Texas Tailgaters @ Firefighters

0:00 I'm couldn't be more blessed.

0:01 >> Firefighters of the night are welcomed

0:03 alongside Parker Nollan, Val Perez, by

0:06 Zack Watson.

0:07 >> It represents hard work, represents

0:09 discipline. Honor those people by how

0:11 hard you play. Do not take that for

0:12 granted.

0:13 >> Led by Val Perez, a 10-year firefighter

0:15 in Corpus Christi, Texas, and [music]

0:17 long-time Bananas and Christian Dearman

0:20 and Dakota McFadden.

0:22 >> My dad's been a fireman for over

0:24 uh gosh, probably 50 years now. My

0:26 uncle's been in the fire department for

0:27 a long time.

0:28 >> Never give in, doesn't matter what the

0:30 situation is.

0:31 >> And you know these guys never back down.

0:34 They're coming to save everyone that

0:35 they can.

0:36 >> Being the son of a firefighter, being

0:38 the nephew of a firefighter, and being a

0:41 friend of so many different

0:43 firefighters,

0:45 it feels like this was meant for me.

0:47 >> Fighting the flames for 19 games in

0:49 2024, a year of history for the

0:52 Firefighters.

0:53 >> DAKOTA MCFADDEN, THE FIRST HOME RUN IN

0:55 THE HISTORY OF THE FIREFIGHTERS

0:57 FRANCHISE. Going under the leg TO BRING

0:59 IT TO A SECOND. A TRICK PLAY, AND THE

1:02 FIRST WIN IN FIREFIGHTERS HISTORY.

1:06 AND [screaming]

1:06 HE'S TAGGED OUT,

1:08 AND THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE WON THEIR

1:11 FINAL GAME OF 2024.

1:16 AND IT'S THE PERFECT ENDING FOR THE BOYS

1:18 IN RED AND YELLOW.

1:22 >> IN 2025, THE SCHEDULE going to 33

1:25 missions across the country, including

1:27 the team's very first headlining tour. A

1:30 three-city journey across Virginia, a

1:32 barnstorming month that left fans with

1:35 plenty of fiery moments.

1:37 >> Isaac Parra, BEHIND THE BACK. GREEN

1:39 THROUGH THE LEGS. DOUBLE PLAY WITH THE

1:42 BARE HAND. BACKFLIP. HANDSPRING. YES,

1:46 SIR. Into center field. IS IT GONE?

1:49 >> [screaming]

1:49 >> OH MY GOODNESS.

1:51 Noah Bridges

1:53 is the hero in Salem.

1:55 >> And a host of new characters, like

1:57 mascot Bo the Beaver,

2:02 and the first-ever Dalmatian BAT DOG.

2:08 THE BLAZE SPREADING TO MAJOR

2:09 PROPORTIONS, the Firefighters playing in

2:12 10 major league ballparks with their

2:14 first-ever win in an MLB stadium coming

2:16 in Denver last August.

2:18 >> THE FIREFIGHTERS STOPPED THE NANNERS

2:20 WINNING STREAK AT 14 GAMES, [cheering]

2:23 AND THEY TAKE GAME TWO HERE AT COORS

2:25 FIELD in showdowns.

2:27 >> And they gave us one of the most

2:28 emotional nights in Banana Ball history.

2:31 >> We pause to honor

2:33 and remember,

2:35 reflecting on the lives forever changed

2:38 on September 11th, 2001.

2:41 And tonight, we honor both the lives

2:44 that were lost and the lives that were

2:46 saved because of the selfless actions of

2:49 first responders.

2:51 Firefighter John Vescella.

2:54 >> [applause]

2:58 >> Firefighter Chris LeGrow.

3:02 >> [applause]

3:03 >> Firefighter Frank Perez.

3:08 Firefighter Mike Manousakis.

3:15 And firefighter Chris Shipler.

3:21 And firefighter Malcolm Moore.

3:25 >> [applause]

3:28 >> 9/11 first responder, Lieutenant David

3:31 Wells.

3:32 >> [cheering]

3:36 [applause]

3:37 [cheering]

3:39 >> And 9/11 first responder, Lieutenant

3:43 Eric Hall.

3:43 >> [cheering]

3:46 >> And 9/11 first responder, Tom

3:50 Ahern.

3:53 >> [applause]

3:54 >> And 9/11 first responder

3:56 Brian

3:58 >> [cheering]

4:00 [applause]

4:03 >> First responder Brian Knorr.

4:06 >> [cheering]

4:11 >> One more time for our New York City

4:14 Firefighters,

4:16 >> [cheering]

4:17 >> our 9/11

4:18 first responder.

4:22 >> [applause]

4:26 >> Going into the postseason, the

4:27 Firefighters earning the four seed after

4:30 going 6 and 27, only winning three times

4:33 in 23 chances against the Savannah

4:35 Bananas. The odds stacked against them

4:38 going against the team in yellow. Until

4:40 Bradford Webb and Ben Dunn stepped up.

4:43 >> Bradford Webb, six innings, six goose

4:46 eggs, four Ks. He was miraculous.

4:51 BEN DUNN THE THIRD FIRED UP

4:53 AS HE DRIBBLES THIS ONE OVER TO FIRST.

4:55 STEVEN COHEN WILL TAKE IT BEHIND HIS

4:58 BACK INTO [cheering] THE BACK,

4:59 AND THE FIREFIGHTERS

5:01 WIN

5:01 GAME ONE.

5:02 >> BEN DUNN, A NINE-OUT SAVE.

5:04 >> A one-nothing win in game one of the

5:06 semifinals, giving the Firefighters just

5:08 as good a chance as anybody else. But

5:10 they dropped game two by one point,

5:13 [music] leading to a winner-take-all

5:14 showdown in Grayson Stadium. Dalton

5:16 Cornett getting his chance to shine and

5:19 creating a moment that will last in

5:21 Banana Ball history.

5:23 >> THAT BALL DEMOLISHED

5:25 DEEP OUT TO RIGHT.

5:27 GONE!

5:28 DALTON CORNETT

5:29 SENDS THE FIREFIGHTERS

5:31 TO THE 2025 BANANA BALL WORLD

5:34 CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS.

5:36 >> [cheering]

5:38 >> I DON'T EVEN HAVE WORDS RIGHT NOW.

5:40 This is like the greatest moment in

5:41 baseball history.

5:42 >> From four seed to the championship game,

5:45 the Firefighters becoming the ultimate

5:47 Cinderella story in Banana Land.

5:52 The Fire and Flames picking right up

5:54 where they left off in 2026. With

5:56 long-time Bananas, Eric Jones Jr., Jared

5:59 Donaldson, and Zack Phillips officially

6:01 aboard, the team picked up its first

6:03 ever sweep in Banana Ball over the Loco

6:06 Beach Cocos in Little Rock, Arkansas.

6:10 Launched an historic offensive

6:12 performance in Montgomery, Alabama,

6:15 scoring 22 runs in one game to beat the

6:18 Indianapolis Clowns 4 to 2. Then swept

6:20 the Party Animals for the first time

6:23 ever in Albuquerque, highlighted by an

6:25 incredible two rounds of showdowns in

6:27 game two. In May, the Firefighters going

6:30 to Corpus Christi, Texas, bringing Val

6:32 Perez back to her hometown and giving us

6:35 one of the most emotional weekends in

6:37 Firefighter history.

6:39 >> The Firefighters from right here in

6:42 Corpus Christi.

6:45 Please [cheering] welcome VAL

6:48 PEREZ.

6:52 >> WHAT A COOL MOMENT.

6:54 >> THAT MOMENT, I MEAN, it's special. Um

6:56 hearing hearing everything from the

6:57 crowd, of course, and then seeing

6:59 everyone of my guys just pumping their

7:00 chests and screaming for me. I mean,

7:02 that means everything. It's a It's a

7:03 testament to the culture we have in our

7:04 locker room.

7:07 >> LAMAR SPARKS.

7:09 WELCOME BACK to the LONE STAR STATE,

7:12 LAMAR. THAT IS HIS LITTLE SISTER, JENCY.

7:16 And she's ABOUT TO GIVE LAMAR THE RIDE

7:20 BACK HOME, RECREATING a moment from

7:23 their childhood.

7:39 >> I don't really have words for it. It's

7:40 something I've been wanting to recreate

7:42 for a long time now and finally I'm in a

7:43 league, I'm in a place where I can

7:45 recreate that and have some great people

7:46 around me, have some great staff, some

7:48 great teammates. Val stuck her neck out

7:49 as well and said we're going to make

7:50 this happen. We want to make this

7:52 happen, you know, cuz this is bigger

7:53 than the Nanner Ball.

7:57 >> When you enter the fire service, you are

7:59 entering a brotherhood unlike any other

8:01 and you're trying to be the one who is

8:04 going to save somebody's life every

8:06 single day and you're in those high

8:07 stress situations. That is a bond unlike

8:09 any other. So, remember when you put

8:11 these jerseys on who you represent. Take

8:13 honor in that, take pride in that. When

8:15 you enter this locker room, you've

8:17 officially entered the brotherhood of

8:19 the Banana Ball Fire Department. So,

8:21 let's take pride in that.

8:24 >> On his FIRST SWING WITH THE

8:26 FIREFIGHTERS,

8:27 >> [screaming]

8:27 >> AJ PUMPS IT!

8:29 >> JARED DONALDSON STRIKES OUT THE SIDE,

8:32 HIS FIRST FRAME AGAINST the Nanners.

8:35 >> DALTON CARNES

8:36 HAS LOCKED IT UP IN GRAYBILL!

8:38 >> [screaming]

8:38 >> We're hot! We're hot!

8:45 >> NOAH BRIDGES IS TIMELESS!

8:49 >> WE HAVE A GOOD OFFENSE.

8:50 >> YEAH.

8:51 >> TINY WITH A BIG SHOT!

8:55 DARIAN MCDOWELL!

8:57 >> HEY, LOOK AT THAT.

8:58 >> [screaming]

8:58 >> LOOK AT THAT.

9:00 >> OH MY GOODNESS. WHAT A HOT TEAM IN

9:02 SPORTS, BABY. LET'S GO!

9:17 >> TWO OUT OF THREE.

9:18 >> I'VE WON CREW CHALLENGE.

9:20 >> I've won one, Brett lost his one one.

9:22 This is for all the marbles here at the

9:25 NASCAR Hall of Fame.

9:29 >> Go!

9:39 Woo!

9:48 >> What you doing?

9:50 What you doing when I was out?

9:52 >> Fun kids, this is but a Hanaball.

9:58 >> I was

9:58 >> I was robbed America. Dispatch to

10:00 Bananaball. All units converge on

10:03 Charlotte, North Carolina. 10,000 strong

10:06 filling our firehouse here at the

10:07 beautiful Truist Field for the second

10:10 straight series of the middle children

10:11 of the sports, the Firefighters and

10:13 Texas Tailgaters. After an emotional win

10:15 on night three in Corpus Christi, can

10:17 the Fire and Flames build some much

10:19 needed momentum here at the start of

10:21 June or do the Tailgaters stay as hot as

10:24 a Texas summer night? It's the

10:26 Firefighters. It's the Texas Tailgaters.

10:29 Run living color in Charlotte, North

10:31 Carolina. Let's roll.

10:38 And with that, we welcome you here

10:39 inside the Dispatch Center. He's Brett

10:41 Loftis, winner of the Pit Crew Challenge

10:43 by a second. I'm Zach State. Brett,

10:46 there are two things that are true here

10:47 with the Texas Tailgaters and the

10:48 Firefighters. Their stories usually

10:50 always mirror each other and it's almost

10:52 certainly that you're going to get some

10:53 drama in these games.

