Texas Tailgaters @ Savannah Bananas

0:05 [music]

0:07 [cheering]

0:13 We've got the two top teams in the sport

0:15 squaring off tonight in gorgeous

0:17 Knoxville, Tennessee. The Savannah

0:19 Bananas host the Texas Tailgator in

0:22 Covenant Health Park, home of the DA

0:24 Knoxville Smokies. The Tailgator have

0:27 won seven of their last eight games and

0:30 look to stay scorching hot as they've

0:31 got their ace on the mound. Former

0:33 Smokeoky Chris Clark. Well, the Bananas

0:36 turned to their ace across the last

0:37 three seasons. Noah Nisnic as he looks

0:40 to stop a string of four straight losses

0:43 for his squad against the Tailgator.

0:46 I'll tell you what, it's been a wild one

0:48 today here in East Tennessee. We've had

0:50 pouring rain for most of the day, but as

0:52 you can see, it has cleared up and it's

0:55 looking like we are going to have a heck

0:56 of a night. Over 6,000 fans on hand.

1:00 It's about 77° [music]

1:02 here around a half an hour shy of first

1:04 pitch as we welcome you inside with the

1:07 statistical of Banana Ball, Josh Tipsky.

1:10 I am Bo Scala. Happy Thursday, Thursday.

1:13 Thank you so much for spending it with

1:14 us here in virtual Banana Land. Josh, it

1:17 doesn't get better than this. The

1:19 Bananas currently in first place, 14-7.

1:22 But the Tailgator, winners of seven of

1:23 their last eight, now 12-9, just two

1:26 games back. We've got a heck of a

1:27 pitching matchup. And look, the

1:28 Tailgator with a sweep this weekend,

1:31 wind up tied at top these Banana Ball

1:33 standings with the Savannah Bananas. And

1:35 of course, they have won each of their

1:36 last four against the boys in yellow.

1:39 So, they've got a lot of confidence

1:40 coming into this series. But we have

1:42 seen all season long the Savannah

1:45 Bananas far superior when they have

1:47 played as the home team. They wound up

1:49 with three games against the Loco Beach

1:51 Coconuts last weekend and were winners

1:54 of two of those three contests and they

1:56 were come from behind wins as well. So

1:58 the Bananas with some late game heroics

2:01 to keep themselves at top these Banana

2:03 Ball standings. But the Texas Tailgator

2:05 again proving to be a very pesky team

2:08 this season, especially against the

2:10 Nanners. Let's take a look back at what

2:12 happened in Savannah, Georgia last

2:14 weekend. It started last Thursday night,

2:16 a week ago to this day where the

2:18 three-game set kicked off [music] and

2:20 early on in the action with Dan Obur on

2:23 third. Reese selectis earning the ball

2:25 for sprint against Drake Fontau putting

2:27 the Nanners up one, but a counter punch

2:29 instantly from the Coconuts. JD Erso got

2:32 to [music] start all three games. RBI

2:34 double to bring in Gideon Antel that

2:36 would lead to the inning win. And then

2:37 Benny pumps Ben Parker serving this into

2:41 center. That would lead to another

2:42 inning win. Coconuts up [music] 2-1

2:44 through three. Well, that would send

2:45 Jackson Olsson to the dish. Bottom five

2:47 with the bases loaded. Erso only play he

2:50 thought he had was at home and Binding

2:52 unable to pick it at home to make it a

2:55 two-all game. But in the sixth inning,

2:57 it's the Coconuts putting up [music] six

2:59 runs against Grant Besser and Dakota

3:01 Stilts All Britain. A massive inning

3:04 putting them [music] up 3 to2 in the

3:05 game. But Bill Laoy behind the back

3:08 transition guns down Armani Henderson.

3:11 It would lead to the Bananas eventually

3:13 taking the lead in trick plays. [music]

3:15 That was a big momentum switch for the

3:17 Nanners. And you saw JD Erso in the

3:20 eighth, tying the trick play tally. And

3:22 then Payton Shaw, a costly throwing

3:25 error, making it three all and sending

3:27 us to showdowns. Danny Hosley after a

3:30 scoreless ninth inning, able to get soft

3:32 contact from Tanner Allen on the Vulcan

3:34 change up. And in the bottom of round

3:35 one, Kyle Jackson got four balls from CJ

3:38 Williams. That puts Sakalov on second.

3:40 Then he brings in JT [music] for the

3:42 gamewinner as the Nanners take it 4-3

3:45 tonight. Two we go last Friday night.

3:47 And what a first inning the [music]

3:48 Coconuts had capitalizing on a couple

3:50 bananas defensive miscues. A three spot

3:53 against Tristan Lec. That would earn

3:54 them the point, but Reese selects

3:55 [music] Yiatis doing damage against his

3:58 former roommate Andy Archer. Walk-off

4:01 winner. Nanners tie it up. And then how

4:03 about Kelsey Whitmore? her first full

4:04 inning of the year. [music] She retires

4:06 all three batters, including the K of

4:08 Ben Parker. And a cherry on top with the

4:10 rack flip. 1 minute and 38 seconds for

4:13 Kelsey Whitmore. Fastest inning of the

4:15 year for the Bananas. And then you've

4:16 got Kyle Perry. One of the most athletic

4:19 plays you're ever going to see from a

4:21 pitcher in Banana Ball. He put up a sub

4:23 two-minute inning. That fifth inning,

4:25 one of the fastest of 2026. And then the

4:28 bananas. Sixth inning. It's more

4:30 patience from Alexiotis, putting them up

4:32 two to one. And Tanner Allen as the

4:35 golden batter in the ninth gets on and

4:38 sets up Ben Parker taking the two strike

4:41 pitch with two outs out of the ballpark

4:44 to give the Coconuts a three to2 lead.

4:47 Can't dream up a better time for his

4:49 first banana ball home run. And how

4:51 about the scoop and shoot from Ashby

4:53 Vining? The original call on the field

4:55 was that JT Sakalov was safe, but the

4:58 umpires [music] after a fan challenge

4:59 review it. They saw enough evidence to

5:01 overturn the call on the field to the

5:03 dismay of the Banana's faithful first

5:06 ever banana ball game that ever ends on

5:08 a fan challenge overturning the call.

5:09 So, the rubber match on Saturday night.

5:11 It's Alexi again. Sacrifice fly to walk

5:14 off the first, his team leading eighth

5:16 inning ender of the year. And then the

5:18 Coconuts with a huge third frame. Ashby

5:21 binding the home run in a fiveun inning

5:23 as the game was knotted at one through

5:25 three. Hang it and bang it. That was the

5:27 mentality from Ashby right there. And

5:29 here in the fourth inning, it's Tanner

5:31 Allen. Nine hits in the series and he

5:34 put Loco Beach [music] up two to one in

5:36 the ball game against Cowboy Kyle Lewis.

5:39 But Keegan James, he had a couple wild

5:41 pitches in the sixth inning. And that

5:43 one proved costly, making it a two all

5:46 game until Grant Besser issued the ball

5:49 for sprint to Daltton Baldin and the

5:51 Coconuts reclaimed the 3 to2 lead. But

5:53 now it's Danny Hosley time in the

5:55 eighth. A couple strikeouts in a perfect

5:56 frame. Back out for the ninth. A strike

5:58 out of the golden batter Ben Parker.

6:00 Another K of JD Erso. Four punch outs

6:03 across two scoreless innings of relief

6:06 which set up Dan Overst. One out. Bottom

6:08 of the ninth shot. Tanya. Oh no. His

6:10 second throwing error in costly times in

6:14 the series for the Coconuts. You cannot

6:16 give the Bananas an extra life like

6:18 that. Four [music] straight bad ones.

6:19 Theresa Lexiatis. He would end up

6:21 stealing second base as the Coconuts go

6:24 to CJ Williams. They're closer for a

6:26 third straight game [music] facing off

6:28 against KJ. Here's that aforementioned

6:30 swiped second base. The seventh stolen

6:32 bag on the year for Alexiatis. And then

6:35 four straight bad ones to KJ. never had

6:37 to swing the lumber as the Nanners walk

6:39 it off 4-3 winners and take the series.

6:41 >> Yeah, it was a big series for the

6:43 Savannah Bananas. And the funniest thing

6:45 about that entire series, the team that

6:47 was leading in the eighth inning in all

6:48 three of those games did not come away

6:50 with the victory in any of those

6:52 contests. Unreal stuff. And the Bananas

6:55 once again proved that they had some

6:57 comebacks up their sleeves against the

6:59 comeback coconuts. And a very necessary

7:02 series win for the main stay in the

7:04 sport. It was their first series win

7:05 since early April against these

7:07 tailgators in Chapel Hill. And you can

7:09 see how after the Banana Ball Open,

7:11 things have really turned for the

7:12 Bananas. 4-6 across that stretch. And

7:15 ultimately, the Texas Tailgator have

7:17 been superb. The best team in the sport

7:19 since they clinched that playoff spot by

7:21 winning the Banana Ball Open 7 and three

7:24 [music] since the mid-season tournament.

7:25 And running through some league averages

7:27 in these last 10 games. Tour average,

7:29 [music] batting average 303. You see the

7:31 nanners at 279 858 the average OPS the

7:35 bananas at 807 they have an above

7:38 average or I should say below average

7:40 earn run average 6.17 in the league the

7:43 bananas at 6.9 the only thing that they

7:46 have been better in the tour average at

7:48 in this span is at trick play rate and

7:50 yet you see the Texas tailgator they

7:53 have far and away just been pacing

7:55 everybody else in the Banana Ball

7:57 Championship League when it has come to

7:59 trick plays this season And again, it is

8:01 a key reason why the Gator 4 and 0

8:04 against the Bananas in these last four

8:06 matchups, including the Banana Ball

8:08 Championship League Open, which helped

8:10 them clinch a playoff spot already this

8:12 year. Well, I'll tell you what, speaking

8:14 of the hottest team in the sport, the

8:16 Texas Tailgator getting ready to storm

8:19 [music] the field here in Covenant

8:21 Health Park. Let's get a look at the

8:24 squad just two games back of the Bananas

8:27 trying to track down the number one team

8:30 in Banana Ball.

8:32 >> Keep the good vibes coming and give it

8:35 up one more time for our banana baby

8:40 M.

8:44 [music]

8:50 >> [music]

8:53 >> They're rough. They're rowdy. They get

8:56 started early and they never stop.

8:58 They're here to go big and they ain't

9:00 going home. They are the Texas

9:03 Tailgator.

9:06 [music]

9:14 >> [music]

9:19 [music]

9:25 >> I

9:28 [music]

9:34 hey I hey I hey I hey I hey I hey I hey

9:34 I hey I hey I hey I [music]

9:40 [music]

9:46 >> [music]

9:58 >> It's time to meet the starting lineup of

10:01 the Texas Tailgator.

10:03 Leading off the left fielder, number

10:06 two, Zack Wy Watson.

10:12 >> [music]

10:14 >> Batting second, the designated hitter,

10:16 number nine, Nick Leiser Lopez.

10:22 [music]

10:23 Batting third, the right fielder, number

10:27 27, Kyle Kmart

10:31 Martin.

10:34 Adding fourth, the third baseman number

10:37 six, Jordan Bar.

10:43 Adding fifth, the first baseman, number

10:46 85, Taylor Justice.

10:52 Adding six, the extra hitter, number 28,

10:57 Jose Brother Gonzalez.

11:02 >> [cheering]

11:04 >> Adding seven, the second baseman, number

11:07 11, Mac Danford.

11:14 Adding eight, the catcher, number 26,

11:18 Taj Mak father Porter.

11:23 [cheering]

11:25 Batting ninth, the center fielder number

11:28 seven, Indiana

11:31 Stanley.

11:34 Batting 10th, the shortstop number five,

11:37 the Texas kid, Jordan.

11:43 The starting pitcher for the Texas

11:44 Tailgator is number 44, Chris Clark.

11:50 [screaming]

11:55 The tailgator are managed by Joe Mik,

11:58 assisted by Brandon Penny Pennington,

12:00 and Andrew, father of the tailgate,

12:03 Bartman.

12:09 [music]

12:21 tonight.

12:30 We got the money.

12:34 We got the gas.

12:45 One more time for the Texas Tailgator.

12:54 Let's get a gander at what those Texas

12:56 Tailgators got up to a weekend ago out

12:59 in El Paso, Texas, [music] taking on the

13:01 firefighters. And what a clash they had.

13:04 The fireworks getting started early. How

13:07 about the most prolific slugger in the

13:09 [music] sport right now, Kyle Martin,

13:11 the banana ball rookie, his ninth long

13:14 ball of the year and the former [music]

13:16 former El Paso Chihuahua. A really

13:18 special long ball and he did it in his

13:19 first at [music] bat back in his old

13:21 stopping grounds. Really cool stuff for

13:24 Kyle Martin, all his teammates involved

13:26 in that big celebration. And then you

13:28 saw [music] the very next inning, the

13:30 home state kid, Jose Brother Gonzalez,

13:33 opposite field double and the Texas

13:35 tailgator threw two innings already out

13:37 to a [music] two nothing lead. And

13:39 spoiler alert, that's all the offense

13:41 they would need. Although Jordan Bar

13:42 looking for some more bottom of the

13:43 fourth against Brian [music] Trapanier.

13:45 And how about the shoot Darien McDow.

13:48 Perfect one hopper to EJ. That is a

13:52 pointsaving [music] play, but when

13:53 you're going up against Chris Clark, it

13:55 is tough to amount enough points to get

13:57 a victory yourself. [music] McDow with

13:58 the RBI sprint that would end up turning

14:01 into the lone point of the ball game for

14:03 the firefighters as Maxwell the between

14:05 the leg trick play with Javon Wright

14:08 putting up the zero and it's still 2-1

14:10 all the way to the ninth. Reese Miller

14:11 with the save and that Texas tailgator

14:14 pitching staff. [music] Three scoreless

14:15 innings of relief for Brett Sanchez in

14:17 that one cruising to the victory. Then

14:18 you saw on game two, it's Kyle Martin

14:21 first inning and it's the [music] same

14:23 result for Kmart. His tour leading 10th

14:26 long ball of the season and he'll tie

14:28 the first inning to negate [music] a

14:30 firefighters point. And then you saw the

14:33 very next inning. It's Kyle Martin in

14:36 right field gunning down south or Noah

14:38 Bridges [music]

14:39 I should say at second base. He's

14:42 showing off the arm in right field. And

14:45 then you see the Gator more trickery

14:47 this time from Sunshine Looters and

14:50 Taylor Justice. A double trick play.

14:52 Yeah, part of a historic trick play

14:54 performance. More on that later because

14:56 back to Jordan Bar. This was his second

14:58 home run of the game and would finally

15:01 break a scoreless tie. Bar having

15:03 himself a crazy good rookie campaign.

15:06 And you just do let the defense do the

15:08 rest. Christian Davis inducing the 543

15:11 [music]

15:12 double play, double trick play action.

15:14 And then a 4-1 lead for Reese Miller in

15:16 the ninth. Here's Lutters with his

15:18 eighth [music] trick play of the ball

15:20 game. They actually thought it was the

15:21 ninth. So, you're about to see a wild

15:23 celebration [music] from the Tailgator,

15:25 but this was deserved because the very

15:27 next play, it's actually going to be the

15:29 record breaker. Sunshine, his ninth

15:31 trick play of the ball game. That's a

15:32 new single game record for a player. And

15:34 then Justice, that's the 22nd trick play

15:37 on the game for the Tailgator. That's a

15:39 new single game record for a team. I

15:40 mean, the Texas Tailgator had one of

15:42 their most dominating wins on [music]

15:44 Saturday night. Unbelievable performance

15:47 from this team, and you've just seen it

15:49 all season long. In their [music] second

15:51 year in existence, they've made their

15:53 identity the trickplay tailgator. 22 on

15:57 Saturday night, breaking the bananas

15:59 record of 21 [music] that they set

16:00 against the Aussie Draws in July of

16:03 2024. And Jonathan Lutters, this guy,

16:06 all he does is sleep, eat, and breathe

16:09 trick plays. I mean, this guy is trying

16:11 to [music] do whatever he can to go

16:13 between the legs, initiate a tip drill,

16:15 catch the banana ball in his hat.

16:17 [music] He is a walking trick play

16:19 machine right now. And Taylor Justice, I

16:21 mean, a big goal of his this season was

16:24 to try and set or break a trick play

16:26 record at burst base. And even though

16:29 he's one of these guys that [music]

16:31 pitchers love throwing to and we knew he

16:33 was a very polished catcher coming into

16:35 Banana [music] Ball, he has really

16:37 secured that starting first baseman's

16:39 job for the [music] Tailgator this

16:41 season. It's a big reason he's starting

16:43 at first again tonight. And I would not

16:45 be surprised if he was gunning [music]

16:46 to break his own record tonight in

16:49 Covenant Health Park. I think I can

16:51 promise you that Taylor [music] Justice

16:52 is thinking about at least six trick

16:54 plays on the evening here. And what a

16:56 great problem for Joe Mikolik to have

16:58 that. One of the best defensive catchers

16:59 in [music] the sport. Also happens to be

17:01 one of the best defensive first baseman

17:03 when you've also got Tosh Porter.

17:04 [music] You just get to stick him behind

17:06 the plate as well. And what a beautiful

17:08 ballpark that we get to see the Bananas

17:10 and Tailgator do battle [music] in

17:11 today. Covenant Health Park only a year

17:14 old. Home of the Knoxville Smokies as

17:15 we've talked about. DoubleA affiliate of

17:17 the Cubs. It opened April 15th of last

17:19 year. It won ballpark [music] of the

17:21 year across all of affiliated baseball.

17:24 seats 6,335

17:27 fans. [music] And my personal favorite

17:28 part of the entire park is the featuring

17:32 of uh statues honoring the Knoxville

17:35 Giants who played in the Negro Leagues

17:36 in the [music] early 1920s and 1930s.

17:39 Those are uh four statues outside of the

17:42 ballpark and really cool getting to see

17:45 the history that they pay homage to

17:47 honoring some heroes of the Knoxville

17:48 [music] Giants. Everything about this

17:50 park is in pristine condition and the

17:53 fans have certainly come to love it as

17:55 well. What's really cool is not [music]

17:56 only is there great seating here inside

17:58 the ballpark, but beyond left field

18:01 apartment buildings where fans [music]

18:03 can still take in the action, whether

18:05 it's the Bananas and Texas Tailgator

18:06 playing or the Knoxville Smokeokies. So,

18:09 some really cool stuff going on. And

18:11 believe [music] it or not, there's a guy

18:13 who has some experience pitching in this

18:15 ballpark. It's Gator pitcher Chris Clark

18:18 who Brett Wis caught up with.

18:23 >> A man who knows all about Knoxville,

18:24 Tennessee. It's our big donkey, the ace

18:27 of the Texas tailgators, the best

18:28 starting pitcher in banana ball, Chris

18:30 Clark. Two different stints as a

18:32 Smokeoky. One at the old ballpark in

18:34 2022. One here at Covenant Health Park

18:36 last year. Chris, how does it feel to

18:38 return to a place in Knoxville where you

18:40 spent so much time?

18:41 >> It feels great. It's a pretty magical

18:42 moment, especially having played in the

18:44 last two stadiums. It's really great to

18:46 come back. I got the chills the second I

18:47 stepped on the field.

18:48 >> So the the biggest thing is though, this

18:50 is where you got your last professional

18:52 out in affiliated ball. And then Brandon

18:54 Pennington, the pitching coach for the

18:56 Texas Tailgator, calls you. Your wife

18:57 Maya, Miss Josie, all of those say

19:00 there's this thing called Banana Ball

19:01 and you're pretty good. You're probably

19:03 going to go pretty high in the draft.

19:04 How'd you end up here

19:06 >> back again in the denims?

19:08 >> Just for safety.

19:09 >> Well, last year I was here on a rehab

19:11 stint. I was making my way back to

19:13 Triple A and unfortunately I didn't

19:14 really feel that great. So I had to shut

19:16 the season down and that was the end for

19:18 me. It was a great career that I had

19:20 with the Cubs, but unfortunately it had

19:21 to come to a smothering end, which most

19:24 careers do, especially in the minor

19:26 leagues. Um, and then I got a call from

19:27 Brandon Pennington and he said, "You get

19:29 the ball every single weekend if you

19:30 want to be a starting pitcher." And

19:31 that's all I needed to hear. And sure

19:33 enough, here we are back at the same

19:35 mound where I left a piece of my

19:36 shoulder last year.

19:38 And now he's leaving his pieces all over

19:41 Fans First Entertainment in Banana Bowl.

