Indianapolis Clowns @ Savannah Bananas

0:00 so far and what's to come to your

0:01 career.

0:03 And months later,

0:04 it still feels nearly unbelievable. So

0:07 now is the first time I heard my name

0:08 actually get called in a draft before

0:09 cuz I went undrafted in college.

0:12 Making the feat perhaps even more

0:14 remarkable, I actually committed to

0:16 Division III school at Curry before even

0:17 playing a single varsity inning. Going

0:19 from nearly no varsity playing time due

0:21 to an injury to one call away from the

0:24 big leagues, it may sound impossible,

0:26 but David has a history of overcoming

0:29 the odds. So I was born with a condition

0:32 called cholesteatoma, which is kind of

0:34 like excess dead skin cells that will

0:36 grow in your ear over time. And if it

0:39 goes untreated, you could lose all your

0:41 hearing.

0:44 A condition that despite countless

0:46 surgeries, even moving skin from his arm

0:49 to his ear, has left him 75% deaf in one

0:52 ear. And at times, has plagued him on

0:55 the mound.

0:56 I essentially pitched my entire AAA

0:58 season with a small dose of vertigo

1:00 essentially, where like doing the same

1:02 thing over and over felt different every

1:03 single time.

1:05 Impacting his ability to play the game

1:07 he loved. And growing up, leaving him

1:10 with a desire to simply fit in. My dad

1:13 for the longest time wanted me to get

1:15 like a hearing aid or the cochlear

1:17 implant, stuff like that. And I was just

1:19 so against it. I'm like, I want to I

1:21 want to be normal. I don't want to stand

1:23 out and stuff like that.

1:26 Well, David would learn to play through

1:27 it. If you can survive this, you can

1:29 survive anything at this point. So I

1:31 think that was the biggest kind of

1:32 takeaway of it all. More importantly,

1:34 he'd learn how to live with it out loud.

1:36 It's ironic now that the bananas are

1:38 like, "Hey, if you got something like

1:41 show it." And I think it's now like not

1:44 being afraid and then more like

1:45 embracing what you have that's

1:46 different. That what makes you so good.

1:48 Makes you so great and stuff like that.

1:49 And I think showing kids like, "Yeah,

1:51 you might have a hearing deficit. You

1:53 might have like something another a

1:54 different kind of deficit or disability,

1:56 but like

1:57 there are still ways to adapt and still

1:58 become the best version of yourself.

2:01 David realizing the best and biggest

2:03 moments in his own life never relied on

2:05 what he could hear.

2:09 But rather,

2:11 who he was with.

2:12 It was the first time where I really got

2:13 to have um

2:16 everyone that supported me through the

2:17 years like family, friends, baseball

2:19 uh teammates, stuff like that. Like it

2:21 was a nice combination of my career so

2:24 far to still celebrate with everyone.

2:27 Which means he knows firsthand the true

2:29 sound of joy isn't something you simply

2:31 hear

2:32 but instead,

2:34 it's something you feel.

2:38 That is nice.

2:40 That's nice.

2:42 Got some nice sag on that cord now.

2:47 Just how I like it.

2:54 Guys, the wait is finally over. The

2:56 Clowns are back and Banana Ball spring

2:59 training has also kicked off. So that

3:01 also means former World Series champion

3:03 Jackie Bradley Jr. is getting ready for

3:05 his first season of Banana Ball.

3:07 >> This is

3:08 not a hoax. This year I am a full-time

3:11 Banana Ball player.

3:12 >> And Jackie decided to join Banana Ball

3:14 thanks to a phone call from Bananas

3:16 owner Jesse Cole who said this may be

3:18 impossible and he explains why he

3:20 decided to bring his talents to Banana

3:22 Land. I trust in the vision. I trust in

3:24 what he's trying to accomplish.

3:27 Obviously, we're competing for

3:29 the hearts of the fans. Entertaining

3:33 them is

3:34 our main objective

3:36 and trying to do things that's never

3:38 been done before. So if you go to an

3:39 Indianapolis Clowns game, you'll see the

3:41 former Gold Glover out there embracing

3:43 everything that comes with Banana Ball.

3:45 Um I'm I'm fully bought into the the

3:48 entertaining and trying to do things

3:50 that's never been done before. Now

3:52 Jackie won't be the only former World

3:54 Series champion joining the Clowns this

3:55 season. Ryan Howard, a 2008 World Series

3:58 champion, will join the Clowns as a

4:00 primetime head coach. And he made his

4:02 expectations clear for his squad.

4:04 >> It is some Clowns that's coming and we

4:05 not clowning around, you know what I'm

4:07 saying? What rhymes with clown? Crown.

4:09 And that's what's going to happen. We

4:10 going to take this crown at the end of

4:11 the year. And Jackie said having a coach

4:13 like Ryan Howard who understands what it

4:15 takes to win it all can only help the

4:17 Clowns even more.

4:18 >> But to be able to sit down with him and

4:21 kind of dig deep into the um the depth

4:24 of his his knowledge of the game is is

4:27 something that I think we're all going

4:28 to look forward to. So, as the 2026

4:30 Banana Ball Championship League gets

4:32 ready to kick off, get ready to see a

4:34 side of Jackie Bradley Jr. and a version

4:36 of the Indianapolis Clowns like you've

4:38 never seen them before. Yet another

4:40 history-making night here in Banana

4:42 Ball. It wasn't just the first

4:43 headlining game for the Local Beach

4:45 Coconut, but this night belongs to the

4:47 Indianapolis Clowns. They've recorded 22

4:50 hits, a new Banana Ball record in just

4:53 one game. But then, the South Carolina

4:56 back-to-back national champion, Jackie

4:58 Bradley Jr., went crazy. Had six RBIs,

5:02 four-for-four at the plate. By the way,

5:04 he hit for the cycle. It's over HIS HEAD

5:06 AND OVER THE WALL!

5:08 IT'S A CYCLE FOR JACKIE BRADLEY JR.!

5:11 >> It's amazing to be back. Like I said,

5:12 I've always said it feels like a second

5:14 home. I was up from Virginia, spend a

5:16 lot of time in South Carolina. So, it's

5:18 good to be back. He wasn't the only

5:20 person turning heads. Mo'ne Davis, the

5:22 superstar from the Little League World

5:24 Series, made her Banana Ball debut this

5:27 night. And after just two pitches,

5:29 recorded her first out.

5:31 >> I'm excited to get back out there. I had

5:32 so much fun. I got to throw my my

5:34 changeup, my splitter, so I feel good.

5:36 Just to inspire other girls, to let them

5:38 know, you know, there's you can do this.

5:41 You know, there's girls on every single

5:42 team that you can do whatever you put

5:44 your mind to. The Clowns dominated this

5:46 first game of the series. Another

5:47 example of that you'll never know what

5:49 you can expect at a Banana Ball game.

6:43 All roads lead to the Banana Ball Open.

6:45 Top four teams will battle it out for a

6:47 guaranteed spot in the playoffs. The

6:49 Texas Tailgaters, the Fire Fighters,

6:52 and the Banana Ball Open.

6:54 The Savannah Bananas.

6:55 >> The Indianapolis Clowns secure a spot in

6:57 the Banana Ball Open. We can expect a

7:00 whole lot of fireworks. IT'S GONE!

7:02 BACKFLIP CATCH MAKES THE BALL DISAPPEAR.

7:05 >> OH MY GOSH, HOW IN THE WORLD

7:07 >> YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR MIND! LET'S GO!

7:09 Let's go!

7:10 Let's go!

7:11 Unbelievable!

7:13 KYLE JACKSON! HIT for the cycle! It's a

7:17 cycle for Jackie BRADLEY JR. 22 hits in

7:20 a game. Banana Ball history! Where else

7:23 would you rather be?

7:30 It is game one of the Banana Ball Open

7:33 presented by GEICO and it is win or go

7:36 home. The number one seed, the Savannah

7:38 Bananas, come in scorching hot riding a

7:40 league best six-game winning streak

7:43 thanks in part to the heroics of early

7:45 MVP candidate Kyle Jackson, Banana

7:47 Ball's player of the month in March.

7:49 Well, the number four seed, the

7:50 Indianapolis Clowns, bashed their way

7:52 into the Open with a sweep of the Loco

7:54 Beach Coconut's last weekend, powered by

7:56 Banana Ball's player of the week, Jackie

7:59 Bradley Jr., who became only the third

8:01 player in the history of the sport to

8:03 ever hit for the cycle. The winner

8:05 tonight plays in the Open Championship

8:07 on Saturday night. The loser goes home.

8:10 And how lucky are we to get to bear

8:12 witness to this titanic clash here on a

8:15 thirsty Thursday in historic Grayson

8:18 Stadium. The 10 and 1 Savannah Bananas

8:21 against the 4 and 7 Indianapolis Clowns.

8:25 Only the third time ever these two teams

8:27 have done battle as we welcome you

8:28 inside with Josh Tolewski, Biko Skala.

8:31 Thank you so much for spending your

8:33 Thursday night with us here in virtual

8:35 Banana Land. The Clowns coming into last

8:37 weekend just 2 and 7. They sweep the

8:40 Coconuts and now they get to take on the

8:42 best team in the sport.

8:43 >> And they are certainly the Banana Ball

8:45 Open Cinderella story. And judging by

8:47 what we saw in the Firefighters in the

8:49 Tour Championship last season, we know

8:51 that these Cinderella teams can really

8:53 go on some crazy runs and the Clowns

8:56 have a lot of momentum in their favor at

8:58 the moment. But as for the Savannah

9:00 Bananas, 10 and 1 this season, leading

9:02 the pack amongst the teams in the Banana

9:04 Ball Championship League, and in large

9:06 part due to their pitching and they hope

9:08 that leads them into the finals on

9:10 Saturday and Sunday. Let's talk about

9:12 how this Banana Ball Open works because

9:15 it is going to be single elimination

9:17 here in the semis as you can see tonight

9:19 and tomorrow night when it will be the

9:21 Tailgaters and Firefighters clashing.

9:24 And then in the finals, it is a two-game

9:26 series. If you split the two games, it

9:29 immediately goes to showdown tiebreakers

9:31 after game two on Sunday afternoon to

9:34 decide the series. Of course, the winner

9:36 of the Open clinches a playoff spot come

9:39 October.

9:39 >> I mean, you've never seen anything like

9:41 this in sports before. Being able to

9:43 clinch a playoff spot this early in the

9:45 season, it only happens in Banana Ball.

9:48 And one other note that fans should

9:50 know, as far as the finals are concerned

9:52 on the 18th and 19th, in game two, the

9:54 teams will switch as the home and away

9:57 team, which adds another interesting

9:59 wrinkle into this format. We've talked

10:02 about the bracket. It helps to visualize

10:04 it. So, let's take a look. It's going to

10:06 be the four seed Indianapolis Clowns

10:08 taking on, of course, the number one

10:10 overall seed, the Savannah Bananas, here

10:11 tonight. And then tomorrow evening,

10:13 right here on the Banana Ball YouTube

10:15 channel, you get to see the two seed

10:17 Firefighters coming off their two-game

10:19 sweep of the Party Animals against the

10:22 Texas Tailgaters, who went into last

10:24 weekend as the number two overall seed,

10:26 of course, were swept by the Bananas,

10:28 and that's why they will be the away

10:29 team tomorrow night against the

10:31 Firefighters. Truly fascinating to see

10:33 how this thing goes.

10:35 >> And we've got to shift our focus back to

10:37 the Indianapolis Clowns, because it has

10:39 been a roller coaster journey going all

10:41 the way back to the second game in

10:42 Banana Ball Championship League history

10:44 about Jackie Bradley Jr. closing out the

10:46 first inning of action with his first

10:48 ever trick play, and then Jaylen

10:49 Vasquez, the punctuation mark on a

10:51 five-run second. This team came out of

10:53 the gates absolutely roaring on opening

10:56 night. And Jackie Bradley Jr. was also a

10:58 part of that as well, collecting his

11:00 first Banana Ball hit in the fourth

11:02 inning, bringing two runs into the

11:03 plate. And you know what? He even had

11:06 two trick plays in the ballgame as well

11:08 for the Indianapolis Clowns. Pitcher

11:10 Pauly Doran dazzled with the knuckleball

11:12 striking out defending MVP Jake Skole.

11:15 And Nick Wilson, he was the man who was

11:18 made the closer at the start of the

11:19 season and was able to get the Clowns

11:22 the save and the win in their very first

11:24 game in Banana Ball.

11:26 >> Yes, surviving the big boppers in that

11:27 powerful Party Animals lineup at that.

11:30 But the Clowns then would take on the

11:32 Party Animals the next week at the

11:33 Memphis. They would get swept, so they

11:35 come into Montgomery, Alabama trying to

11:37 turn the tides, and David Griffin in his

11:40 lone relief appearance this year,

11:42 downright disgusting. He was filthy

11:45 across three innings of relief showing

11:47 off the skills with the glove as well.

11:49 Really incredible reflexes. And then it

11:51 was Jaylen Vasquez again with the game

11:53 tied at three in the ninth. His second

11:55 career homer, it's a massive one again.

11:57 And I'm willing to say they're the two

11:58 biggest home runs in Clowns history.

12:00 That go-ahead shot against Ben Dum and

12:03 of course the first home run in Clowns

12:04 history on opening night. ONCE AGAIN,

12:07 VASQUEZ SETTING up Nick Wilson, and he

12:09 earned them their second win of the

12:11 season against the Firefighters.

12:13 >> was two scoreless innings of relief for

12:15 Nick Wilson in that one. But then, after

12:17 being swept by the Tailgaters and

12:19 Bananas, four straight losses, they go

12:21 into last week two and seven, and Jackie

12:23 Bradley Jr. says, "GET ON MY BACK. WE

12:25 ARE CHUGGING through the Loco Beach

12:27 Coconuts this weekend." A triple, a

12:29 single, now the two-run home run. He

12:32 drove in six in this game. That tied the

12:34 single-game Banana Ball record. And then

12:36 in the seventh, he put the double on the

12:38 board as well. The third player all time

12:40 to ever hit for the cycle in Banana

12:42 Ball.

12:42 >> Yeah, and he was justifiably named the

12:44 player of the week last week in Banana

12:46 Ball. And it was a dominating seven to

12:48 two win for Indianapolis on night one.

12:51 That would set up game two, and how

12:53 about Joe Lidle opening up some more

12:56 scoring for the Indianapolis Clowns.

12:58 They were without him two weeks ago in

13:00 Anaheim, but he's batting over .400 for

13:03 this squad. Another offensive leader.

13:06 And Brett Maddox also dazzled on the

13:08 mound in relief for the Clowns.

13:10 >> Yeah, two scoreless innings of relief

13:12 for Maddox. The same goes for Gage

13:13 Voorhees, who gets his first save as an

13:16 Indianapolis Clown. What a snag by Nico

13:19 Hoerner at her closeout. And Mo'ne Davis

13:20 in her debut weekend gets to go two and

13:22 0. Zooming in on Jackie Bradley Jr.

13:25 because the highlights are one thing,

13:27 the numbers are another for the two-time

13:29 World Series champion. It should not be

13:31 a surprise that he is pacing the tour 11

13:33 games in with those 18 hits and 16 runs

13:36 driven in and then still top three in

13:38 homers, runs, and total bases.

13:40 >> And again, he comes into this series as

13:41 hot as he's ever been in his young

13:43 Banana Ball career. Six runs batted in

13:46 last weekend, everybody thought he'd be

13:48 a Rookie of the Year favorite. He is

13:50 turning into an MVP favorite for the

13:53 Indianapolis Clowns all of a sudden. And

13:55 for more with Jackie Bradley Jr., we're

13:58 going to send it down to Nate Bargeray.

14:04 Thanks, guys. I'm here with a former MLB

14:06 Gold Glover, All-Star, and World Series

14:09 champion with the Boston Red Sox turned

14:11 full-time Banana Baller, Jackie Bradley

14:13 Jr. JBJ, so we've seen you a couple of

14:16 times pull out what could potentially be

14:18 a signature trick play in the Naruto run

14:21 that I just tried to emulate. Why

14:23 Naruto?

14:24 Naruto's pretty special. He's a young

14:26 kid who's want to be head Hokage one day

14:29 and I think he sets his goals really

14:31 high. And I'm at the point now where I'm

14:34 kind of looking at the video and I'm

14:35 hoping that he's accomplishing them.

14:37 What are your Naruto-like goals for

14:38 Banana Ball this year?

14:40 Ultimately, I I want to entertain the

14:42 fans, you know, put a smile on some

14:44 kids' faces and hopefully bring their

14:46 parents back so they can keep bringing

14:47 the kids and just having some fun. And

14:51 with that comes winning. Winning is fun.

14:54 Winning is fun indeed. I want to go back

14:55 to your playing days cuz obviously

14:57 professional baseball, this is as pro as

14:58 it gets, but there's so many added

15:00 elements. When you were playing regular

15:01 ball compared with Banana Ball, what's

15:03 one element that you just never would

15:05 have even dreamed about doing that's now

15:07 part of your daily routine? The

15:09 entertainment side of things, it's

15:10 that's something that's completely new

15:12 to me. I'm a I'm an introvert at heart,

15:15 but this has been able to bring out a

15:16 side of me that I didn't even know it

15:18 was that was deep down in there. I don't

15:20 really focus so much on the the baseball

15:23 aspect of things, which is good because

15:25 there's no pressure. Just try to have

15:26 some fun and get the things done. Well,

15:29 I feel like extrovert JBJ's been killing

15:31 it so far this season. I'm excited to

15:32 see what you got in store for us. Josh

15:34 Biko, back to you guys.

15:37 Thank you very much, Nate. Always

15:39 awesome getting some insight from Jackie

15:42 Bradley Jr. Superstar here through 11

15:45 games in his young Banana Ball career.

15:48 And JBJ, plus his entire team coming out

15:51 onto THE FIELD. IVAN TREZAK JUST TOOK A

15:53 SPILL. Let's zoom in. How we get down

15:55 coming through the crowd trying to get

15:57 YOU LOUD. IT'S ABOUT THAT TIME THAT WE

15:59 reintroduce them what WE WORKING WITH.

16:02 LET me see your hands if you're repping

16:04 the Annapolis.

16:06 Yeah, we back and even better players

16:08 flipping through the air and don't you

16:10 dare TRY TO CATCH THE CATCHES that we

16:12 making is the ball hitting the leather.

16:14 Now you out. Bring them out. Next hitter

16:16 better step up. Stepping up is all we

16:19 know and playing under the pressure.

16:21 It's resilience. Can you feel it? Can

16:22 nobody do it better, Yeah.

16:25 y'all. We've been gone way too long,

16:27 but we back and that's a fact. We the

16:29 clowns that we hold.

16:31 Yeah.

17:17 >> Hey.

18:48 Hey.

19:01 Hey.

19:16 >> All right. Oh, it is fun to watch the

19:18 Indianapolis Clowns do their shadow ball

19:21 introduction. Malachi Mitchell

19:24 putting the bow on top. AND OH, THERE

19:26 GOES I'VE traded Zachary, director of

19:28 creative content. I talked about it.

19:30 Toss it down to the clowns. We get the

19:33 POV from I've camera.

19:37 Clowning around down there. Okay, let's

19:39 take a look at JBJ first KJ because the

19:42 similarities are eerie. Going down to

19:45 the bottom of this graphic right here,

19:47 they were both born on April 19th. KJ

19:50 just a dozen years after Jackie Bradley

19:51 Jr. But look, that's not the only thing

19:53 that they have in common. You see both

19:55 of these guys batting 400 or better this

19:57 season with OPS numbers north of 1,000.

20:01 Each with a trio of home runs this year.

20:04 And what's more, both of these guys have

20:06 completed cycles this season. KJ the

20:09 second player ever to do it. JBJ the

20:11 third. And Kyle Jackson actually came

20:14 against Bradley Jr.'s Indianapolis

20:16 Clowns on March 28th in Anaheim. We've

20:19 talked about the Clowns MVP candidate in

20:21 Jackie Bradley Jr. Let's set our sights

20:24 on the Bananas early MVP candidate in

20:26 Kyle Jackson. Still 23 years young for a

20:30 few days here in the Banana Ball Open.

20:32 And KJ has been doing it with every part

20:34 of the game. Starts with the power. He

20:36 had the inning winning home run back in

20:39 Tallahassee, first game of the year for

20:40 the Bananas. And then this is why he's a

20:42 perfect Tyler Gillum baseball player

20:45 because he is a absolute maniac on the

20:48 base paths. Pressure burst pipes. And

20:51 while he forces errors on the base

20:52 paths, he has not made an error

20:54 defensively. Well, he knew he was

20:55 stepping into a bigger role with the

20:56 Bananas this season. Last year very much

20:59 a team first guy and focused on his

21:01 on-base percentage. Only three home runs

21:03 in 2025. He's already got three home

21:06 runs through a month and some change for

21:08 the Savannah Bananas. A great defender

21:10 in the middle of the pack when it comes

21:12 to trick plays towards the top on the

21:14 Bananas team. And what's more, you

21:16 talked about the base running, this guy

21:18 is uber aggressive and he is a dirt bag

21:21 when he is on the diamond.

21:22 >> And naturally, it's tough to have a

21:24 weekend of Banana Ball without a

21:26 specialty walk-up for Kyle Jackson, a

21:29 superstar truly in every aspect of our

21:32 sport of Banana Ball. And on the mound

21:35 for the Nanners tonight, another young

21:37 star for this squad, the number four

21:39 overall pick in the 2026 Banana Ball

21:42 Player Draft, the Nanners first rounder,

21:44 Austin Drury, coming from the Dodgers

21:46 minor league system, a few years of Indy

21:47 pro ball, and he has lived up to the

21:49 billing early on.

