32 >> Let's go. Cornet into the seats.

2:53:37 >> Foul. To be clear, we saw it here in

2:53:39 Albuquerque last year. Fans can still

2:53:41 catch foul balls in showdowns.

2:53:43 >> You're right. Cuz the Texas Tailgator

2:53:45 won their first ever game off of it.

2:53:47 >> I'm Porter. Something out of the zone

2:53:49 here. Don't give Cornet anything he

2:53:51 could rip.

2:53:53 >> 01

2:53:55 Cornet. It's over.

2:53:57 >> Right back through the middle. Cornette.

2:54:01 It stops. Porter's got a shot. Cornett's

2:54:04 got to hurry.

2:54:06 Porter's going to have to make this

2:54:07 throw count for all it's worth. Throw to

2:54:10 the plate. The firefighters are the two

2:54:13 seed and the banana ball open. They win

2:54:17 showdowns.

2:54:19 Unbelievable.

2:54:23 >> That is it. The Indianapolis Clouds are

2:54:26 headed to the Banana Ball Open.

2:54:30 They had two wins entering this weekend

2:54:32 and now they're going to the Open right

2:54:34 alongside the Firefighters, the Texas

2:54:36 Tailgator, and the Savannah Bananas. The

2:54:39 defending tour champions, the defending

2:54:42 Banana Ball champions,

2:54:44 >> the firefighters

2:54:45 >> are outside looking in for next week's

2:54:48 open in Grayson Stadium.

2:54:49 >> And for the first time ever, the

2:54:51 firefighters are over 500. For the first

2:54:54 time ever, the firefighters have won

2:54:57 three straight games. And it comes at

2:54:59 the expense of the reigning champs.

2:55:02 There is still some controversy on the

2:55:04 field. Mike Fasis is having a conference

2:55:07 with the umpiring crew as the

2:55:09 firefighters are dancing behind him. Who

2:55:12 could have funk it? The four teams are

2:55:14 set and the firefighters will see you

2:55:17 Friday.

2:55:39 I mean, the firefighters just swept

2:55:42 Albuquerque. They're the first banana

2:55:43 ball team in three years now to ever

2:55:45 sweep Albuquerque.

2:55:46 >> And think about what that team just went

2:55:47 through.

2:55:48 >> It's the first time the firefighters

2:55:49 have swept the party animals. And now

2:55:50 the Animals have lost four straight five

2:55:53 straight dating back to Sacramento.

2:55:55 >> Dalton Cornett is still laying down on

2:55:58 the field.

2:56:00 >> I don't think he knows exactly what to

2:56:02 do with himself. Might very well be out

2:56:03 of breath. Remember the elevation

2:56:06 is so high up here.

2:56:10 But he's done he's done it again in a

2:56:13 massive moment.

2:56:16 >> Dalton Cornett

2:56:18 Warren's with him. All right,

2:56:20 >> Matty's going to lay down right with

2:56:21 him.

2:56:22 >> Doug Cornet, the hero. Matty, talk to

2:56:25 him.

2:56:26 >> All right, I'm just going to chill down

2:56:27 here with you because I feel like you've

2:56:28 you've earned earned this rest. You've

2:56:30 seen a lot of showdowns. What is going

2:56:33 through your mind when you're at the

2:56:35 plate knowing that this game's it's on

2:56:37 your shoulders in that moment?

2:56:38 >> I mean, honestly, I've kind of done it

2:56:39 so much now. I'm pretty confident in

2:56:40 myself on that. Uh I'm confident in the

2:56:44 showdowns and you know, for the boys, we

2:56:46 got to we got to pull it out. I was

2:56:48 talking to Donnie earlier and he was

2:56:49 saying how there's a lot of veteran

2:56:51 experience in the game of banana ball.

2:56:53 Not baseball, banana ball, but the

2:56:55 rookies have totally bought into this as

2:56:57 well. What's the secret to how things

2:56:58 have clicked so soon for this team just

2:57:01 what 10 11 games into the season?

2:57:03 >> Well, we're a family, so that that

2:57:04 changes everything. You know, the the

2:57:06 young guys have really stepped up and

2:57:07 that that's what makes us a team.

2:57:09 >> So, you swept the party animals. Second

2:57:12 sweep of the season for you guys. You're

2:57:14 clear into the tournament. What are you

2:57:17 gonna go in and do?

2:57:21 >> I don't know what we're gonna do, but

2:57:23 we're gonna celebrate. We're We're

2:57:24 excited.