19:42 I mean, a guy who's so fans first with

19:44 the cleats, with the mentality, just an

19:47 alltime human. And now from our big

19:49 donkey to BTV's big donkey in Sam

19:52 Bowman.

19:54 >> I've always wanted to be called that.

19:56 Talking about big things, Big Maple

19:57 here, Ryan Kellogg.

19:59 >> Yeah, that guy's not the only Smokeoky

20:01 show around here. Kellogg, coming back

20:03 here to Knoxville where you spent a

20:05 little bit of time here and there

20:06 bouncing around. some memories flooding

20:08 you again?

20:09 >> Absolutely. It's when we got off the

20:10 highway yesterday and I was like, I

20:11 remember taking this route every night

20:12 coming home from the ballpark. We played

20:13 at the old ballpark down in Kodak, but

20:15 uh living here in Knoxville and getting

20:16 to see some of the old sites and walk

20:18 around campus a little bit. It's been

20:19 cool.

20:19 >> A little bit surreal here. Obviously

20:20 making up toA as well, but you traded

20:23 all away for a life with the bananas.

20:26 How do you reflect on that?

20:28 >> I mean, I enjoyed my time with the Cubs.

20:29 They were a great organization. They

20:30 took really good care of us. But getting

20:32 to come out here and be with the

20:33 bananas, be in yellow, have a great time

20:34 and impact millions of fans and change

20:36 these kids' lives has been truly

20:37 special.

20:37 >> Now, you and Chris here, great examples

20:39 of guys who played their way through the

20:41 minors, maybe a phone call away from the

20:43 big leagues. What would your pitch be to

20:46 maybe some other folks maybe in this

20:47 building to say banana ball not so bad

20:50 after all?

20:51 >> Not so bad at all. I mean, you're going

20:52 to come out here and you're play in

20:53 front of a soldout crowd every night.

20:54 You're going to have the most fun you've

20:55 ever had on a baseball field. And so,

20:56 when you're ready, we're waiting.

20:59 >> I love that. I miss hanging out with

21:00 Ryan Kellogg, guys. Couple of smoky

21:02 shows. We're going to see them all

21:04 around Knoxville this weekend. Back to

21:05 y'all.

21:08 >> Thank you very much, Espie. Yeah,

21:09 Kellogg and Clark like ships in the

21:11 ocean in the Cubs organization. Missed

21:13 each other in [music] Knoxville by a

21:14 year, missed each other in De Moines by

21:16 two years. But we get to see Chris Clark

21:19 show his medal against the Danners

21:21 tonight. The tour leader with those 40

21:22 strikeouts. And then Noah Misnik, not so

21:25 bad on the other side. His 3.05 05 ERA,

21:28 [music] sixth best in the sport among

21:30 qualified pitchers. Clark's 1.96, fourth

21:33 best. Yeah, both of these [music] guys

21:34 right now top 10 in the Banana Ball

21:36 Championship League when it comes to

21:37 earned run on average and both of them

21:39 stay in the strike zone incredibly well.

21:41 You see nine ball four sprints a piece

21:43 for each of these guys. Now Chris Clark

21:46 continues to work quicker and quicker

21:48 [music] as his banana ball career has

21:50 progressed and you've also seen a lot of

21:51 trick plays from the right-hander as

21:53 well. But as far as Noah Nisnic is

21:56 concerned, he won his last start against

21:58 the Party Animals on May 9th. But the

22:00 thing that he has to [music] look out

22:02 for tonight is facing the right-handed

22:04 batters in this Tailgator lineup. They

22:07 have hit him pretty hard so far [music]

22:09 in 2026. Yeah. So Nisnik trying to slay

22:13 his dragon in 2026, that being [music]

22:15 this vaulted Texas Tailgator lineup. And

22:18 when it comes to Chris Clark, who has

22:20 dominated just about every team he has

22:21 faced, the Bananas have actually got a

22:24 couple runs across him each of the last

22:25 two times they faced him, which [music]

22:28 considering it's Chris Clark, is a

22:29 massive success. Yeah, I mean, only two

22:32 guys in the starting lineup for the

22:33 Bananas, though, have multiple hits

22:35 against Chris Clark. It's Kyle Jackson

22:37 and Ree Seleiianis. The thing that

22:40 impresses me the most about Clark,

22:42 despite the 40 strikeouts that you see

22:44 on your screen, he's a ground ball

22:47 machine. He still induces a lot of trick

22:50 [music] plays. And that is clearly why

22:52 the Tailgator are far and away the best

22:54 team when it comes to trick plays in

22:56 2026. Clark's tremendous, but Noah

22:59 Nesnik, on the other hand, over 50% of

23:01 his outs this season [music] have

23:03 included trick plays. So, I think you're

23:04 going to see a pretty tight battle

23:06 tonight as for the Tailgator, that

23:09 equalizer point is on the line for them.

23:12 >> And the Tailgator, I would bet have the

23:14 best shot in the sport to earn the

23:16 equalizer point against the Savannah

23:18 Bananas. Speaking of those Nanners,

23:20 their lineup is about to be announced.

23:22 Let's pass it over to Sharp.

23:30 Getting off this center fielder number

23:32 five Dr. The Doc Neto

23:40 in left field number 15. We call him

23:43 Rack Robert Anthony Cruz.

23:54 At [music] third base number four, Kyle

23:57 K. J. Jackson

24:06 [music]

24:07 out in right field. Number two, Reese

24:10 Superman

24:12 Alexis.

24:22 Starting fifth, the DH number 19, Dan.

24:26 Oh, purse.

24:35 At first base, number nine, Max Young

24:39 Goldberg.

24:48 Behind the plate, number one, the

24:51 captain, Bill Loy.

25:04 At shortstop number six, he is our glove

25:06 magician,

25:08 Ryan Cox.

25:16 The extra hitter number seven, tie two

25:19 for Jackson.

25:27 [music]

25:30 And at second base, number eight, he is

25:33 our greatest showman, Jackson

25:37 Olen. [screaming]

25:44 [music]

25:45 on the mound for your Savannah Bananas

25:47 tonight. Number 88, Noah N.

25:56 Your Savannah Bananas are led by Tyler

25:58 Gillum, assisted by Adam Broy, Ryan

26:02 Kellogg, Bryce Stover, and the legend

26:06 Reggie Horton.

26:11 [music]

26:16 Ladies and gentlemen, we ask that you

26:18 please rise if you're able and remove

26:20 your caps because here to honor America

26:23 tonight with the singing of our national

26:25 anthem, please welcome Mickey Norwood

26:33 [singing]

26:38 early.

26:40 [singing]

26:42 What so proudly [screaming]

26:45 we held

26:48 at the twilight

26:50 last gleaming

26:54 whose broad stripes and bright stars

26:59 through the perilous

27:03 spy.

27:05 Oh, the ramp parts we watched

27:11 were so gallently

27:14 streaming.

27:17 And the rock is red glare.

27:22 The bombs bursting

27:25 in

27:27 gave proof through the night

27:32 that our [singing] flag was still there.

27:37 Oh, say does that star spangled

27:43 B

27:46 way

27:50 for the land

27:53 of the free

27:56 and the home

27:59 of the brave. [cheering]

28:03 Ladies and gentlemen, Nikki Norwood.

28:11 A phenomenal rendition of the national

28:13 anthem as we get to bring you the first

28:16 ever Banana Ball game from the Scruffy

28:18 City, Knoxville, Tennessee.

28:22 Covenant Health Park, the 98th stadium

28:25 all time to ever host our young sport.

28:29 And it's the two best teams in banana

28:31 ball. The 14-7 Savannah Bananas taking

28:35 on the 12-9 Texas Tailgator. First place

28:38 for second place with the Tailgator an

28:41 opportunity across this twoame set to

28:44 take sole possession of first place if

28:47 they can sweep this twoame series. And

28:49 they have won four straight against the

28:52 Bananas. Going back to that Banana Ball

28:54 Open final, let's take a look at the

28:56 Savannah Bananas defensive alignment.

28:58 They get to be the home team for the

29:00 first time across the last four battles

29:03 against these Texas tailgators. And what

29:06 a sight for Sorrise in the outfield.

29:07 Robert Anthony Cruz and Reese Select

29:10 Otis with Dr. Meadows sandwiched in

29:12 between them in center. And then third

29:14 to first [music] in the infield. It's

29:16 Kyle Jackson, Ryan Cox, Jackson Olsen,

29:18 and Alex Eagler, the designated fielder,

29:20 will start [music] at first right from

29:21 the get-go. Bill Loy is the battery mate

29:24 for no one, isn't it? Yeah, it's awesome

29:25 to see Dr. Meadows healthy and back in

29:27 center field for the Savannah Bananas.

29:29 This is his first start in center since

29:31 April the 30th against the Tailgator at

29:33 Navasota High School. And we've seen

29:35 when Meadows has appeared defensively

29:37 this season, he's still averaging nearly

29:39 two trick plays per game. So for the

29:42 Bananas to deny that equalizer point

29:44 tonight, having Dr. Meadows back there

29:46 in center field is such a massive boost.

29:49 But you've also seen Ryan Cox, which hit

29:52 with his 45 trick plays. He is now back

29:54 up to third in banana ball when it comes

29:57 to trick plays this season. And of

29:59 course, Coxy pacing the bananas with

30:01 those 45 trick plays. And speaking of a

30:03 sight for sore eyes, the southpaw out of

30:06 St. Louis, Missouri. Noah Nisnik back on

30:09 the bump for the bananas. He was at a

30:11 wedding back in his college town of Cape

30:12 Gerardo, Missouri, where he spent five

30:15 years at Southeast Missouri State. Here

30:17 it is. Third year as the ace of this

30:20 Nanner squad, the 2024 Rookie of the

30:22 Year in fantastic numbers once again.

30:24 Yeah. Getting set on the rubber for the

30:26 ninth time in his third Banana Ball

30:28 campaign. In his last start on May the

30:30 9th, we saw Nisnik earn his first win of

30:33 2026 as he averaged three outs in 3

30:36 minutes and 28 seconds. Now, despite

30:39 just nine ground outs and 36 flyyous

30:42 that he's induced, 51 a.5% of his outs

30:46 have included a trick play this season.

30:48 He is one of seven qualified pitchers

30:51 with a rate at 50% or higher today

30:55 entering play. Exactly what the Bananas

30:57 need against the top tick play team in

31:00 the sport in the tailgator who can also

31:02 swing the heck out of it as well. Well,

31:04 Zack Watson at the top of their lineup,

31:06 followed by Nick Lopez. Kyle Martin, the

31:08 tour leader with his 10 home runs. Then

31:10 Jordan Barf the team leader with that

31:11 419 batting average. Taylor Justice the

31:14 team leader with a 500 on base

31:16 percentage right after him. Then Jose

31:18 Gonzalez Jr. Matt Danford, Taj Porter,

31:20 Indiana Stanley, and Jordan Hussein to

31:22 round it out. Three through six in this

31:24 lineup. I mean, it is the deepest lineup

31:26 in Banana Ball right now. Martin,

31:28 Justice, Gonzalez Jr., They are the top

31:31 three players when it comes to isolated

31:33 power this season. And then you've got

31:35 Jordan Bar coming off a two homer game

31:38 last Saturday, the first of his career.

31:41 We'll see what they can do against Miz

31:42 Nasty. Hey, let's get it down to field

31:44 to Ty Jackson so we can start this

31:47 clock.

31:50 Banana Nation, it is time. On the count

31:53 of three, we're going to say start the

31:55 clock. 1 2 3

32:00 Showtime leading off for the I don't

32:03 know how he got the job, but tied two

32:05 fly here in his fifth year as a Savannah

32:08 Banana. Absolutely nailed it. Stepping

32:11 in there for the young professor. Fast

32:12 ball below the knees as Zack Watson. A

32:15 ball at no strikes and we are underway.

32:17 A big swing and a miss on the bender

32:20 from Nisnik. High 80s, low 90s with the

32:23 fast ball.

32:24 >> Normally sits about 88 to 90 with the

32:27 gas. getting the inside corner right

32:28 there. Call from Vincent Chapman, our

32:30 home plate umpire. Son of a gun. That's

32:33 not Vincent back there at all. Swing a

32:35 miss from Zack Watson. Looks like the

32:38 umpiring crew pulled a little switcheroo

32:39 on us. And Watson back to the dugout.

32:43 Strikeout swinging. Yeah, looks like

32:45 Hunter Ives behind the plate tonight in

32:47 this contest. But great execution from

32:50 Noah Nisnik going with that circle

32:52 change outside part of the plate against

32:54 Zack Watson. Now starting two for 16

32:58 this season when playing against the

32:59 Savannah Bananas.

33:04 Fast ball is wide to Nick Lopez.

33:06 Switchhitting designated hitter holding

33:08 down the two-hole.

33:12 The best bat from a year ago. first team

33:14 all SEC in his final campaign with the

33:18 Kentucky Wildcats

33:21 spring of 2025. And boy, he is taking

33:24 that fantastic bat and taking the sport

33:26 by storm.

33:30 Well, only hitting 265 right now, 366 on

33:33 base percentage. A guy you expect

33:37 when all is said and done to have a

33:39 batting average well north of 300 and

33:41 OBP well north of 400. and he's got very

33:44 interesting splits. He's a switch hitter

33:46 for this tailgator lineup. He's batting

33:49 308 from the left side, but when he's in

33:51 that right-handed batters box, just a

33:53 125 average, and it is going to

33:55 [cheering] dip a little bit lower as the

33:58 Bananas come away with two trick plays

34:01 to start tonight's contest. Olsen

34:04 flipping through the legs and Alex

34:06 Ziggler, the designated fielder,

34:09 snagging that throw behind his back.

34:12 I'll tell you what, on the bus to the

34:13 ballpark today, Olsen was lamenting that

34:16 across his last five games, he's only

34:18 gotten four ground balls. Heck of a

34:20 start for Jackie defensively

34:24 as Noah Nisnik is out of the frying pan

34:28 and into the fire. Kyle Martin,

34:32 >> feast your peepers on some video game

34:34 numbers right there. Hitting .370,

34:36 reaching base out of 483 clip. talked

34:39 about his tour leading 10 home runs

34:42 as he's behind the ball in two strikes.

34:45 Also pacing all hitters with 29 runs

34:47 driven in and leading the tailgator with

34:50 22 runs scored. And you already saw him

34:52 take a home run cut against Noah Nisnik

34:54 and come up empty if this pace for Kyle

34:57 Martin continues throughout the season.

34:59 He is on pace to finish with 29 in 2026,

35:04 which would far and away break the

35:06 record Jake Skull set last year with 15

35:09 bombs. 2-2

35:12 fast ball tomahawk to first. Alex

35:14 Ziggler fields it behind the back. Wild

35:17 trick play from Ziggy. Three of them on

35:19 the inning for the Nanners as Nisnik

35:22 sets the Tailgator down in order. And

35:24 again, the Texas Tailgator, they are the

35:27 best team when it comes to trick plays.

35:29 But with three in the first inning, the

35:31 Nanners are already putting the pressure

35:34 on the visiting squad. Three of three

35:37 down in 3 minutes and 6 seconds for Niz.

35:40 And two of the three trick plays come

35:43 from their ecstatic designated fielder.

35:45 Ziggy immediately

35:48 given his coaching staff a reason to

35:51 smile after they put their designated

35:53 fielder out on first from the get-go.

35:55 Take a look at the tailgator defensive

35:57 alignment left to right in their

35:59 outfield. Watson Stanley and Martin in

36:01 the infield third to first. Barus Stain

36:03 Lutters and Justice [music] the

36:05 quadfather Taj Porter behind the ditch.

36:07 How can you not be looking at Jonathan

36:09 Lutters at second base leading the

36:10 [music] pack with 75 trick plays this

36:12 season and in his last game set a new

36:15 single game record with nine of them.

36:18 Everything this guy does [music] is just

36:20 built to try and maximize trick plays.

36:23 And he and Jordan Usain have nearly

36:25 combined for 50% [music] of the total

36:28 trick plays this year for the Texas

36:29 Tailgator. And how about Chris Clark? No

36:32 slouch when it comes to trick plays.

36:33 Five of them in six tries this year for

36:35 the Banana Ball rookie. The first pick

36:38 in the draft for the Texas Tailgator,

36:40 number three overall, the pride of

36:42 Westlake Village, California, who spent

36:44 seven years in the Chicago Cubs minor

36:46 league system. Spent his last two years

36:48 up in Triple A, but then 2025 rehabbing.

36:51 Spent his f final four outings pitching

36:54 right here in Covenant Health Park for

36:56 the Knoxville Smokies.

36:58 >> And in his Smokies career, he had a 7

37:00 and5 record, a 4.43 43 earned run on

37:03 average and struck out 100 batters in

37:05 109 and 2/3 innings pitch. You also see

37:08 he's been the first pitcher in 2026 to

37:11 reach that 40 strikeout plateau. Dr.

37:14 Meadows at the top of this banana

37:15 starting lineup for a third straight

37:17 game. Then it's Robert Anthony Cruz,

37:19 Kyle Jackson, and Reese Alexi, the

37:21 cleanup man, followed by Dan Oburst, Max

37:23 Young Goldberg, Bill Loy, Ryan Cox, Ty

37:26 Jackson, and Jackson Olsson.

37:27 >> Well, Max Young Goldberg is elevated

37:29 again in this bananas order. He has been

37:31 an on base machine. So they want to see

37:33 what he can do in the middle of this

37:34 lineup. And Robert Anthony Cruz just

37:37 continues to get stronger and stronger

37:39 with the bat. And he's looking to make

37:41 it three straight years in which he has

37:43 collected a home run here in the state

37:46 of Tennessee. Each of the last two years

37:49 doing it in Nashville 2024 in First

37:51 Horizon Park, home of the Sounds AAA

37:54 affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

37:56 last year in the home of the Tennessee

38:00 Titans.

38:04 Excellent numbers for the doctor, the

38:05 2024 Tour MVP,

38:09 and excellent to see him out in center

38:12 field.

38:15 Said he feels like he should be 100% if

38:19 he has to

38:23 really kick it into full gear.

38:26 And what a special moment for Chris

38:28 Clark.

38:29 >> Got the Knoxville Smokies jersey

38:31 underneath the Tailgator denim.

38:35 >> And he drops the Denims to the ground.

38:38 It is Clark who might just pitch this

38:40 entire game in his old Smokeoky's

38:43 uniform and look to absolutely shove as

38:47 he turns the cap around backwards before

38:50 he faces off against Dr. Meadows.

38:53 When Clark spent his full season in DA,

38:56 it was 2022. That was in the old park,

38:58 Smokeoky's Park.

39:04 But last year, two starts, two relief

39:06 appearances

39:08 here in the only one-year-old Covenant

39:10 Health Park.

39:14 Quick 20 count on the doctor.

39:19 comes in hitting 348, 423 on base

39:22 percentage,

39:29 but he's seen that batting average

39:31 plummet below 400 since coming back from

39:33 his right hamstring injury. And that's a

39:36 late strike call.

39:44 Safe Harbor rule in place. When you have

39:45 three balls, you can leave the box

39:47 without penalties. You can try and get a

39:49 head start on your ball four sprint. And

39:52 that one is ball four. Meadows off to

39:54 the races. Tailgator need to get it to

39:56 all seven fielders behind the pitcher

39:58 and catcher before the ball is live.

40:00 Textbook sprint defense and Meadows

40:03 respecting the tailgator defensive

40:05 prowess never even thinks about trying

40:07 to get two bases. Well, that's something

40:09 you hardly see from Chris Clark. Ball

40:12 four sprints in general, but especially

40:14 to start this game. And we know Dr.

40:17 Meadows hasn't exactly had the best bat

40:20 since coming back from injury, but

40:22 that's the first ball four sprint he has

40:24 drawn since the 28th of March against

40:26 the Indianapolis Clowns. So, great to

40:29 see Meadows boosting that OBP a little

40:31 bit to start the bottom of the first.

40:36 Quick 02 count on Robert Anthony Cruz

40:39 all of a sudden scorching hot since

40:42 being elevated to the two-hole.

40:43 rewarding his coaching staff for the

40:45 confidence in him. And that ball lpped

40:47 it out to right center. Kmart with the

40:50 call. Tip drill and Stanley behind the

40:53 back. Dr. Meadows heads up, tags to

40:55 second. He can start running. As soon as

40:58 the ball hits a defender, Taylor Justice

41:00 wants an appeal over at first.

41:05 >> I don't think the tailgator

41:07 even going to go for it.

41:12 Well, again, you saw the bananas, three

41:14 trick plays in the first inning. Wanted

41:18 to make sure that the tailgator at least

41:21 could try and strike back and make this

41:23 a close battle. Clark with a quick throw

41:26 over to first to see if Seth Markham

41:28 would call Dr. Meadows out for leaving

41:30 early. Instead, Markham ruling that

41:32 Meadows left at a proper time. So, he's

41:35 in scoring position now for Kyle Jackson

41:37 taking high.