21:50 >> Look, he comes out of that Dodgers

21:51 system and we have seen the talent that

21:53 they have brought up to the bigs in

21:55 recent seasons. Drury, he didn't even

21:57 expect to be a first round pick, but

22:00 nonetheless, he has excelled for the

22:02 Bananas, leading the Banana Ball

22:04 Championship in wins, strikeout, and

22:07 strikeout to ball four sprint rate. And

22:09 you see at the edge of your screen, a

22:11 27% strikeout rate. It is not tops in

22:15 the league, but that is the best mark

22:17 amongst all qualified starting pitchers.

22:20 >> Yeah, the only four pitchers with a

22:21 higher strikeout percentage than Drury

22:23 are all primary relievers. One of them

22:26 is Nick Wilson, and how lucky are we to

22:28 have Nick Wilson against Austin Drury

22:30 tonight. Nick only making his second

22:32 career start for the Clowns.

22:33 >> Yeah, but what you don't want to forget

22:34 about Nick Wilson, this was the guy who

22:36 was the Friday night starter at Angelo

22:38 State last season in his final

22:40 collegiate season. So, he was a

22:42 front-line guy and knows how to pitch in

22:44 these situations. He fills up the zone

22:47 very well, and once again, Austin Drury

22:50 excelling in pretty much every mark in

22:52 this rookie campaign, and even averaging

22:54 his three outs in 4 minutes and 15

22:56 seconds, which is still better than the

22:59 tour average right now.

23:00 >> And as credible, as incredible as the

23:02 numbers are that you see on your screen

23:04 right there, every other number you can

23:05 find on bananaball.com/stats

23:08 for these two guys, they are also

23:10 prolific when it comes to goofiness on

23:12 the mound. And that's very important in

23:14 Banana Ball as well. Nick Wilson

23:16 starting his first ever game as a clown

23:20 last weekend. Now he gets career start

23:22 for the Clowns number two. And a guy who

23:25 started this year as the closer. We

23:27 talked about it earlier here on the

23:28 pregame show. He closed out the Clowns

23:30 first ever win in Banana Ball. But look,

23:32 this guy is checking all the boxes as

23:34 far as Banana Ball's concerned. He is

23:36 top five in the Banana Ball Championship

23:38 League when it comes to the average time

23:40 it takes him to record three outs. A

23:41 heck of AN ENTERTAINER AS WELL. You have

23:43 seen the disco moves on the mound with

23:45 Nick Wilson out there. And you see he's

23:48 striking out 29% of batters that he's

23:51 faced this season. The Clowns have had

23:53 trouble with Ball Four sprints, but that

23:55 is not a worry with Wilson getting the

23:57 ball from the get-go.

23:58 >> Okay, we've talked about the stars, both

24:00 offensively and on the mound. Let's zoom

24:03 out now, and from a team perspective,

24:05 what are the keys to the game for the

24:07 Clowns and the Bananas?

24:08 >> Well, starting with the Clowns, last

24:10 weekend against the Coconuts, they had

24:11 31 hits, 11 of which were extra base

24:14 hits. This team was swinging the stick

24:16 as good as any team has in a single

24:18 weekend this year. So the Clowns hoping

24:21 that they can continue that offensive

24:23 production. And the pitching staff took

24:25 a big leap as well. Only four sprints

24:28 allowed, and they countered that with 12

24:30 strikeouts. So that was a great ratio,

24:32 and you see through the first nine

24:34 games, it was almost one to one, which

24:36 is not ideal in Banana Ball.

24:38 >> No, it is not. Now we switch over to the

24:40 Bananas, and they have that timely

24:42 hitting all season long. A .336 batting

24:45 average with runners in scoring

24:46 position, second best in the Banana Ball

24:48 Championship League. They've had timely

24:50 Ball Four sprints as well, and they are

24:53 leading the Banana Ball Championship

24:54 League with their 41 stolen bases. The

24:57 Clowns are in second and they have 17

25:00 fewer than the Savannah Bananas. So,

25:02 this team has been running buck wild and

25:05 the Clowns are still yet to throw out a

25:07 base runner this year. So, the Bananas

25:09 are going to make it tough on them.

25:11 Yeah, it'll be fascinating to see Joe

25:13 Lidle behind the dish here tonight as

25:15 you talked about earlier. He was not in

25:17 Angel Stadium when these two teams faced

25:19 off three weekends ago. When it comes to

25:21 the Savannah Bananas in 20 or across the

25:24 past year, when you are playing teams

25:27 that are not the Party Animals, it has

25:29 been really hard to beat this Nanners

25:31 squad. In the regular season, they have

25:33 a 36 and four record, which is just

25:35 flabbergasting. And not only that, the

25:38 team has an OPS north of 900. They're

25:41 averaging six and nearly six and a half

25:43 runs per game. The pitching staff has

25:46 been phenomenal over a two to one

25:48 strikeout to ball four split ratio. But

25:51 look, despite that 36 and four record in

25:53 the regular season, you can't forget in

25:55 the Tour Championship, the Bananas went

25:58 one and one against the Firefighters and

26:00 lost that series in showdown

26:02 tiebreakers. This is a single game

26:04 elimination game, so anything can happen

26:07 and the Bananas cannot take anything for

26:09 granted tonight. And in game one of the

26:12 playoffs last year, if it was single

26:14 elimination, the Nanners would have been

26:16 cooked because the Firefighters took

26:18 that first game of the two-game set.

26:20 Well, all the numbers can explain a

26:22 whole lot about why the Bananas have had

26:24 success, but you cannot qualify Reginald

26:27 Horton. Well, let's zoom in on that,

26:29 Sam.

26:30 Grayson Stadium has stood for a century.

26:33 Icons of baseball have played on this

26:35 diamond. But for the past 25 years, one

26:38 man has brought a legendary amount of

26:40 energy to the ballpark, Reggie Horton.

26:43 The current motivational coach for the

26:44 Bananas is celebrating his 25th year

26:47 working at Grayson.

26:49 Words cannot describe how fun this is.

26:51 This is legendary. Before the trick

26:54 plays, the viral moments, before the

26:56 yellow jerseys, Reggie Horton was

26:58 working at Grayson. In the past 25

27:00 years, the Bananas coach has never had a

27:03 bad day. Not like a day off. You have

27:05 never had a bad day working at Grayson.

27:07 >> Not at no. Hey, Dr. Fun. From his

27:10 dancing to his constant positivity,

27:13 Coach Horton has become one of the most

27:15 important people in the organization.

27:17 So, he started working here the year I

27:18 was born. And you know, I think when I

27:20 was born, like I felt that energy from

27:22 him. The energy he brings every day for

27:23 25 years, it doesn't matter what he's

27:26 doing, filling up coolers, taking out

27:27 the trash, hyping us up, man. He's

27:29 always going to have a smile on his

27:30 face, and that's what we love most about

27:32 him.

27:32 >> He could be on mile 25 of him walking

27:34 around the stadium, but he's smiling,

27:36 having a good time, bringing good

27:37 energy, no matter what the day is, no

27:38 matter what the weather is. So, just a a

27:40 constant light for our team, for our

27:42 organization, for all the fans that come

27:43 to the game. Come on!

27:47 How does the coach inspire his team?

27:49 It's a pretty simple formula. Keep them

27:50 accountable, keep them locked in, keep

27:53 them energized. There's a bond with

27:55 Coach Reggie that's undeniable. He's

27:57 part of the Bananas extended family. You

27:59 know, taking him to lunch one day, or

28:01 driving him home after a late night,

28:03 whatever that scenario is, whatever

28:04 Reggie needs, these guys got him, and

28:06 these guys take care of him, and uh you

28:08 know, he's like our brother, you know.

28:09 So, he's part of the family. In fact,

28:11 head coach Tyler Gillum believes his

28:12 team's success and hopes of a

28:14 championship all start with Coach

28:16 Reggie. We couldn't do this without him

28:18 because that pre-game speech before the

28:19 games is electric, and if we want a dog

28:22 pile this year in 2026, it's going to be

28:24 because of that pre-game speech. What

28:25 you got to say, hype? Beyond the results

28:27 of the field, there's no denying that

28:29 Coach Reggie is interwoven into the

28:31 history, not just of the Savannah

28:33 Bananas, but of Grayson Stadium. And

28:35 according to him, he'll coach for as

28:37 long as he can.

28:38 Uh I cannot

28:41 imagine

28:42 myself not being accountable

28:45 in front of my guys. My guys are very

28:48 very very important to me.

28:51 Well, guys, with DR Meadows out of the

28:53 lineup due to injury, the Bananas are

28:55 turning to a familiar face in Dan Obers

28:57 to lead off tonight. Dan, what's the

28:59 mentality? Biggest game of the year so

29:00 far? Yeah, just another game, Sam. The

29:03 boys are ready. We're dialed in and

29:04 we're just grateful for the opportunity.

29:06 And as far as me, I got Coach Reggie

29:08 walking me through it, so I'm ready.

29:09 Yeah, talk about the influence Reggie is

29:11 going to have on you tonight. I know

29:12 you're leaning heavily on him. Yeah, he

29:14 stayed the night last night. I think we

29:15 ended up going to bed around 2:00, 2:30

29:17 watching film. Um he gave me an approach

29:19 for the day, so we're ready. Reggie, can

29:21 you share with us maybe what you've been

29:23 passing along to Dan to help him out

29:25 tonight?

29:26 Well, he's he's been locked in.

29:29 He's been accountable. He's he had he

29:32 has that man approach to the game that

29:34 he loves.

29:35 >> man approach we talked about.

29:36 >> And he keep he keep himself motivated

29:39 each and every single day.

29:42 And I can't ask for anything better

29:44 because

29:46 I always

29:48 Mhm. look up to Mr. Dan Obers.

29:50 >> Oh, you stop that.

29:53 But uh but Obers is a special guy in my

29:57 heart, so

29:59 I want to I want to I want to admire my

30:03 man

30:03 >> Mhm. Dan Obers for what he does did for

30:07 do for Banana Ball and the Savannah

30:09 Bananas.

30:10 >> Mhm. Which is legendary. Mhm. It's very

30:14 achievable both cuz what he did for the

30:16 game he love.

30:18 Which is Banana Ball. Mhm. It's uh

30:21 it's amazing. It's fantastic.

30:24 Uh you cannot ask for anything better.

30:26 It's it's mindset. And I mean Reggie,

30:30 one big note for Dan and the Bananas

30:32 tonight. You have a

30:33 What would you yell right now if you

30:34 could really loud?

30:36 COME ON!

30:42 COME ON!

30:46 >> FIRE ME UP, REGINALD BALL.

30:48 CAN YOU believe he's been doing it for a

30:50 quarter century

30:52 here in Grayson Stadium? TIME TO GET

30:54 EVEN MORE FIRED UP. I can't imagine how.

30:57 Well, let's check in with the young

30:58 professor. live and millions more

31:01 watching at home have gathered here to

31:04 witness something beyond your wildest

31:07 imagination.

31:08 From

31:09 all around the world

31:10 to Savannah,

31:12 from the Isle of Man

31:13 to Tokyo, Japan, the Banana Maniacs come

31:16 from across the globe to witness this.

31:20 This is not baseball. This is the

31:23 crucible where the fastest, hungriest,

31:27 and most entertaining players are

31:28 forged. This is a game of the fans, by

31:32 the fans, and for the fans. But, this is

31:36 not your granddad's pastime. This is not

31:40 just another night at the ballpark. This

31:43 game is baseball by birth, fruit by

31:46 name, and an absolute world wide

31:48 phenomenon. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THIS IS

31:51 THE TIME for all 5,500 fans HERE IN

31:56 SAVANNAH, GEORGIA TO GET ON your feet

31:59 AND GIVE ME YOUR VOICES.

32:05 Because this is the GREATEST SHOW IN the

32:08 sports. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS

32:12 BANANA BALL!

32:16 SAVANNAH,

32:17 GEORGIA, IT'S time to meet the starting

32:19 lineup for your

32:21 Savannah

32:22 Bananas. Leading off, the DH, number 19,

32:26 Dan Oberst.

32:35 Center fielder, number

32:37 Reese "Superman" Ohlendorf.

32:40 ALEXIADI.

32:48 AT FIRST BASE, NUMBER NINE, Max "Young

32:51 Goldberg".

32:57 Over at third base, number four, Kyle

33:01 "KJ" JACKSON.

33:07 THE CATCHER, number one, "The Captain"

33:11 BILL LEROY.

33:19 OUR SECOND BASEMAN, number eight, "The

33:22 Greatest Showman" Jackson

33:25 Olson.

33:32 Left fielder number 15, we call him

33:34 "Rock" ROBERT ANTHONY "CRU".

33:42 IN RIGHT FIELD, number 18, he does it

33:46 all, Danny "Hazley".

33:55 The extra hitter, number seven, Ty "Too

33:59 Fly" Jackson.

34:05 And the shortstop, number six, "Hard

34:08 Club Magician" Ryan

34:11 Cox.

34:16 On the mound for your Savannah Bananas

34:17 tonight, number 11, Austin "Drewry".

34:27 Your Savannah Bananas are led by Tyler

34:29 Gilliam, assisted by Adam Byro-Byron,

34:33 Ryan Kellogg, Bryce Stover, and Reggie

34:38 Horton.

34:51 Ladies and gentlemen, at this time we

34:52 ask that you please rise if you're able

34:55 and remove your caps.

34:58 Here to honor America with the singing

35:01 of tonight's national anthem,

35:03 please welcome

35:05 US Army specialist Emma Manchik Colley.

35:15 Can you see

35:19 by the dawn's

35:21 early light

35:24 what so proudly

35:27 we hailed

35:29 at the twilight's

35:32 gleaming,

35:34 whose broad stripes and bright stars

35:39 through the perilous

35:43 fight

35:44 o'er the

35:48 watched

35:49 were so gallantly

35:52 streaming?

35:54 And the rockets'

35:58 red glare,

36:00 the bombs bursting

36:03 in air,

36:05 gave proof through the night

36:10 that our flag was still there.

36:14 O say does that star-spangled

36:20 banner

36:22 yet wave

36:26 o'er the land

36:29 of the free

36:32 and the home of the brave.

36:39 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, EMMA MANJACK

36:41 PADDIE.

36:45 A terrific rendition of the national

36:47 anthem.

36:49 And now the Savannah Bananas

36:52 and the Indianapolis Clowns

36:55 meet behind the mound.

37:01 A kickline to get us going. The

37:04 inaugural Banana Ball Open, the 10 and 1

37:06 Savannah Bananas against the 4 and 7

37:08 Indianapolis Clowns, the 1 seed against

37:12 the 4 seed.

37:13 It's the third time these teams have

37:16 squared off.

37:17 Three weekends ago in Angel Stadium out

37:20 in Anaheim, California, it was the

37:22 Bananas sweeping the two-game set, but

37:24 this Clowns team coming off a two-game

37:26 sweep of their own, taking down the

37:28 Indianapolis Clowns last Friday and

37:31 Saturday night up in Charleston, South

37:33 Carolina, earning themselves this four

37:36 seed.

37:37 And a chance to make a Cinderella

37:39 story-type run

37:41 with a playoff spot on the line for the

37:44 champion of this Banana Ball Open. Take

37:46 a look at the Nanos defensive alignment

37:48 with DR Meadows out for the weekend with

37:51 his pulled hamstring from last weekend

37:53 up in Chapel Hill. You take a look left

37:55 to right in the outfield, it is Robert

37:56 Anthony Cruz, Reese Alexiades, and Danny

37:59 Hasley. Third to first in the infield,

38:01 the usual suspects this year, Kyle

38:03 Jackson, Ryan Cox, Jackson Olson, and

38:05 Max Young Goldberg. As per usual, Bill

38:08 Leroy behind the dish and Alex Zeigler

38:10 the designated fielder. Alexiades,

38:11 normally the right fielder for the

38:13 Bananas, he is stepping into big shoes

38:15 tonight with DR Meadows out this weekend

38:17 due to a hamstring injury. He's the man

38:19 leading the team in trick plays, so they

38:22 will need to try and pick some up

38:24 without having DR Meadows here.

38:26 Hopefully, they'll get some from

38:27 designated fielder Alex Ziegler. Of

38:30 course, the designated fielder can enter

38:32 at any position on any individual

38:35 inning. And for Alex Ziegler, you will

38:37 likely see him playing first base for

38:40 the majority of the game tonight in

38:41 place of Max Young Goldberg. Yeah, Ziggy

38:44 with a pair of trick plays in each of

38:46 last weekend's games as the Bananas

38:49 swept the Texas Tailgaters to make it

38:51 their fifth and sixth straight victory.

38:54 And a guy who dazzled on the bump, three

38:57 scoreless innings, well, one unearned

38:59 run with six punch-outs. Austin Drury,

39:02 talked about him on the pregame show,

39:04 but this guy has been exactly what the

39:06 Nanners thought they were getting when

39:07 they grabbed him with the fourth overall

39:09 pick in the draft.

39:10 >> Well, entering that Banana Ball Player

39:11 Draft, many had him the number one

39:13 left-handed pitcher on their big boards.

39:15 That has certainly been the case through

39:17 the first month and some change this

39:18 year. Drury with five starts this year,

39:21 leading the tour with three wins. He's

39:24 seventh in the Championship League with

39:26 16 and a third innings pitched. And a

39:28 stat that is kind of flying under the

39:30 radar that Drury is also leading in, he

39:32 has the lowest ball four sprint rate of

39:35 any pitcher. He has only allowed sprints

39:37 to 2.7%

39:40 of the total batters he's seen this

39:42 year. That is a recipe for success in

39:45 our young sport of Banana Ball. Talk

39:48 about a prolific offense, though. The

39:50 Indianapolis Clowns last Friday night

39:52 set a Banana Ball record with 22 hits.

39:55 Joe Gray Jr. is at the top of the

39:57 lineup, then Jackie Bradley Jr. followed

39:59 by Bobby LaDay, and then Joe Latto

40:01 cleaning it up. Five in the order is Mr.

40:04 Nico Holsizer, followed by Correlle

40:06 Prime, Chris Burgess, Eli Payton, Dale

40:08 Francis Jr., and then Jalen Vasquez

40:10 rounds it out.

40:11 >> Despite the Bananas starting a southpaw,

40:12 it's two lefties in this Clowns lineup

40:14 that I'm focusing on. Jackie Bradley Jr.

40:17 Jr. coming off the cycle last weekend

40:19 and Joe Lidle batting above 400 at 448.

40:23 And this Clownz team batted 333 against

40:27 Drury when they faced him in Anaheim.

40:29 One of the only teams that have actually

40:31 had any kind of offensive success

40:33 against A.D. Let's get it on down to

40:35 Jesse. Banana Nation, it is time. On

40:38 three, I need everyone here to yell

40:40 start the clock. 1 2 3

40:46 Showtime.

40:49 And we are off.

40:52 A combined 12 years of minor league

40:54 baseball experience between Austin Drury

40:57 and Joe Gray Jr. A brand new scoreboard

41:00 for you here for the Banana Ball Open.

41:03 It is game one of the semi-finals. Win

41:06 or go home between the Bananas and the

41:09 Clownz. And a quick 0-2 count on the

41:11 former Brewers and Royals farmhand.

41:14 And a good fight from Joe Gray Jr.

41:17 Although the batting average only at

41:18 216, five ball four sprints this year to

41:21 just three strikeouts. He's been putting

41:22 the ball in play a lot, just had some

41:24 bad luck. And he's able to lay off the

41:26 high heat here, count one and two. But

41:28 that luck started to turn in his favor

41:29 last weekend. On Friday night, had his

41:32 first career three hit game in Banana

41:34 Ball.

41:37 Another great piece of two strike

41:39 hitting

41:40 by the kid out of Carson, Mississippi.

41:43 As farm boy as they come.

41:46 And a pop

41:48 a mile high in the infield. Who's going

41:50 to take control? Max Young Goldberg with

41:52 the call and the catch. One away.

41:57 Good call from Max Young Goldberg taking

42:00 charge over that one. You just hope,

42:02 even this early in the ball game, that's

42:04 not a possible trick play opportunity

42:07 that you robbed yourself of. Of course,

42:09 the Bananas goal tonight is try and

42:11 negate the Clownz from earning the

42:12 equalizer point which the visiting team

42:15 can get if they have more trick plays in

42:17 the home team going into the final

42:19 inning.

42:20 Here is JBJ.

42:22 The player of the week hitting for the

42:24 cycle last Friday night, only the third

42:26 player in Banana Ball history to do so.

42:28 Joins Jake Scholl who's done it twice

42:30 and Kyle Jackson who had done it just 2

42:32 weekends before against the clowns in

42:34 Angel Stadium.

42:36 And now a ball and two strikes. Nasty

42:39 slider from Drury, part of his

42:41 five-pitch mix.

42:43 Goes right back to it and gets a KO

42:46 Jackie Bradley Jr. Austin Drury's

42:48 tour-leading 21st strikeout of the year.

42:52 Well, that's just exploiting a weakness

42:54 that you're able to identify early.

42:56 Bradley flailing through the 1-1 pitch.

42:58 LeRoy wants to go right back to it. And

43:01 Drury, after allowing a home run to JBJ

43:04 the first time they ever faced off, has

43:06 now struck him out each of the last two

43:08 times he's faced him.