10:54 >> Yeah, I mean last weekend, each of those

10:56 three games came down to the final play.

10:58 Walk-off home run from Nick Lopez, a

11:00 game-ending double play from the

11:02 Tailgaters, and then Johnny Hummel with

11:04 a showdown shut down in round two

11:07 leading to Dalton Cornett ended up

11:08 getting his second game-winning hit of

11:10 the year in showdowns for the

11:12 Firefighters. So, a lot of drama between

11:14 these two teams. Tailgaters up in the

11:15 matchup this season, 5-2 in the seven

11:17 games played, but now the Firefighters

11:20 get to be the home team yet again.

11:21 >> As we start the summer here in

11:23 Bananaball, both teams very much still

11:25 in that race for the Bananaball

11:26 Championship League postseason. Again,

11:28 those top four five teams separated by

11:30 just five games. So, every moment, every

11:33 match up here in the month of June

11:34 counts.

11:35 >> Tailgaters, by the way, already locked

11:36 themselves in the postseason. Just want

11:38 to remind everybody of that every

11:39 opportunity I get, you know.

11:41 >> He will never let you not live that

11:42 down. Hey, before we get here to

11:44 Charlotte, let's take you back to Corpus

11:45 Christi to show you a weekend that

11:47 certainly was one of the greatest in

11:49 Banana Ball history between the

11:51 Tailgaters and the Firefighters.

11:55 >> And that sends in the nine-hole hitter,

11:57 Indiana Stanley.

11:58 >> Indiana Stanley!

12:02 Indiana Stanley!

12:05 They're born

12:06 right here in Corpus Christi!

12:09 We're all tied at three!

12:12 This

12:13 is

12:14 Banana Ball!

12:16 >> WHAT A HECK OF A GAME! THIS IS BANANAS!

12:18 >> NO, it's not bananas. This is

12:19 Tailgaters.

12:20 >> ZACK WASSON, 180 FT FROM THE TAILGATERS'

12:23 14th win of 2026.

12:26 >> Looby!

12:27 Deep left field!

12:29 Noah breaks He's going back!

12:32 It's gone!

12:34 It's gone!

12:35 >> [screaming]

12:35 >> Looby!

12:37 >> [cheering]

12:37 >> Tailgaters walk it off in Corpus Christi

12:41 5-3!

12:43 Where else would you rather be than

12:44 Banana Ball?

12:46 >> [cheering]

12:47 >> IS THAT THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD?

12:49 >> THAT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. I mean, we just

12:50 battled the whole ninth inning. And

12:52 Indy's been struggling. Homer. Everybody

12:55 sets the tone. I've been struggling a

12:56 little bit. Staying with my swing. Won

12:59 the game just like

13:00 >> that. Hey, we're just a bunch of

13:00 junkyard dogs, and I love these guys.

13:04 >> RIGHT SIDE, TAYLOR JUSTICE STEPS ON THE

13:06 BAG, THROW TO SECOND!

13:08 GOT HIM!

13:09 >> [screaming]

13:10 >> 1-6 double play!

13:13 TAILGATERS WIN IT 3-2!

13:16 DEFENSE wins championships.

13:20 That's my first baseman, and that's my

13:22 captain.

13:23 >> The 1-2 from Reese.

13:27 SWATTED INTO RIGHT FIELD. GOING ROLL FOR

13:29 A WHILE. REESE ON HIS HORSE. DC3 GOOD

13:32 WHEELS. It is going to be hard to track

13:34 that one down. Reese still running all

13:37 the way out at the track and he won't

13:39 even offer up a throw. DC3

13:42 MAKES IT a 4-3 ball game applying all

13:45 the pressure on the Tailgaters.

13:50 The 0-2

13:52 Got him!

13:53 AND THE FIREFIGHTERS WIN IT 4-3 IN

13:56 SHOOTOUTS IN THE HOME TOWN OF THEIR

13:59 SKIPPER VAL PEREZ.

14:03 >> YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT LEARNING FROM

14:05 ADVERSITY, GOING THROUGH THE FIRE AND

14:08 FLAMES. JOHNNY HUSTLE WITH A

14:10 HEARTBREAKING THURSDAY COMES BACK ON

14:13 SATURDAY.

14:14 BACK AGAINST THE WALL AND GETS A K. THE

14:18 FIREFIGHTERS COME BACK FROM THREE DOWN

14:21 TO WIN IT IN TWO ROUNDS OF SHOOTOUTS.

14:24 WHAT A NIGHT. WHAT A TEAM. AND THAT ONE

14:28 IS FOR VAL.

14:37 >> It's three games [music] that will go

14:39 down in the record books here in the

14:41 sport of banana ball as you take [music]

14:43 a look at the beautiful skyline here in

14:44 Charlotte. Here are the Banana Ball

14:46 Championship League standings as we

14:48 start the summer in the sport as Brett

14:50 Loftis noted Texas Tailgaters are in the

14:52 hunt for something. It's just the number

14:53 one overall seed. They are already

14:55 locked in to the Banana Ball

14:56 Championship League post season with the

14:58 win in [music] the Banana Ball Open. The

14:59 Firefighters on the outside looking in

15:01 but just a game behind the Party

15:02 Animals. So tonight [music] and the rest

15:04 of June very much an important one as

15:06 they go up against the Texas Tailgaters

15:08 and then right back to it against the

15:09 Savannah Bananas.

15:10 >> Yeah, same exact match up as last

15:11 weekend across the league. Tailgaters

15:13 playing the Firefighters. Bananas have

15:14 three games against the Clowns in

15:15 Savannah. And the Coconuts and the Party

15:17 Animals in the first [music] ever major

15:19 league stadium this sport has seen that

15:21 is not going to be featuring the

15:23 Savannah Bananas. Party Animals,

15:25 Coconuts kick that off Saturday evening

15:27 in Milwaukee. So, we'll have a good

15:29 finger on where the Tailgaters and the

15:31 Firefighters sit [music] before the

15:32 Party Animals and Coconuts can even

15:34 complete game one on Saturday night as

15:36 that's your look at the Banana Ball

15:37 Championship League standings.

15:38 >> [music]

15:40 >> Coming back here onto the field are the

15:42 Firefighters. This is their first time

15:44 playing in Charlotte, the second year in

15:45 a row that the Fire that Excuse me,

15:47 Banana Ball has played here in the

15:49 beautiful Queen City. [music] But, last

15:51 week in Corpus Christi, we saw one of

15:53 the best plays we have ever seen. And

15:55 that was Logan Lacey's catch over the

15:57 dugout [music] flipping. Was unreal. I

16:00 couldn't believe my eyes. Brett Loftis

16:02 couldn't believe his eyes. Rex Castillo

16:04 had a chance to catch up with the man we

16:06 call Showtime.

16:10 Guys, Logan Lacey made one of the

16:12 sickest plays in Banana Ball this season

16:14 going over the top into the dugout to

16:17 catch a foul ball. We're here with Logan

16:19 right now. That happened in Corpus, but

16:21 we're going to go step-by-step here in

16:22 Charlotte on what went through your

16:24 mind. Logan, this ball goes up. You are

16:26 sprinting. You are selling out. Walk

16:28 with me here. How in the world or why in

16:30 the world did you sprint to make this

16:32 play?

16:33 >> I knew Zack Watson was going to do some

16:35 damage to the ball, so I said if I don't

16:37 try to make this out for the team,

16:38 there's no telling what the next pitch

16:40 could do.

16:40 >> Now, the next part is the fun part.

16:42 We're going to get Logan inside the

16:43 dugout with the help of some very strong

16:45 men here from the calendar crew. Say hi,

16:47 boys. This is the part that everyone

16:48 remembers where Logan basically goes up

16:51 over the barrier to make the play.

16:55 You're upside down. You make the play.

16:58 How do you focus to also do that and not

17:01 die?

17:01 >> Yeah, so I'm usually not in a position

17:04 like that. So, I had to think like my

17:06 two cats at the house and make sure I

17:07 always land on my feet and that's what I

17:09 did, yeah.

17:09 >> That's the most important part here.

17:11 Hold the mic for me real quick.

17:16 So,

17:17 shout out to that. Now, here more

17:19 gracefully, he makes the play on his

17:21 feet. What's going through your mind

17:23 after you've made that epic play?

17:24 >> When I made that epic play, I actually

17:26 landed on my butt to catch my fall, and

17:28 I saw the family that I was trying to

17:29 avoid hitting, and they were like

17:31 cheering. So, I was like, "All right,

17:32 let's give them Let's give them a show

17:33 right here." So, I ran around because I

17:35 was not tall enough to jump that 8-ft

17:37 wall. And then, I was like, Wow!

17:40 And then, after that, I just blacked

17:42 out. I don't know what happened.

17:43 >> I get why he almost blacked out. I'm

17:44 about to black out. Logan Lacey's

17:46 awesome at his job.

17:48 Back to you guys.

17:52 >> Two things. Rex Castillo, I'm very glad

17:54 that you're okay. And number two, Logan

17:56 Lacey saying after what he just did that

17:58 he wasn't tall enough to jump an 8-ft

17:59 wall is just hilarious to me. Again, one

18:01 of the plays of the year, one of the

18:03 plays of Banana Ball [music] that we'll

18:05 talk about for years to come. This

18:07 beautiful ballpark, Truist Field, built

18:09 in 2014, home of the Triple-A affiliate

18:12 >> [music]

18:12 >> Charlotte Knights for Chicago White Sox.

18:15 Boy, this is about as pure scenes as we

18:19 have ever seen in a minor league

18:21 ballpark, Bret Loftis. The skyline of

18:23 Charlotte in the backdrop sets one of

18:26 the greatest settings we have ever had

18:28 here on the world tour.

18:29 >> Yeah, man, it's incredible to be in a

18:30 minor league ballpark, you know, I

18:31 remember when Charlotte was building

18:32 this, you know, [music] about 12 years

18:34 ago. And it's What you're seeing right

18:36 now is what they're trying to set.

18:37 They're trying to bid for major league

18:38 team someday, and that's why they built

18:40 it down here in uptown, or right across

18:42 the street where the Bananas and Party

18:43 Animals played last year, Bank of

18:44 America Stadium, home of the Carolina

18:46 Panthers. We're about six blocks away

18:48 from where the Hornets play. It's the

18:50 Spectrum Center. We're about seven

18:52 blocks away from where we were at with

18:53 the NASCAR Hall of Fame. So, they

18:54 strategically set it here in uptown, in

18:56 downtown Charlotte. And also, for the

18:59 Banana Ball fans here tonight,

19:00 hit-a-friendly ballpark, very short

19:02 porches to ride, only 330 down the left

19:04 field lines. Here in Charlotte is

19:06 notoriously known as one of the long

19:08 ballparks in Triple-A baseball every

19:09 single year.

19:10 >> A beautiful place here in Charlotte,

19:12 North Carolina to a beautiful moment

19:15 last weekend

19:16 >> [music]

19:16 >> in Corpus Christi, Texas. Lamar Sparks

19:18 coming home and making a memory that his

19:20 family will remember for all.

19:25 And we're about to see one of the most

19:28 beautiful moments IN FIREFIGHTER

19:30 HISTORY.

19:31 >> THAT'S easily the number one moment in

19:33 my career for sure. That one takes the

19:35 cake.

19:35 >> THAT IS HIS LITTLE SISTER, JENCY, and

19:38 she's ABOUT TO GIVE LAMAR THE RIDE back

19:42 home, recreating a moment from their

19:45 childhood.