41:40 inning winning run in scoring position

41:44 and KJ Josh talked about it on the

41:46 pregame show. One of only two bananas in

41:49 the lineup including Alexi on deck who

41:51 has multiple hits off Chris Clark this

41:53 year. Kyle Jackson two for three with

41:54 the ball for sprint against the powerful

41:58 67 righty

42:01 1-1.

42:04 Nice back door bender as Clark jumps

42:06 back ahead. And right now, KJ on a

42:08 streak, five straight games with a run

42:10 batted in. Trying to make it six. If he

42:13 can get a good knock here against Chris

42:14 Clark and drive in Meadows.

42:17 Bouncer foul. We'll get another one.

42:20 Two. KJ hitting .373.

42:24 468 on base percentage.

42:27 Pacing the bananas with his 11 extra

42:29 base hits.

42:31 Superb sophomore campaign so far.

42:35 doesn't think about the fast ball high

42:37 and away as the count is even. Had two

42:38 balls in two strikes.

42:42 >> If you're Clark, you want action on this

42:44 pitch. Don't want to go a ball away from

42:46 losing the inning.

42:48 Heater misses just a bit up.

42:52 And now Chris Clark in that exact

42:53 situation. And you can see in the body

42:55 language from Clark coming off the

42:56 mound. Really wanted that call from home

42:59 plate umpire Hunter Ives. and now gets

43:03 on the same page with Tosh Porter and

43:04 comes set with the payoff.

43:07 >> Flared out into left field. It's going

43:09 to fall. Meadow's got a great beat on

43:10 it. He's getting the windmill throw from

43:12 Watson. Oh, that was a dead duck.

43:15 Perfect strike to the dish by Zack

43:17 Watson to save the inning.

43:21 Tyler Gillum tried to get a little too

43:24 aggressive there against Zack Watson.

43:26 Not exactly the strongest arm on the

43:29 Texas Tailgator, but in shallow left

43:31 field, he came up with a perfect strike

43:34 home. Tatage Porter placing that tag on

43:37 Meadows.

43:38 KJ able to still wind up in scoring

43:42 position, advancing to second base. And

43:45 now it's up to Super Reese, who had four

43:47 walk-offs last weekend for the Bananas,

43:50 to see if he can be the hero again to

43:52 start this series in Knoxville. Yeah,

43:55 Alexi doubled his walk-off total on the

43:58 tour. He's now one behind Taylor Justice

44:01 for the league lead.

44:09 >> Super always superb with the stick

44:13 as he fouls the fast ball straight back

44:15 to even up the count. Comes in hitting

44:17 296

44:18 411 OBP.

44:21 saw the OPS north of 900

44:24 and leading the bananas with his 22 runs

44:26 driven in.

44:30 Fast ball scrapes the bottom of the

44:31 zone. Clark a strike away from stranding

44:34 the inning winning run in scoring

44:36 position.

44:43 >> This one nice foul will do it again. A

44:45 mentioned 22 runs batted in for Alexi.

44:48 currently has him sitting at fifth among

44:51 all players in Banana Ball this season.

44:54 And six of those runs batted in have

44:55 come against the Tailgator. Ree has hit

44:58 very well against this squad.

45:04 Deuce is wild here in the home half of

45:07 the first inning.

45:10 Two balls and two strikes with two outs.

45:12 KJ leading off second.

45:15 Alexiotis looking to be the early hero

45:17 for the Bananas

45:20 and he never even thinks about hacking

45:22 at the bender down and away. And once

45:24 again, Clark a ball away from losing

45:26 this inning.

45:30 Payoff pitch.

45:33 Hot shot to short. Hussein between the

45:35 legs over to first. Clark bends but does

45:39 not break and induces three trick plays

45:41 as the tailgator have knotted it up in

45:44 the trick play department against the

45:46 bananas. Another look at Hussein's.

45:52 We are scoreless through one. Let's get

45:54 it on down to Brett Loftess.

45:56 Have you ever thought to yourself, my

45:59 best friend is big green and loves to

46:02 absolutely eat? Have you ever thought to

46:04 yourself that his name is Grub? Have you

46:07 ever thought to yourself that you may

46:09 want a grub jersey? Well, now you can

46:12 have your own pinstripe Grub jersey.

46:16 You're not going to get all the rub

46:17 shaking and the overalls and the

46:18 greenery that you would get with Mr.

46:20 Grub, but you will get this beautiful

46:22 pinstripe jersey. And they don't come in

46:24 a What size do you wear, Grub?

46:27 Yeah, a very big size. You can get them

46:28 in youth sizes, adult sizes, and every

46:31 mascot except for Coco in Banana Ball.

46:33 So, if you want to be handsome just like

46:35 my big friend Grub, you can get your

46:37 very own jersey now until May 24th.

46:40 Being Josh, I'm about to take it off his

46:41 body right now. And he's taking me away.

46:48 Good luck down there. Brett Loftess

46:50 against that dinosaur of Grub.

46:54 A modern dinosaur at that. I just love

46:57 that we get those moments. Grub and

47:00 Brett Loftess. One of Banana Ball's

47:02 great romances in my opinion.

47:10 Great action

47:12 in the first inning.

47:14 Noisik faced the minimum and Chris Clark

47:17 able to escape a sticky situation.

47:20 Multiple runners on second, representing

47:22 the inning winning runs,

47:26 but still scoreless as Jordan Bar digs

47:28 in.

47:30 And watches this one.

47:33 Not caught by the fans. Left field side

47:36 out of play. Talked about that 419

47:38 average you saw pacing the tailgator.

47:40 This is one of the hottest hitters in

47:42 the sport coming off a two homer game

47:45 last Saturday night down in El Paso. And

47:48 we saw before the Banana Ball open, Bar

47:50 was batting just .293. He's been batting

47:52 576 since the open. And that's going to

47:56 climb even higher. A rocket past the

47:59 glove of Kyle Jackson at third base. And

48:02 it's Barf collecting the first hit of

48:04 the evening for the Texas Tailgers.

48:09 First base runner for Texas as well as

48:11 you get another look. Noble attempt by

48:13 KJ. Never stood a chance at that

48:16 scorcher. And a check on Barth over at

48:18 first. Not a big threat to run, but two

48:21 for two in his stolen base tries this

48:23 year as Justice nearly clips our third

48:25 base camera with the foul ball.

48:34 And we're going to get ourselves a

48:36 little dance from known as Nick Ryan Cox

48:39 and Jackson Olsson. Shout out Dr.

48:41 Meadows getting on the action in the

48:43 background as well.

48:48 Call this a 22 two2

48:50 >> tonight. Second pitch to the second

48:52 batter

48:53 >> here in the second inning.

48:58 >> And the fast ball below the knees

48:59 evening up the count on Justice having a

49:03 absolutely dynamite second full tour

49:06 after he was a visitor in 2024 and a

49:08 collegiate Savannah banana summer of

49:10 2022 before that hitting 375. mentioned

49:14 that team leading 500 on base percentage

49:16 which means he's reaching base every

49:18 other time he steps in the box

49:21 giving the fans another opportunity this

49:23 time down the right field line

49:26 and justice survives it and as far as

49:28 OPS plus is concerned of course 100

49:30 always the league average Taylor with a

49:33 160 mark 60% better than the tour

49:37 average bat and that places him third

49:39 among all players in 2026 X

49:44 just a ridiculous second season with the

49:46 Tailgator

49:48 as he fouls the fast ball straight back.

49:51 Nisnik continuing to pound the zone

49:52 ahead one two and Justice continuing to

49:55 hype himself up at the batters box

49:57 patting himself on the shoulder just

49:58 telling himself keep battling.

50:01 Great take. Fast ball above the letters.

50:05 It's such an entertaining at bat anytime

50:07 Taylor Justice digs in as that's a

50:10 broken bat, but the bat's going to die a

50:13 hero.

50:14 Flare into right.

50:17 And backto-back singles to open up this

50:20 top of the second inning of a very

50:22 different ilk.

50:24 A screamer from Bar and they'll hit them

50:27 where they ain't from Justice.

50:30 They look the same in the scorebook.

50:35 Heater first strike to Jose Gonzalez Jr.

50:37 Another one of these former collegiate

50:39 bananas.

50:40 Although for brother it was the summer

50:42 of 2020

50:44 that he suited up in yellow

50:47 here in his first world tour.

50:50 And boy has he

50:53 came to the banana ball world like a

50:55 storm.

50:59 Popped left side. KJ

51:02 will track it down for out number one.

51:04 Jump throw over to third to make sure

51:06 there's no funny business from Bart. Big

51:08 first out for Nisnik.

51:11 >> Yeah, just able to induce some soft

51:12 contact there against Brother. Now

51:15 Jackson had to range over. Couldn't camp

51:18 under that popup enough to try and start

51:21 any kind of tip drill or anything else.

51:22 Instead, catching it the standard way.

51:25 But he'll take anything or Noah Nisnik

51:28 will take anything he can get right now

51:29 to try and escape this sticky situation.

51:32 Back door slider for strike one. M

51:35 Danford

51:36 taking his turn with two on as he gets a

51:39 piece of the change up but is behind O2.

51:41 It's a homecoming of sorts for Danford

51:44 after three years of Jo. Spent his final

51:46 two years of college at the University

51:47 of Tennessee at Martin.

51:50 Albeit that's about five hours west of

51:52 here. But back to his college state and

51:56 that final season at UT Martin for Matt

51:58 Danford. Pretty insane. 15 home runs, 55

52:03 runs batted in. And now the O2 delivery

52:06 from Noanis fouled off, but it was

52:09 Jordan Bar running trying to swipe third

52:11 base.

52:13 You want to talk about dominating the

52:14 OBVC. Danford had no PS north of a

52:17 thousand both of his seasons with the

52:19 Skyhawks.

52:25 Another 02 swing and a miss.

52:29 Nisnik with the bender. His second

52:32 strike out.

52:37 Both of them swinging Ks. And you see

52:39 Danford a tick out in front of that

52:41 pitch from Noah Nisnik now with a great

52:45 chance to escape this trouble. But

52:48 facing off against a powerful bat and

52:50 Taj Porter who's had a lot of success

52:52 against the Bananas this year. Four for

52:55 12, a double a home run and five runs

52:58 batted in against this team. the

53:01 biggest, the largest. Started his banana

53:04 ball career

53:06 in the exact same location as Nisnik, at

53:09 least as far as his workout goes.

53:12 Justice lies for the back pick from his

53:16 old friend Bill Loy and hits him with

53:19 the scuba after surviving

53:23 as Porter's ahead two balls in a strike.

53:26 >> Tosh the switchhitting catcher out of

53:28 Mandavville, Louisiana here in his third

53:29 tour.

53:31 shared his banana ball try out with

53:33 Nisnik in Dallas, Texas

53:40 >> and according to the scribes had some

53:42 great battles against Niz that day. They

53:44 have continued across their three years

53:46 in banana ball together as it's a 3-2

53:49 pitch. Ball four from Nisnik will bring

53:51 in the first tailgator run.

53:56 Swing and a miss. Fast ball right down

53:59 Broadway. Nisnik with the gas, stranding

54:02 a pair and keeping the Gators off the

54:04 board

54:06 for Niz to get this two strikes against

54:08 Taj Porter. He went to the heater and

54:10 Loy was fist pumping with that pitch. He

54:14 wanted to continue to see if Porter

54:16 could catch up to that heater. And it's

54:18 Miz in a full count delivering the

54:21 heater and getting more swing and messed

54:23 up stuff. The Nanners unable to pick up

54:25 trick plays, but they keep the Gators

54:28 off the board in the second. As you see,

54:30 Niz fired up crossing the lines. A pinch

54:34 of adversity, but no harm, no foul

54:38 as the frame started with backto-back

54:40 singles. Bar and Justice stranded on

54:42 second and first, respectively.

54:47 And so far, this one as advertised,

54:52 Nisnik, two goose eggs put up on the

54:54 board. Chris Clark, one of his own as he

54:57 had a dicey first inning of work as

55:00 well.

55:02 And we're all waiting with baited breath

55:04 to find out what the heck is going to

55:06 happen as we head to the bottom of the

55:08 second inning.

55:14 >> [music]

55:21 >> My big black jack

55:24 on

55:26 a girl by my side [music]

55:38 over here.

55:41 Yeah.

55:43 All the boys

55:48 [music]

56:06 kind

56:20 How about a full team entrance onto the

56:24 field for Chris Clark and his tailgator.

56:28 Well, you know, this is just such a

56:30 special homecoming for Chris Clark. I

56:33 think if there's any place that he's

56:34 wanted to put on a show so far in his

56:37 rookie campaign, this is among the top

56:40 of all of the locations. And despite a

56:43 little bit of a rocky first inning,

56:45 Clark going out there and trying to get

56:48 ahead in the counts here against the

56:49 Bananas. Three three ball counts to the

56:53 first four batters. Not what you usually

56:56 see from Clark, who has just a 5.6% 6%

57:00 ball force sprint rate entering play

57:02 tonight, which is sixth among qualifiers

57:05 in banana ball.

57:07 Get a look at the numbers for Dan Oburst

57:09 here in his fifth World Tour. Eighth

57:11 year as a Savannah Banana is getting a

57:13 free heater. Acknowledges it

57:18 and a broken bat. Barf

57:21 vacuum cleaner over at third. Goes

57:23 behind the back. Fourth trick play of

57:25 the ball game for the Tailgator as they

57:27 pull ahead in pursuit of that equalizer

57:29 point.

57:33 Another look at the trick play. And

57:34 that's got to be nice for Chris Clark

57:36 right there. Not only do you get to flex

57:39 against Dan Overs. Hey, I'm giving you

57:40 the heater, but it's one pitch and one

57:43 quick out as the tailgator all

57:45 converging together. Hussein initiating

57:48 the tip and that one goes into center

57:50 field. Stanley will throw to Looters

57:53 covering the back at second and it's Max

57:56 Young Goldberg sliding in safely and

58:00 reaching on a trick play missed. Yeah,

58:02 great hustle from MJG Hussein. One of

58:05 the best in the sport, his 56 trick

58:07 plays, second most only to the man who

58:10 got the ball at the end of that,

58:11 Jonathan Lutters.

58:14 >> Happened to have 19 more than his double

58:17 play buddy.

58:20 And now some unnecessary pressure for

58:22 Chris Clark. Inning winning run in

58:25 scoring position for a second straight

58:26 frame. JT Sakala has his name called for

58:30 the first time. Banana's designated

58:31 runner who could pinch run one time

58:33 every trip through the order

58:36 with some of the best speed in the

58:38 sport. Out on second base for Bill Loy.

58:41 You got a quick look at the numbers. as

58:42 good as ever here in his ninth year as a

58:45 Savannah Banana hitting 339.

58:48 414 on base percentage

58:52 and aging like a fine wine as the fast

58:55 ball gets Clark back into it. Two balls

58:58 and a strike on the Nanner's catcher.

59:04 >> Sakov dancing off second gets Clark to

59:06 step off.

59:07 >> JT four for six in his stolen base tries

59:10 here in his rookie campaign.

59:16 Good looking Bender just misses down and

59:18 away. And Clark, this is the third

59:21 batter he's faced already this game

59:23 where he is a ball away from losing an

59:25 inning and the fast ball nowhere near

59:28 it. Bill Loy will earn the inning

59:31 winning ball for sprint as Sakalov comes

59:34 across the plate. An unearned run thanks

59:37 to the trick play missed from Hussein.

59:41 And you give the Bananas offense a gift

59:42 like that,

59:45 it is rare they do not make you pay. Sak

59:47 Love and Ty Jackson.

59:50 [music]

59:51 A bit of a duet

59:54 on the walk-off celebration as the

59:56 Nanders strike first

59:58 and lead one point to Zilch. Two innings

1:00:01 in the books.

1:00:12 Let's take a look at how the Bananas

1:00:14 starting pitching this year

1:00:17 >> was across their first 11 games and how

1:00:19 it's been across the last 10 because it

1:00:21 is a world of difference across a very

1:00:23 [music] similar sample size. I mean,

1:00:25 we've talked about the slope that the

1:00:26 Bananas have been at across these last

1:00:28 10 games, just a 4 and six record. And

1:00:31 you see a key reason is really the lack

1:00:34 of control that we have seen from the

1:00:36 starting pitchers across the last 10

1:00:38 contests. Well, the Bananas had a 29-4

1:00:42 strikeout to sprint ratio. As you see, I

1:00:45 mean, it's nearly 1:1 when you look at

1:00:48 20 strikeouts for the starters. 16

1:00:50 sprints allowed in this span. A key

1:00:52 reason why the earned run average is

1:00:55 nearly at six and the MPI is [music]

1:00:57 above 5 minutes. The Bananas needing to

1:01:00 stay in the zone a lot more. But so far

1:01:03 so good for Noah Nisnik. Eight batters

1:01:06 faced tonight, three strikeouts and no

1:01:09 sprints allowed. So hoping to continue

1:01:11 to stay in the zone [music] effectively

1:01:13 against a dangerous tailgator lineup.

1:01:18 One talked about it when Nisnik opened

1:01:20 up this ball game, but he had last

1:01:23 weekend off. was at one of his best

1:01:25 friends wedding. Old college teammate

1:01:27 and travel ball teammate before that.

1:01:29 Sismnic that left arm a little extra

1:01:31 rested. Nanners were able to take two of

1:01:34 three from the Loco Beach Coconuts in

1:01:36 his absence with Connor Harris getting a

1:01:38 start and Tristan Le getting his first

1:01:40 career start

1:01:46 as the Dunkin Donut batter Indiana

1:01:48 Stanley if he strikes out. The fans here

1:01:50 in Knoxville, Tennessee get donuts

1:01:53 courtesy of Duncan. And he has come up

1:01:56 empty on back-to-back benders from Niz

1:01:59 Nasty.

1:02:01 Indie here in his third world tour was a

1:02:02 visitor and party animal in 2024. This

1:02:04 is his second season with the tailgator.

1:02:11 Not cool. The third straight curveball.

1:02:15 I mean, a tremendously offensively

1:02:17 talented player. just hasn't found his

1:02:19 groove yet here in 2026.

1:02:22 >> Yeah, but starting to come along at

1:02:24 least for the Texas Tailgator. I mean,

1:02:27 you saw him batting below the Mendoza

1:02:30 line early on this season. It is started

1:02:32 to perk back up as he collected his

1:02:35 first two hit ball game last weekend and

1:02:37 now goes down swinging against Noah

1:02:40 Nisdic. Stanley with another. And that's

1:02:44 some donuts for the folks here in

1:02:45 Covenant Health Park tonight. Well, no

1:02:48 has his A+ stuff. His fourth punchy

1:02:53 sends Stanley back to the dugout

1:02:56 and all three swings and misses from

1:02:57 Indiana. Came on that breaking ball from

1:03:01 Niz Nasty as he gets Jordan Hussein to

1:03:03 go

1:03:05 above the zone on a fast ball. Now one

1:03:07 and one on the Houston product.

1:03:11 Jordan here in his third tour.

1:03:14 brief teammate of Indies on the party

1:03:15 animals of 2024 as this one skyhigh.

1:03:18 Nisnik is just going to catch it the

1:03:19 oldfashioned way right in the middle of

1:03:21 his infield for out number two as Ziggy,

1:03:24 KJ, and Cox all staring in confusion.

1:03:26 Now, as fun as that is for Noah Nisnik

1:03:30 and pitchers always, you know, they're

1:03:31 very competitive. They want to feel

1:03:33 their position very well. I think Ryan

1:03:35 Cox and Alex Ziggler especially are

1:03:37 thinking that's a trick play opportunity

1:03:39 that we might have missed out on right

1:03:41 there. And a tip from Cox, a behind the

1:03:43 back catch by Ziggler or Kyle Jackson

1:03:46 puts the Bananas back out in front in

1:03:47 this trick play battle. And I'll tell

1:03:49 you what, against the other four teams

1:03:52 in the sport, maybe you say, "Hey, Niz,

1:03:54 get you one. You know, you're our ace."

1:03:57 It's fun for you to get to record an out

1:03:59 yourself. But when you're against the

1:04:00 Texas Tailgator, averaging 12 and a half

1:04:02 trick plays a game when the Nanners are

1:04:04 the next closest at 9.2. every single

1:04:07 ball in play. If you can get a trick

1:04:09 play on it, if you can get two on it,

1:04:11 you got to try and make it happen. The

1:04:12 Tailgator, they're in first when it

1:04:14 comes to trick plays. The Bananas in

1:04:16 second. The Tailgator still have 70 more

1:04:19 than the Savannah Bananas coming into

1:04:21 play tonight.