43:10 Good revenge.

43:12 After

43:13 JBJ parked one in Angel Stadium.

43:17 Out to left center field. And now a ball

43:19 and a strike on Bobby LaDay, the

43:21 shortstop hitting third.

43:24 He's the first

43:25 Clowns pick in the second round of the

43:27 draft.

43:28 And a guy we thought could go number one

43:30 overall. That was of course without the

43:32 knowledge that JBJ was available.

43:37 Now 3-1 count on LaDay. Comes in hitting

43:40 .279, reaching base at a .373 clip. Good

43:44 pop in the bat.

43:45 Had his second homer of the tour last

43:47 weekend.

43:48 And as the count is run full. And added

43:50 on a double, two runs batted in as well

43:52 for the Indianapolis Clowns.

43:56 Foul tip, Bill LeRoy is not able to

43:58 stick it.

44:00 So LaDay will live to see another payoff

44:01 from Drury.

44:12 >> Foul tipped again.

44:14 Once again off the middle of LeRoy.

44:19 See Drury going right after him today

44:21 with fastballs. He's got three different

44:23 variations, four seam, two seam cutter,

44:25 changeup, and then the slider that he

44:27 struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. on. And

44:29 you'll see early in these ball games,

44:30 it's Drury. He lives and dies by that

44:33 fastball.

44:34 Another payoff.

44:36 Another foul ball.

44:41 Heck of a battle between two of the best

44:42 players in the sport.

44:44 First rounder on the mound, second

44:46 rounder in the box. Ninth pitch of the

44:48 battle. Foul back and we're going to get

44:50 a tenth.

44:56 LeRoy keeps putting down number ones.

44:58 The fastballs keep pouring in. LaDay

45:00 keeps spoiling them.

45:02 Tenth pitch is fouled away. We'll do it

45:03 again.

45:04 This is what you're going to get with

45:05 Drury. We mentioned the lowest ball four

45:08 split rate in Bananas' You're seeing

45:10 exactly why. Continued play off payoff

45:13 pitches and continued strikes poured in

45:15 by Drury. The 11th pitch of the bat at

45:18 bat and it is going TO BE A LITTLE

45:19 LOOPER.

45:21 Down for a knock in right field. LaDay

45:23 with a turn, but he will not run on the

45:26 powerful arm of Danny Hasley.

45:29 That's a quality at bat, all caps from

45:33 Bobby LaDay.

45:35 Throws 11 pitches out of Bananas' ace

45:38 and ends up with a flare single.

45:40 Drury though is a seasoned veteran. I

45:42 mean, this is a guy who's pitched the

45:43 Dodgers system, handful of seasons in

45:46 independent ball as well. Even though

45:48 those will frustrate you as a pitcher,

45:50 he's mature enough where that just isn't

45:52 something that's going to eat away at

45:53 him on the pitcher's mound. Slider just

45:56 misses to Joe Ladao, who has started his

45:59 fourth world tour absolutely scorching

46:01 hot.

46:02 Was a party animal back in 2023, a

46:05 firefighter for the last two tours.

46:08 Now moves over to the Indianapolis

46:10 Clowns. And he's been a superstar.

46:15 Through nine games this year,

46:17 leading the team hitting 448. Same goes

46:19 for his 538 on-base percentage.

46:24 Chopper to the left side. Cox attacking.

46:27 Tough hop, and he's got no play. Lytle

46:29 runs very well for a catcher. It's an

46:31 infield single and a couple of softly

46:34 hit knocks.

46:35 Has two runners on the base paths for

46:37 the Clowns. Malachi Mitchell, the

46:39 designated runner for Indianapolis, will

46:41 take over for Lytle at first. That's

46:43 where the dimensions of Grayson Stadium

46:46 kind of help you out in a sense. This

46:48 place with AstroTurf in the infield, you

46:50 get a high chop pounding that banana

46:52 ball into the ground. Cox had to adjust,

46:55 and by the time he got glove on it,

46:57 Lytle nearly at first base, and that's

46:59 why he saw no throw from the banana

47:01 shortstop. Shattered bat, slow roller.

47:04 Cox fielded between the legs, 360, makes

47:06 the only play he had over at first base.

47:10 And puts a close to this top of the

47:12 first inning. A couple singles for the

47:14 Clowns, but nothing to show for it as

47:16 the glove magician abs the first trick

47:18 play of the ball game for the Bananas.

47:20 And a much-needed trick play, a clutch

47:23 one at that with a man in scoring

47:25 position. No problem for Ryan Cox, still

47:28 Banana Ball's all-time trick play

47:30 leader.

47:33 Take a look at the Indianapolis Clowns

47:35 defensive alignment. Behind Nick Wilson,

47:37 left to right in their outfield, it is

47:39 Gray, Bradley, and Holsapple third to

47:41 first in the infield. Peyton Ledeay,

47:43 Vasquez, and Prime. It is Lytle doing

47:47 the catching, and Mr. Matt Wolf here in

47:49 his fifth Banana Ball World Tour as the

47:51 designated fielder. What's the rookie

47:53 shortstop, Bobby Ledeay, leading the

47:55 team with 18 trick plays this season,

47:58 but his partner over on the left side of

48:00 the diamond, Eli Payton, has been

48:02 phenomenal defensively. Still without an

48:05 error through his first 11 games and has

48:07 a trick play in 10 of his first 11 for

48:10 Indianapolis.

48:12 >> And only one trick play missed on the

48:14 year for Eli Payton, no surprise. He was

48:17 the runner-up for the Gold Glove a

48:19 couple springs ago in D1 baseball. In

48:22 the middle of it all, Nick Wilson

48:24 actually walking off the diamond.

48:30 As we've got some kids in ghost

48:32 costumes. I guess that's some confusion

48:34 down on the field, but let's focus in on

48:36 the fantastic numbers for Nick Wilson

48:38 getting his second career Banana Ball

48:39 start. Yeah, round three pick for the

48:41 Indianapolis Clowns in the Banana Ball

48:43 Player Draft. A one and one record this

48:45 season and this is only his second

48:47 career Banana Ball start, but Nick

48:50 Wilson has been phenomenal ranking fifth

48:52 in the Banana Ball Championship League

48:54 averaging three outs in 3 minutes and 35

48:57 seconds and he tossed a 2-minute and

48:59 28-second scoreless inning against the

49:02 Bananas on March 28.

49:05 Last weekend in his first start, two and

49:08 a third innings, only one earned run

49:09 allowed. This Bananas lineup without

49:12 their normal normal lead-off man, DR

49:15 Meadows, but you take a look at what Dan

49:16 Oberst has done this year in his fourth,

49:20 check it, make it a fifth world tour

49:22 hitting 389, not too bad at all.

49:24 Followed by Reese Alexiades, Max Young

49:26 Goldberg, then KJ in the cleanup spot

49:29 followed by Leroy Olson, Rack Hosley, Ty

49:32 Jackson, and Ryan Cox.

49:33 >> And a very interesting note about the

49:35 Savannah Bananas, in games where DR

49:38 Meadows is not in the starting lineup

49:40 and batting lead-off for them, they have

49:43 a 500 record. They have a 500 winning

49:46 percentage compared to a 636

49:49 winning percentage when Meadows is the

49:51 man leading off for them. Oh, look out.

49:54 Off screen, Nick Wilson just got hit by

49:56 a throw from his catcher, Joe Lytle. No

49:59 No harm done there. Talking to Tyler

50:00 Gillum before the game about how do you

50:03 replace D.R. Meadows? He He said it came

50:05 down to who do I want to get the most

50:06 plate appearances in this ball game and

50:08 it's Dan Oberst who's been hitting

50:10 cleanup every single game this year up

50:13 until tonight.

50:15 As the fastball misses down and in

50:18 from Nick Wilson.

50:19 But this isn't exactly unfamiliar

50:22 territory for Dan Oberst. Nine games in

50:24 which he's batted lead off for the

50:26 Bananas in his career and he owns a .448

50:29 batting average with six extra base hits

50:32 including two home runs. Slider misses

50:34 there. 2-1 now.

50:36 High fly ball deep to right field. Nico

50:39 Holsizer on his horse makes the catch

50:42 crashing into the wall.

50:45 It was a diving catch by Holsizer to

50:47 secure the sweep last weekend. Great

50:50 play to start the Banana Ball Open

50:52 defensively for Holsizer here tonight.

51:19 What a treat.

51:20 Alexiades with the Rookie's Besser and

51:23 Harris.

51:24 A specialty walk-up

51:27 for the second batter here in the bottom

51:29 of the first inning, Super Reese.

51:32 He's been in the two hole now for all 12

51:34 games this year and fantastic here in

51:36 his third World Tour hitting .316, a

51:39 .460 on-base percentage, tied for the

51:41 team lead with his eight ball four

51:42 sprints.

51:48 Liner down the left field line and it

51:51 will drop down for a knock.

51:53 Alexiades looking for two and a head

51:56 first slide just ahead of the throw from

51:58 Joe Gray Jr. Inning winning run in

52:00 scoring position just like that.

52:03 Well, the way in which that banana ball

52:05 dropped down in left field took a little

52:06 bit of a high hop on Joe Gray and you

52:09 see Alexiades immediately booking it out

52:11 of the batter's box. He was pretty much

52:14 thinking two bases for the jump and now

52:16 the bananas already with a runner in

52:18 scoring position tonight.

52:21 Now the bananas second round draft

52:23 picks, Max Young Goldberg.

52:26 Foul ball out of play, not catchable by

52:28 the fans.

52:34 Coming off a very odd weekend in Chapel

52:37 Hill.

52:39 As he's down just like that, three

52:41 pitches.

52:42 No hits last weekend, but three ball

52:45 four sprints

52:47 as well as three hit by pitches. Raised

52:51 the OBP, it'll go

52:53 Well, it'll stay at zero. Banana ball

52:55 open offense and pitching numbers will

52:58 not count towards the regular season.

53:02 So no harm done to the season stats.

53:05 But it does put Nick Wilson and the

53:07 Clowns one out away from escaping.

53:11 As the fastball just misses the outside

53:13 corner. A ball and a strike to Kyle

53:14 Jackson.

53:20 Popped.

53:22 Left side, Toledo runs out of room.

53:26 We mentioned and we mentioned in the

53:28 pregame show Jackson towards the top of

53:30 the leaderboard when it comes to runs

53:31 batted in. That is in large part to a

53:33 .400 batting average with runners in

53:36 scoring position which includes a ball

53:38 four sprint as well.

53:40 Liner will be snagged. Jaylen Vasquez

53:44 there to save the frame for the Clowns.

53:46 Bananas got the inning-winning run in

53:47 scoring position. Nick Wilson able to

53:50 strand Alexi Adames on the base paths.

53:54 Good job by Wilson escaping the jam in a

53:56 2-minute and 52-second inning for the

53:59 young right-hander.

54:03 So, we are scoreless through one inning

54:05 of action.

54:09 The pitchers duel between Drury and

54:10 Wilson living up to the billing. One

54:13 frame in.

54:15 Jesse Cole as well as the Bananas

54:18 players delivering roses to our fans in

54:21 the stands trying to find their

54:22 sweethearts.

54:24 You know who else are sweethearts?

54:26 Well, for me personally, I would say our

54:28 friends over at GEICO.

54:30 GEICO and the Banana Ball Championship

54:32 League are teaming up to send one lucky

54:35 winner of the ultimate fan experience to

54:38 the 2026 Banana Ball Championship game

54:41 on October 10th. Win four tickets,

54:44 airfare, hotel, and a VIP on-field

54:48 player experience. Go to

54:50 itfeelsgoodtogobananas.com

54:53 to enter. Rumor has it, rumor has it you

54:56 can even meet Biko Skala. Huh?

55:00 Crazy, I know. I didn't know I was a

55:02 part of the deal.

55:05 Sign me up.

55:08 I'M IN, GEICO. I I THINK I'm going to

55:10 enter. I'm going to go ahead and enter.

55:14 I don't know if that's allowed, but good

55:15 luck, Josh.

55:17 I was thinking you were going to be

55:19 there anyway. I'm pretty sure the

55:20 company covers your airfare, right?

55:23 Gosh, I hope so.

55:26 Oh, man. Look at it. They even put you

55:28 in hotels, too, right? You have been

55:29 taken care of.

55:30 >> Dude, I'm I'm scared of the bills I

55:31 might see in my mail soon.

55:34 Karell Prime leading off the second

55:36 inning Chops this one just barely foul.

55:39 Trey Hudson, the crew chief,

55:42 on the mark to make the call.

55:44 Primetime

55:46 spent the end of 2024 with the Bananas,

55:49 the entire 2025 campaign in yellow as

55:52 well. And then,

55:54 the second first-round draft pick

55:56 by the Clowns this past November.

56:00 And a no-brainer. He's been at first

56:02 base

56:03 nearly every game.

56:06 Just a phenomenally talented two-way

56:08 player, both with the bat and on the

56:10 bump.

56:13 Comes in hitting 250, but he's a guy who

56:15 said he's always been a bit of a slow

56:16 starter. Once he finds his groove, and

56:18 Brett Helton, who spent a bunch of years

56:20 out in Fargo, North Dakota,

56:22 with Prime playing in the American

56:24 Association attest to this as well. Once

56:26 he gets hot, he could be the best hitter

56:28 in the world.

56:33 I mean, this is a guy who was named the

56:35 2014 Colorado Rockies organizational

56:37 Player of the Year, had 47 doubles, 21

56:40 home runs that season. And now Prime

56:43 lines this one in front of Robert

56:45 Anthony Cruz in left field. And that is

56:48 a second-inning lead-off knock for

56:50 Primetime.

56:53 Specialty walk-up coming here for the

56:55 Clowns.

56:59 Signing with the Savannah Bears as a

57:00 17-year-old in 1956.

57:03 He went on to have a 20-year career in

57:05 baseball, including two seasons with the

57:08 Indianapolis Clowns in 1960.

57:11 And also serving his country in the

57:13 Vietnam War. Grayson Stadium, now

57:16 escorting Chris Burgess to the plate.

57:19 Please join us in welcoming Indianapolis

57:22 Clowns alumni, Russell "Crazy Legs"

57:26 Patterson.

57:38 >> All right.

57:40 Russell "Crazy Legs" PATTERSON

57:43 SHOWING OFF WHY HE'S GOT THE LEGENDARY

57:45 NICKNAME.

57:50 How about the dance moves?

57:55 That is special right there. What a

57:56 pleasant surprise.

57:58 They never go away. So, don't forget

58:00 that when you're older, my friend.

58:02 >> I'm hoping that

58:03 >> still break it down like that.

58:04 >> No doubt. And you've got some moves on

58:06 you. My legs have been labeled crazy

58:08 from time to time.

58:12 Well, Russell Patterson, starred with

58:14 the Indianapolis Clowns in the 1960s.

58:18 Another two-way player, just like Curley

58:19 Prime standing on first base.

58:22 Guy who pitched, played in the outfield

58:23 and infield.

58:26 And a massive advocate

58:29 for the Negro Leagues and all the

58:31 tremendous ball players who played in

58:32 them.

58:34 Chris Burgess

58:36 having a terrific start to his Clowns

58:38 career, hitting .333.

58:41 As he That's a screamer straight to KJ.

58:44 Great base running by Prime.

58:46 As he will not be doubled up.

58:49 And Burgess, an absolute barrel, nothing

58:51 to show for it.

58:53 Yeah, that's one that gets on you pretty

58:54 quick. It's the reason they call it the

58:56 hot corner over at third base. Kyle

58:58 Jackson's been holding that spot down

59:00 for the most part since the start of

59:02 2025.

59:03 And now Drury going to work against Eli

59:05 Peyton and nailing down the first pitch

59:08 strike.

59:12 Making an 0-2 count

59:14 on the kid out of La Canada, California.

59:20 Another great start to his Clowns

59:21 career, comes in hitting .294.

59:25 Should be no surprise.

59:30 Tore up the Western Athletic Conference

59:33 across the last 3 years for Grand Canyon

59:34 University.

59:36 An 814 OPS his final year with the

59:39 Antelopes and then crushed it in the

59:41 Pioneer League last summer in his

59:42 professional baseball debut.

59:45 And throughout college, Payton also a

59:47 guy who was upping his home run totals

59:49 every season. He had nine in 2025 his

59:53 final year at Grand Canyon, but he will

59:55 go down swinging. Another breaking ball

59:58 from Austin Drury results in the

1:00:00 strikeout. Yeah, it looked like a sharp

1:00:02 slider from AD.

1:00:06 Maybe even a cutter there.

1:00:08 Not sure if it's exactly where he wanted

1:00:09 it, but it did the job.

1:00:13 Big second out for Drury. He sets his

1:00:15 sights on Dale Francis Jr.

1:00:18 Now, I sound like a broken record,

1:00:20 but this bottom of the Clowns lineup is

1:00:22 absolutely fantastic. Dale Francis Jr.

1:00:24 is having a terrific rookie campaign.

1:00:28 Comes in hitting .321,

1:00:30 a homer and three doubles.

1:00:33 And once again, should be no surprise.

1:00:36 His offensive numbers coming into Banana

1:00:37 Ball fantastic as well. Barehanded by

1:00:39 KJ! And a laser beam across the diamond

1:00:44 taking care of Dale Francis. Another

1:00:46 scoreless inning hurled by Austin Drury.

1:00:49 And two excellent plays from Kyle

1:00:51 Jackson in this inning. The liner over

1:00:54 at third base and a barehanded play to

1:00:57 retire Dale Francis Jr.

1:01:01 Well, we have debuted our brand new

1:01:03 scorebug

1:01:05 here tonight. Let's take a moment to

1:01:08 honor the wonderful scorebugs that have

1:01:09 come before it.

1:02:16 >> Gosh. Gosh, that was tough.

1:02:19 At ease, speaker. At ease.

1:02:22 Woo. Just thinking about the memories

1:02:24 that we have made with all those score

1:02:26 bugs.

1:02:29 Did you have a favorite?

1:02:31 I think you have one that touched you

1:02:32 more than more than another. I do. Uh

1:02:35 for three innings, with the fantastic

1:02:38 wiggle vision.

1:02:39 >> yeah, that Chad Reese designed

1:02:42 for and Chris Haines. Yeah, that's

1:02:44 right. Chris Hainesy. Three of the best

1:02:46 innings in Banana Ball history. Party

1:02:48 Animals versus the Aussie Drop

1:02:50 >> Bears on the 2023 World Tour before

1:02:52 Mother Nature had other plans here in

1:02:53 Grayson Stadium.

1:02:55 Josh and I were decked out in Party

1:02:56 Animals gear up here in the booth. We

1:02:58 were feeling ourselves. Had my hot AF

1:03:00 headband on.

1:03:02 Uh that was a really That was a really

1:03:04 fun series and a fun ballgame as well as

1:03:06 Bill LeRoy chops that foul.

1:03:09 LeRoy, Olsen, and Cruz.

1:03:14 Do the swinging here in the last of the

1:03:15 second.

1:03:17 Billy Barrels

1:03:18 his fifth world tour

1:03:20 ninth year as a Savannah Banana.

1:03:23 The king of Dublin, Georgia

1:03:26 from about an hour and a half down I-16.

1:03:30 Aging like a fine wine.

1:03:33 Had his first home run of the year last

1:03:35 weekend

1:03:36 in Chapel Hill and Opp Tak uh

1:03:40 Tried to double his total right there,

1:03:41 came up empty.

1:03:45 And down swinging, firm fastball from

1:03:48 Nick Wilson. His second punchout of the

1:03:50 night.

1:03:51 Well, Nick Wilson, he's got somewhat of

1:03:53 a longish delivery. You'll see him just

1:03:56 arc back and he is hiding that ball

1:03:59 behind him for a pretty good length of

1:04:02 time. So, it is very hard to pick up

1:04:04 that ball once it gets on you and that's

1:04:06 why he's able to blow the fastball there

1:04:08 behind Bill LeRoy.

1:04:11 Jackson Olson swings through the heater.

1:04:13 Ball and a strike. On the great eight

1:04:16 here in his fourth Banana Ball World

1:04:18 Tour.

1:04:21 He's the Nanners' primary third baseman

1:04:23 in 2023. This is his third straight year

1:04:25 as the primary starting second baseman.

1:04:31 And the career goes all the way back to

1:04:33 the summer series in 2022

1:04:36 when he made his debut on the left side

1:04:38 of the infield with Ryan Cox. The rest

1:04:40 is history. Heater!

1:04:43 Wow, yes! Freezes Olson. Long wait for

1:04:46 the call from Vincent Chapman, but worth

1:04:48 the wait for Nick Wilson.

1:04:50 Well, this kind of tease up just another

1:04:52 note on Nick Wilson. I mean, you go back

1:04:55 and watch some young Greg Maddux Chicago

1:04:58 Cubs highlights, you'll see in ways

1:05:00 these guys are very similar in the way

1:05:03 they deliver the ball from that

1:05:04 pitcher's mound and you see also on that

1:05:07 pitch to Jackson Olson, pinpoint control

1:05:10 from the young right hander.

1:05:13 Robert Anthony Cruz a high fly ball deep

1:05:16 to RIGHT FIELD. PAUL SIKES ARE RUNNING

1:05:18 OUT OF ROOM. It's on top of the right

1:05:20 field landing.

1:05:23 Lack has awoken.

1:05:25 Inning winning long bombs AWAY HERE IN

1:05:28 THE SECOND.