2:57:25 >> All right, let's see. It's Johnny Hmel

2:57:27 over here.

2:57:28 >> Johnny Hmel.

2:57:30 >> I don't know if he's here. Let's go get

2:57:32 him.

2:57:32 >> Let's get him somehow.

2:57:36 >> Oh, we have a good offense.

2:57:37 >> They have a good offense, actually.

2:57:39 Yeah. Hey, I want to ask you this. So,

2:57:40 in showown, showdowns especially, but in

2:57:43 the games games like this where the

2:57:45 party animals come out hot, you've been

2:57:47 playing for a long time, how do you

2:57:48 balance the intensity of a game like

2:57:50 this with still playing loose and

2:57:51 playing your game?

2:57:52 >> Well, honestly, in banana ball, you got

2:57:53 to play all nine innings. Each inning is

2:57:55 its own game. Um, and I think that we we

2:57:58 do a good job of playing each inning, so

2:57:59 that's that's why we win.

2:58:00 >> All right, I got one more question for

2:58:02 you. We had a question from a kid. His

2:58:04 name's Kyle. He's 13. He wants to know

2:58:05 what your favorite video game is.

2:58:07 >> Fortnite. 100% Fortnite. Hey, there you

2:58:10 go. All right. Well, we wanted to grab

2:58:12 Johnny, but Johnny did shut it down. So,

2:58:13 does anybody have anything to say about

2:58:15 your pitcher that just threw those last

2:58:16 three innings?

2:58:17 >> We got a good pitching staff.

2:58:20 >> Yeah, good offense, good pitching staff.

2:58:21 We're going to let uh Daltton Cornette

2:58:23 rest just a little bit longer. Guys,

2:58:24 take it away,

2:58:26 >> Maddie. Thank you very much. You can

2:58:28 understand if Daltton Cornette is winded

2:58:31 and out of breath. He ran for everything

2:58:34 he's worth. That ball died in center

2:58:37 field. Dylan Porter had a shot.

2:58:38 >> He's got one of the best cannons. His

2:58:40 long toss is incredible.

2:58:43 >> Unbelievable.

2:58:45 >> So, here it is.

2:58:47 >> I I I we're we're confirmation

2:58:50 here momentarily, but let's take a look

2:58:52 at the final score graphic. You'll see

2:58:54 the showman statistics as well. We can

2:58:56 give you recap what happened here.

2:59:00 >> So, here you go. Here's the showman of

2:59:01 the night. Dalton Cornet number one two

2:59:03 for four with a triple and the

2:59:05 gamewinning hit and run in showdowns.

2:59:09 Look at this. Drake told you and I were

2:59:11 talking about this just a moment ago. 19

2:59:14 runs for the party animals in

2:59:15 regulation, nine for the firefighters.

2:59:19 That is this sport. That is what this

2:59:22 sport is all about. The firefighters

2:59:25 stuck with it

2:59:27 after being just blasted through the

2:59:30 first five innings. They were down three

2:59:32 to two and were getting just destroyed

2:59:35 in the run column. But they somehow find

2:59:37 a way to keep themselves locked in. And

2:59:40 the firefighters come down from 10 run

2:59:43 deficit to somehow walk this thing off

2:59:48 in showdowns.

2:59:50 So, we do have official confirmation. It

2:59:53 will be the Bananas as the one seed. The

2:59:55 Firefighters are the two seed and will

2:59:58 host the semifinal against the Texas

3:00:00 Tailgator. And the four seed, the

3:00:02 Indianapolis Clowns will meet the

3:00:04 Savannah Bananas.

3:00:05 >> We are waiting to make sure this is

3:00:07 confirmed. It is confirmed.

3:00:08 >> That is it.

3:00:09 >> So, the firefighters, think about this

3:00:11 from

3:00:13 just an absolute chaotic standpoint.

3:00:15 What the firefighters just did

3:00:18 >> might go down as their greatest win in

3:00:19 team history so far.

3:00:20 >> Yep.

3:00:21 >> This series might go down as the biggest

3:00:23 moment in the team's history so far

3:00:25 outside of the 9/11 tribute in New York

3:00:27 City one year ago to be able to not only

3:00:30 they were 0 and3 to start this season

3:00:32 out.

3:00:32 >> They won six of their last eight to not

3:00:35 just make the open to get to the two

3:00:37 seed and have a home game.