1:04:22 >> A whole different ballgame as it's a

1:04:23 two- two count on Zack Watson is

1:04:25 Nicknick's first strikeout victim

1:04:26 tonight.

1:04:28 >> Just able to get a piece of the change

1:04:30 up.

1:04:41 I

1:04:41 >> think that was a high mom from Brett

1:04:42 Loftess.

1:04:45 This one scooped out and it's going to

1:04:48 be extra bases for Wadi.

1:04:53 Stand up double for the former LSU

1:04:55 standout.

1:04:57 Only his second extra base hit of the

1:04:59 year.

1:05:05 He puts himself at scoring position for

1:05:07 the big boppers.

1:05:09 >> That's nice to see for Zack Watson. The

1:05:11 first hit he's collected against the

1:05:12 Bananas since opening night in

1:05:15 Tallahassee, Florida. Now Lafy hits this

1:05:18 on the ground. Jackson will transfer

1:05:20 between the legs and it's Zaggler with a

1:05:23 perfect reception across the diamond at

1:05:26 first. Manners even up the trick play

1:05:28 battle and Noah Nisnic opens the ball

1:05:31 game with three shut out frames against

1:05:34 the tailgator as it's now time for

1:05:36 Bananas Foster family of the game.

1:05:38 >> Across the United States, there are over

1:05:41 400,000 children and teens in foster

1:05:44 care without a permanent home. To raise

1:05:46 awareness and support this community, we

1:05:49 created Bananas Foster, the official

1:05:51 nonprofit of Banana Ball. Our

1:05:54 organization is dedicated to celebrating

1:05:57 those in the foster care community while

1:05:59 educating and inspiring others to get

1:06:02 involved. Tonight, we are celebrating

1:06:05 the Martin family. Laura always knew she

1:06:09 wanted a big family. So, 20 years ago,

1:06:12 she was inspired to make a difference as

1:06:14 a single licensed foster mom. During the

1:06:18 nine years that she was licensed, Laura

1:06:20 welcomed a total of over 100 children

1:06:24 into her home and adopted 22 kids into

1:06:30 her family. Fans, please join us in

1:06:33 celebrating this amazing woman for

1:06:36 making a difference right here in your

1:06:38 community.

1:06:40 [cheering]

1:06:45 >> [cheering]

1:06:55 [cheering]

1:07:01 >> Heat. Heat.

1:07:17 Oh my goodness. Someone cutting onions

1:07:20 up here in the booth. Another massive

1:07:22 shout out to Laura Martin. I mean, this

1:07:24 is what Bananas Foster is all about.

1:07:27 Shining a light on the real life

1:07:29 superheroes in the foster care

1:07:30 community. And thank goodness that we

1:07:33 got to meet Laura and hear her story.

1:07:37 welcoming over 100 children into her

1:07:39 home, adopting 22,

1:07:43 I repeat, adopting 22 kids into her

1:07:46 family.

1:07:48 It's It's tough to put into perspective

1:07:51 how many lives she has immensely

1:07:54 impacted for the better. That is That is

1:07:57 Chill City right there.

1:07:59 Thank you again, Laura Martin, for all

1:08:02 all you have done and for gracing us

1:08:03 with your presence as the Banana Band

1:08:05 blasts away up at the top level of the

1:08:07 Yardly Flats, which by the way, if

1:08:10 you're going to create [music] an

1:08:10 apartment complex that has beautiful

1:08:12 views of a baseball stadium, you can

1:08:15 come up with a much better name. I mean,

1:08:17 it feels like Oklahoma City all over

1:08:20 again. You had apartments out beyond

1:08:23 Bricktown Mall Park. You also saw a

1:08:25 parking garage that fans [music] could

1:08:27 hang out in to watch the game and the

1:08:29 banana band. They made their way into

1:08:31 both of those places when we were in OKC

1:08:34 in 2023 and 2024. Cool to see them doing

1:08:38 a very similar thing here tonight in

1:08:40 Knoxville.

1:08:43 And officially over 6,300 fans full

1:08:46 capacity of course

1:08:49 here in Covenant Health Park, but it

1:08:51 looks like a couple hundred more just

1:08:53 hanging out on their balconies outside

1:08:55 their apartments. What a what a bonus.

1:08:59 It helps with the crowd noise. I'm not

1:09:01 going to lie because when they started

1:09:03 the clock with Ty Jackson like man that

1:09:05 was a little louder than I expected.

1:09:08 Of course, Tai's really good at just

1:09:11 drawing the energy out of you. No doubt.

1:09:15 >> Brian Cox, slow roller right side. Clark

1:09:18 will flip it between the legs and can't

1:09:20 connect on the trick play. That's his

1:09:22 second trick play missed in seven tries

1:09:24 this year.

1:09:28 And Ryan Cox oh so good at reaching

1:09:30 base. That will hurt

1:09:33 the on base percentage. But tell you

1:09:36 what, great for the WRC plus. Yeah, Ryan

1:09:38 Cox still doing a pretty good job in

1:09:40 that department. A 115 WRC plus this

1:09:44 season. 15% better than the tour average

1:09:47 bat. And it's Tai Jackson hacking early

1:09:50 against Clark and sending that banana

1:09:52 ball out of play.

1:09:55 Ball in a strike on tie two fly.

1:09:57 Jacksonville, Florida's finest.

1:10:00 Two years as a collegiate banana. This

1:10:02 is his third world tour after he debuted

1:10:06 with Indie Stanley Taylor Justice in

1:10:08 those 2024 visitors. Finished up that

1:10:11 year on the Nanners.

1:10:14 Shout out Travis Mono too in the

1:10:17 background

1:10:18 continuing to work on that whiteboard of

1:10:21 his. It's been a great bit as he comes

1:10:24 back from that

1:10:26 foot injury.

1:10:29 Swing and a miss.

1:10:32 Beautifully located fast ball from Chris

1:10:34 Clark.

1:10:35 His first strike out of the evening. His

1:10:37 tour leading 41st on the year.

1:10:41 >> Yeah, probably long awaited from Chris

1:10:44 Clark. And he got Jackson to expand the

1:10:46 zone. Was already kind of leaking out on

1:10:49 those pitches going outside against him.

1:10:52 Did so on that first foul ball. And so

1:10:55 Chris Clark continuing to exploit that

1:10:57 from Jackson and come away with the

1:10:58 punch out.

1:11:01 Great scoop. Taj Porter will throw

1:11:03 behind Cox, but not in time

1:11:07 to get the Ner short stop as Macio

1:11:09 Harrison. You want to talk about a

1:11:10 veteran.

1:11:15 This is year number nine for the

1:11:17 Banana's infamous dancing first base

1:11:19 coach Jackson Olsson trying to figure

1:11:22 out this Chris Clark fast. He was

1:11:23 twirling his back when Clark started

1:11:26 firing that pitch. He fouled it off

1:11:28 himself.

1:11:30 Clark thought he had himself a trick

1:11:32 play.

1:11:34 All smiles going back to the bump.

1:11:39 And Chris Clark has my vote for as you

1:11:40 get another look. Yeah. Right off that

1:11:42 right foot for

1:11:44 Olsen. I mean Clark has my vote for

1:11:47 toughest plate appearance in the sport.

1:11:50 You got low to mid 90s. Three different

1:11:52 fast balls as that's a swing and a miss

1:11:55 from Olsson on what looked like a four

1:11:57 seam. But you got to look out for the

1:11:58 two seamer and cutter as well. Slider

1:12:00 curve ball change up knuckle ball. He's

1:12:02 got a gyro ball. What the heck doesn't

1:12:04 he throw? Well, here's the thing. To be

1:12:06 able to make it up to Triple A and the

1:12:08 Cubs organization and be that close to

1:12:10 reaching the major leagues. You've got

1:12:12 to be able to locate all of your

1:12:14 pitches. And you certainly see that with

1:12:15 Chris Clark. Can work inside outside to

1:12:18 batters and then he's got those pitches

1:12:20 like you saw there with Jackson Olsson.

1:12:22 They can fall off the table a little bit

1:12:24 and get that swing and miss stuff that

1:12:26 you're looking for.

1:12:28 Ball in a strike on Dr. Meadows back at

1:12:30 the top of the Bananas lineup.

1:12:33 Reach on ball for Sprint. Ended up being

1:12:36 gunned down at the dish trying to score

1:12:38 the inning run in the first as he shoots

1:12:40 this the opposite way. Base hit for the

1:12:43 doctor. Cox will go station to station.

1:12:46 Respect for the cannon that Kyle Martin

1:12:48 has of a left arm. And for a third

1:12:51 straight inning, the Bananas have the

1:12:54 inning winning run in scoring position.

1:12:56 And now he keeps his hit streak going up

1:12:58 to four games for the doctor. And last

1:13:01 weekend against the Coconuts, talking to

1:13:02 him pregame, he said, "That's what I've

1:13:04 got to do more of this season. Be able

1:13:07 to hit out to the opposite field." This

1:13:08 one's Chuck the Looters. He has trouble

1:13:11 fielding that banana ball and still has

1:13:14 time to go between the legs and record

1:13:17 the fifth trick play of the night for

1:13:19 the Texas Tailgator back out on top once

1:13:22 again against the Nanners. Good job by

1:13:26 Chris Clark stranding a pair

1:13:29 as we'll get it on down to Garrett

1:13:31 Lampert.

1:13:33 >> Never too early to start your very own

1:13:35 cowboy boot collection. So, we've got

1:13:37 some kids joining us down here on the

1:13:38 field that are going to try on their

1:13:40 very first pair of boots. And let's be

1:13:42 honest, they'll have some time to grow

1:13:44 into these. Once they're in the boots,

1:13:45 they're going to race through the finish

1:13:46 line. The first kid across will win a

1:13:48 race we like to call the boot scoot and

1:13:51 boogie. Let's meet our contestants.

1:13:52 We've got Declan, OE, Wolfie, EMTT,

1:13:56 Tatum, and Braden, Knoxville. Are you

1:13:59 ready?

1:14:02 >> All righty, kids. On your mark, get set.

1:14:12 A

1:14:12 >> lot of room in those boots. Scoot.

1:14:16 Here we go. Braden Tatum and Emtt's

1:14:20 taking off. Oh, we got a ball.

1:14:23 And EMTT is your winner.

1:14:33 Little boot scoot and boogie.

1:14:37 >> Instant replay.

1:14:40 >> That was really impressive. Pure

1:14:42 domination.

1:14:45 Like three times too large. I I don't

1:14:48 see a single frowning face, though. You

1:14:51 know, all those youngsters really enjoy

1:14:53 being in the uh in the big old boots.

1:14:56 Much different than the world's slowest

1:14:58 race where there's usually tears galore.

1:15:02 Good to see all the kids happy to be

1:15:04 participants in a mid-inninging promo.

1:15:09 >> Although, you know, it's boomer bust

1:15:11 when it comes to the world's slowest

1:15:12 race.

1:15:12 >> Do you think any of the I'm assuming we

1:15:15 supplied the boots.

1:15:16 >> Do you think any of those are old pairs

1:15:19 of Tyler Gillum's boots he's worn over

1:15:22 the years?

1:15:23 >> I think he's got any possibility. I

1:15:25 think he's got the same pair he brought

1:15:26 to Savannah in 2018. Golly, I just this

1:15:30 inning is a mile high off the bat of

1:15:32 Kmart. And here you go. Ryan Cox tip

1:15:35 drill and it will be grabbed by KJ. So

1:15:38 no double trick play.

1:15:42 Not enough. Yeah, not enough height on

1:15:44 the tip from Cox. As you can see, he's

1:15:46 telling Kyle Jackson that thing was

1:15:47 swirling up there in the Knoxville

1:15:49 night. Yeah. Again, KJ was anticipating

1:15:51 being able to turn his back and field

1:15:53 that behind the back for the double

1:15:55 trick play. Instead, just not enough on

1:15:57 that tip to be able to contort his body

1:16:00 the way he would have liked.

1:16:01 Nonetheless, Nisnik picking up another

1:16:04 out against one of the tour's best bats

1:16:07 in Kyle Martin. Jordan Bar

1:16:11 high pop left side. Another chance. This

1:16:14 time rack making the call and he will

1:16:16 tip it to a double tip from Cox. That

1:16:20 will only be a trick play for Robert

1:16:22 Anthony Cruz as Tyler Gillum

1:16:26 >> looks like he's got himself an

1:16:28 announcement.

1:16:29 >> The heck could Gilly be talking about

1:16:31 here? Now coming to pitch from the US

1:16:35 women's national baseball team and the

1:16:38 number one draft pick in the women's

1:16:41 professional baseball league, Kelsey

1:16:44 Whitmore.

1:16:53 >> [music]

1:16:55 >> Tough to imagine a better start for

1:16:57 Kelsey Wentmore here in her sophomore

1:16:59 campaign in banana ball. The numbers are

1:17:02 absurd. Four and a third innings.

1:17:06 Do the math. That is 13 batters faced,

1:17:09 13 retired for Kelsey with four

1:17:12 strikeouts along the way. You know, the

1:17:14 craziest thing about Kelsey Whitmore is

1:17:16 last weekend before she pitched against

1:17:18 the Coconuts, her NPI was 2 minutes and

1:17:20 4 seconds, and she lowered it by

1:17:23 throwing an inning in 1 minute and 38

1:17:26 seconds. Not only the first sub 2minute

1:17:28 inning of her career, but the fastest of

1:17:31 the season from any Savannah Banana. And

1:17:35 she's also striking up 31% of the batter

1:17:38 she's faced. It's going to only take one

1:17:40 pitch for Whitmore to close out the

1:17:42 fourth behind the back. Twirling catch

1:17:45 by Super Reese as it's a three-trick

1:17:48 play frame for the Bananas. Nisnik and

1:17:50 Whitmore combining to put another donut

1:17:54 on the board. And you just see soft

1:17:56 contact the name of the game right now

1:17:59 for the Savannah Bananas. Great work

1:18:01 from Cox, Cruz, and Alexi to secure a

1:18:05 second three trick play frame tonight

1:18:07 for the Naners. Let's get it down to

1:18:09 Jesse

1:18:10 >> crowd here in Knoxville. Everyone on

1:18:12 your feet all the way around the

1:18:14 stadiums, in the apartment complexes,

1:18:17 everywhere on your feet because we're

1:18:20 going to get the biggest Hey, baby

1:18:21 Knoxville has ever seen. So, get those

1:18:23 hands up in the air. Hands up in the air

1:18:25 and follow along. Here we go.

1:18:29 >> Clap those hands.

1:18:41 Get those arms waving.

1:18:45 [music]

1:18:52 My [music] girl,

1:18:54 >> keep it going. Get those hands up.

1:18:59 [music]

1:19:08 >> Now, keep it clapping as we shuffle.

1:19:11 [music]

1:19:18 >> You guys look good. [music]

1:19:23 Now let me hear you sing it.

1:19:27 [music]

1:19:36 One more time.

1:19:40 [music]

1:19:46 [music]

1:19:50 Give yourselves a round of applause.

1:19:57 >> Happy birthday

1:19:59 to that fan out in the yardly flats

1:20:04 balcony hanging out with Christian

1:20:06 Davis.

1:20:08 Tyler Rig and company.

1:20:11 It's one of the other special parts of

1:20:12 Banana Ball. These guys getting out,

1:20:14 hanging out with the fans. Didn't even

1:20:15 have tickets to the game. We're getting

1:20:17 all our equipment out there.

1:20:19 >> I think we got to set up and call the

1:20:21 game out there.

1:20:22 >> Son of a kid, man.

1:20:23 >> What a missed opportunity.

1:20:25 >> Next time,

1:20:26 >> man. If we I I hope we get it next time.

1:20:30 This place is awesome. I want to do

1:20:32 that.

1:20:33 >> It's no mistake.

1:20:34 >> I should have done that. [laughter]

1:20:37 >> Wasn't a mistake that ballparks.com

1:20:40 rated this the best stadium in all of

1:20:42 baseball last year.

1:20:46 Kyle Jackson continued his small sample

1:20:50 size but great success off Chris Clark

1:20:52 his first time. This time Lutters behind

1:20:54 the back transfer trick play to take

1:20:56 care of KJ.

1:20:59 And nice start for Clark and company

1:21:02 opening up this bottom of the fourth.

1:21:05 Well, again, we talked so much about

1:21:07 Chris Clark being this unbelievable

1:21:09 strikeout pitcher, but another reason

1:21:11 he's been so gosh darn effective all

1:21:13 year long is he's very much a ground

1:21:16 ball guy at the same time. And all of

1:21:19 these grounders that he's induced, they

1:21:21 have turned into trick playouts for the

1:21:22 Texas Tailgator tonight. Beautiful two

1:21:25 seamer to jump ahead of Reese Alexi.

1:21:29 That one all the way to the back stop.

1:21:30 Super Reese taking off for first

1:21:32 quarter. Great throw, but not in time.

1:21:36 Alexianis, his tour leading fifth steel

1:21:38 of first base, and Joe Michelick is

1:21:41 challenging the call from Seth Markham

1:21:42 at first. Boy, Taj couldn't have made a

1:21:45 better play.

1:21:47 Alexi is just about as fast as they

1:21:50 build him here on planet Earth. Great

1:21:52 banana ball IQ. He got a nice jump. I'll

1:21:55 tell you what, to the naked eye, I

1:21:56 thought he'd beat the wrap. Bang bang.

1:21:59 Another look.

1:22:01 >> Yeah, clearly safe. That was it. I was

1:22:04 very surprised that the tailgator

1:22:05 challenged this. I mean, I don't know

1:22:06 what they saw that I didn't.

1:22:08 >> You have two guys and Joe Miklick. I

1:22:11 mean, he's quick with the trigger.

1:22:13 >> You've got two guys in Justice and Clark

1:22:15 who are pretty emphatic that this needed

1:22:18 to be challenged. And so, Joe, he's

1:22:20 going to defend his guys. That's the

1:22:22 thing. He is a players manager through

1:22:24 and through, and he wants to honor them.

1:22:27 >> Unfortunately, things don't work out.

1:22:29 Now the tailgator have only had one

1:22:32 successful challenge overturned this

1:22:34 season as that is Alexi Otis' tour

1:22:36 leading fifth steel first. Dan Hers

1:22:40 rocketing out to left center. Alexi

1:22:43 getting the wave around from Bryce

1:22:45 Stober. He's going to come on in and

1:22:47 score. [cheering]

1:22:48 Danny Barrels in winning double and the

1:22:52 Ners double their lead. They're up two

1:22:54 nothing.

1:22:56 Danny Barrels delivers yet again for the

1:22:59 Savannah Bananas and the steal of first.

1:23:02 What starts it off for the boys in

1:23:04 yellow. Great base running for Alexi.

1:23:08 And then Ober makes the tailgator pay.

1:23:11 Got the heater from court that [music]

1:23:13 time and puts the bananas up two points

1:23:16 to nail.

1:23:18 >> Let's get it on down to Sam Bowman.

1:23:20 What's happening, Mr. SB?

1:23:28 And let me tighten them. Everybody's got

1:23:29 KJ. Everybody's got Brack. Everybody's

1:23:31 got Jackson. Don't you want something

1:23:33 unique? Something that's just you, like

1:23:36 an Austin Drury jersey. Hey D, sell your

1:23:39 jersey to the folks.

1:23:40 >> You know what, folks? Everyone has a

1:23:42 great jersey. Mine comes with a

1:23:44 nutritious source of calcium and

1:23:46 potassium, aka bananas. Let's go.

1:23:49 >> Doctors cannot verify that. Bryce Gappy.

1:23:51 Why do we want number three on her back?

1:23:53 >> Why do people want number three? Might

1:23:56 >> let's go.

1:23:59 >> If you're not scared, you should be. Buy

1:24:00 his jersey. Finally, Frankie Mos the big

1:24:02 knock nine. Who doesn't want this guy?

1:24:04 Frankie, why?

1:24:05 >> I mean,

1:24:09 guys, they want to sell him. They want

1:24:11 to sell him so bad. They'll get him

1:24:12 right off their back. Split. Split's got

1:24:14 a jersey, too. You get split jersey. No.

1:24:16 Yeah. Yeah. You get split jersey, guys.

1:24:17 Just buy their jersey. Support the

1:24:18 banana ball players. Support banana ball

1:24:20 players. Please speak up. Josh, help.

1:24:24 Nope. No.

1:24:27 Sam, blink twice if you're in trouble.

1:24:29 Oh no. I didn't see any blinks though,

1:24:32 so I think he's fine. I trust Split and

1:24:36 Tyler Gillum, Adam Byron, Bryce Stover.