1:05:31 He's finding his GROOVE FOR THE SAVANNAH

1:05:33 BANANAS at the right time. A CLUTCH GAME

1:05:36 TYING SHOT in game one IN CHAPEL HILL

1:05:39 LAST WEEKEND AND NOW THE WALK OFF BLAST

1:05:42 TO OPEN UP THE scoring here in game one

1:05:45 of the open.

1:05:50 Let's get it DOWN TO DR MEADOWS.

1:05:51 >> LACK, YOU JUST GOT THE BANANAS ON TOP

1:05:53 ONE TO NOTHING IN THE SECOND. AND HOW DO

1:05:54 YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW? IT FEELS AMAZING.

1:05:56 I'M SO EXCITED. LIKE YOU BE GOING JOSH.

1:05:59 THANK YOU DR.

1:06:01 TALK ABOUT PLEASANT SURPRISES. I didn't

1:06:02 know we employed David Ray Meadows in

1:06:04 BTV.

1:06:06 Another look at the blast from Robert

1:06:09 Anthony Cruz.

1:06:12 Uh no doubt or out to right.

1:06:16 He doubles his home run total on the

1:06:17 tour.

1:06:19 And the Nanners strike first.

1:06:22 They lead one point to nil.

1:06:24 Two innings

1:06:26 in the books.

1:06:31 And what a start to world tour number

1:06:33 three. His second full season in Banana

1:06:36 Ball.

1:06:37 Kyle Jackson already tonight.

1:06:40 Beautiful bare handed snag

1:06:42 on the bouncer from Dale Francis Jr.

1:06:45 Snared a screamer from Chris Burgess

1:06:47 before THAT AND NOW JOINS US ON THE

1:06:49 BROADCAST. KJ, HOW YOU DOING TONIGHT my

1:06:51 friend?

1:06:51 >> I'm doing well. Heck yeah.

1:06:53 >> I'm doing amazing. Can you talk us

1:06:54 through what the second full world tour

1:06:57 has been like for you so far? Um it's

1:06:59 been honestly I can't really remember

1:07:01 anything from like a week ago.

1:07:02 Everything happens so fast. Um but I'll

1:07:05 tell you what, these guys they work so

1:07:07 hard in the practices and in our

1:07:08 rehearsal days, and it just translates

1:07:10 on the field during games.

1:07:12 Hey Ziggy.

1:07:14 All of the hard work's coming to

1:07:16 fruition. Yeah, and I'm sure that

1:07:18 certainly felt like the case in Anaheim

1:07:20 a couple weekends ago. What was it like

1:07:23 to kind of go through that cycle? I

1:07:25 mean, you completed that in only five

1:07:27 innings for your squad. That's right. Um

1:07:30 it was amazing. I feel like it was kind

1:07:32 of one of those things that was going to

1:07:33 happen before the game even started. I

1:07:35 like After I hit the single, I don't

1:07:37 really even remember my at bats or what

1:07:38 pitch I hit or any of that. I just kind

1:07:40 of was

1:07:41 Broken bat! Two trick.

1:07:43 Oh, yeah. You're him. You're him. Pick

1:07:44 it, ZIGGY. IN THE NUTS! You got to

1:07:46 hustle.

1:07:47 You got to hustle.

1:07:50 You'd have been safe. So, it'll be a

1:07:51 trick play for Ryan Cox. No trick play

1:07:54 for Alex Ziegler. That's okay though,

1:07:56 cuz we got that out.

1:07:59 Did the bat hit AD? A shattered bat. I

1:08:01 was looking at where the ball went.

1:08:03 >> Same. It went in AD's direction, that's

1:08:05 for sure. I cannot hear anything in the

1:08:07 stadium. I can only hear you. Perfect.

1:08:09 That's exactly how we like it. And

1:08:11 golly, I have chills.

1:08:14 Oh, you're too kind, KJ. And I can see

1:08:16 you up there. Like, I can see your body.

1:08:18 Like, hey dad, hey Vigah, hey guys.

1:08:19 Perfectly well, right? Love you guys.

1:08:21 Love you, KJ.

1:08:22 >> too, man. Hey dad.

1:08:23 Nice.

1:08:25 Got the whole crew. Am I supposed to be

1:08:26 doing something? Oh. Uh we got a

1:08:28 specialty walk-up for Joe Gray Jr. For

1:08:30 me? That was a great That was a great

1:08:32 spin you did.

1:08:36 Hold on. What?

1:08:43 Don't hit it to me. Uh

1:08:45 I'm going to do a trick play. Okay.

1:08:51 Oh man, this is an all-time jam.

1:08:53 It's a pretty good song. I can't hear

1:08:55 it, but Uh it's the old We want the

1:08:57 funk, got to have that funk.

1:09:01 Got to have that funk.

1:09:03 What about Parliament Funkadelic? I hope

1:09:04 he hits it to me.

1:09:06 What should I do?

1:09:07 Something crazy? I would love something

1:09:09 crazy. All right, I'll try. Okay.

1:09:12 Ground ball fielded behind the back,

1:09:14 between the legs.

1:09:15 >> Yep. I've been practicing that one. I've

1:09:16 never done it in a game though, but

1:09:17 you've seen me do it. I've seen you do

1:09:19 it many times at batting practice.

1:09:21 Getting your daily vitamins in? Here we

1:09:22 go.

1:09:26 You hear my chains, Sox? Oh, yeah,

1:09:27 they're

1:09:28 they're chattering. Yep. They've got

1:09:30 something to say. Do your chains hang

1:09:32 low? Do they wobble to the flow?

1:09:37 Someone up That's going to hit my truck.

1:09:38 >> Oh, no.

1:09:41 Where were you parked, Tommy? No, I

1:09:42 didn't park there. My friend drove my

1:09:43 car, and he parked there. I promise.

1:09:48 Strike three!

1:09:50 I thought. You'll have to check out KJ's

1:09:51 social media after the game to see if

1:09:53 that did connect on the truck. Stay

1:09:55 tuned, y'all.

1:09:57 Another

1:09:58 another two-two to Jackie Bradley Jr.

1:10:01 Has to be a trick play. Catch from my

1:10:03 man, Han.

1:10:04 Long run or NORMAL CATCH? OH MY GOSH!

1:10:08 BEHIND THE BACK, THAT'S ABSURD. WHAT WAS

1:10:10 THAT?

1:10:12 I'M NOT EVEN sure if Hanley knew what HE

1:10:15 WAS EXACTLY DOING.

1:10:16 >> REALLY, WHAT WAS THAT?

1:10:19 HE WENT BEHIND THE BACK JUST BRO, worse

1:10:21 than me.

1:10:22 >> Truly ridiculous fashion. Bro, literally

1:10:25 is worse than me.

1:10:27 And it was pretty close to a snow cone

1:10:29 as well. I wonder what flavor it was.

1:10:32 Come on, Jackie Bradley. Hit one to me,

1:10:34 brother.

1:10:35 Here he comes.

1:10:36 He can hit it everywhere, like he's one

1:10:37 of the lefties where you kind of have

1:10:39 to, you know, be ready for some.

1:10:42 No doubt. No doubt.

1:10:45 YEAH, POP IT. POP IT.

1:10:47 HERE WE GO. I NEED A TRICK, YO.

1:10:51 OH, YEAH.

1:10:52 GIVE IT TO ME. COME ON. GIVE IT TO HIM.

1:10:54 SAY, IT'S GREAT POP. I LOVE YOU.

1:10:57 WELL, that was quick, bro. Can I stay on

1:10:59 and hit with it or what? That sounds

1:11:01 good to me. Why not, right? I'm cool

1:11:02 with it.

1:11:04 Heck yeah. Well, maybe we'll talk soon

1:11:05 then. I'll just I'll just stay with you

1:11:07 guys. I love hearing your voice, so I'm

1:11:08 just going to keep it going. Heck yeah.

1:11:09 Well, we'll toss it down to Jolie and

1:11:11 then we'll chat later. See you guys, see

1:11:13 you guys.

1:11:18 in foster care without a permanent home.

1:11:21 To raise awareness and support this

1:11:22 community, we created Bananas Foster,

1:11:26 the official nonprofit of Banana Ball.

1:11:28 Our organization is dedicated to

1:11:30 celebrating the foster care community

1:11:33 while educating and inspiring others to

1:11:35 get involved. Tonight, we are

1:11:38 celebrating the Davis family. Tim and

1:11:41 Kim have been a licensed foster family

1:11:44 for eight years. They have six

1:11:47 biological children. They've adopted

1:11:50 three out of foster care, and they're

1:11:53 dedicated to keeping siblings together

1:11:56 in their home. In total, they have

1:11:58 welcomed 11 children and teens, and

1:12:02 they're currently parenting

1:12:04 15 kiddos.

1:12:08 Fans, please welcome to the field the

1:12:10 Davis family for making a difference

1:12:12 right here in our community.

1:12:42 Another massive shout-out in store for

1:12:45 Timothy and Kimberly Davis. 15 kids in

1:12:49 the home.

1:12:51 Sounds like a

1:12:53 heck of a film right there. I mean,

1:12:55 there's Cheaper by the Dozen.

1:12:57 15? Holy moly.

1:13:01 That is

1:13:02 truly tremendous work.

1:13:10 The Davis family making a difference in

1:13:12 so many kids' lives.

1:13:15 In two states.

1:13:18 Doing their job in Florida and Georgia.

1:13:21 Two states?

1:13:24 The Banana Band blasts away

1:13:27 as we head to the bottom of the third.

1:13:30 Hello to everybody

1:13:32 in our chat here on the Banana Ball

1:13:34 YouTube channel.

1:13:36 So great to see so many familiar faces.

1:13:47 Great comment from Big Boy in the chat.

1:13:50 I'll leave it in there.

1:13:53 It was a good one, though.

1:13:56 Oh, it's fun seeing Sexy Sax, Dylan,

1:13:59 Nick, the entire crew

1:14:01 doing what they love to do.

1:14:03 Blaring away on the brass.

1:14:10 You know, Brian Sexy Sax, he was getting

1:14:12 on my case in Chapel Hill last weekend

1:14:14 because I didn't let him know we were

1:14:16 going to that Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

1:14:18 concert a few weeks ago.

1:14:19 >> Oh, man. Yeah, I guess a month ago now

1:14:22 or so. I know he was in the area for it.

1:14:24 Didn't know otherwise.

1:14:25 >> guy used to spend a lot of time up in

1:14:26 Dog Town these days.

1:14:28 >> Ashton's boy. Exactly. But yeah, he's

1:14:30 he's good friends with the band.

1:14:31 Unsurprisingly so.

1:14:33 Planning to play with them in the

1:14:34 future.

1:14:34 >> That's crazy.

1:14:36 Which makes sense.

1:14:38 Danny Hosley coming off

1:14:40 that mind-bending trick play

1:14:43 in the top of the inning.

1:14:45 Only Hosley's second this year in 2026.

1:14:49 Currently number 101 in his career.

1:14:56 And what a career it has been. This is

1:14:57 now world tour number four for Danny Do

1:14:59 It All.

1:15:02 A waiting a 3-0 offering from Nick

1:15:04 Wilson.

1:15:05 Only one for nine so far this year, but

1:15:07 a couple ball four sprints has not

1:15:08 struck out.

1:15:12 And that was a very easy plate

1:15:14 appearance for the Nanners right

1:15:15 fielder. Does not take the bat off his

1:15:17 shoulders. Clouts with great sprint

1:15:19 defense, get it to all seven fielders

1:15:21 behind the pitcher and catcher in short

1:15:22 order. But the inning winning run, a

1:15:25 gift from Wilson, is aboard. Yeah,

1:15:27 Hussey may just be one for nine at the

1:15:29 moment, but

1:15:31 it's his third ball four sprint now in

1:15:33 2026. Also tacked on a hit by pitch

1:15:36 through the first 11 games. And it's a

1:15:39 big lead off runner on as Ty Jackson now

1:15:42 bats for the Bananas and takes ball one.

1:15:45 Ty here in his third world tour, fifth

1:15:47 year as a Savannah Banana. Hussey off on

1:15:49 the pitch, throw from Lidle. It was

1:15:52 perfect, but not in time.

1:15:54 Ball got away from Wolfe as well. Hussey

1:15:56 stole that one on Wilson and also

1:15:59 just his burning speed after a fantastic

1:16:01 jump.

1:16:04 That's his first stolen base attempt

1:16:07 here in 2026. His 34th career steal,

1:16:11 he's only been caught three times. Yeah,

1:16:13 he is super smart when it comes to his

1:16:15 base running ability. And now with that

1:16:17 stolen base and a 3-1 count, a ball four

1:16:20 sprint to Ty Jackson leads to a second

1:16:23 point already tonight for the Savannah

1:16:25 Bananas.

1:16:27 Big swing and a miss from Hussey's best

1:16:29 friend in the universe, Ty Two Fly,

1:16:31 trying to bring in his buddy.

1:16:34 Inseparable duo, Hussey and Jackson.

1:16:37 As Ty spoils the payoff.

1:16:41 And Ty's Yeah. Ty is coming off a killer

1:16:43 game. Two hits last weekend, three

1:16:46 stolen bases. So, he's got a lot of

1:16:48 confidence coming into tonight's game

1:16:50 and spoils yet another pitch coming from

1:16:53 Nick Wilson. We will see at least eight

1:16:56 pitches between these two competitors.

1:16:59 Another 3-2 and Ty spoils it. It's so

1:17:01 fun to see these guys battle because

1:17:04 they actually played together in the

1:17:05 HBCU Classic in Seattle, the first ever.

1:17:09 In 2023, no doubt.

1:17:12 And a swing and a miss.

1:17:14 Wilson wins the war.

1:17:17 Fourth strikeout of the game for Nick.

1:17:28 It's really primarily just

1:17:29 fastball-slider for Nick Wilson, which

1:17:33 makes his performance that much more

1:17:35 impressive. He'll work in a changeup

1:17:36 from time to time.

1:17:39 But, a two-pitch mix from a starting

1:17:41 pitcher is pretty unheard of.

1:17:47 Quick 0-2 count on Ryan Cox putting up

1:17:49 video game numbers here in his fifth

1:17:51 World Tour hitting .400, on-base

1:17:53 percentage .515. You see the OPS

1:17:57 1.235.

1:17:59 It's crazy what Cox has been able to do

1:18:01 with the stick as he sends that one into

1:18:03 left field. Stop sign for Danny Hasley.

1:18:05 Joe Gray has got a cannon

1:18:07 and was playing pretty far in.

1:18:11 Yeah, despite being the man in left

1:18:12 field, Joe Gray Jr. might have the best

1:18:14 arm out of any of the Clowns defenders

1:18:17 who roam that outfield. That is a wise

1:18:20 stop sign from Tyler Gilliam and he can

1:18:23 do that sort of thing knowing he's back

1:18:25 up to the top of the order and he has

1:18:27 Dan Oberst in the box.

1:18:30 Fastball just misses the outside corner.

1:18:34 And this right here, talked about it,

1:18:36 Dan's first time up is why Tyler Gilliam

1:18:39 has him in the lead-off spot. He wants

1:18:40 Dan Overst hitting as much as possible.

1:18:42 Baltimore chop left side. Eli Peyton

1:18:45 will get the out at first, but it's a

1:18:47 walk-off.

1:18:49 That's a situation where Peyton kind of

1:18:52 had his baseball brain on. You really

1:18:54 just have to let that ball go.

1:18:57 And hope it goes foul because the inning

1:18:58 is lost if you field it. Overst will

1:19:02 take the RBI.

1:19:03 His 11th of the season.

1:19:06 And trade that for a

1:19:08 ground out to third any day.

1:19:12 It's also his third walk-off of the year

1:19:14 as TJ Jackson's trying to find the right

1:19:15 song.

1:19:19 Maceo Harrison approves and

1:19:22 somehow the entire Bananas team had a

1:19:24 choreographed dance ready for it.

1:19:30 Magic of Bananaland.

1:19:34 Let's get it down to Brandon and Jarius.

1:19:37 Two nothing Bananas.

1:19:44 All right, ladies and gentlemen. Now, we

1:19:46 love, love here at Banana Ball. And

1:19:48 tonight, we want to celebrate the

1:19:49 essence and power of that love. Here

1:19:52 I've got Chelsea and Jared. And over

1:19:54 here to my right I've got Bobby and

1:19:55 Angie. And we understand that it's been

1:19:56 a while since these fellas have

1:19:57 serenaded their wives. So, tonight we're

1:19:59 going to put them to the test. Jarius

1:20:01 and I are going to sing for you fellas,

1:20:02 but you have to lip sync what we're

1:20:04 singing. All right? And Savannah, it's

1:20:06 going to be up TO YOU, THE FANS, to

1:20:08 decide who wins their honeys' heart

1:20:10 tonight.

1:20:12 This is Will You Be Mine? DJ, hit it.

1:20:20 I know you want to leave me, but I

1:20:24 refuse

1:20:25 to let you go.

1:20:27 If I have to beg

1:20:29 and plead

1:20:29 for your sympathy,

1:20:31 I don't mind cuz you mean that much to

1:20:34 me. Ain't too proud to beg

1:20:37 and you know it.

1:20:39 Please don't leave me, girl. Don't you

1:20:42 go.

1:20:43 Ain't too proud to beg.

1:20:45 Baby, baby,

1:20:47 please don't leave me, girl. Don't you

1:20:50 go.

1:20:52 ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GIVE it

1:20:54 up FOR JARED. JARED, WHO WE GOT OVER

1:20:56 THERE? BOBBY SHOWERS GUY.

1:20:56 >> ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, I GOT THE BRETT

1:20:58 COUPLE WITH ME AND how long HAVE YOU

1:20:59 GUYS BEEN TOGETHER?

1:21:00 15 years. All right, let's see WHAT THEY

1:21:03 GOT. DJ, HIT IT.

1:21:06 OH, come on.

1:21:10 OH, OH, OH, NO. HE'S COMING OUT OF THE

1:21:12 SHOES.

1:21:14 OH, OH,

1:21:15 OH MY GOODNESS. OH, HE'S COMING OUT OF

1:21:17 THE SHIRT.

1:21:18 LADIES and gentlemen,

1:21:25 All right, all right, all right, all

1:21:26 right, I THINK THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH. ALL

1:21:28 RIGHT, SAVANNAH, IT IS TIME FOR YOU THE

1:21:30 FANS TO DECIDE. IS IT CHELSEA AND JARED

1:21:35 OR WAS IT BOBBY AND G?

1:21:39 THAT IS WILL YOU BE MINE?

1:21:49 IT'S GOOD TO SEE SOME of our other teams

1:21:51 here in the Banana Ball world enjoying

1:21:54 the open. Of course, Party Animals here,

1:21:56 the Indianapolis Clowns, the only two

1:21:58 teams who did not make the cut. Well,

1:22:01 you get to learn a little more about

1:22:02 your competition despite the fact that

1:22:04 you're not playing in this open. It's

1:22:05 still a long season that you've got

1:22:07 ahead of you and these Party Animals and

1:22:09 Loco Beach Coconuts also get to be here

1:22:12 to help create fans first moments

1:22:14 throughout the weekend as well. BOBBY

1:22:16 LADAY, BLAST OUT TO LEFT. SAYONARA.

1:22:21 Smashed into the left field landing in

1:22:23 the Clowns

1:22:25 with a counter punch offensively.

1:22:33 I'm this guy seeing the ball very well

1:22:36 out of the hand of Austin Jurri had a

1:22:38 double against him in Anaheim. Now two

1:22:41 for two against AD and for more with

1:22:43 Lade Michael's got it. Row, row, row

1:22:46 your boat. How did that feel in the

1:22:48 first ever Banana Ball game? Oh yeah,

1:22:50 that felt great. You know what I'm

1:22:51 saying? Just locked in right there like

1:22:53 I said last time. And you know we got to

1:22:55 keep it going now. It it is crazy legs

1:22:57 over here some good luck. Is crazy legs

1:22:59 good luck? Oh yeah, I would definitely

1:23:00 say so. All right, WE GOT GOOD LUCK.

1:23:01 BACK UP TO YOU GUYS.

1:23:04 Alex Zigler trying to go behind the back

1:23:07 on what would have been a trick play for

1:23:08 Ryan Cox.

1:23:12 Can't come up with it.

1:23:16 Well, this is kind of the interesting

1:23:18 thing. You saw the Lade home run. Now

1:23:20 Lidel reaching on a trick play missed.

1:23:23 Clowns, they are the only team to have

1:23:25 really hit Austin Jurri pretty hard this

1:23:28 season. Had six hits against him, scored

1:23:31 four runs against the no other team has

1:23:33 had more than five hits or two runs

1:23:35 scored against the Banana Southpaw.

1:23:39 Malachi Mitchell dancing it up. Ziggy

1:23:41 his hype man. Zack Markham

1:23:44 doing some grooving over there as well.

1:23:45 Oh, now Ziggy's joining in on the dance.

1:23:52 Oh boy.

1:23:55 The shenanigans are non-stop. Nico

1:23:57 Holsizer

1:24:00 Newman half the plate fastball misses

1:24:02 just a

1:24:07 And flash

1:24:09 safe on the pick off attempt over at

1:24:11 first base.

1:24:12 And now he's caught.

1:24:16 Ziggy gives to Cox.

1:24:19 Cox tracks down his former teammate

1:24:21 himself.

1:24:26 Perfectly executed pickoff by Austin

1:24:28 Drury.

1:24:31 Yeah, those lefty moves, they are so

1:24:34 tough and clearly Malachi Mitchell just

1:24:36 caught leading a little too much. Drury

1:24:39 keeping his eye on him after that dance.