3:00:39 >> Yeah. So now all of a sudden it's the

3:00:41 middle children of Banana Ball going up

3:00:43 against each other and the new kids on

3:00:45 the block in the Indianapolis Clowns

3:00:47 returning for the first time in decades.

3:00:50 They'll play for a guaranteed spot in

3:00:51 the playoffs against the namesake of

3:00:54 this league in the Savannah Bananas.

3:00:56 These are the Banana Ball Open

3:00:57 standings, of course, presented to you

3:00:59 by our good friends at Geico.

3:01:01 >> And let's hold this graphic for another

3:01:03 second here. What you'll see is the

3:01:04 clowns, the coconuts, and the party

3:01:06 animals are all tied at four and seven.

3:01:08 So your first thought is why aren't the

3:01:10 party animals in? Why aren't the co the

3:01:12 coconuts in over Indianapolis? Reason

3:01:15 being now what you do with three tied

3:01:17 teams is take their combined record

3:01:20 against the other two. So for the party

3:01:22 animals, their combined record against

3:01:23 the clowns and coconuts and all

3:01:24 throughout those three squads if you do.

3:01:26 So the Indianapolis Clowns sitting at 4

3:01:29 and seven after sweeping the Coconuts,

3:01:32 they are in the banana ball open at 4

3:01:35 and seven just behind the Texas

3:01:37 Tailgator, firefighters, and bananas.

3:01:39 >> It's one of those instances really where

3:01:40 the Coconuts only playing four games

3:01:42 against those combined teams hurt them

3:01:44 in the end because they did not have a

3:01:46 chance to pick up that third win. So

3:01:48 here we are. This is the open semi-final

3:01:51 number one. The Savannah Bananas against

3:01:54 the Indianapolis Clowns. A rematch from

3:01:56 Anaheim just a couple of weeks ago on

3:01:58 April 16th. April 17th. Let's do this

3:02:01 thing again between the Texas Tailgator

3:02:05 and the Firefighters. The teams that met

3:02:07 in the first firefighter headliner back

3:02:10 in Richmond, Virginia are going to do

3:02:12 this dance one more time in Grayson

3:02:14 Stadium. The winner of those two games

3:02:16 will meet in a twoame series for the

3:02:19 Banana Ball Open Championship. If there

3:02:21 is any sort of split in those two games,

3:02:24 we're going to do what we just did again

3:02:25 with a showdown tiebreakers. We welcome

3:02:27 you back up here inside the Dispatch

3:02:29 Center. It's Drake to Tol Zack State.

3:02:30 And Drake, chaos erupted all over this

3:02:33 league today.

3:02:33 >> Yeah, a glaring omission from those four

3:02:36 teams, the defending champion party

3:02:37 animals, who will not be in the Banana

3:02:38 Ball Open next weekend. So, I mean,

3:02:40 look, there are there are layers to

3:02:42 this. All right, here's layer number one

3:02:43 that I think about in the wake of this

3:02:44 loss is there are fans who really wanted

3:02:46 to see their favorite team, the Party

3:02:48 Animals next weekend. They were geared

3:02:49 up for Savannah and now due to this loss

3:02:51 and due to the way the team has

3:02:52 performed at 4 and seven, they will not

3:02:54 be there. There are fans that were so

3:02:56 excited to see these guys and they fell

3:02:58 short. And while that pressure is still

3:02:59 certainly there, I want to be clear,

3:03:02 just like in Major League Baseball where

3:03:03 the Seattle Mariners are 5-1 or the

3:03:05 Detroit Tigers are 4 and 12, there are

3:03:09 great baseball teams, great sports teams

3:03:11 in a season that is 60 games, 162 games

3:03:14 in anything with that kind of length,

3:03:17 you're going to have moments like this,

3:03:18 stretches like this. The Party Animals,

3:03:20 their pitching staff is just not ready

3:03:22 to compete for a championship. That has

3:03:23 been clear that that that's been the

3:03:25 issue. 19 runs today. Didn't lose you

3:03:27 the game. The pitching staff is not

3:03:29 ready yet. But you know what? 60 games,

3:03:32 you're good. And I think that's the

3:03:33 message from Mike Vases, Anthony

3:03:35 Cormato, Thomas Simino's guys. Hey, next

3:03:38 weekend you get a breath.

3:03:39 >> Take that breath. Use it alongside the

3:03:42 Loco Beach Coconuts who were so piping

3:03:44 hot and now they're out of the open.