1:24:38 They trust Tristan Lec. Talked about

1:24:41 earlier got his first career start last

1:24:43 Friday night. Now he comes in to replace

1:24:46 Kelsey Whitmore with a two-point lead.

1:24:48 Yeah. 1 and0 in his rookie campaign. So

1:24:50 far in six in the third innings pitched

1:24:52 in May. He has not allowed an earned run

1:24:55 yet for the Savannah Bananas. So doing

1:24:57 really good work lately. A 181 RA plus

1:25:01 which is 11th on Tour and the change up

1:25:03 was that key out pitch for Tristan last

1:25:05 Friday. Collected three strikeouts, but

1:25:08 both of his ball four sprints came on

1:25:10 the change up. But he was in really high

1:25:12 spirits after that start and said that

1:25:14 it was a lot that he could build off of.

1:25:18 He's got Jos Gonzalez Jr. Matt Danford.

1:25:20 Taj Porter as the fast ball is poured in

1:25:23 for strike one on brother. Popped out in

1:25:26 foul territory to KJ.

1:25:29 His first trip to the plate

1:25:32 and ropes this one into right. Great

1:25:35 piece of hitting to stick with the left

1:25:37 on left breaking ball.

1:25:40 And I'll tell you what, kid out of

1:25:42 Spring, Texas, came in hitting 328, 403

1:25:46 on base percentage. Talked about it. Top

1:25:49 three in the sport in isolated power. I

1:25:51 mean, what an absolute steal in the 10th

1:25:55 round for Joe Molick and the Tailgator

1:25:58 as Danford takes the fast ball just a

1:26:00 hair low. And we get to see Jacob

1:26:03 Pipperick run the bases for the first

1:26:05 time tonight. Tailgator's designated

1:26:07 runner.

1:26:11 11 for 12 in his stolen base tries. Was

1:26:13 just caught for the first time last

1:26:15 weekend in El Paso. Wasn't even on a

1:26:17 pitch. He actually just trying to get

1:26:18 too big of a start and ended up gunned

1:26:21 down at second by the pitcher.

1:26:32 Two-1 count on Mackadoodle as our

1:26:35 beloved friend Brett Loft is getting a

1:26:37 lot of camera time in that tailgator

1:26:39 dugout tonight. Loves to call him.

1:26:43 And that's going to be a ball force

1:26:44 sprint.

1:26:46 Viperick is going to easily go first to

1:26:48 third. Danford parks it at first base.

1:26:52 And just like that, no outs, runners on

1:26:55 the corners.

1:26:57 And I'll tell you what, YouTube chat,

1:27:01 we're gonna have to lay out for a

1:27:03 specialty Jason Art walk up here. But

1:27:06 Josh and I have a hot take for you.

1:27:09 Well, I don't think it's hot at all.

1:27:12 We'll discuss after this.

1:27:19 >> [music]

1:27:20 >> I know.

1:27:26 [music]

1:27:28 One shot of tequila and I really want to

1:27:30 feel next to me. Next to me. Yeah, I

1:27:34 know. I [music] know.

1:27:36 I know. I know.

1:27:42 [music] I know. I know. I'll be at your

1:27:44 place. I know. I know. to let you go

1:27:49 fast. [music]

1:27:58 [music]

1:27:58 >> And we all get to rejoice thanks to a

1:28:01 Jason Orange shirtless dancing walk up.

1:28:05 Big spot

1:28:07 for the Fugquave Arena native.

1:28:10 >> Pipper sick off third. Danford off

1:28:12 first. No outs. Tailgators down two

1:28:14 points.

1:28:16 and yet to score a run in this ball game

1:28:19 which comes to the point that Josh and I

1:28:21 both have. We are gobsmacked that Noah

1:28:24 Nisnick got taken out after three and

1:28:26 two3 innings in this game as it's one

1:28:28 and one on Jason Art. I mean he was

1:28:29 absolutely cruising and you're going up

1:28:32 against Chris Clark and you're getting a

1:28:35 lot of trick plays behind Niz Nasty as

1:28:37 well. I mean he's he was checking all

1:28:40 the boxes again. He didn't start last

1:28:43 Friday, so I don't know if it's some

1:28:44 kind of precautionary measure. Just

1:28:46 making sure that his arm, his health is

1:28:48 going to be all right, but already you

1:28:51 see LeC has gotten himself in trouble

1:28:53 here in the top of the fifth and in a

1:28:55 two- two count against Orin.

1:29:00 High pop right side. Loy and Ziggler

1:29:04 heading towards their dugout

1:29:06 and running out of room. No catch from

1:29:09 the fans either. Well, I'll tell you

1:29:10 what, the crowd here had a massive gap.

1:29:15 There were a lot of folks who wanted to

1:29:17 make a play on behalf of Tristan Lec and

1:29:19 the Savannah Bananas. Didn't exactly

1:29:22 work out. So now Tristan's got to

1:29:24 continue to battle against the pitch

1:29:26 hitter for the Gator. And the kid got

1:29:28 the ball, tried to throw it back on the

1:29:30 field.

1:29:33 >> Called strike three. Yeah, got to be

1:29:37 >> Peter at the knees.

1:29:40 Massive K for Leic.

1:29:45 >> Oh yeah, great frame from Billoy, too.

1:29:48 Jason Arts, team leading 18th strikeout

1:29:52 for the Texas Tailgator. And that's

1:29:54 where things get awfully frustrating.

1:29:57 Indiana Stanley

1:30:00 trying to pick up his pinch hitter in

1:30:02 front of him. Indie Squibb at the dish.

1:30:05 Le is going to fire to first and it

1:30:08 pulls Ziggy off the bag. Seth Markham

1:30:11 with the call. Good job by LC looking

1:30:14 paper back to third

1:30:18 but he's got an undersized first baseman

1:30:20 and sailed it just a tad. Another look.

1:30:22 Great hustle by Indie

1:30:25 who will reach on the official scoring

1:30:27 decision.

1:30:29 Oh, we're going to have ourselves a

1:30:30 challenge.

1:30:33 Josh, did you catch if it was the fans

1:30:34 or bananas?

1:30:35 >> It looked like Tyler Gillum elected to

1:30:38 use that challenge. Seemed like he

1:30:40 couldn't get it coming from the fans.

1:30:42 And on first look, tough to tell with

1:30:45 these frames whether Ziggler was able to

1:30:48 get that foot back down on the bag.

1:30:50 Again, if we cannot find conclusive

1:30:52 evidence, we're led to believe that it's

1:30:56 not going to be overturned. And that

1:30:58 looks like pretty conclusive evidence

1:30:59 that Stanley is in safely.

1:31:01 >> Golly. So, Molick an inning ago and now

1:31:04 Gillum here on the fifth. Both head

1:31:07 coaches burn their challenges for the

1:31:09 game.

1:31:10 >> Rolling on the field

1:31:13 stands as called

1:31:16 Chapman.

1:31:21 Paused for dramatic effect and then

1:31:24 shared exactly what Josh and I thought

1:31:25 up here. Official scoring hit from

1:31:28 Indiana Stanley.

1:31:29 >> Okay, cool. Little tapper, great hustle.

1:31:33 I mean, it was a really close play. I

1:31:35 don't think that a high throw from Lebec

1:31:37 is really what makes any kind of

1:31:39 difference there on that play.

1:31:41 >> Good looking fast.

1:31:42 >> We're hitter scorekeepers.

1:31:44 >> No doubt. Always have been, always will

1:31:46 be. So, one count on Jordan Hussein as

1:31:50 he flips this towards the seats.

1:31:53 No catch.

1:31:57 popped out to Nisnik on the mound his

1:31:59 first time

1:32:05 and lost this shallow right. Alexiotis

1:32:08 has one of the best arms in the sport.

1:32:10 Pipperick can really fly. Super Reese

1:32:12 with the throw. Oh, the money and it's a

1:32:15 double play. Pipper did meet. You don't

1:32:19 run out of Super Reese.

1:32:24 Super Reese showing off that super

1:32:28 cannon in right field and all of his

1:32:31 Bananas teammates running out there to

1:32:35 give him the credit that he rightfully

1:32:37 deserves. Second time we've seen the

1:32:40 coaches of Banana Ball tonight try and

1:32:42 get aggressive on a send from third

1:32:44 base. And neither time it has worked out

1:32:47 this time burning the tailgator.

1:32:50 But man, those nanners, how excited are

1:32:53 they right now?

1:32:54 >> It was Zach Watson in the first gunning

1:32:57 down Dr. Meadows at the dish. Now Alexi

1:33:01 showing off the chooch to take care of

1:33:03 Pipperick at home.

1:33:07 It's been a defensive clinic from the

1:33:10 outfielders so far tonight. And you want

1:33:12 to talk about defensive clinics, how

1:33:14 about Taylor Justice here in his third

1:33:17 World Tour overall. and he has turned

1:33:20 himself into one of the best defensive

1:33:23 first baseman in the sport. [music]

1:33:26 Excellent baseball and banana ball at

1:33:27 key. Take a look at his five trick plays

1:33:30 from last Saturday night in El Paso,

1:33:32 which ties the record that Jordan Brewer

1:33:35 set on the second of this month. [music]

1:33:38 And it was a goal for Taylor coming in

1:33:40 to this tour to get that record-breaking

1:33:43 performance on first base. And when

1:33:45 [music] Taylor Justice sets his sights

1:33:48 on something, son of a gun if he's not

1:33:50 going to achieve it. Am I right, Brett

1:33:51 Loftess?

1:33:51 >> You're exactly right, Mo. You know,

1:33:54 close personal friend, Taylor Justice,

1:33:56 just ripping trick plays. And he's got a

1:33:58 microphone on him. Taylor, can you hear

1:33:59 me? You got me?

1:34:00 >> I can hear you, baby. I can hear.

1:34:01 >> I mean, he's he's all 5T away from me. I

1:34:02 I hope that he can hear me. Just rip the

1:34:04 trick play right in front of me. He's

1:34:06 going to have to protect me here, guys.

1:34:07 But Addison not sent out a first base

1:34:09 coach yet. Vyro, is it good if I just

1:34:11 coach first here? I'm I'm talking to

1:34:12 Taylor. Justice is playing first, so let

1:34:14 me coach first. Bravo said it's good if

1:34:16 I first uh Taylor,

1:34:18 >> like me, coach and Josh just said, five

1:34:20 trick plays last Saturday night. That's

1:34:22 been had your eyes set on uh since the

1:34:25 start of the year. What What was that

1:34:26 moment like to get the team clinching

1:34:28 trick play, but also to get number five

1:34:30 for you?

1:34:31 >> Yeah, that was uh obviously something

1:34:32 that this team takes a lot of pride in.

1:34:34 We obviously this infield is incredible,

1:34:36 man. I got to work hard with Lutters and

1:34:39 with uh J5 and Bar and everything. So,

1:34:41 I'm just trying to do my part, man. I

1:34:43 came in here honestly thinking that I

1:34:45 was going to catch and I've really taken

1:34:46 a liking to playing first base. He's

1:34:48 been a lot of fun and uh I'm just trying

1:34:50 to keep up, man. Help this team win.

1:34:52 >> I'm glad you're keeping your eyes up.

1:34:54 It's quite hard down here and Josh. I

1:34:56 don't know if you've ever coached first

1:34:57 base before and also tried to

1:34:58 simultaneously look at a first baseman.

1:35:00 This is hard, ladies and gentlemen.

1:35:02 >> It's really hard. I don't even know.

1:35:04 Okay. Three balls. Okay.

1:35:06 >> Yeah. A little housekeeping, guys.

1:35:08 Jonathan Hughes, first man out of the

1:35:09 pen. That is Oh.

1:35:11 Barrel from MJG. Loers

1:35:14 >> not able to get him at first. What a

1:35:16 recovery. But Young Goldberg hustling

1:35:18 out the single.

1:35:20 >> Be honest. We don't need a challenge

1:35:21 right there, guys. Eyes right on top of

1:35:23 it. Sunshine, snow cone. It's so so

1:35:26 close. Can we talk to JT or Taylor? Just

1:35:29 have a good conversation with him.

1:35:30 >> Hey, you want to say

1:35:32 >> I mean, I could even go out there and

1:35:33 have a conversation with him.

1:35:34 >> God is good. God is good, man. This is

1:35:36 fun. JT, how are you liking your first

1:35:38 year here? It's been great.

1:35:40 >> He says it's been great. I don't know if

1:35:41 you can't really hear him, but he says

1:35:43 he loves it. He said uh that he wishes

1:35:46 he was in denim, right? [laughter]

1:35:48 You wish you were in denim.

1:35:50 >> No.

1:35:50 >> No. Oh, he said yeah before he said Did

1:35:53 you hear him?

1:35:57 >> I I thought I heard him. I don't know.

1:35:59 But you're having fun, right? This is

1:36:00 good.

1:36:00 >> Yeah, it's unbelievable.

1:36:01 >> He He said it's unbelievable. This Me,

1:36:02 too. I'm honestly having a blast. This

1:36:04 is great. What? No. No. God. No. Nope.

1:36:06 No, sir.

1:36:09 Nothing. You're good.

1:36:10 >> Sneaky little rascal. I'm

1:36:12 >> kind of tweaking out right here, guys.

1:36:15 Everyone's going. I'm kind of getting I

1:36:16 feel like I'm going to watch me. Runner.

1:36:18 He's actually going now. K's got him.

1:36:19 Watch this. See you. Oh, when are they

1:36:23 going to learn

1:36:24 >> Taylor?

1:36:28 Oh no. Oh. Hey, good hustle, baby. Good

1:36:31 hustle, baby.

1:36:32 >> Josh, how many times that year is this

1:36:34 year? Is it Did Taj Porters caught him

1:36:35 right?

1:36:36 >> I don't know. Too many. Too many.

1:36:38 I don't know what's happening.

1:36:42 >> Well, it's the first time that Taj has

1:36:43 caught Sakalo, but he's been as good as

1:36:45 anybody catching runners this year.

1:36:47 >> Has he Is he the best? Is I feel like

1:36:50 he's thrown up more than anybody. Come

1:36:52 on. Little ball for spray here for Bill.

1:36:56 >> Josh will get you the numbers.

1:36:59 >> Ah, don't worry about it. Yo,

1:37:01 >> Bill has thrown out 12 guys. Taj has

1:37:03 thrown out 11, but he has a higher cost

1:37:06 stealing rate.

1:37:06 >> You've thrown out 12 guys and Taj has

1:37:10 thrown out 11. So, you're still in the

1:37:12 lead, Bill. I know that that's a huge

1:37:14 thing for you.

1:37:15 >> But Taj does have a higher rate, TJ.

1:37:17 >> Oh, Taj has a higher rate, so he's

1:37:19 better. That's that's what Bo said.

1:37:22 >> Uh, said you're better.

1:37:24 >> Hey, do you want to say anything? I'm

1:37:25 Mike.

1:37:28 >> Come here. Don't get a lead. Come here

1:37:30 and talk.

1:37:32 Bill, Bill, you're not pulling me. JT,

1:37:34 sure, you are not pulling me.

1:37:35 >> Lah.

1:37:37 >> Oh, wow. What a tornado.

1:37:39 >> Holy. That's a That's a great play from

1:37:41 Wy.

1:37:42 >> How about that assist and then the

1:37:44 tornado? Taylor, same ball game.

1:37:46 >> Wy's kind of having himself a day. This

1:37:48 is awesome to see. I super pumped for

1:37:51 that guy.

1:37:52 >> Brent, I believe you call that a Texas

1:37:54 tornado.

1:37:54 >> A Texas tornado. Yeah. I'm going to be

1:37:56 honest with you guys. Guys have been

1:37:59 talking over in the dugout about ripping

1:38:00 trick plays. the aggressiveness from

1:38:02 this squad, including this guy we got

1:38:03 miked up here right now. They don't care

1:38:05 what the situation is. They're going to

1:38:06 rip him.

1:38:07 >> Ground ball. Should I rip it?

1:38:09 >> Taylor, I need one from you right here.

1:38:10 If we don't get a palm chair

1:38:12 right now. You ready? Watch this.

1:38:14 >> Come on.

1:38:15 >> I didn't even know you're ever thinking

1:38:16 about if you're going to rip it or not.

1:38:17 I thought you just rip it.

1:38:19 >> Well, sometimes Mick gets like all like,

1:38:22 you know, he starts freaking out. Oh,

1:38:23 here it is. Ready? Watch this. Oh,

1:38:25 Hussein.

1:38:29 Wow,

1:38:30 >> that was a really good play.

1:38:31 >> Yeah, that was a killer play just to

1:38:32 >> get another ground ball

1:38:34 >> making a play obviously.

1:38:35 >> You know, I don't want to scare my head

1:38:36 coach. Sometimes he gets and and I miss

1:38:38 I'm not on 100% clip, but I'm I like not

1:38:41 being scared. That's It's the best. I

1:38:44 love

1:38:45 >> I love the culture of this, you know? We

1:38:46 we we are told, "Hey, rip it and if you

1:38:49 miss it, get it the next time."

1:38:51 >> 23 for 26 is pretty darn good.

1:38:53 >> This is about to be a double. You ready?

1:38:56 >> Bar. Oh my dude, you made me look so bad

1:38:59 right there. What are you doing,

1:39:01 >> Taylor? Justice, it's okay. It's okay.

1:39:04 We got We got scoreless out of the

1:39:06 enemy. I love you so so much.

1:39:08 >> And uh I can't wait to see you in about

1:39:10 5 seconds when I get my helmet off.

1:39:11 >> Okay, you're going to go hit and it's

1:39:13 going to be great. Bo and Josh, this is

1:39:15 wonderful. I never want to coach first

1:39:17 ever again.

1:39:18 >> I thought you were wonderful, Brett.

1:39:21 >> And man, you look good from this angle,

1:39:23 too.

1:39:24 >> You look a lot better from this angle.

1:39:25 There's such a light. I can't even see

1:39:27 you right now. You know who looks even

1:39:29 better? The banana. Let me tell you.

1:39:32 >> Talk about a toss.

1:39:42 I can't take them

1:39:46 close to the

1:39:52 stepping. [music]

1:39:55 Oh my good.

1:40:03 There's a party [music] near

1:40:06 everybody at

1:40:10 [music]

1:40:12 everybody at

1:40:16 [music]

1:40:18 everybody.

1:40:23 >> [cheering]

1:40:29 >> Oh, the banana nana stupendous.

1:40:32 We thank them from the bottom of our

1:40:34 hearts for hopping on the bus and taking

1:40:36 the 6-h hour or so journey from

1:40:39 Savannah, Georgia, all the way up here

1:40:41 to the Marble City, Knoxville,

1:40:42 Tennessee.

1:40:44 This game is flying by. A lot of action

1:40:47 through the first five frames. Tristan

1:40:49 Lec will be out for his second inning of

1:40:51 relief. Give up a single and a sprint.

1:40:54 Had runners on the corners with no outs.

1:40:57 And then a strike out looking of Jason

1:40:59 Arin. An infield single from Indiana

1:41:01 Stanley and a 92 double play. Alexiotis

1:41:04 to Loy to escape unscathed

1:41:08 as Watson

1:41:09 flicks this out to right. Speaking of

1:41:12 the devil, Super Reese tip drill.

1:41:15 >> His second trick play of the night.

1:41:18 Yeah, Reys Alexi, I mean, he's just

1:41:21 doing everything tonight for the

1:41:22 Savannah Bananas. He's seen two trick

1:41:24 plays, gun down Jacob Pipperick at home.

1:41:27 A steal of first base so far. And

1:41:30 putting the Bananas back out in front

1:41:32 when it comes to the trick play tally

1:41:35 here tonight. Eight for the Nanners,

1:41:37 seven for the tailgator.

1:41:42 Nick Lopez ahead, two balls and no

1:41:44 strikes. Two ground outs, one to second,

1:41:46 one to third into a combined three trick

1:41:48 plays.

1:41:49 >> What are you doing?

1:41:50 >> Saying what's up,

1:41:53 >> as the bender gets the top of the

1:41:54 outside corner.

1:41:58 >> Lie not thrilled with the call from

1:42:00 Andrew Gerard, home plate umpire.

1:42:03 Vincent Chapman originally scheduled to

1:42:05 be behind the dish tonight, but barely

1:42:08 got here in time. Flight was delayed. So

1:42:11 Gerard, who was supposed to be out on

1:42:12 second base, said, "I'll suit up.

1:42:15 as Lopez lost this one out to right.