19:46 >> Jency would always be at my games, my

19:47 little league games. All the little kids

19:49 would run the bases after our games, and

19:51 she'd always be interested in doing so.

19:53 One day I kind of caught her looking out

19:54 there at all the kids running around, so

19:56 I jumped on the back of her wheelchair

19:57 and and drove her around [music] the

19:58 bases for the first time. And then after

20:00 that, she was like, "I want to do this

20:01 every time." That leads up to the night

20:04 before we flew [music] to Corpus

20:05 Christi. I was kind of laying there in

20:07 bed. I was kind of thinking, what could

20:08 make this weekend special? [music] You

20:10 know, my whole family's coming, a lot of

20:12 friends are coming. I was going through

20:13 pictures and I came across that one. I

20:15 was like, [music] "Is there a way to get

20:16 her on the field and take me around the

20:18 bases?" And I kind of thought about it

20:20 for a while. I was like, "The only way

20:21 she could do that is by hitting a home

20:23 run."

20:23 >> Lamar Sparks!

20:24 >> I kind of took my time getting out of

20:25 the box a little [music] bit longer than

20:26 I normally do to try and give her enough

20:28 time to get out there. Then I kind of

20:29 slowly trotted around the bases to

20:31 obviously give [music] her some more

20:31 time. And I happened to look over and

20:33 saw her coming out on the field, and

20:34 that's when all the emotion and

20:35 everything hit me.

20:36 >> One of the most beautiful moments

20:38 >> Getting to sit back on that chair and

20:40 listening to my family, my firefighter

20:42 family, the crowd in the stands, guys on

20:44 the on the other team, getting to listen

20:46 to them [music] cheer, not just for me,

20:48 but for her, was was powerful.

20:50 >> I've got tears in my eyes, man.

20:52 >> I don't really have words for it. It's

20:53 something I've been wanting to recreate

20:54 for a long time now, and finally I'm in

20:56 a league, I'm in a place where I can

20:57 recreate that.

20:58 >> Watching the way my little sister grew

21:00 [music] up with a smile on her face, no

21:02 matter what situation she was in. Her

21:04 strength growing [music] up is something

21:05 that I admired. As an older brother, I

21:07 got to watch. She is extremely strong,

21:09 extremely caring. She's always there.

21:11 Number one supporter for sure. Ride or

21:12 die.

21:16 >> There are no words to describe [music]

21:18 what that moment meant to all of us that

21:19 got to see it live and how much that

21:22 meant to Lamar Sparks and his family.

21:25 Brett [music] Loftis, it was a beautiful

21:26 moment. It was a touching scene in

21:28 Corpus Christi, Texas.

21:30 From one of the greatest [music] moments

21:32 in the sports history to a great match

21:33 up here starting pitching wise. Brett

21:35 Sanchez, the rookie off [music] the

21:36 visitors making his first start as a

21:38 visiting pitcher here with the Texas

21:40 Tailgaters up against [music] the

21:41 veteran of the Firefighters, Austin

21:43 Temple, who looked quite good against

21:45 the Gators night one in Corpus Christi.

21:46 He repeats that, Firefighters will have

21:48 a shot. He's got to go up against one of

21:50 the best strike throwers in the sport,

21:51 Brett.

21:51 >> Yeah, Austin went [music] three and a

21:53 third, just one earned run last week,

21:55 two strikeouts in the loss [music] a

21:57 week ago tonight in Corpus Christi. And

21:59 Brett Sanchez had one of his worst

22:01 starts despite throwing five innings,

22:03 three strikeouts and no ball for

22:05 sprints. He induced [music] 14 trick

22:07 plays a week ago in Corpus Christi, gave

22:10 up three runs, all of those earned last

22:12 Thursday night. So again, two guys are

22:14 rolling out for game one, you feel very,

22:15 very good at. I mean, in a year where

22:17 Brett Sanchez [music] has an ERA of 2.41

22:19 and you can make the argument he's the

22:21 first, second or third best starter

22:22 depending on the weekend for the Texas

22:24 Tailgaters. I mean, they have the best

22:25 [music] starting rotation in Banana

22:26 Ball, but I feel like AT doing what he

22:28 did a week ago tonight in Corpus Christi

22:30 [music] against this potent Tailgaters

22:32 lineup, I'm excited to see what the

22:33 fireballer with the fire on his noggin

22:35 is going to be able to do here in

22:36 Charlotte tonight.

22:37 >> Again, Austin very [music] good at

22:38 building off of performance performances

22:40 with confidence like he did last [music]

22:42 weekend. If he comes to Charlotte, North

22:44 Carolina and repeats that, the

22:45 Firefighters have very good chance of

22:46 finally beating the Tailgaters for the

22:48 first time in a game one. Those are our

22:51 starting pitchers and [music] these are

22:53 the rules of the sport of Banana Ball

22:54 and the best person to tell you about

22:55 them is Virtual Jesse Cole.

23:00 >> Banana Ball is the fastest and most

23:02 entertaining show in sports and the 11

23:04 rules guarantee the most fans first

23:06 experience [music] every second.

23:08 >> Unbelievable!

23:10 WELCOME TO THE BANANA BALL CHAMPIONSHIP

23:12 LEAGUE.

23:12 >> Rule number one, win the inning, win the

23:15 point. The team that scores the most

23:17 runs in an inning wins the point.

23:19 >> IT'S A WALK-OFF WINNER TO THE DEEPEST

23:22 PART OF THE FIELD. [cheering]

23:23 >> OH MY GOODNESS!

23:24 >> WITH THE equalizer point, trick plays

23:26 provide the away team an opportunity to

23:28 earn a point going into the final

23:30 inning.

23:31 And in the final inning, every run

23:33 counts as a point. Rule number two,

23:35 Banana Ball has a two-hour time limit

23:38 guaranteeing that every game is

23:40 fast-paced and action-packed.

23:43 Rule number three, no stepping out of

23:45 the batter's box. If you do, it will

23:47 result in a strike.

23:48 >> Max stepped out of the box and because

23:50 he stepped out of the box, that's it.

23:51 >> Rule number four, no bunting cuz bunting

23:55 sucks. If you bunt, you'll be thrown out

23:57 of the game. Rule number five, batters

24:00 can [music] steal first base.

24:01 >> Ball three, CAN HE BE TAKEN OFF OF

24:02 FIRST? THROW FROM LEROY, in time!

24:05 >> Rule number six,

24:06 >> [music]

24:07 >> there's no walks. Walks are ball four

24:10 sprints. The batter can advance as far

24:12 as they want until every position player

24:14 touches the ball.

24:15 >> Both defenders have touched THE BANANA

24:18 BALL. IT IS A FOUR-BASE SPRINT TO OPEN

24:21 up the ball game.

24:22 >> Rule number seven,

24:23 no mound visits.

24:25 Nope.

24:26 Rule number eight, foul balls caught by

24:29 a fan count as an out.

24:31 >> Oh, they're calling it

24:32 out. They

24:33 did it. They kicked it out of the toilet

24:35 bowl. We're going to showdown.

24:37 >> Rule number nine, the showdown. In

24:39 showdowns, the best of the best face off

24:42 in the biggest moment. One hitter versus

24:44 one pitcher with one fielder behind him

24:47 and the hitter has to score.

24:48 >> Deep to right center,

24:50 see

24:52 you later.

24:53 >> Rule number 10, the The Challenge Rule

24:56 gives the coaches and you the fans a

24:58 chance to impact a call on the field.

25:01 >> [cheering]

25:01 >> Rule number 11, the golden batter. Once

25:04 a game, each team can give any player in

25:06 a bat regardless of the lineup. This

25:09 offers the biggest matchups on the

25:11 biggest stage.

25:12 >> Big on big.

25:13 >> Kmar, let's go!

25:15 >> Let's go!

25:17 >> Let's go!

25:17 >> Get out of

25:18 here, ball!

25:20 THAT THING HAD A

25:21 FAMILY!

25:22 >> [screaming]

25:23 >> And those are the rules of Banana Ball.

25:31 >> That is the beautiful sport that we are

25:33 about to play here in Charlotte, North

25:35 Carolina as you take a peek at the keys

25:37 to success for what will be the third

25:39 series between these two squads in the

25:41 last four weeks, six straight by the

25:43 time

25:44 that we finish this weekend up six

25:46 straight games. [music] Brett Loftis,

25:47 the keys to success, and you'll notice

25:49 there's a a theme here with our keys to

25:51 success.

25:52 >> NASCAR theme. We went to the Hall of

25:53 Fame yesterday, so we wanted to show a

25:55 little homage to all those great voices

25:56 of the sport. Boogity, boogity, boogity.

25:59 >> Let's get to running, boys. The

26:00 Tailgaters only have 29 stolen bases

26:02 this season, which ranks dead last

26:04 >> in our lovely sport of Banana Ball.

26:06 However, 12 of those have come from

26:08 Jacob Peppersack. He's tied third best

26:09 individually in the sport. They must,

26:11 must, must run as the away team to

26:13 produce some runs in route to some

26:15 points tonight. Crank it up, man.

26:16 >> If you were the watcher of NASCAR on the

26:19 Fox back in the day, you loved it when

26:21 they cranked it up.

26:22 >> And that's what the Tailgaters must do

26:23 tonight, hitting .290 in the first

26:25 >> inning, something that they do also

26:26 well. They get started and they don't

26:28 let up on their opponents.

26:30 >> Meanwhile, photo finishes.

26:32 >> Nothing more exciting in NASCAR than

26:34 when it comes right down to the line,

26:36 and that's really what the Firefighters

26:38 have done this year. 20 of their 26

26:40 [music] games have been decided by two

26:42 points or less, including all but one

26:45 matchup against these Texas Tailgaters

26:47 here in 2026. The Firefighters know how

26:50 to play in these tight contested games

26:52 where [music] pressure gets up just a

26:53 little bit. They're going to probably

26:55 have to do that again this week to beat

26:56 a Texas Tailgater team that is making

26:58 [music] historic runs in the trick play

27:00 column, and they have a shot at the

27:02 equalizer point. Again, if you're the

27:04 visiting team and you have more trick

27:05 [music] plays going into the final

27:06 inning, you get that equalizer point

27:08 added to your score. They really need to

27:11 find ways to either deny that or find

27:14 some runs to make it a photo finish at

27:15 the end. And then, rattle [music] his

27:16 cage a little bit. A tribute to the

27:18 intimidator, Dale Earnhardt.

27:20 >> LaMar Sparks, four home runs in the

27:21 month of May, powering his way through a

27:23 bunch of his opponents. Four home runs,

27:25 by the way, Firefighters only hit eight

27:28 in the month of May. So, if LaMar

27:29 [music]

27:30 continues to be the power hitter that we

27:31 have seen over the last 30 days, he will

27:34 be absolutely tremendous here in a boom

27:35 [music] box that is Truist Field.

27:37 >> was one of those guys that was in

27:38 contention for Offensive Player of the

27:40 Month in May, which was and is Kyle

27:42 Martin, of course. But, LaMar was

27:44 definitely [music] in that battle. A guy

27:46 who only had two home runs before the

27:48 month of May and then hit four in the

27:49 fifth month of the year. I I think

27:51 that's a guy [music] the Firefighters

27:52 lineup must continually lean on. And

27:54 yeah, I love talking to these new guys

27:56 about how much the game slows down for

27:57 them. Daren McDowell had a great month

27:58 of May, as well. Talked to him earlier

28:00 today about [music] how much the game of

28:01 Banana

28:07 Ball continues to slow for you once you

28:09 get deeper and deeper into the year,

28:10 which the Firefighters are clearly at.