1:24:42 And now man taken off the base pass, but

1:24:46 Holsizer continues with the 2-0 count.

1:24:49 The Bender just misses there.

1:24:53 Nico grounded out to Ryan Cox this first

1:24:55 time as the slider gets the zone.

1:25:02 Six years of minor league baseball

1:25:03 experience for Holsizer. Started in the

1:25:06 Dodgers organization about a year and a

1:25:07 half, then traded to the Tampa Bay Rays.

1:25:15 And a heck of an eye on the slider.

1:25:18 3-2 pitch with one away.

1:25:22 Slow bouncer. Kyle Jackson between the

1:25:24 legs, you bet.

1:25:28 Second trick play of the ballgame for

1:25:29 KJ.

1:25:32 Making that one look nice and easy over

1:25:35 at third base. Yet another nice play.

1:25:38 You see the transition between the legs

1:25:40 seamless for Jackson. And now the

1:25:43 Bananas up to six trick plays in the

1:25:45 ballgame. The Clowns still without one.

1:25:48 Prime time, did he Go? Seth Markum says

1:25:51 no.

1:25:54 Line drive single.

1:25:56 First time around for Prime Time.

1:25:59 This is part of

1:26:01 this Clowns lineup.

1:26:02 Really impresses with the baseball

1:26:04 talent, the resumes

1:26:06 as well.

1:26:08 Got a six-year minor league guy in

1:26:10 Holsizer. Hands the bat off to a

1:26:11 seven-year minor league guy in Correlle

1:26:13 Prime.

1:26:18 Lifted to the right side, Hasley

1:26:21 is going to run out of room.

1:26:24 No play by the fans, Adam.

1:26:32 Prime, 6 years in the Rockies

1:26:33 organization, finished up with 1 year

1:26:36 as a Texas Rangers farm hand. And he's

1:26:38 got himself his second hit of the night.

1:26:41 Great piece of inside-out hitting.

1:26:43 Prime aboard with two away.

1:26:46 And he's battled to a degree against

1:26:47 Austin Drury as well. Six pitches the

1:26:50 first time, fouled off a couple

1:26:52 two-strike offerings before getting the

1:26:54 opposite or yeah, the opposite or the

1:26:57 knock to left field his first time up.

1:26:59 And now Prime with a nice opposite field

1:27:02 knock here in the top of the fourth. You

1:27:04 got guys who crossed over for 1 year in

1:27:06 the American Association.

1:27:13 It was Prime's last year with the

1:27:14 Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks, and Drury's

1:27:17 first year in Indy Pro Ball with the

1:27:19 Sioux City Explorers.

1:27:25 Fans want donuts.

1:27:28 Fastball gets the bottom of the zone.

1:27:30 Two balls and a strike on Chris Burgess.

1:27:32 Smashed the ball his first time, but

1:27:34 straight to KJ at third.

1:27:36 This can only be caught by the fans.

1:27:39 They don't make the play in the second

1:27:41 level of that right field deck.

1:27:46 And the parade of former minor leaguers

1:27:48 continues.

1:27:50 Burgess, the guy who spent 3 years in

1:27:52 the Baltimore Orioles farm system, 4

1:27:54 years of independent professional

1:27:56 baseball after that.

1:27:59 A 925 OPS last year

1:28:01 in the Frontier League.

1:28:06 Started in Troy, New York, finished in

1:28:08 Quebec, Canada. How about that for a

1:28:11 season of any sport.

1:28:21 Deuces wild here in the top of the

1:28:23 fourth.

1:28:26 Broken bat, base knock.

1:28:30 Primes going to try and no, he will slam

1:28:32 the brakes. Respect

1:28:34 to the right arm of Danny Hasley.

1:28:38 And a couple ducks on the pond now for

1:28:40 Eli Payton.

1:28:43 Well, I'll tell you outside of the home

1:28:45 run from Bobby Leday, the other hits we

1:28:47 have seen the Indianapolis Clowns

1:28:48 collect tonight have not been

1:28:50 particularly hard hit. The same can be

1:28:52 said there for Burgess, but nice to see

1:28:55 the Clowns at least getting some

1:28:57 offensive momentum going here in the

1:28:59 fourth inning against AD.

1:29:02 Quick 0-2 count on Payton.

1:29:04 He struck out swinging his first time.

1:29:10 And that's the banana ball gods giving

1:29:11 one back to Burgess.

1:29:14 Took what should have been a knock away

1:29:15 from him the first time.

1:29:18 Came back around.

1:29:29 Good fight by Payton, still in a 1-2

1:29:31 hole.

1:29:34 Nice bat foul, look out.

1:29:41 Eli, one of the eighth round draft picks

1:29:43 by the Clowns.

1:29:45 Fantastic so far as a rookie, trying to

1:29:47 bring in his teammates. Soft contact,

1:29:50 Kyle Jackson

1:29:52 in foul territory, makes the catch right

1:29:55 up against the fence and a fist bump

1:29:57 from a fan as Drury strands a pair. A

1:30:00 little fan's first moment for Kyle

1:30:02 Jackson, but nevertheless, how about

1:30:04 Bobby Leday? A big lead-off home run in

1:30:08 the fourth inning against Austin Drury,

1:30:11 and that gets the Clowns on the board as

1:30:13 they'll try and earn their first point

1:30:15 in the bottom half.

1:30:17 LaDay two home runs in the regular

1:30:19 season, now one long ball here in the

1:30:21 Banana Ball Open as the Clowns try and

1:30:24 pursue the playoff spot on the line.

1:30:33 You guys look good.

1:30:40 Get those arms waving.

1:30:53 Keep it going. Hands up.

1:31:07 Now keep it clapping as we shuffle.

1:31:23 Now let me hear you sing it.

1:31:36 One more time.

1:31:50 You guys are amazing. Give yourselves a

1:31:52 round of applause.

1:31:56 Now batting number two, Reese

1:31:59 "Superman". Everybody to be it and

1:32:00 grooving it here in historic Grayson

1:32:03 Stadium with Hey Baby behind us. Clark

1:32:06 Gilmore now on the bump, the Banana Ball

1:32:08 rookie, Mr. Irrelevant in the draft,

1:32:12 number 88 overall in the 11th round, the

1:32:14 final pick of the 2026 Banana Ball

1:32:17 player draft.

1:32:19 And

1:32:21 the trick pitches are unbelievable.

1:32:24 Guy who spent 3 years at Dartmouth,

1:32:25 finished up at Notre Dame.

1:32:28 Starting to find some success on the

1:32:29 mound as of late as well.

1:32:32 Now we've seen Gilmore able to earn a

1:32:33 point for the Clowns last weekend, but

1:32:36 what you still have to be wary of if

1:32:38 you're a Bananas batter, Gilmore has

1:32:40 allowed either a ball for sprint and or

1:32:42 a hit by pitch in each of his last four

1:32:45 outings for the Clowns. So he's tricky,

1:32:47 but sometimes control can elude him.

1:32:49 Pull sizer.

1:32:51 Tough to judge that one off the bat.

1:32:54 Alexiades, one of the most powerful

1:32:56 hitters in the sport.

1:33:01 Kind of queued that one off the lumber

1:33:03 and will have his second knock of the

1:33:04 night. A double his first time, so the

1:33:08 inning-tying run is on first and Max

1:33:11 Young Goldberg,

1:33:13 who has hit third in the order all 12

1:33:16 games to start his Banana Ball career,

1:33:20 representing the inning-winning run.

1:33:26 Check on Alexiades. Good move by

1:33:28 Gilmore.

1:33:30 Reese back safely.

1:33:32 Always a threat to run.

1:33:35 Four for five in stolen bases so far

1:33:37 this year.

1:33:40 And now Clark says, "I'll leave you

1:33:41 alone."

1:33:43 True to his word.

1:33:47 Well, he might be a right-hander on that

1:33:49 pitcher's mound, but Gilmore, he's the

1:33:51 only right-hander with a multiple

1:33:53 pick-offs early this season in 2026.

1:33:57 Yeah, Clark had one last weekend against

1:33:59 the local beach coconuts.

1:34:05 Gage Worley's had one as well.

1:34:08 Both in that Saturday night 3-2 victory.

1:34:11 Or Gilmore rather in the Friday night

1:34:13 game.

1:34:14 Worley's Saturday night getting a six

1:34:16 out save.

1:34:20 Count has run full on MJG.

1:34:24 Very patient at the dish.

1:34:27 Alexiades off on the 3-2 chopper to

1:34:29 Prime. He'll throw to second and what's

1:34:32 the call going to be here? Alexiades

1:34:35 collided with LeDay.

1:34:41 Second base umpire Bryson Wheeler.

1:34:46 So far saying that Alexiades did not

1:34:48 interfere.

1:34:59 HEY KYLE JACKSON. OH, HE'S STILL got the

1:35:01 mic on him. I can hear you. You better

1:35:03 be nice. Have you been listening for the

1:35:04 last inning and a half? Yeah, you better

1:35:06 be nice. Can you like that? Can't do

1:35:07 that. Hi B Go. Hi Josh. Hi Mom. Hey,

1:35:10 what's up Josh? Hey Joe. Hi. KJ, can you

1:35:12 ask Joe if he ever found his little

1:35:13 number first thumb? Did you ever find

1:35:15 the thing for your thumb? No. Ah. But

1:35:18 but but here here we go. So Skelly, he's

1:35:21 the man, right? So he went and got me a

1:35:23 new one. So I got a brand new thumb

1:35:26 guard on here. It doesn't fit as good,

1:35:28 but it's okay. It's still going to work.

1:35:34 Okay, so the umpire's conference.

1:35:35 Alexiades still safe at second. I guess

1:35:38 they decided he would have been there

1:35:39 safe anyways.

1:35:41 Only play that still could have been

1:35:42 made was potentially Max Goldberg at

1:35:44 first.

1:35:48 Run it back.

1:35:53 What you also saw a 10 from Alexi Otis

1:35:55 for trying to get underneath La Day

1:35:57 there. So, it's not like there was any

1:35:58 kind of intentional interference that

1:36:01 you're seeing on his part.

1:36:03 Oh, KJ, you nearly just got an excuse me

1:36:06 swing. Extra base hit.

1:36:08 >> want it. You didn't like that.

1:36:09 >> I don't want that.

1:36:10 >> Okay, that's good.

1:36:19 Here we go.

1:36:22 That's a good cut.

1:36:38 What a take.

1:36:41 One, two to Kyle Jackson with the mic

1:36:43 on. Yep. Come on.

1:36:52 And the count two and two. Inning tying

1:36:53 run on second, inning winning run on

1:36:55 first.

1:37:00 Hot shot glove by Prime.

1:37:05 And it's a first at time. Kyle Jackson,

1:37:07 thanks for keeping the mic on, man.

1:37:09 I'm not going to say anything. I'm I'm

1:37:10 in a bad mood now. That's a That's a

1:37:12 productive out, KJ. No, it ain't.

1:37:17 Well, KJ does move his runners over to

1:37:20 second and third.

1:37:22 Which means a knock from Bill LeRoy here

1:37:24 has a great chance of winning the inning

1:37:26 for the Bananas. And of course, with

1:37:28 Alexi Otis at third,

1:37:30 a wild pitch or passed ball could tie

1:37:32 the frame.

1:37:39 But, this is the right man you want up

1:37:41 in the batting order for the Bananas,

1:37:43 Bill.

1:37:44 Over the last 2 years against non-Party

1:37:46 Animal opponents has a .450 batting

1:37:49 average, 16 extra base hits, and 27 runs

1:37:53 batted in for the Bananas. Good for a

1:37:55 .211 OPS+.

1:38:00 Wow.

1:38:02 Called strike.

1:38:04 One-two now. Infield in for the Clowns.

1:38:08 And a good fight from Leroy. There's

1:38:10 only one out,

1:38:11 which is why the infield is in for the

1:38:13 Clowns.

1:38:21 And now the count is even at two and

1:38:22 two. Good time to remind you, four balls

1:38:24 to Leroy will win the inning for the

1:38:26 Bananas.

1:38:31 And it popped

1:38:33 out of play. We'll do it again.

1:38:46 Fouled away.

1:38:49 Gilmore's primarily four-seam fastball

1:38:51 cutter

1:38:52 and a slider. He'll throw once in a

1:38:53 while, plus his array of trick pitches.

1:39:02 And the sidewinder with a three-two

1:39:05 count now. And in a spot like this, you

1:39:06 just can't see him risking the trick

1:39:08 pitch and not nailing it for a strike

1:39:10 here. It's like he continues to go from

1:39:12 the normal scratch. Bill Leroy, deep fly

1:39:15 ball to left. Joe Gray Jr.

1:39:18 CAN'T FIND IT. OH, DISASTER FEET FOR THE

1:39:20 CLOWNS.

1:39:22 BRYCE VAZQUEZ GETTING THE WINDMILL. MATT

1:39:24 WALSH'S RELAY NOT

1:39:25 IN TIME.

1:39:30 DEEP FLY BALL LOST in the twilight by

1:39:32 Joe Gray Jr.

1:39:34 And Bill Leroy's got himself an inning

1:39:37 winner. Naners are up three nothing.

1:39:40 Well, you score that another extra hit

1:39:43 for Bill Leroy in his career.

1:39:46 And how about this? The Clowns, their

1:39:48 first game in Grayson Stadium, having

1:39:50 some trouble with those lights. Now,

1:39:52 let's catch up with Sam Bowman and Jesse

1:39:54 Cole.

1:39:56 YEAH, THANKS BIKO. JOSH, THE BANANA BALL

1:39:59 OPEN, Banana Ball is a hole inside the

1:40:01 mind of this guy, Jesse Cole. Jesse, you

1:40:03 got one team 10 wins coming to this,

1:40:05 another team scraping their way in, and

1:40:07 yet here they are battling it out for

1:40:10 the Banana Ball Open. Is this the

1:40:11 vision? What a great story line. You

1:40:13 obviously the Clowns coming back and

1:40:15 being here in this situation and seeing

1:40:17 the crowd. I mean, when we set this up,

1:40:19 the goal was you watch what a regular

1:40:20 season looks like. You know, in baseball

1:40:22 162 games and the stakes really don't

1:40:25 matter until September. And if you can

1:40:26 create that in the first 2 months of the

1:40:28 season, and saw what happened last week

1:40:30 leading to this, exactly what we want to

1:40:31 create for fans. Have them locked in and

1:40:33 excited and a playoff birth in the on

1:40:36 the the in the stakes right now. One to

1:40:38 one. There we go.

1:40:40 That's huge. That's huge. And to see

1:40:41 that happen right now, it's exactly what

1:40:43 we're trying to create and the fans are

1:40:44 into it. And to do it here in Savannah,

1:40:46 to come back home. I'm sure there are

1:40:48 other venues that are bigger drawing in

1:40:50 this, but you say, "We're going to do it

1:40:51 here in front of 5,000 fans in Savannah,

1:40:53 bring the first ever Banana Ball Open

1:40:55 right here." Well, it's special. I

1:40:56 remember back that first year, the first

1:40:58 games here, winning a championship here,

1:41:00 bringing it back. And you know, three of

1:41:02 our first 6 years, this there were

1:41:04 championships that would happen right

1:41:05 here. And to see this now, a playoff

1:41:07 birth for these fans in a league that

1:41:09 matters, that people care about. It's

1:41:11 exciting. So, we're going to see in 3 or

1:41:13 4 days, we might see a dog pile, we

1:41:14 might see a celebration, you might see

1:41:16 something, which is amazing. It's April,

1:41:18 it's here in Savannah where it started.

1:41:20 Can't wait to see what happens. Well,

1:41:21 Jesse, it's been good so far. The game

1:41:23 far from over. Biko, Josh, back to you

1:41:26 guys.

1:41:27 Thank you, SB. Always great to hear

1:41:30 from the man in the yellow tux.

1:41:34 We go to the top of the fifth inning,

1:41:36 the Bananas up three points to none.

1:41:41 As they have won the second, third, and

1:41:43 fourth innings in succession.

1:41:46 And go to the bullpen

1:41:48 after Austin Drury

1:41:50 goes four innings of one run ball

1:41:52 earning those three points. Cowboy Kyle

1:41:54 here in his ninth year as a Savannah

1:41:55 Banana takes over. Yeah, he's had six

1:41:57 outings in 2026. He's posted a one and

1:42:00 oh record so far. He has allowed a ball

1:42:02 for a sprint in each of his last four

1:42:04 appearances for the Bananas. But he's

1:42:06 striking out 21% of batters that he's

1:42:09 faced this season. 16 and a half is the

1:42:12 league average. So Kyle still pretty

1:42:15 good in that strikeout department. And

1:42:17 with the Bananas having a three point

1:42:19 edge right now, you can take out Austin

1:42:22 Drury and feel comfortable giving the

1:42:24 Clowns a look at a different guy.

1:42:26 Especially considering Drury allowed

1:42:28 three hits last inning and was out there

1:42:30 for seven minutes on the mound.

1:42:33 Deep drive out to right. Danny Hasley

1:42:35 coasting over has it. Dale Francis Jr.

1:42:38 retired.

1:42:42 And Jaylen Vasquez will dig in. 9 10 and

1:42:46 1 in the order here for the Clowns.

1:42:49 They got their first run of the ball

1:42:51 game in the fourth inning and then the

1:42:52 Nanners doubled them up to earn the

1:42:54 point.

1:42:57 JV a dangerous man lurking at the bottom

1:43:00 of this order.

1:43:08 Three years in the Baltimore Orioles

1:43:10 organization just like Chris Burgess

1:43:12 up in the sixth hole. AND OH, TORNADO

1:43:15 CATCH! SUPER REESE IN STRAIGHTAWAY

1:43:18 CENTER. A DOOZY OF a trick play.

1:43:22 You've seen all of them come IN RIGHT

1:43:24 FIELD, BUT FINALLY ALEX RIONIS ABLE TO

1:43:27 NAIL IT IN CENTER FIELD. DUE TO THE

1:43:29 injury from DR Meadows, new dimensions

1:43:33 for Super Reese. THEY DON'T PHASE HIM

1:43:35 WHATSOEVER.

1:43:39 AND HE STRIKES A POSE.

1:43:42 Guy who has turned into a fan favorite

1:43:45 on this banana squad and beloved in the

1:43:48 locker room.

1:43:51 Back to the top of the order, another

1:43:54 absolutely shattered back. Alex Ziegler

1:43:56 twisting behind-the-back catch. A quick

1:43:58 inning with a pair of fantastic trick

1:44:00 plays for Cowboy Kyle. Two stellar trick

1:44:03 plays for the Nanners and a 1-minute and

1:44:06 42-second

1:44:08 inning for the 9-year Banana, Kyle

1:44:11 Luina.

1:44:15 Back down to the field we go.

1:44:16 >> Every single night we get to do brand

1:44:19 new things, brand new shenanigans for

1:44:21 you, and this is an example of that

1:44:23 right here and now. I'm standing here on

1:44:25 the mound. This is Carter. Everybody say

1:44:27 hi, Carter.

1:44:29 Carter, if you notice, has a blindfold

1:44:31 around his neck. Let's just go ahead and

1:44:33 put it over your eyes there, Carter, cuz

1:44:34 here's what's going to happen. Carter is

1:44:35 surrounded by the Loco Beach Coconuts,

1:44:38 who as you can see are all armed with

1:44:42 water balloons. When I say go, Carter is

1:44:45 going to do his best to dodge and not

1:44:48 get hit with these water balloons, but

1:44:50 he will be competing against a

1:44:51 contestant that we will see in the next

1:44:53 half inning. Whoever gets hit the least

1:44:56 by the water balloons will be the

1:44:58 winner. All right, Carter, you are

1:44:59 locked in. You can't see anything,

1:45:01 right?

1:45:02 All right, very good. Loco Beach

1:45:04 Coconuts, get yourselves ready. On your

1:45:07 mark, get set, go. Start dodging,

1:45:10 Carter.

1:45:12 Oh.

1:45:15 My gosh, these are professional

1:45:17 athletes.

1:45:20 10 9 8 7

1:45:24 6 5 4 3 2 1 All right, Carter.

1:45:31 I

1:45:32 I think I counted like 17.

1:45:35 17 is the number. We're going to come

1:45:37 back in three outs, ladies and

1:45:39 gentlemen, and find out who is our

1:45:41 winner. Give it up for Carter in the

1:45:42 first half of our dodgeball game.

1:45:47 Oh my gosh. Looks like that guy just

1:45:50 crawled out of the Savannah River.

1:45:52 Those coconuts have pretty dead-eye arms

1:45:54 when it comes to water balloon tosses.

1:45:57 I think a lot of guys missed.

1:46:05 I didn't hit him with a single one.

1:46:07 Good job, Kyle. Good job, Kyle.

1:46:08 To the bottom of the fifth inning we go.

1:46:12 Game one

1:46:14 of the 2026 Banana Ball Open presented

1:46:17 by GEICO.

1:46:19 These are winner-go-home games. Tonight,

1:46:23 it's the Bananas and Clowns. Nanners up

1:46:25 3-0 currently.

1:46:27 Tomorrow night, we get the two-seed

1:46:29 Firefighters against the three-seed

1:46:31 Texas Tailgaters.

1:46:38 Winners of

1:46:40 tonight's and tomorrow's games will

1:46:43 collide in the best-of-two series

1:46:45 Saturday and Sunday.