1:42:17 Alexiotis again tip drill Meadows into

1:42:20 the hat double trick play from the

1:42:22 Nanners right and center fielders

1:42:26 and two quick outs for LeC and that's

1:42:28 why it's so nice that Dr. Meadows back

1:42:31 out in center field. I mean he just has

1:42:33 great banana ball instincts. He

1:42:36 instantly had the cap taken off before

1:42:38 Alexiotis is even coming close to that

1:42:41 banana ball. It's Meadows just reading

1:42:44 what they want to do and what has

1:42:46 become, you know, routine for them. They

1:42:48 have communicated so well over the years

1:42:51 that they really don't even have to say

1:42:53 things verbally to one another anymore.

1:42:55 They're just that synchronized. And as

1:42:57 you see, seven different Savannah

1:42:59 Bananas defenders have a trick play

1:43:01 tonight.

1:43:03 Been spreading the love around

1:43:04 defensively. Cal Martin has hit into a

1:43:07 pair of them. Ground out to Ziggler at

1:43:09 first and a pop out to Cox at short as

1:43:13 he can't connect on the slider from

1:43:16 Levec. Part of his four pitch mix

1:43:20 trying to make it a one, two, three

1:43:21 inning.

1:43:23 Fast ball perfectly tunnneled after the

1:43:26 slider. Called strike three. Oh, it's a

1:43:28 late call from Andrew Gerard. And Le

1:43:31 does get that second K. Both of them are

1:43:33 looking as he sets down the Gator top of

1:43:36 the lineup in order. Fastest inning of

1:43:38 the night for any pitcher. Lebec and

1:43:41 Laroy catching that outside corner and

1:43:44 it caps off a twominut and 18 second

1:43:48 inning from the banana ball rookie.

1:43:52 Yeah, Kyle Martin not thrilled with the

1:43:54 call. I think [screaming]

1:43:57 he has a reason to be. So look, the ball

1:43:59 off the plate or two. Great frame by

1:44:02 Bill [screaming]

1:44:05 >> and a great inning from LeC.

1:44:10 We're going to have something special

1:44:11 here to kick off the bottom of the sixth

1:44:13 inning.

1:44:15 [music]

1:44:21 [music]

1:44:26 tattoos

1:44:31 [music]

1:44:32 and climb to the roof. Talk about a

1:44:35 future like we had a clue. Never [music]

1:44:40 lo

1:44:44 another life.

1:44:47 I would [music] be your girl.

1:44:50 We keep all of [music]

1:44:53 the against the world.

1:44:58 another life.

1:45:01 [music] I would make you stay

1:45:04 so I don't have to say you were the

1:45:08 [music] one that got away.

1:45:11 The one

1:45:18 >> always considered Cody Fluffman the one

1:45:20 that got away

1:45:22 as the Nanners have the top of the order

1:45:24 in the home half of the sixth inning.

1:45:26 Jonathan Hughes out for another inning

1:45:28 of relief.

1:45:33 Dr. quickly behind O2 sprint his first

1:45:36 time. Single the opposite way in the

1:45:38 third.

1:45:40 Just able to get a piece of that gnarly

1:45:42 two seamer. Hughes. It's pretty

1:45:45 unbelievable pedigree. Guy was drafted

1:45:47 in the second round out of high school

1:45:49 as this one is chopped to looters

1:45:51 between the leg transfer. Hussein not in

1:45:54 time.

1:45:56 And it does look like Meadows is back to

1:45:59 full strength on that right hamstring.

1:46:02 Infield single. He is two for two aboard

1:46:04 for the third time. And it was Dr.

1:46:07 Meadows getting on the bus this morning.

1:46:09 Talking to him about seeing what his

1:46:11 status looked like. He's like, "I'm

1:46:12 ready, boys. I'm ready to get backed out

1:46:15 there in the outfield." And again,

1:46:17 something that makes Dr. Meadows so

1:46:19 effective. The big reason he's always

1:46:21 high in batting average, beating out

1:46:23 those infield singles. Big league pop

1:46:25 from the former Nationals minor leager

1:46:27 Robert Anthony Cruz tipped from Martin

1:46:29 behind the back from Stanley and Meadows

1:46:31 for the second time in this ball game on

1:46:34 a fly out to right from rack that turned

1:46:36 into a double trick play with Martin and

1:46:38 Stanley tags from first to go to second.

1:46:41 So the Tailgator are sacrificing 90 ft

1:46:45 for two trick plays.

1:46:47 If they have more trick plays than the

1:46:49 Bananas going into the final inning,

1:46:50 they claim a point that the Naners

1:46:52 cannot access as the home team. That's

1:46:54 the equalizer point, of course.

1:46:57 But I mean, you're putting great speed

1:46:59 into scoring position for Kyle Jackson

1:47:03 and the Bananas team leader in walk-offs

1:47:05 on deck. Reese selects the

1:47:09 when Dr. was on second back in the first

1:47:11 inning. KJ came through in the clutch

1:47:13 single to left, but Watson was able to

1:47:15 gun down Meadows at the dish.

1:47:21 That one to the back stop. KJ is going

1:47:24 to steal first. Meadows gets to third on

1:47:26 the wild pitch. And now the inning

1:47:28 winning run 90 ft away.

1:47:33 And you just have to question in pursuit

1:47:35 of the equalizer point which you're not

1:47:37 guaranteed to get. You're now giving the

1:47:39 Bananas a much easier chance at claiming

1:47:42 the point here in the sixth inning.

1:47:44 Infield in for the Tailgator. Alexi

1:47:47 ahead 10. Throw behind KJ. He's back

1:47:49 safely. I mean, it's definitely harder

1:47:52 to pitch as the visiting team and banana

1:47:54 ball. All you're trying to do is keep

1:47:55 guys out of scoring position, especially

1:47:57 considering how costly ball four sprints

1:48:00 can be. And Alexi, he's been so good

1:48:03 with guys in scoring position all year.

1:48:06 A 400 average. Five ball four sprints.

1:48:10 And now Jackson moves up 90 ft. Two guys

1:48:14 in scoring position for Super Reese. Big

1:48:16 hack at the fast ball. Fouled straight

1:48:19 back. Alexi Otis ground out his first

1:48:21 time. He stole first. back in the fourth

1:48:24 inning came around to score the inning

1:48:25 winning run.

1:48:28 Bouncer into left field. Alexi his ninth

1:48:32 walk-off of the year. Ties him with

1:48:34 Taylor Justice for the tour lead. And

1:48:36 the Bananas a commanding three nothing

1:48:39 lead through six innings. And he has now

1:48:42 recorded at least one run batted in in

1:48:45 all but one series for the Savannah

1:48:48 Bananas this season. Super Reese

1:48:51 fantastic tonight for the Bananas in the

1:48:54 field and in the cleanup hole. Let's get

1:48:57 it on down to Sam Bowman. I believe he's

1:48:58 got Cody Fluffman. No, I don't have Cody

1:49:01 Fluffman. I have the new heartthrob of

1:49:03 the Savannah Bananas.

1:49:06 Catching up the man,

1:49:11 >> you know, I just had to perform so my

1:49:12 boy Meadows could get a hit. I wouldn't

1:49:14 call myself the heartthrob, but Daddy

1:49:17 Buff Man is one handsome fella. Talk

1:49:20 about breaking the dad ceiling.

1:49:22 >> Great job.

1:49:22 >> The dad ceiling. First ever full sprint

1:49:25 man and a walk up.

1:49:26 >> Uh, it was a lot. I mean, I booked it,

1:49:28 but I knew I had to not only deliver for

1:49:30 my other boys, I had to deliver for the

1:49:32 man on the plate. And look what we did

1:49:34 in the inning, baby.

1:49:35 >> Let's get the other day. Come on out

1:49:36 here, guys. Hey, there were some rumors.

1:49:38 I heard coach Gillum. He said, "We got

1:49:40 to get this guy. Any truth to the fact

1:49:42 that you might leave the manas for the

1:49:45 >> Hey, look. All they'll say is if they

1:49:48 give me an atbat, they got three swings

1:49:50 to get me out cuz baby's going yard.

1:49:53 >> That's what I'm talking about. That's

1:49:55 what I'm talking about.

1:49:56 >> They're not letting him go. He's an

1:49:57 athlete. He's a heartthrob. He's a

1:49:59 manana.

1:50:07 Thank [laughter] you, Sam. I agree with

1:50:09 all of the accolades

1:50:12 not given earned by Cody Fluffton.

1:50:15 superstar here in his second year as a

1:50:17 man M man M man M man M man M man M man

1:50:17 M man M man M man M mana

1:50:18 and the whole crew to see aunt special K

1:50:23 Bradba Dadbod

1:50:25 the best in the biz the evolution of the

1:50:27 man n man n man n man n man n man n man

1:50:27 n man n man n man n manis has been

1:50:29 really cool to see across seven seasons

1:50:31 in banana ball is Connor Harris here in

1:50:34 his second year first full season in the

1:50:37 sport after he was a visitor in 2025

1:50:40 take a look at the numbers not sparkling

1:50:42 for Harris as he looks for a bounce back

1:50:44 after he had a great first two innings

1:50:46 in his start last weekend and then had a

1:50:49 blow up third. Yeah, he's been hit hard

1:50:51 in the month of May. An earn run average

1:50:53 that is nearly at 15 in six and two/3

1:50:56 innings pitch. And he's just surrendered

1:50:58 a lot of base knocks. 16 hits allowed,

1:51:01 four ball sprints, and only two

1:51:03 strikeouts this month. But the most

1:51:06 points that he can surrender here in the

1:51:08 seventh is one. He's got a three-point

1:51:11 cushion. So hopefully Harris able to

1:51:13 work some things out and find some

1:51:15 success here against the middle of the

1:51:17 tailgator order. Yeah, meaty part of

1:51:20 this lineup. Bar Justice and Gonzalez

1:51:24 guys who have been seeing beach balls

1:51:26 especially as of late when it comes to

1:51:28 Jordan Bar

1:51:30 single his first time. Then flew out

1:51:32 into a trick play from rack and left

1:51:35 and shoots this the opposite way.

1:51:37 Fielded between the legs. Olsson

1:51:38 flipping between the legs. Ziggler

1:51:40 catching between the legs. Second double

1:51:42 trick play of the ball game between

1:51:45 Olsen and Ziegler. And the Nanners now

1:51:47 with a three trick play advantage. And

1:51:49 you know often times we have seen the

1:51:51 Bananas start these ball games with Max

1:51:53 Young Goldberg at first base. But Tyler

1:51:56 Gillum and Adam Byron are keen to the

1:51:59 fact that the Tailgator, you know, they

1:52:01 push the needle when it comes to trick

1:52:03 plays. So they can't afford to surrender

1:52:05 anything. And that's why you saw Ziggler

1:52:07 start the game combining for that double

1:52:09 trick play with Olsen and now was able

1:52:11 to repeat it here in the top of the

1:52:13 seventh.

1:52:17 Justice just like Barack in the second

1:52:19 inning then a fly out in the fourth into

1:52:21 a trick play although it was Alexi out

1:52:23 in right.

1:52:26 Tornado catch accountable

1:52:29 as Harris doing a great job jumping

1:52:30 ahead. A ball in two strikes on Taylor

1:52:33 Justice.

1:52:35 500 on base percentage. Leading the team

1:52:38 third best in the sport.

1:52:45 Doesn't go after the high heat. Count

1:52:47 even at two and two.

1:52:50 It's fast ball knuckle curve kick change

1:52:53 from Harris.

1:52:56 Sticks with the heat. That one just

1:52:58 below the knees. Count is full.

1:52:59 Nonetheless, Bill Roy, he loved that

1:53:01 pitch from Connor Harris, sticking up

1:53:03 the glove emphatically and saying, "Keep

1:53:06 it up there, big dog."

1:53:09 Payoff

1:53:11 swing and a miss. Sticks with the fast

1:53:13 ball nearly the same spot. And there

1:53:16 goes those funky big old legs from the

1:53:18 68 righty.

1:53:21 >> The world's tallest pitcher,

1:53:26 Darils.

1:53:29 Oh, Britain.

1:53:33 >> Oh gosh. Sometimes broadcasting this

1:53:35 sport, it just writes itself. You want

1:53:37 to talk about funky big old legs?

1:53:42 None are funkier nor larger than the

1:53:44 legend Dakota Steltz Britain here in his

1:53:47 sixth world tour.

1:53:49 Part of that original one city world

1:53:50 tour to Mobile, Alabama, his rookie

1:53:53 season all the way back in 2021.

1:53:56 and trying to put a bow on a scoreless

1:53:58 seventh inning. Collabing here with

1:54:00 Connor Harris and he pitched in all

1:54:02 three games last weekend against the

1:54:04 Loco Beach Coconut. Stilts hit around a

1:54:07 little bit, but so far he's had pretty

1:54:10 good numbers against the Texas Tailgator

1:54:13 facing up against a very powerful bat in

1:54:16 Jose Brother Gonzalez who has yet to

1:54:18 face stilts in the regular season.

1:54:24 Jose one of the only guys in the sport

1:54:26 who played a banana ball game before all

1:54:28 of Britain brother back on June 26,

1:54:31 2020. Played in the first banana ball

1:54:32 game ever in front of fans.

1:54:35 Green verse yellow bananas. Then played

1:54:38 again on August 14th.

1:54:42 First ever game of the party animals in

1:54:44 banana ball history.

1:54:47 4-1 Bananas victory.

1:54:52 A 3-1 here to Gonzalez.

1:54:55 Yanked foul

1:55:06 and this one was floated out to center.

1:55:09 Meadows tip drill. Cruz [screaming]

1:55:14 there to secure it.

1:55:17 It's a three-trick play. One, two,

1:55:19 three. Top of the seventh inning between

1:55:21 Harris and Albert and the Savannah

1:55:22 Bananas have had four different three

1:55:26 trick play innings tonight. I'll tell

1:55:29 you what, they came out with a vengeance

1:55:32 here tonight against the Texas

1:55:34 Tailgator. They are all out dominant

1:55:36 tonight. What a ball game we have in two

1:55:39 nights time on Saturday evening. It will

1:55:41 be the second largest banana ball game

1:55:43 ever played just [music] down the road

1:55:46 in Neand Stadium, home of the Tennessee

1:55:48 Volunteers. Over 101,000 fans

1:55:53 will converge

1:55:55 on the football stadium of the Bulls. We

1:55:57 will have it right here on the Bananas

1:55:58 YouTube channel, also on the ESPN app in

1:56:00 Disney Plus. [music] And as always, you

1:56:02 can watch Joseé Bonitez's Call on the

1:56:05 Bananas YouTube channel as well.

1:56:08 If you can understand Spanish, you have

1:56:10 to check it out because Jose is as good

1:56:13 as they come and as entertaining as they

1:56:16 come as well. He's the best in the biz.

1:56:19 Also the only one in the biz in Banana

1:56:21 Ball, but I mean just as good as they

1:56:22 come truly. You know, often times he's

1:56:24 our next door neighbor here in these

1:56:26 broadcast booths and he is yet again.

1:56:28 But this time we get a window to

1:56:30 actually see what Cheeto is doing. I'll

1:56:34 tell you what, man. I just love seeing

1:56:36 the way he struts around the broadcast

1:56:39 booth as he's doing his thing.

1:56:41 [laughter] And he he just struck some

1:56:43 kind of pose. It was like he was looking

1:56:44 up to the gods above. Now he's glued to

1:56:47 the glass.

1:56:50 >> Oh, my roommate for second weekend this

1:56:52 year.

1:56:52 >> I blew him a kiss, everyone, just in

1:56:54 case you were wondering.

1:56:56 >> I'm sure everyone was waiting with

1:56:57 baited breath to find out what that

1:56:59 sound effect was. Jimmy Lewis takes over

1:57:01 for Jonathan Hughes who

1:57:05 gave up a one run across an inning and a

1:57:08 third of relief and the walk-off in the

1:57:11 sixth inning. Lewis here in his second

1:57:14 tour with the Tailgator. It's brought

1:57:16 back by Michik and company. Their final

1:57:19 pick of the draft in the 11th round.

1:57:22 It's really a tale as old as time as

1:57:25 talented as they come. got a guy second

1:57:28 rounder in 2019 to the Los Angeles

1:57:30 Dodgers. Spent five years in their

1:57:32 organization.

1:57:35 And as long as he is in the zone, his

1:57:36 stuff is phenomenal. Well, he enters

1:57:39 tonight with an 18% ball force sprint

1:57:42 rate. The tour average is just a hair

1:57:44 above 10%.

1:57:45 So, Lewis still trying to work on his

1:57:48 command, but he gets a swinging strike

1:57:50 against Dan Oburst, a guy who is not

1:57:52 prone to drawing many ball force

1:57:55 sprints. No, he loves to hack as is

1:57:57 evident by those first two swings. 02

1:57:59 coming from the 66 righty fast ball just

1:58:04 misses the top of the zone.

1:58:07 First time Lewis has pitched since May

1:58:08 8th against the Indianapolis Clowns out

1:58:12 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1:58:15 And in that outing, I'll tell you what,

1:58:16 the control was pretty good. Only one

1:58:18 ball for Sprint across an inning in

1:58:19 two/3s, but four earned runs on five

1:58:21 hits

1:58:23 as Oburst works the count from 02 to

1:58:25 3-2.

1:58:32 Just pokes the bat out and he's going to

1:58:35 find some grass down the right field

1:58:36 line. Big turnaround first. He's going

1:58:38 for two. Perfect throw from Kyle Martin.

1:58:41 Overs down at second and begging the

1:58:44 fans for the challenge.

1:58:48 For now, it's the second straight

1:58:49 weekend that Kmart has gunned down a

1:58:51 runner at second. I mean, that arm is

1:58:53 fantastic. And the fans have popped the

1:58:55 confetti out in those stands along the

1:58:58 right field line. So, the umpires will

1:59:01 now gather and take a look back at this

1:59:04 throw coming from Kyle Martin and right.

1:59:06 I mean, off balance, perfect one hopper

1:59:08 to Hussein.

1:59:10 Bang bang plant second. Hunter, the crew

1:59:12 chief, had as good a view as anybody.

1:59:15 And you need to see clear evidence that

1:59:18 Dan touched the bag before the tag came

1:59:20 down from Hussein. And I'll tell you

1:59:21 what, that second angle, I think, had

1:59:24 the glove hitting Obururst on the side

1:59:26 before his right foot touched second

1:59:28 base.

1:59:30 See if the umpires disagree.

1:59:33 But that angle from center field might

1:59:36 tell a different story. When I saw this

1:59:38 the first time, of course, that was a

1:59:40 little too quick. Here we go.

1:59:46 Golly. Wow. I'm not seeing evidence that

1:59:49 could overturn the call on the field.

1:59:51 Nor am I.

1:59:55 It's as bang bang as it gets. It's that

1:59:57 left toe touching the bag. Does it get

2:00:00 there before the glove hits over on the

2:00:02 side? It needs to be clear to the

2:00:04 umpire. Ladies and

2:00:04 >> gentlemen, after further review,

2:00:06 >> they did get to the base before the tag

2:00:08 came down.

2:00:09 >> They did not see that. Vincent Chapman

2:00:13 with Rain Poncho in tow as the skies

2:00:17 have started to open up a little bit

2:00:19 again here in Knoxville after it

2:00:21 absolutely poured for most of the day

2:00:24 confirming the call. So it's a single

2:00:25 from Obur his second hit of the day

2:00:28 although Kyle Martin

2:00:31 >> foils his bid for his second double of

2:00:34 the evening and Lutters between the

2:00:36 legs. No chance for Justice to make it a

2:00:39 double trick play.

2:00:41 Sunshine has the tailgator in double

2:00:43 digits. They pull back within three

2:00:45 trick plays of the bananas with a

2:00:46 maximum of four defensive outs

2:00:49 remaining.

2:00:52 It's been a heck of a battle for that

2:00:54 equalizer point.

2:00:57 I think the tailgator can certainly

2:00:59 still strike

2:01:01 the remaining with the remaining out

2:01:04 they have here in the seventh and also

2:01:05 the eighth as well. They'll certainly

2:01:07 put the pedal to the metal. Then it's up

2:01:10 to the bananas to try and see if they

2:01:12 can keep things going in the top half of

2:01:14 this inning as Lewis has jumped head 02

2:01:17 for the second time in this seventh

2:01:19 inning. That's just a heck of a sign.

2:01:22 Right back to the breaking ball. Bill

2:01:24 Loy towards our broadcast booth that

2:01:26 will clang on top of the roof.

2:01:32 >> Two sprints in two plate appearances for

2:01:34 Loy. The first walked off the second

2:01:36 inning.

2:01:43 Man, he spikes the fast ball. Great

2:01:44 stop. Tosh Porter as Loy

2:01:48 keeps that left foot just barely in the

2:01:50 right-handed batters box. He's just

2:01:52 going for entertainment right now.