28:12 >> North Carolina. Boy, it's slowing down.

28:14 [music] We're getting hyped with Kaz

28:16 Eagan.

28:21 >> Ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls, hot

28:24 shots and smoke shows from around the

28:27 world. Tonight, you and thousands of

28:30 your friends here live and millions more

28:33 watching at home have gathered to

28:35 witness something beyond your wildest

28:37 imagination.

28:39 From Sparks to Sirens, from the station

28:42 to the stadium, Firefighters from across

28:45 the globe have come together to witness

28:48 this.

28:49 This is not baseball. This is the

28:52 crucible where the toughest, hottest,

28:55 and most entertaining players are

28:57 forged. This is a game of the fans, by

29:00 the fans, and for the fans.

29:04 But this is not your granddad's pastime,

29:06 and no, this is not any other night at

29:08 the firehouse. This game is baseball by

29:11 birth, fruit by name, and an absolute

29:14 world wide fair nominal by the grace of

29:17 God. But make no mistake, when the heat

29:20 gets too intense, we don't cool off, WE

29:23 RUN TOWARDS the flames. So this is the

29:26 time for all 10,000 people IN ATTENDANCE

29:30 TO GET ON YOUR FEET AND GIVE ME YOUR

29:34 VOICES.

29:39 Because this is the hottest show in

29:41 sports. Ladies and gentlemen, THIS IS

29:44 BANANA

29:45 BALL.

30:00 >> AND NOW, THE STARTING LINEUP FOR your

30:03 Firefighters.

30:05 Leading off at second base, NUMBER 55,

30:08 TYNER "TINY" HUGHES.

30:14 BATTING SECOND in the hot shot at

30:16 shortstop, number two, Kayden "Peanut"

30:20 Green.

30:23 In the three hole, behind the plate, DC

30:27 3, Dalton Ford.

30:33 BATTING CLEANUP, manning the hot corner,

30:36 number 11, LOGAN "SHOWTIME"

30:39 LACEY.

30:43 In the five hole at first base, number

30:46 four, Eric Jones Jr.

30:52 Batting sixth, the designated hitter,

30:55 number zero, LAMAR

30:57 SPARKS.

31:03 In the seventh slot, the extra hitter,

31:06 number seven, MASON MAD Max Maxwell.

31:12 >> [cheering]

31:13 >> IN THE EIGHTH HOLE, ranging right field,

31:16 number 10, DARIAN PREJEAN MCDOWELL.

31:24 BATTING NINTH, wearing number nine,

31:26 ranging left field, Noah Bridges.

31:33 And the decky, ranging center field,

31:36 NUMBER 30, ARMANDO BUSTAMANTE.

31:42 And the flame thrower on the mound,

31:45 tonight's starting pitcher, number six,

31:49 AUSTIN TEMPLE.

31:54 THE FIREFIGHTERS are led by Battalion

31:56 Chief Val Perez, Captain Corey Pi, and

32:01 Lieutenant Drew Ionescu.

32:12 Ladies and gentlemen,

32:14 at this time, we ask all those who are

32:16 able to please rise, uncover your heads,

32:19 and turn towards the flag with your

32:20 right hand over your heart for this

32:22 evening's performance of our national

32:23 anthem.

32:25 Performing this evening, please welcome

32:27 Courtney Kirk with her rendition of the

32:29 Star-Spangled Banner.

32:33 >> Oh,

32:35 O [singing] you see

32:38 by the dawn's early light,

32:43 what so proudly [singing]

32:45 we

32:48 hailed at the twilight's [singing]

32:50 last gleaming?

32:52 Whose broad stripes and [singing] bright

32:55 stars

32:57 through the perilous

33:00 >> [singing]

33:00 >> fight, o'er the ramparts

33:05 we watched

33:06 were so gallantly [singing]

33:09 streaming?

33:11 And the rockets'

33:14 red glare,

33:15 the bombs bursting

33:18 in air,

33:20 gave

33:21 proof through the

33:23 >> [singing]

33:24 >> night that our flag

33:26 was still there.

33:29 O say

33:30 >> [singing]

33:31 >> does that

33:32 star-spangled

33:34 banner

33:36 >> [singing]

33:37 >> yet wave

33:40 o'er the [singing] land

33:43 of the

33:45 free and the

33:46 home

33:48 >> [singing]

33:49 >> of the brave?

33:51 >> [cheering]

33:52 >> Thank you very much, Whitney Curd.

33:55 >> [applause]

34:01 >> We are fired up here in the QUEEN CITY

34:04 OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. The fourth

34:08 straight game of the Middle Children

34:10 rivalry. The Texas Tailgaters, 15 and

34:13 11, already locked in to the postseason,

34:16 playing for first place. The [music]

34:18 Firefighters on the outside looking in,

34:21 just a little less than halfway through

34:23 this 2026 World Tour. Tonight, their

34:26 79th game, officially in Banana Ball,

34:29 and just their second time making the

34:31 trip to the great state of North

34:34 Carolina. It will be the Firefighters

34:36 who take the field first on defense. 219

34:40 trick plays on the year. We take a peek

34:43 at what that defense looks like for you.

34:45 Designated fielder will not be in the

34:47 field to start the game. So, South

34:49 Trimble will line up on the sidelines as

34:51 your designated runner. The two guys to

34:53 mention, Caden Peanut Green at 44 trick

34:55 plays just six away from becoming

34:57 [music] the first firefighter to ever

34:59 get 50 in a season. Tyner Hughes second

35:01 base has proven to be worthwhile [music]

35:03 in his first year with the Firefighters

35:05 off of the visitors. Eric Jones Jr., a

35:08 Charlotte, North Carolina native, a

35:10 Davidson product, lines up at first

35:12 base, a position where they drafted him

35:14 for trick plays. Like he can turn 11

35:17 only on the year. That's been because of

35:18 the limited opportunities because of how

35:20 good Mason Maxwell has been there. Then,

35:23 Noah Bridges, Mondo Beseda, and Darian

35:25 McDowell make up [music] your outfield.

35:26 But, the guy in the middle is Austin

35:30 Temple. Again, an original firefighter

35:32 makes his way here to the Queen City.

35:36 Last week, Brett Loftis already told you

35:38 the numbers. Three and a third was

35:39 really good. Just limited the Texas

35:41 Tailgaters to a single point in his

35:44 work. If he can build confidence off of

35:46 something like that, he comes to North

35:48 Carolina as a guy with veteran

35:50 experience, moxie, and he showed it last

35:53 week in the fourth inning. Nobody out,

35:55 runners on second and third, and he got

35:57 out of the jam. That is the kind of

35:59 pitcher that Austin Temple can be. But,

36:02 the Texas Tailgaters lineup is filled

36:04 with landmine after landmine after

36:07 landmine, including Brett Loftis, the

36:09 offensive player of the month in the

36:10 sports.

36:11 >> Yeah, I mean, if you're AT, you don't

36:12 help lead Notre Dame to a College World

36:14 Series appearance for no reason. But, if

36:16 you're Cal Martin, you're also not

36:18 back-to-back offensive players of the

36:19 month for no reason in the sport of

36:20 baseball. He's hitting there in that

36:22 three hole. You see league batting

36:23 average there at the bottom. 300. And

36:26 every guy, almost in this lineup five of

36:29 the nine hitting over 300 so far in

36:32 2026. I mean this is extremely potent

36:34 lineup starting with that guy especially

36:35 Zach Watson who had as good as a May as

36:38 anybody. It's going to be interesting if

36:39 AT can keep him down first time in a

36:41 long time that they've been the away

36:42 team against a team not named the

36:44 Savannah Bananas.

36:46 >> Bret Loftis, you ready?

36:48 >> I stay ready. Stay ready and got to get

36:49 ready.

36:50 >> CHAD, YOU READY? WE'RE READY IN

36:52 CHARLOTTE. BEFORE WE GET GOING, LET'S

36:53 SEND IT TO KAZ ZEGAN to ring the BELL

36:57 AND LET'S START THE FIRE IN THE QUEEN

37:00 CITY.

37:04 >> Down on the first base side, here to get

37:06 this game started, here's Kaz.

37:09 >> Ladies and gentlemen, we have waited

37:11 long enough. It's about time we start

37:14 the clock. But first, I need some help.

37:17 Please welcome 6-year-old Ellison.

37:23 Hi Ellison. Thank you so much for

37:25 joining us. Now, here's what's going to

37:27 happen. On the count of three, myself

37:29 and 10,000 people in attendance are

37:31 going to yell ring the bell. And when we

37:34 do, you're going to do just that. 1 2 3

37:39 RING THE BELL.

37:43 SHOWTIME.

37:47 In the words of my friend Jose Benitez.

37:50 Yeah.

37:53 We're ready to go. Austin Temple the

37:55 fire on top of that noggin against Zach

37:58 Watson. It's OG firefighter against OG

38:00 firefighter. First pitch 6:58 and we're

38:03 underway with the ball. Trey Hudson the

38:05 one calling balls and strikes. Zach

38:07 Watson

38:08 last weekend game one

38:10 tie game in the ninth inning.

38:13 He gets on with a double that sets up

38:15 Nick Lopez's heroic walk-off winner in

38:18 the bottom of the ninth inning [music]

38:19 to give the Tailgaters a 5-3 win. Skied

38:22 up. Darian McDowell can't find it.

38:25 Leaning foul, it will land foul in the

38:28 fans. Nobody catches it.

38:29 >> You know, it's going to be hard, Zager.

38:30 Early storyline here. The shadows are

38:32 coming in down the third base left field

38:34 line here. So, if you're playing center

38:35 field over to the right early in this

38:38 ball game, it's going to be hard to

38:39 battle the sun. There's a big

38:40 skyscraper. You can't see us right

38:42 behind the first base side. You see all

38:44 the beautiful ones in the outfield, but

38:46 there's some big ones down the first

38:47 base side here. Hard to battle the sun.

38:49 >> See it right there.

38:51 What Brett Loftis is talking about. And

38:52 quickly, it's a 3-1 count

38:55 for Zach Watson. Ball four sprints on

38:57 the table.

38:58 >> [music]

39:01 >> And it is a first batter [music]

39:04 ball four sprint. So, all seven fielders

39:06 behind Austin Temple now have to touch

39:08 that banana ball before they can stop

39:10 Zach Watson.

39:11 And they do with a first base ball four

39:13 sprint.

39:13 >> And that's been AT's biggest issue this

39:16 year has been ball four sprints. You

39:17 know, you go back to Albuquerque where

39:19 he issued 10 of them out in just three

39:21 innings of work. I think that's the

39:22 thing you got to limit down, especially

39:24 against the guy who was a hero a week

39:25 ago tonight with a walk-off in Nick

39:27 Lopez.

39:30 No no no colored stash. Hair's down.

39:33 Sleeves down. Junkyard dog mentality for

39:36 Lopi.

39:37 >> Austin Temple just issued his 26th ball

39:40 four sprint as Lopi just continues

39:43 to show why he's so effective [music]

39:45 here in the sport of banana ball.

39:47 That one a chopper right over Zach

39:49 Watson's head and back in the right

39:50 field for a base knock. Wady will move

39:52 up from fire station to fire station,

39:54 but that's two batters up and two on for

39:57 the Gators.

39:57 >> Yeah, and when you look at that right

39:59 there, you may be wondering how can't

40:01 Tanner Hughes get to that banana ball.