1:46:48 If the two-game set is split, then we go

1:46:50 straight into showdown tiebreakers to

1:46:52 decide the series

1:46:54 immediately following the conclusion

1:46:57 of game two Sunday afternoon.

1:46:59 Every single game right here on the

1:47:01 Banana Ball Open. Clark Gilmore out for

1:47:03 his second inning of relief.

1:47:07 And has a ball and two strikes on

1:47:09 Jackson Olson.

1:47:17 Couple Connecticut boys doing battle

1:47:21 here in Savannah, Georgia.

1:47:24 Clark out of Redding, Connecticut.

1:47:26 Jackson Olson

1:47:32 infamously

1:47:36 out of New Milford, Connecticut.

1:47:43 And Olson

1:47:44 wins the battle, works the ball for

1:47:46 Sprint, and will be content with one

1:47:48 base.

1:47:51 Clowns great Sprint defense.

1:47:54 Second time they've had to employ it so

1:47:55 far tonight.

1:48:01 Something special coming from Robert

1:48:03 Anthony Cruz. What do we got? Looks like

1:48:06 there are some more ghosts on the field.

1:48:48 I'm wondering

1:48:50 Good question for everybody in the

1:48:51 Banana Ball YouTube chat. Who got more

1:48:53 wet? Robert Anthony Cruz or the guy who

1:48:55 just got pelted with water balloons by

1:48:57 the local beach coconuts?

1:49:00 I'm going to take the water balloon guy.

1:49:02 I think I've got the water balloon guy

1:49:04 as well, but it's close.

1:49:06 It's tight.

1:49:09 For real?

1:49:10 Well, inning winning home run his first

1:49:12 time. Here he pops out TO JOE LIDLE.

1:49:15 WOW, CLARK GILBERT SPINNING BEHIND THE

1:49:17 BACK. Off a tip drill from his catcher.

1:49:26 That's pretty impressive. You see Lido

1:49:29 the wherewithal in foul territory.

1:49:31 You've got nothing to lose tipping that

1:49:34 up and Clark Gilmore finishing it off

1:49:37 with a behind the back spin. The clowns

1:49:38 have got to get back in things when it

1:49:40 comes to trick plays and now it's eight

1:49:42 for the bananas, three for the

1:49:44 Indianapolis clowns.

1:49:47 Hasley a mighty swing and a miss. Behind

1:49:49 no balls and two strikes.

1:49:53 And off the trick pitch.

1:49:55 A knock into right.

1:49:57 Watson will go station to station.

1:50:00 Danny Hasley wise to the behind the back

1:50:02 pitch from Clark Gilmore.

1:50:06 Get another look.

1:50:10 That is a fantastic piece of hitting

1:50:12 from Danny Do it all.

1:50:15 The trickery does not fool the banana

1:50:17 ball that as Ty Jackson checks his swing

1:50:20 and gets a fastball off the wrist.

1:50:22 That's

1:50:23 one of the worst places you can possibly

1:50:25 get hit. We hope Ty's okay.

1:50:37 It looks like he's going to be able to

1:50:38 shake it off. Slam his helmet. Perfect

1:50:42 one hopper to KJ and

1:50:44 now he's doing Oh, Vincent Chapman

1:50:46 called this a foul ball.

1:50:48 Vincent Chapman's calling Ty back to the

1:50:51 right-handed batter's box.

1:50:55 Ty can't believe it.

1:50:57 Some would say he's apoplectic.

1:51:01 Another look. Oh, yeah. That's off that

1:51:03 right hand. Yeah, you don't see that on

1:51:05 knob at all.

1:51:06 >> No. Well, now you're getting a look from

1:51:08 Vincent's angle.

1:51:12 I I this is it's a very tough

1:51:15 play to rule from a home plate umpire.

1:51:17 You got a pitch coming high 80s, low

1:51:19 90s. It's real close to the knob of the

1:51:22 bat, and it might have got bone so

1:51:25 crisply that it sounded like it hit the

1:51:27 knob of the bat. But, Vincent does not

1:51:29 have the ability live to see it in super

1:51:31 slow mo like we do. I mean, from up here

1:51:33 I could not tell live if it was off the

1:51:35 knob, but by Ty Jackson's reaction I was

1:51:38 pretty certain it got a piece of that

1:51:39 right. Well, once you get to see it from

1:51:41 that first base angle, it doesn't look

1:51:43 to me like you're seeing the banana ball

1:51:45 hit anywhere on Jackson's bat.

1:51:47 >> It's No, it would It did not touch the

1:51:49 bat at all.

1:51:50 So,

1:51:52 easy call for Vincent Chapman to

1:51:53 overturn.

1:51:55 And

1:51:56 I'm just going to say this as well. You

1:51:58 would not see such a reaction. We know

1:52:00 Ty Jackson, an entertainer, pretty

1:52:02 dramatic guy. But, you would not see

1:52:05 that kind of reaction or the pain in

1:52:08 which Ty Jackson was kind of in in that

1:52:10 right-handed batter's box if that had

1:52:13 struck the bat in any capacity. Right.

1:52:15 This is his fifth year as a Savannah

1:52:17 Banana. He's got acting chops.

1:52:20 He's not that good.

1:52:23 That's

1:52:24 I was very worried for

1:52:27 Ty Jackson's health

1:52:29 when that ball clipped him on the wrist.

1:52:31 So, now the inning-winning run 90 ft

1:52:33 from scoring.

1:52:35 Clowns have to bring the infield in for

1:52:37 a second straight inning.

1:52:39 And Ryan Kabb

1:52:41 a single his first time

1:52:43 with the fate of the frame in his hands.

1:52:47 Peters

1:52:48 misses the inside corner, 2-0 count.

1:53:00 And a snap throw to third, Jackson back

1:53:03 safely.

1:53:07 Olsen on third, Hostetler on second.

1:53:10 Ty Jackson on first.

1:53:12 And now Gilmore will spin towards second

1:53:15 and fire home.

1:53:17 Great foul.

1:53:23 Brian Cox hit his first home run of the

1:53:24 year this past weekend in Chapel Hill.

1:53:27 Looking for his first career grand slam.

1:53:31 Three career long balls for Coxy.

1:53:35 The 2-2.

1:53:37 Flip to short. Leday with a scoop.

1:53:39 There's one. WOLFE TO FIRST. THERE'S

1:53:41 TWO. AND GILMORE ESCAPES.

1:53:45 TWIN KILLING exactly what the Clowns

1:53:47 needed to survive the fifth inning.

1:53:49 Yeah, that's a big play by Bobby Leday

1:53:51 over at shortstop. Spinning around,

1:53:54 throwing to his designated fielder in

1:53:56 Matt Wolfe. And Gilmore able to pull off

1:53:59 a Houdini act for the Indianapolis

1:54:01 Clowns.

1:54:03 He got annihilated by the local beach

1:54:05 coconuts. But I am out here with Thomas

1:54:08 who's celebrating his birthday. Let me

1:54:09 say hi, Thomas.

1:54:11 All right, Thomas. Let's blindfold up

1:54:13 here. Uh but I'm going to ask you after

1:54:15 you watched your buddy get just

1:54:17 absolutely lit up by the coconuts, how

1:54:18 are you feeling about your chances right

1:54:20 here now? It's going to be easy. He says

1:54:23 it's going to be easy work. Well, all

1:54:24 you have to do is not get hit by the

1:54:27 Well, the number you're shooting is for

1:54:28 less than 17. You guys think he's going

1:54:30 to be able to do it?

1:54:32 I don't know. I hope your dodging skills

1:54:34 and your agility is on point. All right,

1:54:37 Thomas. Let's get ready. Coconuts, get

1:54:39 those balloons in hand. On your mark,

1:54:42 get set, go.

1:54:45 Oh my gosh. OH, HE'S MISSING THEM.

1:54:48 HE IS NOT GETTING HIT BY ANYBODY.

1:54:51 GO. OH. OH. OH MY GOD, that just missed

1:54:54 him.

1:54:56 Thomas, you are un- you are doing

1:54:59 I can't I can what WE'RE WATCHING.

1:55:03 NO HITS YET. FOUR, THREE, come on, GET

1:55:07 HIM. GO

1:55:08 ON.

1:55:12 Hey Thomas,

1:55:15 we weren't actually throwing water

1:55:16 balloons at you, but you just put on one

1:55:18 heck of a performance in front of 5,000

1:55:21 fans. Ladies and gentlemen,

1:55:23 give it up for our birthday boy, Thomas,

1:55:26 and our black blindfolded dodgeball

1:55:29 competition.

1:55:35 Well, happy birthday, Thomas.

1:55:37 We go to the top of the sixth inning

1:55:40 after a huge 6-4-3 double play.

1:55:43 Well, a day to Wolf to Prime. It is

1:55:46 still a three-nothing Bananas lead.

1:55:48 Beautiful sunset

1:55:50 over our 100-year-old ballpark, historic

1:55:53 Grayson Stadium.

1:55:56 With four innings still to play tonight,

1:55:58 the Clowns have only netted one run for

1:56:00 the first five innings, haven't gotten

1:56:02 to get a point out of it though, and a

1:56:05 big portion, you're seeing the Bananas

1:56:07 up 3-0, and with a shutout right now

1:56:09 against the Clowns, their pitching staff

1:56:12 still yet to allow a ball four sprint in

1:56:15 tonight's contest. Yeah, that's

1:56:17 a big part of the success

1:56:20 when it comes to pitching in Banana

1:56:21 Ball,

1:56:23 just cutting down your ball four

1:56:24 sprints. Jackie Bradley Jr.

1:56:27 leading off the sixth inning.

1:56:57 Stand up now and face the sun.

1:57:43 >> 2010 College World Series most

1:57:45 outstanding player

1:57:47 two-time World Series champion the 2018

1:57:51 ALCS MVP for the Boston Red Sox

1:57:54 it's safe for Jackie Bradley Jr. to say

1:57:57 I'm the man I'm the man I'm the man

1:57:59 coming up to the dish

1:58:01 leading the Banana Ball Championship

1:58:03 League in hits and runs batted in.

1:58:05 Really nice start to his Banana Ball

1:58:07 career and he's also

1:58:09 amassed 13 and 1/2 runs above a

1:58:11 replacement level player good for third

1:58:14 in the league right now.

1:58:18 Able to get a piece

1:58:20 of the slider right there. Kyle Lewis

1:58:22 ahead 0-2 out for a second inning relief

1:58:25 and you touched on that Championship

1:58:27 League Series MVP in 2018.

1:58:30 The Clowns could be able to advance

1:58:32 they're going to need another big game

1:58:33 out of JBJ tonight here in the later

1:58:36 stages. Of course had a double two home

1:58:38 runs nine runs batted in in 2018 against

1:58:42 the Astros. I was working at MLB

1:58:44 Network. I watched every pitch of that

1:58:46 entire series.

1:58:49 So cool to see. Every one of those runs

1:58:51 batted in came with two outs.

1:58:56 Chopper to the right side. Alex Ziegler

1:58:59 is going to take it to the bag himself.

1:59:00 Couldn't figure out how to get a trick

1:59:02 play on it. So, he'll do it the

1:59:04 old-fashioned way.

1:59:08 And JBJ 0 for 3 so far tonight.

1:59:16 Bobby LaDay steps in.

1:59:19 Two for two, a single and a solo home

1:59:21 run.

1:59:33 He's driven in and scored the lone run

1:59:35 of the ball game for the Clowns.

1:59:41 Front door slider just barely snares the

1:59:43 zone. LaDay

1:59:46 in disagreement with Vincent Chapman on

1:59:47 the call. That's a heck of a take on the

1:59:49 big bender.

1:59:57 And the slider gets a swing and a miss

1:59:59 to even up the count.

2:00:05 High pop right side.

2:00:08 Ziggy into foul territory, eyeing it up.

2:00:11 Cannot connect on the behind-the-back

2:00:13 attempt.

2:00:16 It will only go as a trick play missed

2:00:18 if LaDay reaches. But, you've still got

2:00:20 Ty Jackson, who's moved from the extra

2:00:22 hitter spot into right field for the

2:00:23 Bananas, hyping up Alex Ziegler despite

2:00:26 whiffing on that ball in foul territory.

2:00:29 Ziggy trusting that Cowboy Kyle going to

2:00:32 be able to retire LaDay as the pitch

2:00:34 gets away from Bill LeRoy, and LaDay

2:00:37 thought for a split second about swiping

2:00:39 first base, and opts to stay in the

2:00:41 batter's box. Man, Kyle is a giggly boy

2:00:44 out on the mound. Every time we cut to

2:00:46 him, he's got a

2:00:48 ear-to-ear smile. A devilish grin.

2:00:52 Oh, just misses the top of the zone.

2:00:57 Good looking bender from Luigs does not

2:00:59 get the call from Chapman.

2:01:04 And LaDay reaches for the third time

2:01:06 tonight.

2:01:09 Great speed.

2:01:10 Saw him

2:01:11 forgo the attempt at stealing first base

2:01:14 a couple pitches ago, but eight for

2:01:16 eight on the year in his stolen base

2:01:17 tries leading the clowns.

2:01:27 And Joe Leddle, a guy who's been

2:01:30 battling Kyle Luigs for four straight

2:01:32 World Tours now, steps in. But last

2:01:34 season, one for 11 against Cowboy Kyle

2:01:37 Luigs as a member of the Firefighters.

2:01:47 That ball struck well, but straight to

2:01:49 Ty in right.

2:01:52 And two away.

2:01:56 So, Leddle now one for three on the

2:01:58 evening.

2:02:00 And Nico Hulshizer digs in. Couple

2:02:02 ground outs to the left side of the

2:02:03 infield. Sent to a trick play from KJ

2:02:06 EnCox.

2:02:13 High fly ball deep out to right center.

2:02:15 Ty Jackson on his horse will grab it.

2:02:18 Just shy of the track.

2:02:20 And it's two scoreless innings of relief

2:02:23 for Cowboy Kyle Luigs

2:02:26 as he continues to combine with Austin

2:02:28 Drury

2:02:30 for a fantastic line tonight for the

2:02:32 Nanners. Still just one run allowed.

2:02:35 We'll get it down to the field to

2:02:36 Michael Schwartz. Hey guys, look, this

2:02:38 one is what it's all about. The man of

2:02:41 the day, the man of the night, Russell

2:02:43 Crazy Legs Patterson. How are you, sir?

2:02:45 Thank you very much.

2:02:47 What is it like to wear this jersey,

2:02:50 see this team, and continue the legacy

2:02:54 of the Clowns? I mean, it was so cool to

2:02:56 watch you interact with all these

2:02:58 players. Well, today I had a about an

2:03:00 8-hour conversation with the ESPN, and I

2:03:04 really cried for real.

2:03:07 I I cried about 10 minutes because this

2:03:09 is so nailed to my heart, that playing

2:03:12 in the Negro League, and coming from

2:03:14 Savannah, Georgia, and playing with

2:03:16 Savannah Bears here, and I look at the

2:03:19 history of this town, how far we done

2:03:22 got, it's just something I love. And I

2:03:24 was talking to Mo'ne Davis. They were

2:03:26 going over pitches. I said, "What did he

2:03:28 say to you?" He said, "Well, they were

2:03:29 going over some grips for the pitch."

2:03:31 So, you're even teaching the youth. It

2:03:33 says Savannah Bears in the wall in left

2:03:35 field. You grew up in Savannah, but

2:03:37 you're Crazy Legs for a reason. Teach me

2:03:39 some of your dance moves.

2:03:41 What's What's like your best move? Well,

2:03:44 my best move is called a Charleston.

2:03:48 All right, so I spoke He doesn't know

2:03:50 this, but I spoke to his wife, Laura,

2:03:52 who's here tonight. They've been married

2:03:53 38 years.

2:03:54 >> That's the best move. That's the best

2:03:56 move. And by the way, he dances while

2:03:59 he's sweeping, guys. Crazy Legs, thank

2:04:01 you so much. I have a card I want you

2:04:03 guys to sign. I'll get you an autograph,

2:04:04 too, all right?

2:04:14 And we've got Banana Ball going. I'm

2:04:17 not sure what Michael Schwartz was

2:04:18 trying to sign at the end there, but

2:04:20 figured out at some point.

2:04:23 Great to get to hear from

2:04:24 Russell Crazy Legs Patterson, and we we

2:04:27 now welcome in the Clown center fielder,

2:04:30 Jackie Bradley Jr. as La Day gobbles it

2:04:32 up, tries to go between the legs. Can't

2:04:34 come through with the trick play.

2:04:36 JBJ, appreciate you getting miked up

2:04:38 with us tonight. Can you talk us through

2:04:40 what these 11 games of Banana Ball have

2:04:42 been like for you so far? It's been a

2:04:44 good time. Very unique. Something I'm

2:04:46 I'm still making adjustment to, but all

2:04:50 the guys and girls are making it a lot

2:04:52 of fun for me. It's been a great time.

2:04:53 Over a small for a second, he will steal

2:04:55 it.

2:04:56 As Lino lost the ball on the transfer.

2:04:59 So Jackie, you were part of a unique

2:05:01 story this weekend. You played Friday

2:05:03 and Saturday in Charles and then on

2:05:05 Sunday you watched Rory win his second

2:05:07 straight Masters in Augusta.

2:05:09 >> Yeah. You were there, no phone on you

2:05:11 due to the Masters policy, and so you

2:05:13 found out after the Masters tournament

2:05:16 you're getting texts from all of your

2:05:17 guys that you're playing in this Banana

2:05:20 Ball Open this weekend. What was that

2:05:22 like for you? That's exactly how it

2:05:24 happened.

2:05:26 I didn't get back to the car until about

2:05:28 probably 7:30 and I had 151 text

2:05:31 messages. So Wow. Um

2:05:34 all of it not from Banana Ball Open, but

2:05:37 there was a lot of golf talk in there.

2:05:40 But it was it was

2:05:41 I'm glad that we're here.

2:05:43 We just got to start putting it

2:05:44 together.

2:05:45 Long long game left.

2:05:47 Brett Madnick will wheel and

2:05:50 take the throw to second. Payoff pitch

2:05:52 coming to Reese McGuire. Got three, got

2:05:53 three.

2:05:55 Oh, shoot. Lino out to left center and

2:05:58 that's going to do it.

2:06:00 That's how cruel Banana Ball can be for

2:06:02 a pitcher. Trick play, missed stolen

2:06:04 base, and then a double.

2:06:05 And all of a sudden the Bananas lead

2:06:07 4-0.

2:06:12 WELL JBJ, IT WAS BRIEF, but it was great

2:06:15 to get to hear from you my friend.

2:06:16 Thanks for getting miked up. Anytime,

2:06:18 anytime. Thank you very much, Jackie.

2:06:22 Well Jackie Bradley Jr. and the

2:06:24 Indianapolis Clowns

2:06:26 find themselves

2:06:28 in a 4-0 hole

2:06:33 with three innings to play

2:06:35 and take a look

2:06:37 at our trick plays so far tonight.

2:06:39 Clowns also in a pretty formidable hole

2:06:42 when it comes to earning the equalizer

2:06:44 point. If they have more trick plays

2:06:45 than the Bananas going into the final

2:06:47 frame,

2:06:49 then they will get a point

2:06:51 going into

2:06:52 our last inning.

2:06:53 But so far

2:06:55 down five trick plays with

2:06:59 only two innings to go as far as the

2:07:02 equalizer point goes. Well, it's the

2:07:03 Banana Ball veterans really leading the

2:07:05 way with trick plays tonight. Hosley's

2:07:08 in right field a standout. The Alexiades

2:07:10 tornado catch in center field. And

2:07:13 you've got to commend Joe Lidle. He has

2:07:15 been in Banana Ball since 2023.

2:07:18 A very intelligent decision for him the

2:07:20 last inning to tip it up in the air in

2:07:23 foul territory. And then for Clark

2:07:25 Gilmore to field the ball behind his

2:07:27 back and get the Clowns trick plays two

2:07:30 and three on the night.

2:07:32 The Banana Nanas exit stage left and

2:07:35 right and Jacob Azela takes over on the

2:07:38 bump. Second man out of the pen for the

2:07:41 Nanners. Takes the ball from Cowboy Kyle

2:07:43 Luick. And

2:07:44 only three runs in nine innings pitched

2:07:46 this year. He's been fantastic in his

2:07:48 rookie campaign thus far. Yeah, he

2:07:50 allowed the first earned runs of his

2:07:51 career last weekend in Chapel Hill which

2:07:53 ended a streak of seven and two-thirds

2:07:55 innings tossed without an earned run to

2:07:57 begin his Banana Ball career. He has had

2:08:00 four different games with multiple

2:08:02 strike outs for the Savannah Bananas.

2:08:05 And he owns a .167

2:08:07 opponent's batting average this season.

2:08:09 That is the second best mark in the

2:08:12 Banana Ball Championship League

2:08:14 among qualifiers.

2:08:18 Yeah, that's averaging an inning pitched

2:08:20 a weekend so far. So if you're less than

2:08:23 six innings pitched, you're not a

2:08:24 qualified pitcher for ERA, MPI, ship any

2:08:28 of the rate-based stats?

2:08:30 Kirill Prime, Chris Burgess, and Eli

2:08:32 Peyton.

2:08:34 Here in the seventh inning against

2:08:36 Bazella, the Bananas 10th round draft

2:08:38 pick, nabbed number 76 overall.

2:08:42 And Jake knows the name of all 75

2:08:44 players drafted before him.

2:08:46 I just made that up. I don't think he

2:08:48 does. I I believed you. I'm going to be

2:08:50 very honest.