2:01:54 Having a little fun with Tosh Porter's

2:01:56 fellow catcher behind the dish. Telling

2:01:58 you, a guy who's been in banana ball for

2:02:00 this long, he knows all the right moves,

2:02:02 including keeping that foot in the

2:02:04 right-handed batters box.

2:02:07 down even at two and two.

2:02:11 >> I go back to the bender here if I were

2:02:12 Porter and Lewis. They stick with the

2:02:15 fast ball and they were right with it.

2:02:17 Hussein between the legs and behind the

2:02:19 back. Justice behind the back at first.

2:02:21 Fantastic double trick play as the

2:02:24 Tailgator pull within one of the bananas

2:02:27 with one inning to go in their pursuit

2:02:29 of the equalizer. And that is just what

2:02:31 they needed. Jordan Usain a couple of

2:02:34 tricky moves at shortstop and Taylor

2:02:37 Justice. Why not try it? Especially with

2:02:40 the bases empty and finally the Gator

2:02:43 first baseman making an impact here

2:02:46 tonight in Knoxville. And Jimmy Lewis a

2:02:49 123 sub threeinut inning. He absolutely

2:02:52 loves to see it. Still a three nothing

2:02:54 game with two frames to play as you

2:02:56 [music] get a look at the battle between

2:02:58 the Bananas and Tailgator trick

2:03:00 playwise. So far tonight, it has been

2:03:02 superb. 25 trick plays between the two

2:03:06 top trick [music] play teams in the

2:03:07 sport. The tailgator have one more

2:03:10 inning to try and out trick play the

2:03:13 bananas and earn that equalizer point.

2:03:16 And it has really come from

2:03:19 nearly every defender for each team

2:03:22 spreading the wealth defensively in some

2:03:24 spectacular ones, especially [music]

2:03:26 that spinning Texas tornado from Wadi. I

2:03:30 mean, this is exactly what we kind of

2:03:32 expected coming into this series. The

2:03:34 Bananas and Tailgator would be dueling

2:03:36 in trick plays. And I'll tell you what,

2:03:38 Tailgator still do not have a run in

2:03:41 tonight's game against the Bananas. They

2:03:43 could really use an equalizer point to

2:03:46 just try and get on the board before the

2:03:48 ninth. Get a look at the numbers for

2:03:50 Jacob Bazella, the Bananas 10th round

2:03:52 draft pick out of North Huntington,

2:03:54 Pennsylvania.

2:03:56 and he's going to tow the slab trying to

2:03:58 keep the shut out going with the Bananas

2:04:00 up 3-0. We saw him blow his first career

2:04:03 save opportunity last Friday. Was also

2:04:05 handed the loss after Ben Parker had a

2:04:08 two out two-run go-ahad home run against

2:04:10 Baza who was allowed an earn run in five

2:04:13 of his last six ball games. But an

2:04:16 interesting note, four of those six ball

2:04:19 games have been multi-ining affairs for

2:04:22 Jacob Baza. So, we've seen the Bananas

2:04:24 try and stretch him out, and that's kind

2:04:26 of when he's gotten hit around a little

2:04:28 bit. This will likely be just one inning

2:04:31 of work for the Banana Ball rookie and

2:04:34 10th round pick. Yeah, I'm sure they

2:04:37 will be handing the ball off to Danny

2:04:38 Hosley. Come the top of the ninth

2:04:40 inning. They are guaranteed to have a

2:04:42 lead. M. Danford

2:04:46 with the ball and a strike. It is 78 and

2:04:48 nine in the lineup. Porter on deck.

2:04:50 Stanley in the hole.

2:04:53 Tailgator yet to score a run tonight.

2:04:56 Mile high pop in the infield. Alex

2:04:59 Ziggler with the call.

2:05:01 We'll catch it the oldfashioned way.

2:05:06 Such a tough play to pull a trick play

2:05:08 off with a towering fly and the wind

2:05:11 swirling here in Knoxville.

2:05:13 We already saw Cox earlier tonight say

2:05:16 that he was having a little trouble with

2:05:17 it. Alex Ziggler and a lot of guys in

2:05:20 banana ball. The higher those balls are

2:05:22 in the air, the more difficult it is

2:05:25 even to try and collect the tip drill

2:05:28 and definitely catch it behind your

2:05:30 back. And Ziggler knows that his

2:05:32 pitching staff tonight is working on an

2:05:34 absolute gem. So, he didn't want to try

2:05:36 and mess anything up for Baza or the

2:05:39 rest of the guys who have tossed

2:05:40 tonight.

2:05:42 Change up. swung on and missed to even

2:05:44 up the count on Taj Porter turning

2:05:46 around to hit from the left side. Struck

2:05:49 out from the right side against Disick

2:05:51 back in the second as he whiffs on the

2:05:54 fast ball and then was pinch hit for by

2:05:56 Jason Arin back in the fifth. So this is

2:05:57 only his second trip to the dish.

2:06:03 Another effect of the Bananas

2:06:06 dazzling performance from their staff.

2:06:07 Bazela the sixth different Bananas

2:06:09 pitcher to hurl it here tonight. And the

2:06:12 tailgator still in their third trip

2:06:14 through the lineup.

2:06:18 Barrage of fast balls from Bazel County

2:06:20 even at two and two now.

2:06:24 He's got a slider, curve ball, splitter,

2:06:25 and knuckle ball as well. But sticking

2:06:28 with the gas as Porter able to spoil

2:06:31 another

2:06:32 right now. I mean, you're trying to get

2:06:34 that swing and miss against Porter. But

2:06:36 now it's maybe time where you try and

2:06:38 mess with the eye level a little bit. Go

2:06:40 to something off speed and low in the

2:06:42 zone and see if Border can touch it.

2:06:45 Sticks with the fast and how about right

2:06:48 down the shoot for you.

2:06:51 >> Leroyy's got to love how this fast out

2:06:54 of the hand

2:06:56 some business with Brett Allen

2:06:57 >> getting a little chippy.

2:07:04 >> Oh man.

2:07:06 >> Eighth pitch for Brazila to Porter.

2:07:09 Another

2:07:11 fast ball. That one misses high.

2:07:14 >> Great plate appearance from Taj.

2:07:20 Ninth pitch of this battle coming. It's

2:07:23 the payoff.

2:07:25 Lays down the left field line. Fair. It

2:07:28 lands on the line.

2:07:30 Could have placed it better if he

2:07:32 dropped it right on it. And Porter

2:07:34 rumbling into second with a double.

2:07:38 >> [cheering]

2:07:44 >> What a piece of hitting on the ninth

2:07:45 pitch from Bazela. Pipper will take

2:07:48 Taja's place at second.

2:07:55 The Texas Tailgator are invoking the

2:07:58 golden batter rule. Now batting in place

2:08:03 of Indie Stanley is the tailgator golden

2:08:06 batter. Please welcome Kyle Kmart

2:08:11 Martin.

2:08:13 Get ready.

2:08:18 No surprise that you're going to go to

2:08:20 the tour leader in long ball Kyle

2:08:22 Martin.

2:08:24 10 Dinglings on the year

2:08:29 and here in a huge spot,

2:08:32 two for eight as the golden batter this

2:08:35 season with a home run, one run batted

2:08:38 in and also a ball for sprint. But Kmart

2:08:42 has also he's always been trying to

2:08:44 swing for the fences, I should say, when

2:08:46 he's appeared as a golden batter. It's

2:08:48 part of the reason he's got four

2:08:50 strikeouts in these situations.

2:08:56 League leading 10th appearance as the

2:08:58 golden batter for Kyle Martin

2:09:01 >> as he is fooled on the splitter behind

2:09:04 no balls and two strikes

2:09:14 right back to the split. Kmart able to

2:09:16 hold up.

2:09:25 One, two. Coming to the former Phillies

2:09:27 and Padres's farm hand. Fouled away.

2:09:30 We'll do it again. And it was another

2:09:32 split fast ball. This is a guy averaging

2:09:35 a home run every 7.3 abs this season and

2:09:39 hoping to collect yet another from the

2:09:41 Texas Tailgator to just try and spark

2:09:44 something with this offense.

2:09:50 Fast ball up and out. Two and two. And

2:09:53 I'll tell you what, right now every

2:09:55 tailgator outside of that third base

2:09:58 dugout is lively. I mean they are just

2:10:02 emphatic and loud cheering on Porter.

2:10:05 And now Kmart who lifts this in the air

2:10:08 to right field. Alexianis

2:10:11 and it looks like he was trying to deak

2:10:13 out. Jacob Pipper extending his hands in

2:10:16 the air maybe looking to deak him out.

2:10:19 Instead Pipperick not fooled and Alexi

2:10:22 hauls in that banana ball. That was a

2:10:26 cloud scraper.

2:10:28 felt like it was in the air for a

2:10:29 millennium.

2:10:31 And again with the two towering pops,

2:10:35 really tough to get trick plays on him.

2:10:37 Ziggler and Alexi. Neither attempt it.

2:10:42 Big beef out behind the plate.

2:10:46 Is that beef daddy? I believe it's the

2:10:48 ladder. Bill Loy trying to end the

2:10:50 inning behind the plate. Oh, can't come

2:10:52 up with the bare hand. was trying to

2:10:55 make it a 14th trick play on the game.

2:10:58 And another life for Jordan Hussein.

2:11:01 And beat daddy. There it is. He looks

2:11:04 pretty fired up about what could be a

2:11:07 trick play miss for Bill Loy. If Hussein

2:11:09 is able to reach base in any capacity,

2:11:12 you'll love the effort though from Loy

2:11:14 in foul territory. Why not try it?

2:11:17 You're trying to keep the Gators from

2:11:19 earning some kind of equalizer point.

2:11:21 And now Hussein a ground ball. Cox able

2:11:24 to glove and he throws to third but

2:11:26 Pipperick will slide in safely.

2:11:30 Great heads up play by Ryan Cox had

2:11:33 momentum taking him towards that left

2:11:35 side but unable to gun down the speedy

2:11:38 DR for the Gator. It was really the only

2:11:41 play he had as Pipperick. You see he had

2:11:43 to adjust his route big time. He was

2:11:46 thinking about making a turn and scoring

2:11:48 and then Cox kept it in the infield.

2:11:50 Saved a run and Pipperick able to get to

2:11:53 the bag just ahead of the tag for Kyle

2:11:55 Jackson. Tailgator lineup flips on its

2:11:58 head. Runners on the corners for Zack

2:11:59 Watson, their leadoff man. One for

2:12:01 three. Double back in the third

2:12:06 and a 1-1 as he fouls off the splitter.

2:12:11 Great speed on the corners. Pipper off

2:12:13 third, Hussein off first. Tailgators

2:12:16 looking for their first run of the game

2:12:19 and Bazela misses with the curve ball as

2:12:22 Watson's back ahead. And this will be a

2:12:24 fantastic time for Wadi to come through

2:12:26 just batting a buck 67 with guys in

2:12:28 scoring position this year for the

2:12:31 tailgator.

2:12:35 Deuce is wild. Two balls and two strikes

2:12:38 with two outs.

2:12:40 One of the best scoring opportunities of

2:12:42 the night for Texas

2:12:45 trying to come through in the clutch.

2:12:47 Fouls the fast ball back will do it

2:12:48 again.

2:12:53 [cheering]

2:12:55 Another reason why this sport is so

2:12:56 amazing, you got a guy on the mound who

2:12:58 spent four years, three years of D2

2:13:01 ball, finished up D1 against a legend

2:13:03 from LSU at the dish who smashes this

2:13:06 out to left and does come through in the

2:13:08 clutch. One hop off the wall. Pipper is

2:13:11 home. Hussein on his heels. Second

2:13:14 double of the night. This one brings in

2:13:16 two runs from Zack Watson. And the

2:13:18 tailgator have finally broke through

2:13:20 against the Bananas pitching staff.

2:13:31 every

2:13:34 [music]

2:13:41 [music]

2:13:46 fairly odd parent celebration

2:13:49 from Bam Bam Brother and Trey Jones as

2:13:53 you get another look. Great piece of

2:13:54 hitting. W thought he got it all and

2:13:57 just out of the reach of Robert Anthony

2:13:59 Cruz. That's two unearned runs against

2:14:02 Bazela. Remember the inning should have

2:14:04 ended on the popup to Bill Loy. He had

2:14:06 the trick play missed against Jordan

2:14:08 Hussein who ended up with the infield

2:14:10 single. got the bat in Watson's hands

2:14:14 and the tailgator capitalize on a

2:14:16 bananas defensive miscue who were trying

2:14:18 to pick the equalizer point that much

2:14:21 trickier to get and now have given the

2:14:24 tailgator a chance to get a point

2:14:25 offensively as Lopez to center. Meadows

2:14:29 with the tip. Couple tips, a bunch of

2:14:32 tips. And now behind the back, Robert

2:14:34 Anthony Cruz,

2:14:37 double trick play.

2:14:40 That's strategic stuff from Dr. Meadows.

2:14:43 That is highlevel banana ball IQ. Just

2:14:46 continuing to stick with that banana

2:14:48 ball. Rat comes over to make the catch.

2:14:50 And you see the fist pump from Meadows.

2:14:52 They are trying to do anything they can

2:14:54 to keep the Gators from potentially

2:14:56 earning two points in the everyone to

2:14:59 pull out your phones and turn on your

2:15:01 flashlights, everyone around the

2:15:02 stadium, and we're going to light up the

2:15:04 sky here in Knoxville. And I want you

2:15:07 all to join in as loud as we can and

2:15:11 sing a little yellow. Here we go.

2:15:17 [music]

2:15:22 [music]

2:15:24 They shine for you.

2:15:30 everything.

2:15:32 [music]

2:15:37 >> I came [music] along.

2:15:40 I wrote a song for you

2:15:45 [music]

2:15:46 and all the things you do.

2:15:57 So [music] then I

2:16:03 think

2:16:04 >> [music]

2:16:04 >> of

2:16:17 your skin.

2:16:19 Oh yeah, your skin

2:16:22 turn

2:16:28 you

2:16:30 in love. [music]

2:16:36 You know I love you sock

2:16:41 the scene

2:16:43 here in the heart of the valley.

2:16:44 Knoxville, Tennessee.

2:16:49 The 91st stadium.

2:16:52 Check that. The 91st city to ever get

2:16:54 the animal of the 98th stadium

2:16:57 here in Covenant Health Park.

2:17:02 which if you're doing the math at home

2:17:03 means Tacoma, Washington,

2:17:06 >> Cheney Stadium,

2:17:08 Party Animals Clowns will be the 100th

2:17:11 in Banana Ball history tomorrow night.

2:17:17 [cheering] And you know, the fans were

2:17:18 kind of getting warmed up already. Rocky

2:17:20 Top playing here in Covenant Health

2:17:22 Park. And I'll tell you what, the people

2:17:25 responded in a loud way. Not only are

2:17:30 they singing, they are up and dancing.

2:17:36 >> Oh man, [cheering]

2:17:38 love to see it.

2:17:42 We have had legendary banana ball games

2:17:44 here in Tennessee, that's for sure. Two

2:17:46 games in 2023 in Nashville, three more

2:17:49 in Nashville in 2024.

2:17:53 Tarps off for the youngsters here in

2:17:55 Knoxville after we had one game in

2:17:58 Nashville a year ago, home of the

2:18:00 Titans, Nissan Stadium.

2:18:01 >> That's how I feel right before I am

2:18:04 about to call a banana ball game. I'm

2:18:06 like that kid, man. I can go tarps off,

2:18:08 celebrate. Relatable

2:18:11 like Brett Allen and Brett Sanchez on

2:18:14 the tarp in the pouring rain earlier

2:18:16 today. Guys are going bonkers. guys

2:18:18 being dudes.

2:18:20 >> You will see it on their social medias

2:18:21 in due time. I promise you. Joseph

2:18:23 Ferrron, new man on the mound for Texas.

2:18:26 And he's the first tailgator to have a

2:18:28 chance at a hold,

2:18:31 which means entering the bottom of an

2:18:33 inning with a lead and turning it into a

2:18:36 point. Two runs on the board as it's a

2:18:38 one-two to Cox and he's able to foul off

2:18:40 the fast ball. Yes, Baron's only pitched

2:18:43 one time here in the month of May. came

2:18:45 against the Indianapolis Clowns.

2:18:46 Surrendered two earned runs in one

2:18:48 inning of work. He's just hasn't had a

2:18:51 lot of swing and miss stuff this season

2:18:52 as Cox beats this one into the ground.

2:18:55 Lutters transfers between the legs and

2:18:57 Justice fields through his legs. All of

2:19:00 a sudden, 14 trick plays for the Gator

2:19:03 to the Bananas. 15. Massive double trick

2:19:07 play

2:19:10 from Looters and Justice. You get

2:19:11 another look here. That's now five trick

2:19:14 plays on the last three outs that Texas

2:19:17 has recorded.

2:19:20 And if you remember back game one of the

2:19:22 Banana Ball Open final, the Tailgator

2:19:24 were down two trick plays in the eighth

2:19:26 inning. They turned to Spone. He got

2:19:28 three straight ground balls. They got

2:19:29 the equalizer as Ty Jackson right back

2:19:32 up the middle as his second hit of the

2:19:36 evening.

2:19:41 And it means Jackson Olsen represents

2:19:44 the inning tying run.

2:19:47 >> Nice attempt there by Sperrone going

2:19:49 behind the bat. Well, I think even

2:19:50 though the Bananas just got a guy on

2:19:52 base with the Tailgator up two runs here

2:19:54 in the inning, it doesn't stop them from

2:19:56 trying to collect those trick plays.

2:19:59 They really don't fear the Bananas right

2:20:01 now potentially tying up this frame as

2:20:03 Jackson's running and Taj wanted to

2:20:06 transition behind his back instead.

2:20:09 ricochets off his gear and it's a swipe

2:20:12 back for Tai two fly. Yeah, smart

2:20:14 attempt by Taj

2:20:18 but can't make the exchange cleanly and

2:20:20 Jackson his eighth steal in as many

2:20:23 tries as Olsson strikes out looking

2:20:26 which means the tailgator will need a

2:20:28 double trick play on the last out of

2:20:30 this inning. That was a disgusting two

2:20:31 seamer from Speron.

2:20:34 Front door was open

2:20:37 and he barged right in as here's the

2:20:40 doctor back at the top of the lineup.

2:20:43 Diara sprint and two singles scored the

2:20:47 inning winning run in the sixth

2:20:50 putting that third point on the board

2:20:52 for the bananas.

2:20:56 It's a ball in two strikes. Dr. thought

2:20:57 it was outside. Andrew Gerard, his

2:20:59 opinion matters more. Trick pitch

2:21:01 attempt. Pass misses.

2:21:10 [cheering]

2:21:11 Two-2.

2:21:13 Meadows out to left center. Watson makes

2:21:16 the catch on the run, but the Bananas

2:21:18 hold off the best trick plate team in

2:21:20 the sport. They deny the Tailgator their

2:21:23 equalizer point. Texas on the other

2:21:26 hand, two runs in the eighth. They turn

2:21:28 it into a point and trail by two going

2:21:31 into our final inning where every run

2:21:32 counts as a point. Here's the young

2:21:34 >> inning. And now it's time to check in on

2:21:36 the scoreboard. Heading into the top of

2:21:38 the ninth inning, the score is three

2:21:40 points for the Savannah Banana to one

2:21:42 point for the Texas Tailgator. But

2:21:45 here's the thing about the game of

2:21:46 Banana Ball. In the final inning, every

2:21:50 run counts for a point. And you better

2:21:52 believe the Texas Tailgator are looking

2:21:56 to strike back here. On the other hand,

2:21:59 the Savannah Bananas need just three

2:22:02 outs to lock down a victory here tonight

2:22:07 in Knox Vegas. So, ladies and gentlemen,

2:22:11 make some noise because this is the

2:22:14 final

2:22:15 in

2:22:30 It's been a phenomenal battle through

2:22:32 eight innings of action.

2:22:34 >> The Bananas walking off the second,

2:22:37 fourth, and sixth innings, jumping out

2:22:40 to a three nothing lead. Their pitching

2:22:43 staff dazzling across the first seven

2:22:46 innings. And then Jacob Aella, the sixth

2:22:48 different banana to pitch, gave up two

2:22:51 unearned runs in the eighth.

2:22:57 >> After a trick play missed from his

2:22:58 catcher,

2:23:02 >> tailgator able to capitalize. They trail

2:23:04 by two. They have Kyle Martin, Jordan

2:23:06 Bar, and Taylor Justice.

2:23:14 And I guess it's closing time. I'm Derek

2:23:16 Lenn. [music]

2:23:21 Closing time. [music]

2:23:24 Open all the doors and let you out into

2:23:29 the world. [music]

2:23:30 [bell]

2:23:32 Closing time.