3:03:46 Both these squads use that breath. And

3:03:48 guess what? The real tournament, the end

3:03:50 of season tournament, the championship

3:03:51 that's on the line, that doesn't happen

3:03:53 until October. You've got time to settle

3:03:56 in between now and then. Of course, if

3:03:58 you're the firefighters, you want to win

3:03:59 the open. You team, you four teams that

3:04:01 made it, congratulations. Go be great.

3:04:03 But the party animals, you reset your

3:04:05 mindset. You say, "Hey, look, this might

3:04:06 feel like a big setback." It's really

3:04:08 not. There's a ton of season to play.

3:04:10 >> A couple things to go off that. Number

3:04:11 one, you also get the chance to get Jake

3:04:13 Skull healthy.

3:04:13 >> Yeah. And we're not we're not a fourth

3:04:14 of the way through the season yet.

3:04:16 There's still so much to play for. Not

3:04:18 to dilute what the other four have done,

3:04:21 but just to be clear of how the party

3:04:22 animals must attack this from here on

3:04:23 out. To me, the biggest storyline out of

3:04:25 that outside the party animals is the

3:04:26 fact the clowns had the toughest path to

3:04:29 getting into the Banana Ball Open. They

3:04:30 had to sweep the Coconuts and then have

3:04:32 a lot of things go right for them. And

3:04:35 somehow someway, the banana ball gods

3:04:37 >> had it break their way. And the

3:04:38 firefighters jump all the way to the two

3:04:40 seed and somehow the Clowns are in this

3:04:42 bad boy.

3:04:43 >> Mona Davis has never lost a banana ball

3:04:44 game. Correct. She's never lost a banana

3:04:46 ball game.

3:04:47 >> Coincidence? I think not.

3:04:49 >> I think not. And they also have not lost

3:04:50 a banana ball game in the state of South

3:04:52 Carolina. So again, the teams are set.

3:04:54 Savannah Bananas, Firefighters, Texas

3:04:56 Tailgator, and the Indianapolis Clowns

3:04:58 are your four teams that will play for a

3:05:00 guaranteed spot in the Banana Ball

3:05:02 World.

3:05:03 >> Take my I can take this off. I can wear

3:05:04 my swim trunks next weekend.

3:05:06 >> Go take a break. Go to Tybee Island or

3:05:07 another place.

3:05:08 >> All right.

3:05:09 >> This has been a beer or two if that's

3:05:10 okay with you.

3:05:11 >> You go for it, baby. This has been an

3:05:13 unbelievable weekend here in

3:05:14 Albuquerque, New Mexico. The

3:05:16 firefighters for the first time ever,

3:05:18 three-game win streak, first time ever,

3:05:20 are above 500. It's been awesome with

3:05:22 Drake Tol this weekend. My first time

3:05:24 ever working with them. We'll do it

3:05:25 again here.

3:05:26 >> Pleasure, my friend. You're the best

3:05:27 that we've got. You are incredible.

3:05:28 You're a great brand ambassador for the

3:05:30 firefighters. Thanks for a great

3:05:31 Albuquerque

3:05:33 >> for the wonderful Matty Warren down on

3:05:34 the field. The great Alex Gross

3:05:36 directing this bad boy. Mohawk Mike, his

3:05:38 wonderful, I believe he said friend

3:05:40 Patricia whose favorite team was a party

3:05:42 animals.

3:05:43 >> Nice.

3:05:44 >> Now the firefighters. He just told me to

3:05:45 say that. Great.

3:05:46 >> Well, Patricia, it was fun while it

3:05:47 lasted.

3:05:48 >> Yes, it was. Patricia, thanks so much

3:05:49 for watching. For all the great folks

3:05:51 here at the truck this weekend who have

3:05:53 done an unbelievable job led by Alex, we

3:05:55 thank you so much for coming out here

3:05:56 and putting in the work that you did for

3:05:58 Drake Tol. I'm Zach Stton. The

3:06:00 firefighters are in. The four teams are

3:06:02 set. We'll see you next week in Grayson

3:06:05 Stadium. Until then, I'll tell them to

3:06:07 party on and fire up, baby. See you on

3:06:11 Thursday and Friday.

3:06:23 the shadow of your beast tonight.

3:06:30 Let me be the superhero

3:06:33 in this fight.

3:06:40 And that is not an option. This is what

3:06:43 I'm made of. And you will never ever

3:06:51 sitting on the th

3:07:24 Hey,