2:08:53 Uh

2:08:54 oh. I'll check

2:08:55 >> in with him after the game. That's a

2:08:56 bouncer to Kyle Jackson. Takes a tough

2:08:58 hop, whips it between the legs, Ziggy

2:09:00 between the legs scoop, double trick

2:09:02 play to get the Nanners into double

2:09:04 digits in trick plays.

2:09:06 And that's tough on both ends of the

2:09:09 diamond. Kyle Jackson with a rather

2:09:11 tough hop off the AstroTurf. Still able

2:09:14 to go between the legs, and the same can

2:09:16 be said for Alex Ziegler fielding that

2:09:19 ball on one hop. I mean, that is gutsy.

2:09:23 How about Bazella? He knew what was

2:09:25 happening.

2:09:27 That was one of the cooler camera shots

2:09:29 I've seen

2:09:30 so far here in 2026.

2:09:34 And now Jake,

2:09:36 whose

2:09:37 mom owns a dance studio, Bazella

2:09:40 grew up in there boogying up until 12

2:09:42 years old when he had to make a decision

2:09:44 to

2:09:45 baseball and the dancing, the schedules

2:09:47 started to really clash.

2:09:49 And he chose baseball, thankful for us,

2:09:51 but

2:09:53 you take a look at the moves

2:09:55 here in the 722.

2:09:58 Thank goodness he did spend first 12

2:10:01 years of his life in the dance studio.

2:10:03 Chopper foul from Chris Burgess.

2:10:11 Bazella, a guy who

2:10:13 pretty heavily involved in theater and

2:10:14 show choir as well. He's just one of

2:10:16 those guys when you're this talented a

2:10:18 ball player and

2:10:19 you've got all those extracurriculars,

2:10:22 feel like

2:10:24 guy was made in a lab for this sport.

2:10:26 And I mean, he's just he's a funky,

2:10:28 interesting guy, a lot of personality. I

2:10:31 mean, in BP, he makes a running snag in

2:10:34 left field. He runs it all the way to

2:10:36 the pitcher manning the bucket.

2:10:39 Instead of just throwing him the ball

2:10:40 like normal, I mean, he was putting on a

2:10:42 show just trying to make all of his

2:10:43 teammates laugh. Forrest Gump-esque

2:10:45 sprint, too.

2:10:46 >> Yes.

2:10:50 Chris Burgess trying to hold up. He did.

2:10:51 Seth Markam says, "Chris able to check

2:10:53 his swing."

2:10:56 Burgess one for two,

2:10:58 a line out,

2:10:59 and a single.

2:11:03 The 2-2.

2:11:05 And that's going to be a number

2:11:07 for a leaping Bazela. A flip between the

2:11:09 legs. Ziggy can't grab the scoop between

2:11:11 the legs. The official scoring decision

2:11:13 on that one, guys?

2:11:13 >> It's It's still a trick play for Bazela.

2:11:16 You cannot give it to Alex Ziegler, but

2:11:18 you you can't You just can't hurt Bazela

2:11:21 for Ziggy's efforts there. He does

2:11:23 nothing wrong in that play. But as for

2:11:25 Alex Ziegler, not smooth, not seamless,

2:11:28 not fluid. So, you only get one trick

2:11:30 play out of the ordeal. We saw something

2:11:32 similar earlier in the game as well.

2:11:37 That's right. It was on the ground out

2:11:38 to start the top of the third inning.

2:11:40 Brian Cox got the trick play.

2:11:42 Ziggy was able to knock it down between

2:11:44 the legs, but then had to grab it with

2:11:46 the bare hand to take care of Jaylen

2:11:47 Baskins.

2:11:48 >> Correct.

2:11:50 Eli Payton

2:11:52 comes up empty on the splitter.

2:11:55 Part of a five-pitch mix for Bazela.

2:11:58 0-2 now.

2:12:01 Goes right back to it. Great take by

2:12:03 Payton.

2:12:04 Got a fastball low 90s, slider,

2:12:07 curveball, and a knuckleball.

2:12:10 Funky arsenal for the funky guy on the

2:12:12 bump.

2:12:18 And sticks with the splitter.

2:12:20 Count even at two and two.

2:12:23 Hitting a strikeout and pop up so far

2:12:25 tonight. JT Sakalaukas looking healthier

2:12:27 and healthier every weekend. Should be

2:12:29 back on the base path soon.

2:12:32 As Bazela goes to the bender.

2:12:34 And he's got himself A STRIKEOUT. AND

2:12:36 THERE'S THE CELEBRATION. THANK YOU JACOB

2:12:39 BAZELA. He asked me what dance should I

2:12:42 do if I get a strikeout tonight? I broke

2:12:44 out that one in the locker room and son

2:12:46 of a gun, here we go. Wait for it. Wait

2:12:48 for it.

2:12:49 THERE IT IS.

2:12:54 THE DOUBLE DABS. NAILED IT. YEAH, this

2:12:57 something I invented in Australia. It's

2:12:59 made its way back stateside. I'll tell

2:13:02 you something we are really excited

2:13:04 about here in bananaball.com is this new

2:13:06 addition to bananaball.com/stats.

2:13:09 You go to the game section and you can

2:13:12 now look at box scores, live, and of

2:13:15 games that have happened. And here you

2:13:16 can even see you can see the projected

2:13:18 pitchers in tomorrow night's game on

2:13:20 there. Yeah, it's a really exciting new

2:13:22 development we've been able to add

2:13:23 something we've been looking for for a

2:13:25 long time. And you see right here, you

2:13:27 can click inside the box score. This was

2:13:30 a game last Sunday between the Bananas

2:13:32 and Tailgaters. The full report of all

2:13:34 the action in the ball game, batting

2:13:36 lines, pitching lines, trick plays, even

2:13:39 the best MPIs, and all the home runs

2:13:41 that were hit in the contest. A special

2:13:43 thanks to our partners over at

2:13:45 Tyrannosaurus Tech for their help in

2:13:47 making this possible. Yeah, legends over

2:13:50 at T-Rex Tech. Could not do it without

2:13:52 them. They've been superstars across the

2:13:54 last couple years working together. As

2:13:57 we continue to add bells and whistles to

2:13:59 bananaball.com/stats.

2:14:02 And is that one all the way to the

2:14:03 backstop? Max Young Goldberg

2:14:06 didn't think once about attempting to

2:14:08 steal first base. That's the rookie

2:14:11 effect. I think if you give Max Young

2:14:13 Goldberg another year in Banana Ball, he

2:14:15 sees a pitch like that, he's likely to

2:14:17 try and swipe first base. But, Goldberg,

2:14:20 a pretty powerful bat in this Bananas

2:14:23 lineup, happy to keep swinging the

2:14:25 stick.

2:14:26 I definitely do not think you're wrong

2:14:28 about it being the rookie effect, but I

2:14:30 also got a little dose of Jake Skull in

2:14:32 the box right there of a This is a guy

2:14:34 who just wants to

2:14:35 >> Wants to swing the bat, right? Yeah,

2:14:37 exactly. Cuz that was

2:14:39 That was a walk in the park to steal

2:14:41 first base on that one. Got nestled back

2:14:44 by the backstop. I would say it can be

2:14:46 game dependent as well. You're trailing

2:14:48 in the points department right now, and

2:14:50 you're probably trying to set the table

2:14:52 for the guys behind you in the order,

2:14:53 but that is clearly not an issue right

2:14:56 now for the Bananas.

2:14:58 Up four-nothing, looking for more.

2:15:00 And MJG continues to be a tough customer

2:15:03 for Brett Maddock,

2:15:05 Clowns' ninth-round draft pick,

2:15:08 out of Oakdale, California.

2:15:10 Going up against the kid from Palo Alto

2:15:12 in the box. And that one poked out to

2:15:15 right center. JBJ with a good READ ON

2:15:17 IT, CATCHES it between the legs. With

2:15:20 his keister TOWARDS HOME PLATE, DAZZLING

2:15:22 TRICK PLAY FROM JACKIE BRADLEY JR. OFF

2:15:25 BALANCE IN CENTER FIELD. I MEAN, HE IS

2:15:27 HARDLY FINDING HIS FOOTING OUT THERE IN

2:15:30 RIGHT CENTER FIELD. AND JACKIE BRADLEY

2:15:33 JR. ABLE TO COME AWAY WITH ANOTHER UNDER

2:15:36 THE LEGS GRAB this season for the

2:15:38 Clowns.

2:15:40 Came into the night six for eight on his

2:15:42 trick play attempts. He's now one for

2:15:43 one in the Banana Ball Open.

2:15:47 And Brett Maddock here in his second

2:15:49 inning of relief gave up an unearned run

2:15:51 in the sixth

2:15:53 as the Nanners nabbed their fourth

2:15:55 point.

2:15:57 And now has a two-one count working on

2:15:58 Kyle Jackson.

2:16:03 Lineout and a groundout so far tonight

2:16:06 for KJ.

2:16:12 Fastball just misses. It's high 80s for

2:16:14 Maddock. Kind of sits 86 to 88 with the

2:16:16 four seam. You see there's

2:16:18 a lot of movement on it as KJ earns the

2:16:20 sprint.

2:16:23 And will

2:16:25 park it at first base.

2:16:30 Well, he's just a guy who's out there

2:16:31 trying to induce soft contact to

2:16:34 Maddock. Only one ground out this

2:16:36 season. He's induced 14 flyouts entering

2:16:39 tonight's game. Very much a fly ball

2:16:42 pitcher. And each of his last six

2:16:45 innings entering tonight's contest have

2:16:47 been tossed in less than 4 minutes. So,

2:16:50 he said going into the season a big goal

2:16:52 for him was to have a top MPI mark. And

2:16:55 he has clearly made good on that early

2:16:57 in 2026.

2:16:59 Here's the fastball for strike one to

2:17:00 Bill Leroy. He's also got to look out

2:17:02 for a changeup, slider, and curveball

2:17:04 from Maddock.

2:17:10 There's one of the benders for ball one.

2:17:14 Bill with the walk-off double to win the

2:17:15 fourth inning.

2:17:17 Netted the third straight point for the

2:17:19 Bananas.

2:17:21 Latto will throw behind KJ. He's back

2:17:22 standing.

2:17:30 Maceo Harrison

2:17:32 coaching third base

2:17:34 and dancing along the way as he's been

2:17:37 known to do around here.

2:17:41 Nanners dancing first and third base

2:17:43 coach full-time since summer of 2018.

2:17:47 It's his year nine for Maceo just like

2:17:49 the man in the box.

2:17:51 Nice scoop by Joe Latto to keep KJ at

2:17:53 first.

2:18:05 >> High pop right side.

2:18:07 Nico Holsizer tip drill

2:18:11 secures it.

2:18:14 There's out number two.

2:18:24 Nico came in with three trick plays, yet

2:18:26 to booth one.

2:18:28 Perfect one for one now in the open.

2:18:34 And there's Jackson Olson waves through

2:18:36 a fastball.

2:18:41 It's sneaky velo from Brett Maddock as

2:18:44 he induces a pop up left side. La Dee

2:18:47 Payton and Gray. Payton pops it. Gray

2:18:50 snags it colliding with La Dee. And a

2:18:53 double trick play to put a bow on a four

2:18:56 trick play bottom of the seventh for the

2:18:58 clowns.

2:19:00 Check that, make it three.

2:19:03 Banana Land, they call me the professor.

2:19:05 I was an actual teacher and at the end

2:19:07 of the school year one of our favorite

2:19:08 things of course was field day. Field

2:19:10 day at the end of the year so much fun.

2:19:12 There's lots of games and relays. We're

2:19:13 putting our spin on it. We've got three

2:19:15 contestants here. I've got Hannah,

2:19:17 Emerson, and Madison. And they're going

2:19:19 to be paired up with three guys who are

2:19:21 with the Savannah Bananas to compete in

2:19:23 a race. They're going to have first from

2:19:24 first to second base they're going to

2:19:25 leapfrog. They're going to piggyback

2:19:27 from second to third and then they're

2:19:28 going to wheelbarrow from third to home.

2:19:30 Now, we've been telling these ladies

2:19:32 that they are going to be partnered up

2:19:33 with three guys who are with the

2:19:35 Savannah Bananas, which is true. We

2:19:37 never said that they were going to be

2:19:38 with the actual Savannah Bananas. So

2:19:40 ladies, let's go ahead and meet your

2:19:42 partners.

2:19:45 Coming out of the dugout ladies and

2:19:47 gentlemen, members of our Dad Bod Cheer

2:19:49 Squad.

2:19:51 We got Spidey.

2:19:52 We've got Fluff Banana and the The

2:19:55 boy Rad Banana.

2:19:57 This is a field day relay.

2:20:01 May the best pair win.

2:20:04 All right, let's partner up. Let's lock

2:20:06 in. Here we go. Leapfrog, on your marks,

2:20:10 GET SET, GO!

2:20:18 Fluff in with a lead.

2:20:24 Rad Bot with tremendous leaping skills,

2:20:26 might I add.

2:20:27 There you go, Mikey. Get it, Spidey.

2:20:30 Spidey, CrossFit coach in his spare

2:20:33 time.

2:20:35 All right, one more should do it.

2:20:38 All right, get on there. Get down to

2:20:39 third. It's time for the piggyback. Jump

2:20:42 on. There goes Fluff.

2:20:44 He's in, oh, but here comes Spidey.

2:20:46 Spidey's got wheels. They're making

2:20:48 their way. Come on, Rad Bot, don't fall

2:20:49 behind, birthday boy.

2:20:51 Get it in there. All right, now the epic

2:20:54 finish. Get those legs up. Here they go.

2:20:58 Here comes Spidey.

2:21:00 Tremendous upper body strength. COME ON,

2:21:02 MIKEY. OH MY GOD!

2:21:07 OH, BY a landslide. Give it up, ladies

2:21:11 and gentlemen,

2:21:13 for the winners of the field day relay.

2:21:20 What a win for Spidey and that woman.

2:21:27 And good efforts for

2:21:29 our other four contestants.

2:21:32 Fluff and Rad Bot included.

2:21:37 Tristan LeVack, the new man on the mound

2:21:38 for the Bananas.

2:21:40 As we head to the eighth inning

2:21:42 with Savannah up four to nothing. LeVack

2:21:45 crossed seven in a third innings.

2:21:47 Fantastic start to his young Banana Ball

2:21:49 career. Yeah, 3-minute and 13-second

2:21:51 minutes burning mark. That's how long on

2:21:53 average it takes him to record three

2:21:55 outs. That is tops among qualified

2:21:57 pitchers in Banana Ball. And if you

2:22:00 normalize that to MPI plus 100 being the

2:22:03 tour average, Rebecca's at a 146

2:22:07 MPI plus. He is 46% faster than the tour

2:22:11 average arm. Trick pitch fastball misses

2:22:14 down and out.

2:22:16 Peter in the high 80s can touch 90, 91

2:22:19 if he's

2:22:20 really feeling spicy.

2:22:23 And a strikeout on the changeup.

2:22:26 Levek sits down Dale Francis Jr. to kick

2:22:29 off the eighth.

2:22:30 And he hasn't necessarily excelled in

2:22:32 the strikeout department. Nonetheless,

2:22:35 he's very much one of those control

2:22:37 pitchers for the Bananas. Only one ball

2:22:39 four sprint allowed early in his career.

2:22:42 And he's been pretty decent at inducing

2:22:45 trick play outs this season. 36 and a

2:22:47 half percent of his total outs have re-

2:22:50 sulted in naners trick plays.

2:22:53 Fastball strike one to Kirkland Banks.

2:22:57 Another rookie on rookie battle here

2:22:59 as the heater is right down the shoot.

2:23:02 And an 02 count on the kid out of Lake

2:23:04 Charles, Louisiana.

2:23:10 Liner base knock into right. Great piece

2:23:12 of two strike hitting

2:23:14 from Kirkland.

2:23:16 Hitting in Jaylen Vasquez's spot in the

2:23:19 10 hole.

2:23:23 Setting the table for the top.

2:23:28 As Joe Gray Jr. digs in to check on

2:23:30 Banks over at first.

2:23:40 Clowns left fielder 0 for 3.

2:23:44 Three pop outs far tonight.

2:23:50 And as the fastball scrapes the inside

2:23:51 corner.

2:23:55 And another check on Banks.

2:24:10 We can keep an eye on Kirkland over at

2:24:12 first. 20 for 22 in stolen base attempts

2:24:15 last year in the Pioneer League.

2:24:18 And as the count evens at two and two on

2:24:21 Greg.

2:24:28 Baltimore chop. KJ barehanded flips to

2:24:31 second for one. That is all they will

2:24:33 get. Schnazzy play by Kyle Jackson. And

2:24:36 that bare hand, that's the difference in

2:24:38 getting the lead out at second base. You

2:24:40 don't have to try and dig that ball out

2:24:42 of your glove. You just see Jackson

2:24:44 instantly able to turn and fire to Olsen

2:24:47 covering the second base bag. What a

2:24:49 fantastic play from Kyle Jackson. It's

2:24:52 just a good overall baseball play.

2:24:56 So, Greg takes over for Banks at first.

2:24:59 And a swing and a miss on the slider.

2:25:02 Jackie Bradley Jr. Left on left against

2:25:04 Tristan LeVesque.

2:25:06 And the beauty of banana ball right

2:25:08 here. Guy who spent over a decade in the

2:25:10 bigs.

2:25:11 It's the guy who spent his entire

2:25:12 college career at the University of

2:25:14 Rhode Island who came straight to banana

2:25:15 ball.

2:25:23 And it's not to say LeVesque wasn't

2:25:24 fantastic at URI last spring.

2:25:27 And as the fastball

2:25:29 evens up the count. Yeah, he posted a

2:25:31 career low 3.49

2:25:34 earned run average in 2025.

2:25:37 Greg off on the pitch. Bill LeRoy was

2:25:39 going for a trick play.

2:25:41 No chance as

2:25:43 Joe swipes second.

2:25:47 That was across 95 in the third innings

2:25:49 for Lavey. He was a workhorse.

2:25:52 16 starts.

2:25:56 Slow roller right side. MJG bounce it to

2:25:59 Lavey. Bang bang at first just in time

2:26:01 to get Jackie Bradley Jr.

2:26:04 A trick play for Max Young Goldberg and

2:26:06 another another scoreless frame twirled

2:26:08 by the Nanners pitching. And what a

2:26:09 massive massive trick play that is for

2:26:12 the Bananas. Even if the Clowns get

2:26:14 three double trick plays in the bottom

2:26:16 half of this inning, they still won't be

2:26:18 able to earn that equalizer point.

2:26:22 We're going to light up the sky here in

2:26:24 Savannah. Everyone all the way around

2:26:26 the stadium flashlights on

2:26:28 and we're going to join in and sing as

2:26:30 loud as we can a little yellow. Here we

2:26:33 go.

2:27:33 Keep it going.

2:27:55 >> We love you so much, Banana Nation. Now,

2:27:58 let's go bananas.

2:28:02 Oh, man, it warms my heart to see Jose

2:28:05 Hildo Benitez calling this game in

2:28:08 Espanol.

2:28:11 Dancing to yellow and over on the

2:28:14 Spanish broadcast singing yellow in

2:28:17 Spanish.

2:28:18 Every single

2:28:20 Savannah Bananas game this year.

2:28:23 And Jose will be on the call tomorrow

2:28:25 night as well

2:28:27 for the two verse three seeds.

2:28:29 Firefighters against Tailgaters.

2:28:32 As Gage Voorhees, new man on the mound

2:28:35 for Indianapolis

2:28:37 with a four-point hole trying to keep

2:28:39 the deficit at just that before we go to

2:28:42 the ninth and final inning where every

2:28:43 run scored counts as a point. Seventh

2:28:45 round draft pick by the Indianapolis

2:28:47 Clowns in the Banana Ball Player Draft.

2:28:49 Voorhees earned a six-out save against

2:28:51 the Coconuts last Saturday in Charleston

2:28:55 and he ranks second on the Clowns with

2:28:57 12 and a third innings pitched this

2:28:59 season. The most interesting note though

2:29:01 on Voorhees, a member of the Bananas

2:29:03 last season, did not find a lot of

2:29:06 success pitching here in Grayson

2:29:08 Stadium. A 5.87 earned run average in 23

2:29:12 innings and he allowed six home runs in

2:29:15 this ballpark.

2:29:16 >> Ramon Anthony Cruz, loud contact, but a

2:29:18 backpedaling JBJ takes care of it. One

2:29:21 pitch, one out for Voorhees. Vince, his

2:29:24 former left fielder.

2:29:29 WORLD'S

2:29:30 TALLEST BATTER,

2:29:33 DAKOTA STILLS.

2:29:36 BRITAIN.

2:29:39 And now Gage gets to face the legend of

2:29:42 Banana Land that is Dakota Stiltsall

2:29:44 Britain here in his sixth world tour.

2:29:49 Standing 10 ft 11 in tall.

2:29:54 Stilts takes the heater wide.

2:30:05 And the count even at a ball and a

2:30:06 strike.

2:30:08 Worries may have found his footing

2:30:10 against the Bananas through a 1-2-3

2:30:13 inning in Angel Stadium three weekends

2:30:14 ago.

2:30:16 Parley that into two scoreless frames

2:30:19 and the save in the 3-2 victory last

2:30:21 Saturday night against the Coconuts.

2:30:23 Chopper back up the middle. LaDay

2:30:25 between the legs over to first. Boy,

2:30:28 that was a lot closer than I think Bobby

2:30:29 LaDay expected. Stilts hustling down the

2:30:33 line.