2:23:34 Turn all of the lights on for [music]

2:23:37 every boy and every girl.

2:23:42 Almost in time.

2:23:45 One last call for alcohol. [music] So

2:23:48 finish your whisy or beer.

2:23:53 Closing time. [music]

2:23:55 You don't have to go home, but you can't

2:23:59 stay here.

2:24:03 [music] I know who I want to take me

2:24:07 home. I know who I want to [music] take

2:24:12 me home. I know who I want to [music]

2:24:17 take me home. Take me home

2:24:23 into [music] pose for the Savannah

2:24:25 Bananas.

2:24:28 >> [cheering]

2:24:34 >> Clennis Serenades,

2:24:36 the greatest closer in the history of

2:24:38 the sport, who has been at the peak of

2:24:40 his powers here in his fourth world

2:24:42 tour, 5-1, a 0.64 ERA with 19 Ks and 14

2:24:48 innings today. He's got nine and a half

2:24:51 strikeouts to every ball force script

2:24:53 that he's allowed this season. the best

2:24:55 ratio on tour. And the next closest is

2:24:57 Brett Sanchez. He's got a 5.3 to1 ratio.

2:25:01 So you see just how dominant Danny

2:25:03 Hosley's been. The highest strikeout

2:25:05 rate on tour at 32.2%

2:25:08 and the lowest ball four sprint rate

2:25:11 3.4%.

2:25:13 It is absurd how dominant Danny Hosley

2:25:15 has been. And he is 6 for six in his

2:25:18 save opportunities this season. And just

2:25:21 another interesting note, the Texas

2:25:23 Tailgator only scored eight runs that

2:25:26 have become points in the final inning

2:25:28 of play this season. That is actually

2:25:31 last amongst all teams in the Banana

2:25:34 Ball Championship League in 2026. But

2:25:37 getting Kyle Martin leading off, that

2:25:39 makes you feel pretty good. Yeah, you

2:25:41 can't find a beefier part of this Gator

2:25:44 lineup. Kmart, Barf, and Justice. 3,

2:25:47 four, and five

2:25:49 with Jose Gonzalez Jr. waiting in the

2:25:51 wings in the pit.

2:25:54 And a quick 02 count on Kyle Martin.

2:25:58 A strike out, ground out, pop out, and

2:26:01 fly out

2:26:04 for the tailgator. Fourth rounder.

2:26:10 Fast ball fouled back. Tell you what, we

2:26:12 do a banana ball player draft reddraft.

2:26:15 I don't think there's 26 guys who go off

2:26:17 the board before Kyle Martin.

2:26:21 [laughter]

2:26:22 What a steal.

2:26:27 Hosley wins this battle. He rings the

2:26:30 bell and Kmart barking at Andrew Gerard

2:26:33 not happy at all about the call strike

2:26:35 three. Rosen pizza served up courtesy of

2:26:40 Danny Hosley and Kyle Martin each of his

2:26:43 or actually in two of his last three at

2:26:45 bats has struck out looking. So he's

2:26:48 taken a little exception to the strike

2:26:50 zone from Gerard behind home who's going

2:26:54 to call a first pitch strike now on

2:26:56 Jordan Bar

2:26:59 >> and make it a quick 02 count. 126 curve

2:27:02 ball. Bar not happy with the call.

2:27:08 Look out. Jordan Bar fast ball clipped

2:27:10 him and he bat flipped to the moon. Not

2:27:13 at all happy about the heater high and

2:27:15 tight. Understandably so. And I'll tell

2:27:18 you what, going back to the Kmart

2:27:20 strikeout looking. He's got over a

2:27:22 decade in professional baseball. So, he

2:27:24 knows the strike zone better than me.

2:27:27 Not sure what his qual was there.

2:27:28 Obviously, he thought it was high, but

2:27:30 looking at the replay right around the

2:27:31 belly button as we get another look at

2:27:33 the fast ball that Yeah. Right off the

2:27:36 shoulder. That's scary.

2:27:39 And Hosley

2:27:41 low 90s with the heat. Actually sits

2:27:43 around 91 to 93. That is that's not fun.

2:27:49 But it does bring the game's tying run

2:27:50 to the dish at Taylor Justice with a 200

2:27:53 count. Three long balls on the year. The

2:27:57 last one he hit came against the Bananas

2:27:58 in Chapel Hill. And that fast ball. Oh,

2:28:02 now I really understand the grip.

2:28:06 That one I had high. Andrew Gerard had a

2:28:08 high strike zone all night though.

2:28:12 And a heater right down Broadway to even

2:28:15 up the count.

2:28:24 Fast misses.

2:28:27 Three balls in two strikes

2:28:30 >> with Jordan Barf leading off first. One

2:28:32 away. Top of the ninth.

2:28:35 Chopper KJ attacking.

2:28:38 Over to first in time. [cheering] The

2:28:41 Tailgator down to their final lap as Bar

2:28:44 is up to second base.

2:28:47 And the game in the hands of Jos

2:28:49 Gonzalez Jr.

2:28:53 And the tailgator have still got to feel

2:28:55 good about their chances with brother

2:28:58 tied for second on the tour with five

2:29:01 home runs. Two of those five have come

2:29:04 against the Savannah Bananas. And this

2:29:06 is a guy currently batting 357

2:29:09 in the month of May. A lot of good

2:29:11 things going for brother V can change up

2:29:14 for strike one.

2:29:21 Fast ball just misses.

2:29:32 Swing and a miss on the change up.

2:29:36 The Texas Tailgator down to their final

2:29:38 strike.

2:29:40 Brother represents the tying run. The

2:29:43 one-two

2:29:44 line

2:29:46 foul. No catch from the fans.

2:29:50 Boy, that was a bullet. Yeah, that's a

2:29:52 laser beam. It's kind of reminiscent of

2:29:55 what we saw in Canapapolis 2023. Kamani

2:29:57 Fagger making that grab to end the game.

2:29:59 The fans though unable to hear and

2:30:02 Covenant help.

2:30:04 Another one, two, spike. Great stop,

2:30:07 Bill Lun.

2:30:12 Jose a single back in the fifth.

2:30:15 A pop out and fly out

2:30:18 in the second and seventh innings

2:30:20 respectively.

2:30:27 The 2-2

2:30:29 swing in this possame

2:30:35 [cheering]

2:30:37 losing streak against the tailgator

2:30:40 and extend their lead in first place to

2:30:43 three games over Texas.

2:30:48 The Bananas not only breathe a sigh of

2:30:51 relief overcoming their recent troubles

2:30:54 against the Texas Tailgator, but they

2:30:57 have ensured that regardless of what

2:30:59 happened Saturday in Neland Stadium.

2:31:01 They will remain a top the Banana Ball

2:31:04 Championship League standings,

2:31:06 they were able to avoid a sweep this

2:31:10 weekend. This was a vintage and much

2:31:13 needed pitching performance from the

2:31:16 Savannah Bananas. Just two runs allowed

2:31:19 in nine innings. None of them were

2:31:21 earned either. What a game from the boys

2:31:24 in yellow. Getting to celebrate tonight

2:31:26 here at Covenant Health Park.

2:31:29 The bananas dance in front of the full

2:31:32 capacity crowd. We've got a lot to chop

2:31:35 up on the postgame show. Discussion with

2:31:37 our showman of the game.

2:31:40 >> [music]

2:31:40 >> You see who it's going to be. Super

2:31:42 Reese Alexi.

2:31:44 >> Tim Bowman will grab him. But for now,

2:31:48 >> we'll let the nators book. [music]

2:31:59 Celebrate my [music] week of time.

2:32:03 Lucky to have you in my life. [music]

2:32:07 Hey, you better you better hit the right

2:32:11 and hit the left. Now turn around and

2:32:14 slide. Oh,

2:32:16 >> here we go.

2:32:17 >> Somebody

2:32:19 Somebody cate with me tonight.

2:32:22 >> Celebrate with me [music] tonight.

2:32:26 to the light we got outside.

2:32:31 Lucky to have you in [music] mind.

2:32:36 You better You better hit the right

2:32:38 [music] and hit the left. Now turn

2:32:40 around and one more time. Hit the right

2:32:42 and hit the left. Now turn around and

2:32:45 slide. Let's hear it one more time for

2:32:48 your Savannah Banas.

2:32:54 Now, let's send it down to our showman

2:32:56 of the night, Reese Selexis.

2:32:59 >> Yeah. Thank you, Shark. Got our showman

2:33:01 of the game, Reese Selex. Let's hear it

2:33:04 for Reese, everybody. Huh?

2:33:08 >> Reys, going up against one of the

2:33:10 hottest teams in the sport right now.

2:33:12 Beat you guys the last four times you

2:33:14 faced off. What did it take tonight?

2:33:17 >> It takes what it takes every week. Put

2:33:18 in the work and good things happen. Love

2:33:20 this team.

2:33:21 Talk about the trick plays needed to

2:33:23 hold on there. One last trick play. The

2:33:26 big brain play from Dr. out there in the

2:33:28 outfield.

2:33:28 >> Hey, shout out DR for being back in

2:33:30 center. We've talked about that trick a

2:33:32 lot. And um it was hilarious. I said I

2:33:34 pulled it off.

2:33:35 >> Finally here. Banana Ball backstage.

2:33:37 11-year-old Asher out there in the crowd

2:33:39 tonight wants to know, "Where's your

2:33:42 favorite ballpark you've ever played?"

2:33:45 >> Ever played? H I got to say Covenant

2:33:49 Health Park. Yeah, how about that? One

2:33:52 more time for Covenant Health Park and

2:33:54 Reese Alexi.

2:33:56 [screaming]

2:33:59 >> Knoxville, thank you for making our

2:34:02 return to the minor league stadium so

2:34:04 special tonight. First, let's get a

2:34:06 round of applause for the Texas

2:34:07 Tailgator and the show they put on.

2:34:10 [cheering]

2:34:11 And then one more time for your Savannah

2:34:13 Bananas.

2:34:17 We are not done yet. We are so excited.

2:34:20 All the players, all the cast, we're

2:34:22 going to be outside for our postgame

2:34:24 plaza party. The band is going to be

2:34:26 rocking. We can't wait to meet you and

2:34:29 thank you so much for making our dreams

2:34:31 come true. We love you, Knoxville. We'll

2:34:33 see you outside.

2:34:35 [cheering]

2:34:40 >> Really impressive victory for the

2:34:41 Savannah Bananas. And yeah, what a note

2:34:44 from Jesse Cole. Return to a minor

2:34:45 league park. First bananas game in a

2:34:47 minor league park since Fort Meyers,

2:34:50 Florida. February 14th through 16th. Red

2:34:53 Sox spring training in Rookie League

2:34:55 Field. Jet Blue Park. It's been a while.

2:34:58 It felt great to have an intimate crowd

2:35:02 here in Knoxville, Tennessee. And what a

2:35:04 show the Tailgator and Bananas put on. A

2:35:06 combined 29 trick plays.

2:35:10 And in the end, it was remarkable

2:35:12 pitching from the Savannah Bananas.

2:35:16 Seven different arms towed the slab and

2:35:18 they limited the Tailgator to just two

2:35:20 unearned runs in the eighth inning for

2:35:22 the 3-1 victory. Alexiatis pacing the

2:35:25 offense and defense one for two. You see

2:35:28 those three trick plays, the steal of

2:35:30 first that led to the Dan Ober walk-off

2:35:33 double [music] in the fourth and then

2:35:35 saved the fifth inning with that double

2:35:38 play gunning down Pipper Sick at the

2:35:40 dish and an inning winner in the sixth

2:35:42 just to top it all off. Look, we talked

2:35:44 so much about five tool players in

2:35:46 sports and Alexi showed off most of

2:35:49 those tools [music] here tonight in

2:35:50 Covenant Health Park. You saw the glove

2:35:53 for him, magnificent in right field.

2:35:55 Three trick plays for the Savannah

2:35:57 Bananas. You saw his great speed as he

2:36:00 swiped first base and that led to a walk

2:36:02 up for the Bananas courtesy of Dan Over.

2:36:04 You saw the incredible throwing arm from

2:36:07 Alexi ending the inning for Tristan

2:36:09 [music] Lec and keeping the Texas

2:36:11 Tailgator off the board which definitely

2:36:14 paid some dividends. The Bananas having

2:36:16 more breathing room in the ninth inning.

2:36:18 Reys Alexi with a walk-off hit as well.

2:36:21 Everything [music] was sensational

2:36:23 tonight for Reese Alexiotis and it

2:36:25 earned him his third showman of the game

2:36:28 award in 2026. [music] Yeah, it just

2:36:31 keeps getting better and better as this

2:36:34 is now his third year in the sport and

2:36:38 up to nine walk-offs on the year. Tied

2:36:41 him with Taylor [music] Justice for the

2:36:43 Banana Ball Championship League lead.

2:36:44 And we welcome you back inside with the

2:36:46 statistical savant of the sport, Mr.

2:36:48 Josh Tleski. I am Bo Scala. Thank you so

2:36:51 much for spending your Thursday with us

2:36:54 here in Knoxville, Tennessee. What a

2:36:56 battle it was. And I can't believe we

2:36:58 get to see these two teams go against

2:37:01 each other again. This time instead of

2:37:02 6,000 fans in front of over 100,000 fans

2:37:06 on Saturday night in Neand Stadium. And

2:37:08 if anything has to be taken away from

2:37:11 the games that these two teams have

2:37:12 played this year, the Bananas now 4-2 in

2:37:14 the regular season. Of course, 0 and2 in

2:37:16 that Banana Ball final, which in total

2:37:18 makes it 4 and four between these two

2:37:20 squads. This is as good as it gets.

2:37:22 Well, I think the Bananas came into

2:37:23 tonight with a big chip on their

2:37:24 shoulder. I mean, they felt embarrassed

2:37:26 in the Banana Ball Open, unable to

2:37:28 clinch that playoff spot. And then they

2:37:30 play in front of a very intimate setting

2:37:32 at Navasota High School, just a thousand

2:37:34 people. And the Tailgator, I mean, a

2:37:36 dominant five nothing victory against

2:37:39 the Savannah Bananas. and they play in

2:37:41 front of the largest crowd in banana

2:37:42 ball history in Kyle Field in College

2:37:44 Station. The Tailgator beat them there,

2:37:47 too. So, the Bananas, I mean, they feel

2:37:49 like they've been embarrassed in certain

2:37:51 ways. And tonight, they came out with a

2:37:53 vengeance against these guys, and they

2:37:55 did just about everything right. Timely

2:37:58 offense, 15 trick plays to negate an

2:38:01 equalizer point to the best team in

2:38:03 trick plays in 2026. And you saw just

2:38:06 how good that pitching staff was. That

2:38:08 was very much what we have seen or what

2:38:10 we did see from the Bananas through the

2:38:12 first 11 games of this 2026 World Tour.

2:38:16 And what really stands out, I mean, we

2:38:18 talked so much about Kyle Martin, Jordan

2:38:21 Bar, Taylor Justice, and Jos Gonzalez.

2:38:24 They were batting three through six in

2:38:26 this tailgator order, and they have been

2:38:27 four of the best bats across the last

2:38:30 two months of this season. They were a

2:38:32 combined three for 16 tonight against

2:38:35 the Bananas pitching staff. And for Kyle

2:38:37 Martin, a guy leading the tour with 10

2:38:40 home runs and who has just been playing

2:38:42 banana ball at a level we have really

2:38:44 never seen, especially from a power

2:38:46 standpoint. His 21 game on base streak

2:38:49 came to an end tonight and he even got

2:38:51 an extra bat when you consider he was

2:38:53 the golden batter. So tremendous work

2:38:56 all around from the Bananas and they'll

2:38:58 try and see in front of a thousand or a

2:39:00 100,000 people on Saturday if they can

2:39:03 get a second straight victory in Neand

2:39:05 Stadium. And for anybody thinking, oh, I

2:39:07 want to go check the schedule. I wonder,

2:39:09 yeah, that's every single game Kyle

2:39:10 Martin had ever played in in his banana

2:39:12 ball career. So, finally a team figures

2:39:15 out how to keep Kmart off the bases. And

2:39:17 you talk about those three hits in 16 uh

2:39:19 at bats for three through six in the

2:39:21 order, all three of them singles. So,

2:39:22 not only was it just three for 16, they

2:39:24 limited the damage.

2:39:25 >> They limit the damage. Exactly.

2:39:26 >> Hit the nail on the head. Now, I know it

2:39:29 is sad that these two teams do not play

2:39:31 tomorrow night, but do not fret because

2:39:33 we have not just one, but two banana

2:39:36 ball games. Two banana ball games on the

2:39:38 schedule tomorrow night. It starts in

2:39:40 Scranton, Pennsylvania on the

2:39:42 Firefighters YouTube channel as they

2:39:44 take on the Coconuts. And then at 10:30

2:39:47 p.m. Eastern, make sure to get your

2:39:48 nitroglycerin pills because the Party

2:39:51 Animals battle the Indianapolis Clowns

2:39:53 for a second straight weekend. That's

2:39:54 out in Tacoma, Washington. and it'll be

2:39:56 on the Party Animals YouTube channel as

2:39:58 well as True TV. A couple really good

2:40:00 series kicking off tomorrow night. Yeah.

2:40:02 And the Coconuts, they lost two out of

2:40:03 three to the Bananas. They didn't take

2:40:05 to that too kindly, so they want to

2:40:07 rebound against the firefighters who

2:40:09 were slumping coming off a sweep that

2:40:11 the Tailgator handed to them. And

2:40:13 meanwhile, the Party Animals, they

2:40:15 spoiled the Clowns fun in their first

2:40:17 ever home series in Indianapolis last

2:40:20 weekend. Now it's time to see if the

2:40:21 Clouds can get some revenge against the

2:40:23 Party Animals out in Tacoma, Washington.

2:40:26 Right. And don't look now, but the

2:40:27 defending champions have won four out of

2:40:30 their last five games going back to that

2:40:32 series win in Atlanta against the

2:40:33 Bananas a couple weekends ago. Well, it

2:40:36 was a heck of an affair this evening.

2:40:37 Again, we thank you for spending your

2:40:39 Thursday night with us and a big shout

2:40:41 out to our entire cast and crew because

2:40:43 it takes an army to put these broadcasts

2:40:45 on and it starts in the control room

2:40:47 down the road in Savannah, Georgia. Our

2:40:50 broadcast directed by Kagan Woods. Great

2:40:52 job by everybody in that control room

2:40:54 with the Keester. And right here in

2:40:56 Knoxville, our broadcast produced by the

2:40:59 legendary Chad Ree. A big thanks to our

2:41:01 executive producer, Mr. Josh Richardson.

2:41:03 Our fellas down on the field, Sam Bowman

2:41:05 and Brett Loftess. And my guy in the

2:41:07 booth, Mr. Josh Tilleski. I am Bos

2:41:09 Scalla saying so long for now. Now I'm

2:41:12 going to warn you because some folks

2:41:14 freaked out when I had a wedding last

2:41:16 Friday night. I I've got a wedding

2:41:18 Saturday night. Son of a gun. What a

2:41:20 one-two punch. You have to blame my my

2:41:22 lifelong friend Nick Fabiano.

2:41:24 This is I should have known when we

2:41:26 became fierce friends at 12 years old on

2:41:28 the Soures uh Little League All-Star

2:41:30 team that this was going to lead to a

2:41:32 disaster for me and it just happens to

2:41:34 be the second biggest game in Banana

2:41:36 Ball history. On the bright side, Brett

2:41:38 Loftess is as good a broadcaster as

2:41:40 anybody this side of Mississippi. He

2:41:42 will join Josh in the booth and it will

2:41:43 be a fantastic game. I can't wait to

2:41:45 watch it back after my dear friend

2:41:47 Nicholas Fabiano's wedding.

2:41:48 >> Some are calling us Banana Balls Lover

2:41:50 Boys, me and Brett. I've been I've been

2:41:53 calling you guys that. Yeah, you

2:41:54 catching on. Heck yeah. Uh so I'm so

2:41:55 sorry to miss you all on Saturday night.

2:41:57 It'll be an awesome call with Brett and

2:41:59 Josh. And I will see you uh in a week's

2:42:02 time in Kansas City for Bananas Clowns.

2:42:04 But I'm also going to see you in the

2:42:06 chat tomorrow night because we've got

2:42:07 more Banana Ball for you from uh that'll

2:42:09 be Scranton, Pennsylvania and Tacoma,

2:42:11 Washington. We've got this country

2:42:13 cornered and we've got to close this

2:42:15 broadcast again. Thanks for spending it

2:42:16 with us. We will see you later.

2:43:05 Heat. Hey, Heat.