40:02 They're shifting Nick Lopez up the

40:04 middle. He stays up the middle right

40:06 there playing way up the middle. So,

40:07 Lopi knew he just needed to poke it to

40:08 the right side. And anytime you got two

40:10 guys on base for this guy, the May and

40:13 April offensive player of the month,

40:15 Kyle Martin, six home runs. He hit in

40:18 the month of May, man. I mean, he's just

40:19 been absolutely incredible. Eight

40:21 straight weekends with a long ball, as

40:23 well, for Mr. Auction.

40:25 >> You have a slugging percentage of 844.

40:29 You are doing things quite well. Kyle

40:31 Martin just continues to see beach balls

40:33 here in Banana Ball 80. Wanting that one

40:36 on the outside, won't go.

40:40 Beau the Beaver is now standing out in

40:42 right field trying to help Darian

40:43 McDowell with the shade. Good Beau.

40:46 I LIKE THAT! KYLE MARTIN!

40:49 THAT WENT OVER to the park across the

40:51 street, but well foul.

40:53 >> Yeah, I hope my King Pookie Bear Bryce

40:55 Young isn't playing anything at Bank of

40:57 America Stadium right now because that

40:59 banana ball would have just hit him

41:00 right on top of the noggin.

41:03 >> 2-2 count.

41:06 Temple check back.

41:08 Rocket right back into right field. Body

41:11 getting the brakes at third. Darian

41:13 McDowell has a live arm from right

41:15 field, but that's three up and three on

41:17 for the Texas Tailgaters.

41:19 >> Staying within themselves. You see that

41:20 guy over there at first, I'm not talking

41:22 about K Martin, talking about Andrew

41:23 Bartman, the hitting coach here with the

41:24 Texas Tailgaters. He's very big on

41:26 staying within yourself when you're at

41:28 the dish. K Martin hits one 500 million

41:30 feet foul, but then comes up with a big

41:32 single for Jordan Bart.

41:35 Who again, offensive player of the month

41:36 was K Martin. Jordan Bart was just as

41:38 good as anybody. 419, he's one of three

41:40 players in the league right now hitting

41:41 over 400 [music] on the season.

41:44 >> The ball four sprint would easily get

41:46 in, too.

41:48 >> I love what the firefighters are doing

41:49 here, Zach. You got the corners and

41:51 middle infield back. Obviously,

41:53 firefighters are willing to concede a

41:55 run here for a double play.

41:57 But Logan Lacey and Eric Jones Jr. ready

41:59 to come home anything hit to them.

42:02 >> Big swing and miss from JB. Temple

42:05 talked to me in the beginning of the

42:06 season about trying to slow the game

42:08 mentally down a little bit here in his

42:09 third year because the sport leans so

42:11 hitter-friendly.

42:13 And he gets Jordan Barth swinging out of

42:15 his shoes speedy. Goes from 2-0 to 2-2.

42:18 But these are the situations where it

42:20 kind of fell apart for AT last year. We

42:22 saw it last week and work through

42:23 adversity.

42:24 That one bounced right by Peanut. And

42:26 that's going to score Watty. Loopy

42:28 rounding nope, he gets the brakes.

42:31 Throw might have had a chance

42:33 from Noah Bridges but already that is

42:36 now the fourth batter to get on base and

42:38 a run selling for the Gators.

42:43 >> [laughter]

42:52 >> Whole lot of motion.

42:56 It's what the boys in red, WHITE, AND

42:58 BLUE GOT RIGHT NOW. A WHOLE LOT OF

42:59 MOTION. You mentioned it Staton. Ball

43:02 force Brett single, single, single to

43:04 begin this ballgame. We got A MOTION

43:07 PARTY GOING on for this Tailgaters

43:08 offense in Charlotte.

43:10 >> And the guy coming up to the plate is

43:11 not who you want to face when the other

43:13 guys have really gotten going in Taylor

43:15 Justice.

43:19 I did

43:21 Austin Temple goes for him. Strike one.

43:23 >> A dude who's hitting 365 on the year

43:26 but still had another month where he hit

43:27 over 300 in May.

43:29 I just don't see him slowing down

43:31 anytime soon. I can't wait to tell my

43:33 children about 2026 Taylor Justice, man.

43:35 He has been incredible hitting in the

43:37 five hole for these Gators.

43:41 >> 0-2

43:42 Fouls it back.

43:43 >> You know, you'll probably tell your

43:44 children about that game two homer from

43:46 him.

43:47 >> It still has not landed.

43:48 >> It landed in the gulf.

43:52 >> Took an orbit around Earth to make sure

43:53 it got there. And he loves one right

43:55 back into left field.

43:57 Mick will hold Kyle Martin

43:59 at third but another run comes in and

44:01 it's a second straight RBI single and

44:03 the Texas Tailgaters are seeing

44:05 everything thrown at them right now.

44:06 >> And again, it's what we talked about

44:08 start of the show. These boys love to

44:10 hit in the first inning right now

44:11 hitting a thousand in [music] the first

44:12 inning. Yeah, it makes it now five

44:13 straight singles. All six guys to start

44:15 this ball game have reached. And now

44:17 it's time for a man who's due to go

44:18 yard.

44:20 >> Meanwhile, Austin Temple due [music] for

44:22 somebody to get out here. Five batters

44:24 up, five on here for the Gators as Jose

44:27 Brother Gonzalez comes in.

44:30 >> Big swing. He just heard you say he's

44:31 due to go yard.

44:33 Five home runs.

44:35 Only one in the month of May.

44:38 >> [music]

44:40 >> AT really trying to work that outside

44:43 part. Maybe just a hair off.

44:45 Trey Hudson again, our umpire tonight

44:47 here in Charlotte.

44:49 Andrew Bartman, six shooters. Good.

44:52 That one fought off. Peanut between the

44:54 legs to second over TO FIRST IN TIME FOR

44:56 THE double play. And that's the first

44:58 trick play of the night, but another run

45:00 does come home to score in the form of

45:02 Kyle Martin.

45:04 >> You you trade that. You would absolutely

45:06 trade that. That that yes. While the

45:09 third run of the inning does come home

45:10 to score, again, you just needed one,

45:12 but definitely a couple of outs there.

45:14 Big time double play. Big time by Peanut

45:16 to get a trick play out of that as it's

45:18 Mac Danford.

45:19 >> Mac and Doodles swinging at the first

45:21 one there.

45:23 He is our Duncan Donut batter of the

45:25 night.

45:26 I'm sure he'll take that rather well.

45:28 What is on the side of his helmet?

45:31 There's a sticker.

45:32 >> I wish I could tell you. There's no T on

45:35 the front of that noggin. I wish I could

45:36 tell you it was on the side of it.

45:39 >> Doesn't look like a T there either.

45:41 One two count. It looks like a car of

45:43 some sort.

45:48 One two count.

45:50 Everybody slow clapping.

45:53 >> [cheering]

45:54 >> Fought off.

45:55 >> PJ's legacy. They actually came last

45:58 year to Grayson Stadium when the

46:01 Tailgaters were practicing. gave out

46:03 those stickers to all the guys. They're

46:05 here today, PJ's legacy, and I gave that

46:08 sticker to Mac. He put it on the side of

46:09 his helmet pregame.

46:12 BIG K FOR AUSTIN TEMPLE. SO, the first

46:15 five get on for the Texas Tailgaters,

46:17 three come across, but 18 ends it with a

46:20 strikeout. And you know what that means

46:21 when the Duncan Donut batter hits, it

46:23 means everybody here gets a bunch of

46:25 sweet treats. Ben Dunn just threw one to

46:27 the upper deck. That's a beautiful curve

46:29 from Austin Temple. When that moves, he

46:31 moves.

46:33 That's 3-0 though for the Texas

46:35 Tailgaters going into the bottom of the

46:38 first inning with what is easily the

46:40 league's best trick [music] play

46:41 defense, maybe the league's best defense

46:43 overall, Brett.

46:44 >> say the Savannah Bananas are the

46:45 league's best defense. When you look at

46:46 what you got up the middle here, we got

46:48 an important note to make for you

46:49 tonight. The man at second base,

46:51 Jonathan Sunshine Lueders, four trick

46:54 plays away from 100 this year. Why is

46:56 that important at this juncture in the

46:57 year? He is going to be the quickest

46:59 Banana Baller ever when he makes it to

47:01 100 trick plays, whether that be tonight

47:03 or tomorrow night. He'll be the quickest

47:05 ever, surpassing [music] 2025 Ryan Cox,

47:07 who did it in 35 games for those

47:09 Savannah Bananas.

47:10 >> [music]

47:10 >> This game, 27 for the Tailgaters this

47:12 year. Kyle Martin getting the start back

47:14 out in right. Taylor Justice, by the

47:15 way, 30 of those 37 trick [music] plays

47:17 coming in May. That was tied for third

47:20 best over that span in Banana Ball. Taj

47:22 Porter behind the dish. The man IN THE

47:24 MIDDLE, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU,

47:27 as my good friend Stinks Stank, Brett

47:28 Sanchez. Third in the Banana Ball

47:30 Championship League in strikeouts.

47:32 Second in trick plays induced with 71 of

47:35 them. When a week ago tonight, he

47:36 induced 14 of them against this

47:38 Firefighters offense.

47:40 >> Last weekend, five innings of work,

47:42 eight hits allowed, three strikeouts,

47:44 and just three runs given up. Tonight is

47:47 his first visiting start here for the

47:49 Texas Tailgaters against the

47:51 Firefighters lineup, which is led off by

47:53 his former teammate on the Visitors in

47:55 Tyner Hughes.

47:57 One of the more aggressive batters and

47:59 runners you'll find here

48:01 in banana ball, followed up by a .388

48:04 hitter in Kaden Pena. Green is that one

48:06 sent over. By the way, Valparaiso

48:08 talking about we can't really lose as

48:09 many of these banana balls as we did

48:11 last week over the fence

48:13 that were hit foul. We lost about 50 of

48:15 them last week in Corpus Christi as

48:17 Tiner Hughes fouls it off.

48:19 >> A lot of those were lost, my good friend

48:20 Zach. Stating a lot of those were lost.

48:22 However,

48:23 it's fans first. People are able to

48:25 collect those and get those banana

48:27 balls. Tiner trying to collect the

48:29 lead-off single, struck out in two of

48:31 the first three games last [music]

48:32 weekend.

48:33 To begin the Firefighters offensive

48:35 inning, quickly behind his roommate

48:37 here, 0 and 2. What a house that is.

48:39 Drake Fontenot, [music] Tiner Hughes,

48:40 Brett Sanchez, Brett Allen.

48:43 >> Trick pitch opportunity. GOING FOR IT.

48:46 AND TINER GIVES IT TO HIM. BUCKETS FOR

48:50 OUT NUMBER ONE.

48:52 >> STANK STANK SAID, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU,

48:55 thank you." Is that all he needed to do

48:56 to go behind the legs?

48:58 He went behind the back AS WELL. LOOK AT

49:01 THIS.

49:02 My good friend Stank Stank, out number

49:04 one in the bottom of the first.

49:06 >> Tiner Hughes leads off

49:09 with a strikeout. And now here's Kaden

49:12 Pena Green. Floors it.

49:14 Jonathan Hughes,

49:16 >> excuse me, Jonathan Hughes Jonathan

49:18 Louders looking for a trick play.

49:19 Bucket! Bucket! That's three trick plays

49:23 in THE SPAN OF 12 SECONDS FROM JONATHAN

49:25 SUNSHINE LOUDERS AND TAYLOR JUSTICE WHO

49:28 RECEIVED THAT BANANA ball between the

49:29 legs. Look at this scoop.

49:33 That's beautiful stuff.

49:35 >> Dalton Cornett swinging through.