2:30:34 Impressive speed from the lanky legend

2:30:37 as LaDay gets another trick play.

2:30:40 He had plenty of time to go between the

2:30:42 legs, but that's some of the best base

2:30:44 running we've ever seen from Dakota

2:30:47 Stiltsall Britain in his illustrious

2:30:49 Banana Ball career. I I think these

2:30:52 other infielders honestly, they need to

2:30:54 take a note of that. Big boy was

2:30:56 cooking.

2:31:00 No balls and two strikes on Ty Jackson.

2:31:03 Big leg kick. A check swing, did he go?

2:31:06 No, says Seth Markham.

2:31:09 Worries trying to make it four straight

2:31:11 scoreless innings.

2:31:13 Ty Two Fly stands in his way.

2:31:21 Strike out his first time hit by a pitch

2:31:23 back in the fifth inning.

2:31:28 And from

2:31:29 to 3-2.

2:31:34 The payoff.

2:31:36 High fly ball deep to left.

2:31:39 Oh, WHAT A RUNNING CATCH JOE GRAY JR.

2:31:43 Playing extremely shallow in ball four

2:31:45 sprint defense, makes up for it with 80

2:31:48 grade speed.

2:31:49 And it preserves a 2 minute and 1 second

2:31:53 inning for Gage Bohr he is as well. Heck

2:31:56 of a play from Joe Gray Jr. the former

2:31:58 Brewers farm hand.

2:32:03 The sound of the bells means it's time

2:32:05 to cast our gaze upon the scoreboard.

2:32:08 Heading into the top of the ninth inning

2:32:09 the score is four points for the

2:32:10 Savannah Bananas, zero points for the

2:32:13 Indianapolis Clowns. But here's the

2:32:15 thing about the game of Banana Ball. In

2:32:17 the final inning every run counts for a

2:32:20 point. And you better believe the

2:32:22 Indianapolis Clowns know what's at stake

2:32:25 here tonight. They have a chance to get

2:32:27 into the playoffs if they win tonight.

2:32:29 So you better believe they're going to

2:32:31 come out hard here in the top of the

2:32:32 ninth. On the other hand, the Savannah

2:32:35 Bananas need just three outs to advance

2:32:38 to Saturday and Sunday. So ladies and

2:32:40 gentlemen of Grayson Stadium, LET'S GET

2:32:43 LOUD BECAUSE THIS IS THE FINAL INNING!

2:33:26 >> DANNY Do-It-All

2:33:28 takes center stage

2:33:30 with a four-point lead. So, it's not a

2:33:32 save situation.

2:33:35 But, Hasley, as you can see by the

2:33:37 numbers, so far infallible here in his

2:33:40 fourth world tour on the mound. The only

2:33:42 qualified pitcher in Banana Ball who

2:33:44 still has an earned run average at zero.

2:33:46 And earlier we touched on how strong

2:33:49 Bill Lee has played against non-Party

2:33:51 Animals opponents over the last 2 years.

2:33:54 The same can be said for Danny Do-It-All

2:33:56 on the pitcher's mound. Across 28

2:33:58 innings, he's averaging three outs in 3

2:34:01 minutes and 19 seconds. Has a 0.64

2:34:05 earned run average. And he has recorded

2:34:08 14 saves in 14 opportunities. This, of

2:34:11 course, is not a save situation. But,

2:34:13 nonetheless, that 0.64

2:34:17 earned run average, when it translates

2:34:19 to ERA plus, and 100 is always the

2:34:22 league average, Hasley is at a 921

2:34:26 ERA plus. He is over nine times better

2:34:30 than a tour average pitcher

2:34:33 when he is playing non-Party Animal

2:34:35 opponents.

2:34:36 I haven't taken a math class since

2:34:38 senior year of high school. That just

2:34:39 broke my brain.

2:34:40 >> It's astronomical. I've

2:34:42 I've never seen

2:34:44 an ERA plus north of 300.

2:34:48 You're welcome.

2:34:50 Holy moly. Well, thank you, Danny

2:34:51 Hasley.

2:34:55 As he dances to open up the top of the

2:34:57 ninth with Olsen Cott and Alexi Adanis

2:35:00 as backup dancers.

2:35:02 And the fastball right down the chute.

2:35:04 Foul back for Bobby La Day. Three, four,

2:35:06 and five here for the Clowns.

2:35:08 The big boppers.

2:35:10 As Indy needs

2:35:12 three guys to reach before they can

2:35:13 think about tying this game. There's the

2:35:15 12-6 curveball.

2:35:16 0-2 count on Bobby LaDay. Two for two. A

2:35:19 homer and a sprint. And down swinging on

2:35:22 three pitches.

2:35:24 There's the Vulcan changeup.

2:35:26 So filthy.

2:35:28 Even when it ends up right down the

2:35:30 middle like it did right there.

2:35:32 Swing and a miss.

2:35:34 It just doesn't spin out of the hand the

2:35:37 way that you're expecting. That's what

2:35:39 you get throwing a Vulcan changeup. And

2:35:41 that lack of spin makes it incredibly

2:35:44 hard to pick up

2:35:45 if you're a batter in the batter's box.

2:35:47 And that's why it has become that

2:35:49 signature strikeout pitch for Danny Do

2:35:51 It All.

2:35:52 Who's led the tour in strikeout rate

2:35:55 every season since he entered Banana

2:35:57 Ball in 2023.

2:35:59 He is different. Bill Leroy trying to

2:36:01 frame that one. Vincent Chapman gave it

2:36:03 a long look. No No strike called though.

2:36:05 He thought about it for maybe an

2:36:06 immaculate inning, but not to be.

2:36:10 Oh boy.

2:36:12 Liner right back at us. Look out.

2:36:15 His

2:36:16 instinct was to raise the bare hand.

2:36:19 I'm very happy that Banana Ball did not

2:36:21 get a piece of Danny Hasley's right

2:36:23 hand.

2:36:25 Widell's been barreling ball all night

2:36:26 long.

2:36:29 Woo! That was close.

2:36:31 That's his second knock. He lined out

2:36:33 his last time.

2:36:35 The Clowns are just trying to keep the

2:36:36 line moving. Every run counts for a

2:36:38 point here in the final inning. So to

2:36:40 possibly get this game to the bottom of

2:36:42 the ninth, the Clowns are going to need

2:36:44 four runs, which will translate to

2:36:46 points. They also still have the golden

2:36:48 batter at their disposal. You can bat

2:36:51 any batter regardless of their spot in

2:36:53 the lineup

2:36:54 into the game whenever you want.

2:36:57 Bang! Swing and a miss on the Vulcan

2:36:59 changeup from Nico Holsizer.

2:37:01 Couple groundouts and a flyout.

2:37:08 And called strike three.

2:37:11 The old back door Vulcan change up.

2:37:14 And then second punch out in the inning

2:37:16 for Haas.

2:37:21 Gnarly.

2:37:23 And a nice frame by Bill Le Roy as well.

2:37:25 That pitch coming in possibly a little

2:37:28 high on Nico Hulsoizer's nonetheless.

2:37:32 Bill able to

2:37:33 put that one down. Not an excessive yank

2:37:36 back into the zone either. And it gets

2:37:38 the call from Vincent Chapman. And then

2:37:40 it's up to the former Savannah Banana,

2:37:42 Correlle Prime, to try and keep the line

2:37:45 moving tonight and keep the Clowns

2:37:47 Banana Ball Open hopes alive.

2:37:54 Swing and a miss on the change up.

2:37:56 A ball and a strike on Prime. Two hits

2:37:58 so far tonight.

2:38:07 And able to lay off the change up there.

2:38:12 Prime Time just trying to pass the

2:38:13 baton.

2:38:15 The 2-1.

2:38:17 Fouled back.

2:38:18 And the Clowns are down to their final

2:38:20 strike.

2:38:35 The 2-2.

2:38:36 Bouncer up the middle past Ryan Cox.

2:38:40 Prime Time with his third knock of the

2:38:41 night and the Clowns still draw breath

2:38:44 here in the ninth.

2:38:48 He had a three-hit game against his

2:38:50 former teammates in Anaheim a couple

2:38:52 weekends ago. Now follows it up with

2:38:55 three knocks tonight in this Banana Ball

2:38:57 Open semi-final.

2:39:00 And the Clowns still not utilizing that

2:39:02 golden batter quite yet. Chris Burgess

2:39:05 will be sent to the plate. High pop in

2:39:08 the infield.

2:39:09 Who wants the final out?

2:39:11 Max Young Goldberg, A BASKET CATCH.

2:39:15 And Danny Hosley bends, but does not

2:39:17 break. He strands a pair.

2:39:20 As the Bananas cruise to a four-nothing

2:39:22 victory,

2:39:24 they have punched their ticket to the

2:39:25 Banana Ball Open final on Saturday

2:39:27 night.

2:39:33 Well, they came in the one seed for a

2:39:35 reason, a 10 and one record. They have

2:39:38 played like Banana Ball's most complete

2:39:40 team in 2026.

2:39:42 And this open contest might have been

2:39:45 their most complete game all year. 12

2:39:48 trick plays for the Savannah Bananas,

2:39:51 only one miss, only one ball force break

2:39:54 issued by their pitching staff compared

2:39:56 to six strikeouts. And the Clowns only

2:39:59 scrape one run on the board, can't even

2:40:02 translate it into a point. This was an

2:40:05 utterly dominant four-nothing win for

2:40:08 the boys in yellow tonight.

2:40:11 Their reward

2:40:13 is a dance in the middle of the diamond.

2:40:16 As Clark Kilmer and company

2:40:19 look on.

2:40:27 It's part of the beauty of Banana Ball.

2:40:31 It wouldn't feel so good

2:40:33 when you win if it felt so bad when

2:40:36 you're on the other side of it.

2:40:41 The Bananas will await

2:40:44 the victor of the Texas Tailgaters and

2:40:47 the Firefighters tonight, the two seed

2:40:49 Firefighters, the three seed Tailgaters.

2:40:52 In what will be a two-game set Saturday

2:40:54 night and Sunday afternoon here in

2:40:56 Grayson Stadium.

2:41:12 >> You have to tip your cap to the Clowns.

2:41:14 Fantastic job getting in here. They ran

2:41:16 into a buzzsaw tonight.

2:41:19 Can't wait until the next time these two

2:41:21 teams do battle.

2:41:22 Here's Jesse Cole.

2:41:24 Bananas! Bananas!

2:41:31 Grand nation, thank you so much for

2:41:33 being with us the first night of the

2:41:34 Banana Ball open. But, first, let's get

2:41:36 a big round of applause for the

2:41:38 Indianapolis Clowns right here.

2:41:43 They were the original ones to do it,

2:41:45 put on a show, and they did it right. A

2:41:48 lot of the reason we're here is because

2:41:49 of what they've done for 60-plus years.

2:41:52 Hey, we are not done yet here. Thank you

2:41:54 so much. We are going to have all the

2:41:56 players, all the cast, everyone outside

2:42:00 for the postgame applause and party to

2:42:02 thank you guys, to meet you guys. We

2:42:04 love what we do. We love you. And, we'll

2:42:06 see you outside. Thank you.

2:42:21 Always great to hear from Big Yellow.

2:42:26 As the Bananas prepare themselves

2:42:29 for victory photo.

2:42:32 And, we'll go

2:42:35 shake hands with their very capable

2:42:36 opponents, the Indianapolis Clowns.

2:42:40 They simply ran into

2:42:44 the best team in Banana Ball right now.

2:42:46 And, on the backs of Austin Drury, Kyle

2:42:48 Luwick, Jacob Azella, Tristan Leveck,

2:42:50 and Danny Hasley, the Clowns only able

2:42:53 to scrape one run together. It was on on

2:42:55 solo home run from Bobby La Day in the

2:42:57 fourth.

2:42:59 And the Nanners offense powered by Reese

2:43:01 Alexiades, who earned Showman of the

2:43:04 Night honors.

2:43:09 Started with a walk up before he even

2:43:12 saw a pitch.

2:43:15 Just the

2:43:16 second batter in the bottom of the

2:43:17 first.

2:43:19 Boogieable.

2:43:20 And then three knocks on the night, a

2:43:22 couple doubles, a walk-off.

2:43:28 Aggressive base running

2:43:30 as per usual and the tornado catch

2:43:33 out in straightaway center field.

2:43:39 Super Reese doing it all tonight. Yeah,

2:43:42 it was an impressive game from Reese

2:43:43 Alexiades all around. Three hits, two

2:43:47 doubles, a walk-off with a run batted

2:43:49 in. And then you factor in that tornado

2:43:51 catch with him filling in for DR Meadows

2:43:54 in center field. I mean, the Bananas

2:43:56 without one of their best bats heading

2:43:58 into this Banana Ball Open and it didn't

2:44:00 seem to phase them whatsoever. They go

2:44:02 to just another one of their superstars

2:44:05 in Alexiades and he helped propel the

2:44:08 Bananas to this four-nothing victory.

2:44:12 Let's hear from the man himself.

2:44:15 For that, we'll get it on down to Mr.

2:44:17 Sam Bahlman. Hey, thanks, Biko. Josh,

2:44:20 the future king of the pirates, the

2:44:21 current Showman of the game. Reese, I

2:44:24 was talking to you about before the

2:44:25 game. I said, "Hey man, why don't you

2:44:26 hit me a home run?" And you said, "It's

2:44:28 not about my accolades tonight." Yeah, I

2:44:31 mean, the cool thing about this is stats

2:44:33 don't matter. Wins matter. And so,

2:44:35 that's what this tournament's about and

2:44:37 uh we took care of business today. Now,

2:44:39 Reese, you guys obviously missing your

2:44:40 usual center field in DR Meadows, right?

2:44:43 You come into this,

2:44:44 you step up. What's the mentality now

2:44:46 and I got to go out there and maybe be a

2:44:48 leader in the outfield tonight. I mean,

2:44:50 can never be as cool as DR out there,

2:44:52 but just honored to uh play a position

2:44:54 that I used to play a lot, so it was

2:44:57 cool changing it up a bit, but just

2:44:59 can't wait for DR to get back out there.

2:45:01 And what's the mentality of the guys?

2:45:02 You come in with the best record, easily

2:45:05 you could be on upset alert. They could

2:45:06 say these guys say they don't need to

2:45:07 win the open, they're just going to win

2:45:09 the season, but you guys come out here

2:45:11 and put on a show. Yeah, it just comes

2:45:13 down to preparation.

2:45:14 You know, this is what what it was

2:45:16 about, and

2:45:18 you know, we just wanted to win.

2:45:19 >> Hey Reese, Reese, you got to go do a

2:45:20 picture real quick. We got one more

2:45:21 question for him, so he's just going to

2:45:22 do the picture.

2:45:24 Yeah, we'll just get in here. Hey Reese,

2:45:25 while I got you real quick, our banana

2:45:28 ball backstage question of the day from

2:45:29 8-year-old Ray wants to know,

2:45:32 are you ready TO HAVE FUN?

2:45:33 OH,

2:45:35 YEAH.

2:45:35 >> REESE.

2:45:37 Showman of the game. He couldn't talk,

2:45:38 he was smiling. That's Reese Alexiades,

2:45:41 future king of the Pirates, current

2:45:42 showman of the game. Wave to him, Reese.

2:45:44 Hey Biko, Biko got you.

2:45:47 Thank you, Sam.

2:45:49 Thank you for the very kind wave there,

2:45:51 Mr. Alexiades.

2:45:54 Ooh, funny couple cats down there.

2:45:57 So, the Nanners

2:45:59 take it 4-0,

2:46:01 dominating from the second inning on.

2:46:05 And

2:46:06 the Indianapolis Clowns will rest until

2:46:09 next weekend. The Bananas will be

2:46:11 playing Saturday night as we welcome you

2:46:14 back inside the booth with Josh

2:46:16 Tolewski, Biko Skala. Thank you all so

2:46:18 much for spending your thirsty Thursday

2:46:20 evening with us here in virtual Banana

2:46:22 Land. The Bananas six straight regular

2:46:24 season wins, they now add this opening

2:46:27 victory here in the Banana Ball Open, uh

2:46:29 clearly the best team in the sport right

2:46:31 now, and it's it's just going to be a

2:46:33 matter of can the Firefighters or

2:46:35 Tailgaters figure out how to beat this

2:46:37 team. And look, here's the thing, now

2:46:38 the Bananas have secured playing as the

2:46:40 home team on Saturday night as well.

2:46:42 They'll switch to that away team on

2:46:44 Sunday, but just being able to continue

2:46:46 to play as that home team in a game one

2:46:49 means so much. You saw the effect that

2:46:51 it had on the Bananas tonight. Some very

2:46:53 quick walk-offs against the Indianapolis

2:46:56 Clowns, and all around a fantastic game.

2:46:58 And what really stands out, the Bananas

2:47:01 against the Firefighters early in March

2:47:04 playing here in Grayson Stadium, allowed

2:47:06 just two earned runs across 17 and a

2:47:09 third innings pitched. Tonight here in

2:47:11 Grayson Stadium, only one earned run

2:47:14 across nine innings. So, that is now

2:47:16 only three earned runs that Bananas

2:47:18 pitchers have given up in 26 and a third

2:47:21 innings pitched in Grayson Stadium. Good

2:47:24 for a 1.03

2:47:26 earned run average. We talk about how

2:47:28 good this team is from a pitching

2:47:30 standpoint. They're at their best

2:47:32 playing at home. And despite the trials

2:47:34 that they went through in Grayson last

2:47:36 season, it does not appear that it's

2:47:38 going to be the case in 2026. Dominated

2:47:41 by the Party Animals here in Grayson

2:47:43 Stadium last year, of course. Then in

2:47:45 the playoffs, they lost game one to the

2:47:47 Firefighters, and then lost the series

2:47:50 on the infamous swing by Dalton Cornett

2:47:52 in Series Showdowns. Let's take a look

2:47:54 at the bracket after the Savannah

2:47:56 Bananas four-nothing victory over the

2:47:58 Indianapolis Clowns. That puts the one

2:48:01 seed, the Nanners, in the final. And

2:48:04 boy, oh boy, get your popcorn ready. I

2:48:07 cannot wait to see the number two

2:48:09 overall seed, the Firefighters, against

2:48:12 the number three seed, the Tailgaters.

2:48:13 These teams split their series in

2:48:15 Scottsdale, Arizona a few weekends ago,

2:48:18 and it will be right back here on the

2:48:19 Banana Ball YouTube channel, 7:00 p.m.

2:48:21 Eastern tomorrow night, 6:30 p.m.

2:48:23 pregame show. And what fascinates me the

2:48:25 most about that Tailgaters-Firefighters

2:48:27 series, the away team won each of the

2:48:29 two contests in that series. It was the

2:48:32 Firefighters winning as the away team,

2:48:34 the Tailgaters winning as the away team,

2:48:37 and we've got a heck of a pitching match

2:48:39 up on our hands tomorrow night, as it

2:48:41 looks like it's going to be Chris Clark

2:48:42 for the Texas Tailgaters. Jared

2:48:44 Donaldson getting the ball for the

2:48:46 Firefighters. Two of Banana Ball's best

2:48:48 starting pitchers early in 2026. Oh my

2:48:52 goodness gracious. I just can't wait for

2:48:54 tomorrow night. I think tomorrow could

2:48:55 be a great day before then, but I'm

2:48:57 ready for more Banana Ball. I hope you

2:48:59 feel the same sentiment. A happy early

2:49:02 Big Tiger Friday. You're going to be

2:49:03 enjoying it with Brett Loftis and Zack

2:49:05 Stay In on the call and then Josh and I

2:49:07 will be back in the booth Saturday to

2:49:09 see the Bananas take on the victor of

2:49:11 tomorrow night's game. A big shout out

2:49:13 to our entire cast and crew. Our

2:49:16 director over in the control room across

2:49:18 the street. So great to be back in

2:49:19 Savannah and not be separated by

2:49:21 hundreds of miles from our incredible

2:49:23 folks in the control room. Chris Haynes

2:49:25 directing this broadcast leading our

2:49:27 crew over in B row and the control room

2:49:29 and right here this broadcast produced

2:49:31 by the legend himself, Mr. Chad Reese.

2:49:34 For our executive producer, Josh

2:49:36 Richardson. For our guys down on the

2:49:38 field. It's going to be not just one,

2:49:41 not two, but three.

2:49:43 Four.

2:49:44 >> Yeah.

2:49:45 We got four sideline reporters here

2:49:47 tonight. I've got

2:49:48 >> Oh, yeah. Okay.

2:49:49 Yeah.

2:49:49 >> Three. Three. Three. Yeah. Yeah. I was I

2:49:51 was here to shout out Sam Bowman.

2:49:54 Also here to shout out Michael Schwartz.

2:49:56 And I'm also here to shout out on Nate

2:49:58 Bilgray. So, I mean that's that's quite

2:50:01 a crew and can't wait to see what our

2:50:03 sideline folks have on tomorrow night.

2:50:05 For us in the booth, Josh Tolevsky, Biko

2:50:07 Skala saying so long for now. See you on

2:50:11 Saturday night and more importantly,

2:50:13 I'll see you in the broadcast chat

2:50:14 tomorrow evening right here on the

2:50:16 Banana Ball YouTube channel. Four

2:50:17 nothing win for the Nanners. Until we

2:50:19 see you tomorrow night, we will See you

2:50:21 later.

2:50:39 >> What's the power up scoreboard?

2:52:59 >> Mhm.