49:37 Jonathan Hughes, I referred to Sunshine

49:39 as. That's a pitcher for the Texas

49:40 Tailgaters. DC3 into CENTER FIELD. INDY

49:43 GOT IT.

49:45 And it's a QUICK WIN

49:47 for the Texas Tailgaters.

49:50 It's a 1-0 game easily for the visiting

49:52 squad as Brett Sanchez looks just like

49:55 himself here in a quick first inning.

49:57 >> Induces three trick plays in that first

49:59 inning. Beautiful stuff. Indiana Stanley

50:02 got as good as range as any center

50:04 fielder in minor league ball not named

50:05 Jackie Bradley Jr. Incredible.

50:08 Tell me about their pitching coach.

50:09 >> That's Corey Pi, and he's about to get

50:11 pied.

50:13 >> Down on the first baseline, here's the

50:15 FIRE MARSHAL.

50:18 >> ALL RIGHTY, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. I

50:21 didn't know if anybody knew, but we have

50:23 a coach on our team called Pi. And that

50:26 is right, 3.14.

50:29 So, we're going to play a little game

50:30 here called Pi coach Pi. So, we're out

50:36 here with 6-year-old Jaden. And Jaden,

50:39 we're curious, would you rather have

50:41 this firefighter baseball or Pi coach

50:45 Pi?

50:46 >> Pi coach Pi.

50:47 >> HE WANTS THE PI COACH PI. ALL RIGHT,

50:50 let's see how he does. All right, JADEN,

50:52 LET'S SEE. OH MY GOODNESS, HE WENT OVER

50:54 THE THROW this time. I like it. I like

50:57 it. All right, Jaden, we now have a

51:00 firefighter bat, which you can get

51:02 signed by all the players on the team.

51:06 Or would you rather Pi coach Pi?

51:09 >> PI COACH PI.

51:10 >> YOU HEARD HIM, FOLKS. HE'S BUYING COACH

51:13 PI.

51:15 OH MY GOODNESS, THIS IS GETTING messy

51:17 here, guys. I like it. All right, our

51:19 final opportunity to win him over.

51:23 Jaden, would you rather have the

51:25 firefighter T-shirt? Think about this.

51:27 In preschool, you'll be the coolest kid

51:29 there. Or

51:31 would you rather Pi

51:33 coach Pi?

51:35 >> Pi coach Pi.

51:36 >> YOU HEARD HIM, FOLKS. IT'S OUT OF

51:38 CONTROL.

51:40 Here we go FOR THE FINAL. OH MY

51:42 GOODNESS, THAT is incredible. Well,

51:44 Charlotte, he's been such a great sport.

51:47 We're going to give him all three items.

51:49 Jayden, you're incredible, my friend.

51:55 You know,

51:57 Corey Pie has never had that much stuff

52:00 on his face before.

52:02 I'll leave it at that. Taj Porter, happy

52:04 belated birthday.

52:06 >> Wow.

52:07 You're just going to steal that from me.

52:09 >> Uh you know what?

52:10 >> How dare you?

52:11 >> I want to tell the Quadfather happy

52:12 belated birthday. How dare you do

52:15 >> such a thing? Sorry, I was trying to be

52:16 nice.

52:17 >> You know, he told me, he said, "Brett,

52:18 you better wish me happy birthday." You

52:20 know what I told him? I said, "Well, you

52:22 better hit a home run tonight." 120 315

52:24 down the right field.

52:25 >> So, what? I didn't steal it from you.

52:26 You still got to hit a home run for you

52:27 to wish him a happy birthday.

52:28 >> No. Happy belated birthday to the

52:30 Quadfather. One of my good friends in

52:31 this life, man. He had a had a good one

52:33 last night. Went and seen Jason Art

52:35 playing downtown Charlotte.

52:38 >> That is a screamer right by EJ and

52:40 another single here for the Texas

52:42 Tailgaters.

52:44 Tailgaters, my good friend Zach Staten

52:45 have five hits already in their first

52:48 eight plate appearances. All singles,

52:51 and three of them have been hit through

52:52 the right side, no faster than 80 mph. I

52:55 mean, they are just spamming that big

52:57 right side gap. Is Tanner Houges still

52:59 playing up the middle? Jacob Peppersick,

53:01 we mentioned 12 stolen bases only here

53:02 from him. He will run, and it's Indiana

53:04 State who had that clutch home run a

53:06 week ago tonight. What's Pip got for us?

53:16 What's happening?

53:20 Yes, Pip.

53:22 Yes, Pip.

53:23 Uh uh

53:27 Turn it up, Pip.

53:29 That's what we call the cha-cha slide.

53:31 The modern-day cha-cha slide, of course.

53:35 And he's stealing RIGHT OFF IT. DC3

53:38 DOWN, NOT IN TIME.

53:42 NOW SECOND IN THE BANANA BALL

53:44 Championship League in stolen bases, the

53:46 pride of Long Island University, Jacob

53:49 Pepper set. Never had a shot at getting

53:51 him.

53:53 >> Already another runner in scoring

53:54 position. Big time hat from Indiana.

53:56 Stanley trying to recreate that

53:58 beautiful home run he launched in game

54:00 one to tie us up in the bottom of the

54:02 ninth inning.

54:07 >> Fans have an opportunity.

54:09 High in the sky. No, they don't.

54:12 It was on the roof.

54:13 >> Roof did a good job catching that one.

54:14 Good receiving. The glove had The glove

54:17 was out on the roof up there. I seen

54:18 that. It was out there.

54:19 >> Looks like team act for the Panthers,

54:20 huh?

54:21 >> Man, offensive rookie of the year.

54:24 >> Indy. Hard hit by Peanut.

54:28 >> Mondo right there. And right now

54:30 everything is getting hit

54:32 near a fielder, but not nearly enough

54:35 for the Firefighters to make much of a

54:36 difference.

54:37 >> of bad luck right now. I mentioned Tyner

54:39 and Peanut playing up the middle. Right

54:41 there they kind of played more in their

54:42 natural positions at shortstop and

54:44 second base. Got burned up the middle. I

54:46 mean it is just been bad luck right now

54:48 for this Firefighters defense. This is

54:50 the captain, Jordan who's saying it

54:52 today.

54:52 >> Austin Temple has not recorded the first

54:54 out of the second inning. He's already

54:55 on pitch 39 here. That is a bouncer.

54:58 Peanut, no play at home. Turns it for

55:00 second and they won't get the throw over

55:02 to first. That's probably the right

55:03 choice there from Tyner. [music] Get the

55:04 lead runner, but they do surrender yet

55:06 another run and the Texas Tailgaters

55:08 have put four of them up here in one and

55:10 a third.

55:12 >> Yeah, and most importantly put up

55:13 another one here in the second applying

55:15 pressure to this Firefighters offense.

55:18 Jordan Hussein, another RBI on the year

55:19 for him. It will be a fielder's choice

55:20 officially how he reaches as we turn

55:22 over the lineup card to Zack Watson.

55:26 >> Already.

55:27 Again, inning and a third.

55:29 Again, the first out has been recorded

55:31 in the inning.

55:32 And the Texas Tailgaters are turning the

55:34 lineup over.

55:35 Wadi might have been off his foot. He's

55:38 got some sick Jordans on his feet.

55:40 >> Painted by his wife, Jess. Wadi, he

55:43 busted those out at Nealon Stadium, hit

55:45 his only two home runs of the year in

55:46 those.

55:48 Good luck for him.

55:50 Runner going. Wadi,

55:51 deep to center field. Armando

55:53 underneath.

55:55 And oh, HE GOES FOR THE TRICK PLAY AND

55:57 HE GOT IT.

55:58 ARMANDO VASQUEZ.

56:01 Behind the back. That was a beauty out

56:04 in center field. He almost gave the ball

56:06 away, maybe not realizing that was just

56:09 out number two. Watch him here.

56:11 BEAUTIFUL. HEY, ANYBODY WANT A SOUVENIR?

56:13 HEY! You know what though, I'll take

56:16 that for the second out in the second

56:17 trick play of the night for the

56:19 Firefighters.

56:19 >> Jason Art,

56:21 hitting in place now

56:23 of

56:24 Nick Lopez.

56:29 >> [music]

56:30 >> Leisure's usually a guy you want to see

56:33 if you're a Texas Tailgater fan because

56:35 of his ability to just

56:37 stay locked [music] in. That was a

56:38 screamer, but foul. It's two times

56:41 Jordan Hussey has now taken off at

56:43 first.

56:44 And that one hit out to the wall that

56:46 Armando made an incredible trick play on

56:48 it. Right there, foul ball.

56:50 On temp, I kind of know what I want to

56:51 do right now.

56:53 Or don't.

56:55 That one gets by DC3. Hussey will make

56:58 the turn at second, but stick right

57:00 there.

57:01 Will go down to stolen base because

57:02 Jordan Hussey was taking off on the

57:04 pitch.

57:05 Talk about these guys got to run, man.

57:07 Two stolen bases already for the

57:09 Tailgaters. They have been aggressive on

57:11 the base paths.

57:13 2-2.

57:14 Art stays alive.

57:17 Texas Tailgaters playing plating three

57:19 runs in the first and getting a point

57:21 off a 1-minute 42-second [music] inning

57:23 for Brett Sanchez. Already have a run

57:25 across here in the top OF THE SECOND,

57:27 BUT AUSTIN TEMPLE gets Jason Art

57:29 swinging out of his shoes. They'll

57:31 strand a runner right there at second

57:33 base and the Firefighters much less work

57:35 to do but still some ground to make up

57:36 in the bottom half of the second inning.

57:39 >> A lot of hustle and grit in that inning

57:40 to get that run across and good luck I

57:42 mean as well just beating Kiner and

57:44 Peanut to wherever they're played up the

57:46 middle. Tailgaters able to find some

57:48 gaps in that Firefighters defense. I

57:50 mean it was really really incredible and

57:52 luckily timely hitting which has been

57:54 the case for these Tailgaters here at

57:56 beautiful Truist Field tonight.

57:59 >> Tell you what

58:00 >> about my good friend.

58:00 >> Can I tell you about him?

58:01 >> Sure.

58:02 >> My really good friend. It is Zack

58:03 Statement but there's also another guy

58:04 that's playing in this ballgame tonight.

58:06 His name is Kyle Martin. He leads the

58:08 Banana Ball Championship League with 12

58:10 home runs this year. He had some babies

58:12 the night before Mother's Day a few

58:14 weeks ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

58:15 >> [music]

58:15 >> He's hit a lot and lot and lot and lot

58:18 and lot and lot and lot of homers. He's

58:20 eaten a lot and lot and lot and lot and

58:21 lot of meals with me this year. Eight

58:23 straight weeks we have indulged in some

58:26 kind of meal together. Eight straight

58:27 weeks. [music] K Martin has now left the

58:29 yard. He's 33 years old but he looks

58:31 younger by the day somehow. The good

58:32 Lord has blessed him [music] with

58:33 youthfulness, with powerfulness and he

58:36 has blessed him as the Poop Time

58:37 Offensive Player of the Month in the

58:39 sport of Banana Ball in both April and

58:41 May. And now we are getting blessed so

58:44 so much, so so well, so so greatly. How

58:48 blessed can we be that the auction Kyle

58:50 Martin is going to join us on the

58:52 broadcast. How are you my friend?

58:53 >> Doing [cheering] well. Doing well.

58:55 Loving this city view right now.

58:57 >> I'm loving you more man. I mean you out

58:59 there the aesthetic the golden hour with

59:00 these skyscrapers behind you it just

59:02 couldn't get much better than that.

59:04 >> Yeah, no way. This is absolutely

59:06 incredible. It looks like Gotham City

59:07 out here.

59:09 >> I like that. Gotham City huh? I like

59:11 that a lot. K Martin you got a lot of

59:12 family in town. You're from right down

59:13 the road in Greenville, South Carolina.

59:15 Tell us what this weekend has meant to

59:17 you thus far as a good friend. One

59:19 moment. Thank you. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

59:21 Trick pitch strikeout. K Martin

59:23 >> I had to join in on that one.

59:24 >> Good job hitting that. Great job hitting

59:25 that. But being in Charlotte, to your

59:27 point.

59:29 >> Oh, being up here close to family, it

59:31 means everything.

59:32 Uh I mean, [cheering] just having the

59:33 support that I've had throughout my

59:35 entire career has been absolutely

59:37 amazing.

59:43 >> TAYLOR JUSTICE THROWING THE GLOVE OUT

59:44 THERE.

59:45 >> That's right.

59:46 >> Kyle, I'm not going to lie, you losing

59:48 the hat just lets us see that beautiful

59:50 >> [cheering]

59:50 >> flowing locks of hair. That is You

59:52 should do that more often.

59:57 >> Oh, man. I'm all set and ready.

59:59 >> I saw you last night in the hotel gym.

1:00:01 Did you ever find that bottle of water

1:00:03 you were looking for?

1:00:04 >> No, they they ran out. Normally, they

1:00:06 stock that fridge up. So, I just needed

1:00:08 a little refill to keep me overnight.

1:00:11 >> Literally, that was the only thing he

1:00:12 said to me.

1:00:13 >> That was the only thing I wanted.

1:00:15 >> EJ right back up the middle with a base

1:00:16 knock. He goes, "Man, they didn't

1:00:18 restock the fridge." And didn't say

1:00:20 goodbye, didn't say see you later, just

1:00:21 walked right out the gym.

1:00:22 >> Yeah, yeah, hyper focused. I had a

1:00:24 little bit of priority on

1:00:25 my bad.

1:00:26 >> It's all right, man. K-Mart,

1:00:28 >> [cheering]

1:00:28 >> your wife, Mag, able to be here this

1:00:29 weekend? I know you get to come to a lot

1:00:30 of games for work. How How excited are

1:00:32 you to for her to watch you on your

1:00:34 banana ball journey? I know she's been

1:00:35 with you for your professional journey,

1:00:37 as well when you played affiliated ball

1:00:38 and independent ball.

1:00:39 >> Uh yeah, it's great to actually have her

1:00:40 here. She came to FSU and absolutely

1:00:42 loved it cuz that's where she went to

1:00:43 school, but uh having her here and enjoy

1:00:46 it with some of my friends, some of my

1:00:47 family, it's just it's even more

1:00:49 special.

1:00:50 >> Um Turn it. Turn it. Turn it. Oh, no.

1:00:54 >> Buckets! Jordan Barth with the fifth

1:00:57 trick play of the ballgame for the

1:00:58 Tailgaters. K-Mart, I need to hear you

1:01:00 say that as well.

1:01:01 >> What am I say? Oh, for the fifth?

1:01:03 >> For the trick play.

1:01:04 >> You know what to say? We're already at

1:01:05 the fifth?

1:01:06 >> You know

1:01:06 You know what to say for the trick play,

1:01:07 though.

1:01:08 >> Oh, bucket, baby.

1:01:09 >> Thank you.

1:01:11 >> [cheering]

1:01:12 >> Give it to Andy. Oh.

1:01:14 >> And falls.

1:01:15 Here comes South Trimble, and he will

1:01:18 score

1:01:19 and They the inning up. Clutch piece of

1:01:22 hitting there from Mason Maxwell.

1:01:24 >> Yeah, that sun's giving us some trouble

1:01:26 out here.

1:01:26 >> Yeah, tell us about that. We we were

1:01:27 talking about that the first inning. How

1:01:29 hard it is from center field over right

1:01:31 over. You guys are dealing with the

1:01:33 skyscraper behind us, but also dealing

1:01:35 with the sun. How hard is it to track

1:01:36 the yellow banana up there?

1:01:38 >> Uh it's not so bad with the skyscrapers.

1:01:40 It's really the sun right now cuz it's

1:01:42 level with the

1:01:43 uh just the buildings behind us. So,

1:01:45 anytime you lift your hat, you're right

1:01:46 in it. Like seeing the ball off the bat

1:01:48 is pretty tough right now.

1:01:50 >> I I will be very very transparent with

1:01:52 you, the Kyle Martin. I I'm going to

1:01:53 share something with you may a secret

1:01:54 between me, you, and God.

1:01:56 You've never looked better than you do

1:01:58 in this golden hour right now.

1:01:59 >> AND NEITHER HAS DARIAN MCDOWELL.

1:02:01 [screaming]

1:02:01 GOODBYE!

1:02:04 THAT'S A WALK-OFF WINNER FOR THE

1:02:05 FIREFIGHTERS, [cheering] AND WE REVERSE

1:02:08 THE FIRST INNING

1:02:09 as McDowell hits his third homer OF THE

1:02:12 SEASON.

1:02:13 >> [cheering]

1:02:13 >> PREMIUM SHOTS, BABY.

1:02:17 That's a dinosaur.

1:02:20 Dragon.

1:02:21 Kyle Martin,

1:02:23 you're a gem.

1:02:24 >> I appreciate it, fellas. Thank y'all.

1:02:26 >> Love you.

1:02:27 >> Have a good time up there. Not too much

1:02:29 fun, though.

1:02:30 >> Is there ever such a thing?

1:02:32 >> And in this game, the baseball

1:02:33 championship league leader in home runs,

1:02:35 Mike Dowd, and then Darian McDowell hits

1:02:37 one about 427 ft out to left center

1:02:40 field. Big time homer. That's the same

1:02:42 guy I was talking to earlier today.

1:02:44 Zach, I said, "How is it getting to this

1:02:46 point in the season?" He said,

1:02:47 "Everything has slowed down." He said,

1:02:49 "I feel like I'm exactly who I was in

1:02:50 the Padres organization." Well, that

1:02:52 type of pop, he looks exactly like his

1:02:54 old self as well.

1:02:56 >> Brent Loftis, you and I did the pit crew

1:02:58 challenge. Now, we're about to see some

1:03:00 fans do it here with Pit Stop. We have

1:03:03 Damian going up against Kevin. Here is

1:03:05 what they're going to have to do.

1:03:06 They're going to have to roll their

1:03:07 tires to second where they're going to

1:03:09 get an oil change from their wives, but

1:03:12 instead they're just going to get oiled

1:03:13 up by their wives. At third base,

1:03:16 instead of getting gas, they're going to

1:03:18 release a little gas. And the first one

1:03:21 to dive across the finish line by home

1:03:23 plate will be the winner of

1:03:26 pit stop. Gentlemen,

1:03:28 on your mark, get set, START YOUR

1:03:31 ENGINES.

1:03:34 KEVIN HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A LEAD rolling

1:03:36 that tire to second base. They are about

1:03:39 to get oiled up by their wives. That's

1:03:42 right, rub it in, ladies.

1:03:45 Damien has retaken the lead at third

1:03:47 base, where they are going to release

1:03:50 some gas.

1:03:53 They're running home, and it looks like

1:03:56 it's a photo finish, BUT KEVIN IS THE

1:04:00 WINNER.

1:04:02 Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise

1:04:04 for our contestants at pit stop.

1:04:13 >> Brett, I don't think either you or I got

1:04:15 shirtless in the pit crew challenge not

1:04:17 one time.

1:04:19 Those two did.

1:04:20 >> You don't know that. We did it twice

1:04:22 before we seen it on camera. You don't

1:04:23 know. I could put my shirt back on.

1:04:25 >> By the way, this is just

1:04:26 >> You don't know that.

1:04:27 >> This is just a humble brag. Brett and I

1:04:29 got in the simulators there at the uh

1:04:31 the NASCAR Hall of Fame about, I would

1:04:32 say, five times.

1:04:34 >> Yeah, that's putting it lightly. Brett

1:04:35 put up the third fastest time of the day

1:04:38 with like a 38.5.

1:04:40 >> I got, I think, like a 38.7

1:04:43 to go for the seventh fastest of the

1:04:44 day.

1:04:44 >> You say humble brag. I wasn't going to

1:04:46 bring that up, but I do appreciate you

1:04:47 telling all the people at home that I

1:04:48 know how to drive a stock car. This guy

1:04:50 knows how to swing a banana ball bat.

1:04:51 It's Kyle Martin. Just talked to our

1:04:53 good friend out in right field.

1:04:56 >> Sent that one to the Lord. I will say

1:04:58 this, he does have some of the best hair

1:05:00 we've ever seen in the big

1:05:01 >> He's just all-time human. I mean, we can

1:05:02 talk about how great of a banana ball

1:05:03 player he is, and that's great and all.

1:05:05 I mean, that that's going to get you a

1:05:06 long ways here, but being an all-time

1:05:08 human is going to get you a long ways in

1:05:09 life, and also in either farther away in

1:05:11 our organization. And Kyle Martin has

1:05:12 come in here and plus [music] every

1:05:14 single thing that he's touched in his

1:05:15 short time here in Banana Land.

1:05:19 >> One question I did [music] not get to

1:05:20 ask as that one goes foul to Dylan

1:05:22 Eddinger, our bullpen catcher. Great

1:05:23 play over there. Does he like the

1:05:25 unction?

1:05:26 >> Yes.

1:05:26 >> Okay.

1:05:27 >> We can divulge more into that after

1:05:28 this.

1:05:29 >> Love it.

1:05:29 >> I feel very good about this 2-2 pitch.

1:05:33 >> PERHAPS YOU SHOULDN'T. K MARTIN GOES

1:05:36 DOWN WITH A K AND AUSTIN Temple all of a

1:05:39 sudden starting to look like the AT that

1:05:41 we know and love.

1:05:43 >> I didn't say which direction for the

1:05:45 record. I just said I felt very good

1:05:46 about it. You get Kyle Martin to go

1:05:48 fishing. That's a big time strikeout in

1:05:50 the first time tonight that Austin

1:05:52 Temple has gotten the lead-off batter

1:05:53 out of an inning.

1:05:55 >> And the threats just keep on coming

1:05:56 though as Jordan Barth comes on in.

1:05:57 Another guy with another nickname here

1:05:59 for the Texas Tailgaters. We go from K

1:06:00 Martin to who?

1:06:02 >> Princess JB, of course.

1:06:04 >> Hello.

1:06:06 1-1.

1:06:08 >> It's a little bit of an exchange of the

1:06:09 times. [music]

1:06:09 The first call perhaps in favor of the

1:06:12 Firefighters. That one in favor of the

1:06:13 Tailgaters.

1:06:14 >> [music]

1:06:15 >> JB

1:06:16 >> And he leaves no doubt about that one.

1:06:17 >> This guy by the way was watching He was

1:06:19 watching I believe the French Open today

1:06:21 on his iPad. Carrying it around all over

1:06:22 the place. He's like a 20-time

1:06:24 international racquetball [music]

1:06:25 champion.

1:06:27 I got that right this time.

1:06:28 >> Good.

1:06:28 >> First two times I said like handball or

1:06:30 something.

1:06:30 >> Can I tell you something?

1:06:31 >> Is it a secret?

1:06:32 >> Between me, you, and Guy. I'm proud of

1:06:34 you. Very proud of you, Zack.

1:06:35 >> I'm just That makes me emotional about

1:06:37 everything, man.

1:06:42 RIGHT BACK UP THE MIDDLE. AT BETWEEN THE

1:06:45 LEGS. AND IT'S A DOUBLE TRICK PLAY. CALL

1:06:48 THEM BOTH IN. BEAUTIFUL STUFF FROM

1:06:50 Austin Temple there.

1:06:53 Right back up the gut. And he had the

1:06:54 moxie to do it all.

1:06:56 Had to have it. Had to have it.

1:06:59 Trailing five to two in the trick plays.

1:07:01 And then you get a double bucket bucket

1:07:02 right there to bring you within one.

1:07:05 Tailgaters, as it stands right now,

1:07:07 would have the equalizer point. You

1:07:08 really needed a double trick play there.

1:07:10 Good on Austin Temple to show you

1:07:11 pictures of fielders, too.

1:07:13 But again,

1:07:14 the threats just keep on coming. Taylor

1:07:16 Justice, though, will quickly make it

1:07:17 0-2. There are two players with five

1:07:20 home runs on the Tailgaters. Brothers

1:07:22 one, DJ's another.

1:07:24 We'll have to wait for another one to

1:07:26 try to make it there.

1:07:27 And obviously Kyle Martin with 12. Two

1:07:29 of them tied at five. Tied second best

1:07:32 on the team.

1:07:34 Tap.

1:07:36 >> [laughter]

1:07:40 >> Little down.

1:07:41 That's a mighty fine pitch there from

1:07:43 Austin Temple.

1:07:48 2-2.

1:07:51 That landed right in front of the

1:07:53 batter's box. I thought it hit him for a

1:07:55 moment.

1:07:58 So we go Probably the shortest pitch

1:07:59 we'll see this evening. World record.

1:08:02 [ __ ] it.

1:08:04 It's your pitch.

1:08:06 It's a bounce pitch. What else you know

1:08:08 about that? That goes inside to ball

1:08:10 four sprint. Just the second one the

1:08:12 Tailgaters have gotten tonight.

1:08:15 First since that lead-off ball four

1:08:16 sprint [music] to Zach Watson. Taylor

1:08:18 Justice will just halt the brakes over

1:08:20 at first base. The chat tonight in step

1:08:23 Some people are still using the bucket

1:08:25 emoji just in case you're wondering at

1:08:26 home, but some of them to count trick

1:08:28 plays are using toilet paper for TP. I

1:08:31 love the innovation of our chat tonight,

1:08:33 really plussing the watching experience.

1:08:35 I will give each one of those people all

1:08:37 the money in my wallet, of which there

1:08:39 is none, if they put an O next to the TP

1:08:42 in emoji.

1:08:42 >> Good.

1:08:43 >> Cuz we list it technically as TPOs,

1:08:46 trick play outs.

1:08:47 >> Good.

1:08:47 >> And then there's TPM, which stands for?

1:08:50 >> Trick play miss.

1:08:51 >> Oh, baby.

1:08:55 Temple again bouncing one in front of

1:08:58 Jose Brother Gonzales. Last week got a

1:09:00 heck of an ovation going back to Corpus

1:09:02 Christi. was part of the Hooks

1:09:03 organization for a little bit of time.

1:09:07 Taylor faked like he was going to run,

1:09:09 put the brakes on and Jose swings at it.

1:09:12 Good speed for a man his size, but I

1:09:13 don't think Taylor Justice is the

1:09:15 the stolen base threat you'd be looking

1:09:17 for in this Tailgaters lineup.

1:09:18 >> PROBABLY NOT, AND THAT'S ANOTHER K. THIS

1:09:20 TIME IT'S BACKWARDS FOR AUSTIN TEMPLE,

1:09:23 and the Firefighters [music]

1:09:24 get a clean half of the first inning for

1:09:26 the first time tonight. And with that,

1:09:29 we head down to the field

1:09:30 >> with Bananas Foster.

1:09:32 >> Bananas Foster, Victoria Rudolph.

1:09:35 >> Across the United States, there are over

1:09:37 400,000 children and teens in foster

1:09:40 care without a permanent home. To raise

1:09:43 awareness and support this community, we

1:09:46 created Bananas Foster, the official

1:09:48 non-profit of Banana Ball. Our

1:09:51 organization is dedicated to celebrating

1:09:53 the foster care community while

1:09:55 educating and inspiring others to get

1:09:57 involved. And tonight, we are

1:10:00 celebrating the Feeney family. Jackie is

1:10:04 an attorney and a US Army veteran who

1:10:07 has spent her career advocating for

1:10:09 children in need, which inspired her to

1:10:12 support kids even further. So, eight

1:10:16 years ago, she became a single licensed

1:10:19 foster mom.

1:10:21 She is passionate about reunification,

1:10:25 children with

1:10:29 In total, she has welcomed 20 children

1:10:32 and teens into her home.

1:10:35 Fans, please help us celebrate this

1:10:37 amazing woman for her impact in your

1:10:40 community.

1:10:42 >> Bananas Foster

1:10:47 >> [cheering]

1:10:58 >> Bananas Foster

1:11:12 >> The Feeney family, 7 years fostering

1:11:15 here

1:11:17 in the beautiful city of Charlotte,

1:11:19 North Carolina.

1:11:20 You want to help them, text bunch to

1:11:22 50155 to support Bananas Foster. And so

1:11:25 many great foster families [music]

1:11:27 across this country. The Feeney family,

1:11:30 man, that's beautiful right there. Two

1:11:32 powerful women doing powerful [music]

1:11:33 things for so many kids that need it.

1:11:35 And by the way, it's great to see Emily

1:11:37 Cole here as well. She's over on the

1:11:39 sideline. She's about to give them a big

1:11:40 hug. Give Bananas Foster, always one of

1:11:42 the best parts

1:11:43 of a Banana Ball game, Brett.

1:11:45 >> Always. Always. And especially having

1:11:47 Emily Emily Cole, who so over empowers

1:11:50 our nonprofit here in Banana Ball with

1:11:52 Bananas Foster. You see that there? 1-1

1:11:54 ballgame in beautiful Charlotte, North

1:11:56 Carolina. It's the bottom of the order

1:11:58 turning over to the top of the order, 9,

1:12:00 10, and 1. Having to face that man,

1:12:02 Brett Sanchez, who gave up a long ball,

1:12:04 a two-run shot from Darian McDowell that

1:12:07 walked it off in that second inning. And

1:12:10 now he gets to face a man who hit one

1:12:12 out of the ballpark here at Truist Field

1:12:13 today, Darian BP and Noah Bridges.

1:12:14 [music]

1:12:15 >> Multiple for number nine in the nine

1:12:18 spot.

1:12:19 >> What I was referring to, Zach, literally

1:12:21 left the ballpark.

1:12:22 Literally, he hit it out there on Mint

1:12:23 Street.

1:12:25 >> 100%.

1:12:27 That will not go to Mint Street.

1:12:30 That

1:12:32 might land in the fans. And it will. Hit

1:12:34 somebody in the booty.

1:12:36 Who?

1:12:38 >> See Taj Porter trying to check on that

1:12:40 fan.

1:12:42 It's always interesting watching the

1:12:44 opposing players of the Firefighters

1:12:46 during these headliner games deal with

1:12:48 the fire behind home plate. Taj having

1:12:50 to deal with that, toss the mask aside,

1:12:52 trying to find that pop up.

1:12:54 That one way outside. Interested to see

1:12:56 how Brett Sanchez reacts here. That was

1:12:57 just his second walk-off given up all

1:12:59 year. This again

1:13:01 his first time starting as a visiting

1:13:03 pitcher here in his time with the Texas

1:13:04 Tailgaters.

1:13:05 >> Yeah, only three appearances.

1:13:07 >> Oh, hello. They've just called him out.

1:13:10 Swinging strike three. Trey Hudson

1:13:12 saying it's a strikeout. Noah thinks he

1:13:13 fouled it off. Fan, okay, it's a

1:13:15 strikeout.

1:13:16 Well, thank you, thank you, thank you.

1:13:18 Of course. Why not? Sure, we'll take it.

1:13:21 I was just under the same impression

1:13:23 that Noah fouled it off.

1:13:25 What do we got here?

1:13:27 Oh, no. Just came off of Taj's mitt.

1:13:29 Yeah, he didn't make any contact. Out

1:13:31 number one.

1:13:34 That is what we like to call being

1:13:35 banana ball.

1:13:37 We were all just a part of that

1:13:38 experience together, you and I, chat.

1:13:40 You, me, and Brett Loftis. Armando

1:13:42 Becerra, really big confidence builder

1:13:44 last week, a couple of hits. And he'll

1:13:45 get another one. Right back up the gut.

1:13:47 Armando, that bat beginning to wake up.

1:13:50 You start to see if his confidence is

1:13:52 going, that party animal Mondo is ready

1:13:55 to go.

1:13:56 >> He's really just a Tailgater killer. He

1:13:58 killed the Tailgaters last year, hit

1:14:00 three of his four long balls against the

1:14:01 boys in blue and orange last year.

1:14:02 [music] Had one against them in the

1:14:04 semifinals in the playoffs.

1:14:06 And he continues to play well against

1:14:07 them now for the Fire and Flames as

1:14:09 Tyler Hughes starts out 0-1 back to the

1:14:11 top of the order here for the

1:14:12 Firefighters.

1:14:13 >> Big Tiny struck out in his first AB

1:14:15 against [music]

1:14:16 Brett Sanchez. Again, a roommates.

1:14:19 Did you just give us an eye

1:14:20 >> Tim Ornelas?

1:14:20 >> Kind of. I didn't mean to do it.

1:14:21 >> Big Tiny.

1:14:23 >> I said Big Tiny.

1:14:24 >> Big Tiny. I like that.

1:14:26 >> What is Savage doing?

1:14:28 Check

1:14:29 through the legs. Tiny stares at ball

1:14:33 one.

1:14:33 >> Hot in Her by Nelly.

1:14:35 >> Walk-up song for Brett Loftis.

1:14:37 >> My senior year of high school.

1:14:41 I love Nelly, too, by the way.

1:14:42 >> Who doesn't?

1:14:44 >> I'm sure there's someone out there who

1:14:45 doesn't like Nelly. By the way, chat,

1:14:47 you will never guess. I want someone

1:14:48 [music] to try to guess this. The rapper

1:14:50 I saw in the city back in December

1:14:52 for the ACC Championship game as that

1:14:54 one goes foul again. You will never

1:14:55 [music] guess it. We've been talking

1:14:57 about rap here. You will never guess who

1:14:58 I saw here for the ACC title game.

1:15:00 Never.

1:15:01 >> Rick Ross.

1:15:02 >> I SAID CHAT.

1:15:03 >> OH.

1:15:04 It was the boss, Rick Ross.

1:15:07 Rick Ross.

1:15:09 >> And I was so fired up and then I had to

1:15:11 go to the game and then my heart was

1:15:12 broken in overtime.

1:15:15 Curveball. Sharp. Jordan Barth, heck of

1:15:17 a play. Throw over to first in time for

1:15:19 the second out. Armando does get up to

1:15:21 second, but boy, Jordan [music] Barth,

1:15:23 not a trick play, but that's a beauty.

1:15:25 >> That's just incredible, man. That's it's

1:15:27 an incredible incredible backhand there

1:15:28 from Jordan Barth. Not a trick play

1:15:30 nonetheless, but a really really really

1:15:32 just good baseball play if you will down

1:15:34 there at third for out number two.

1:15:35 [music]

1:15:36 >> That is a beautiful off-speed pitch, but

1:15:38 Peanut the wiser to it.

1:15:41 Highest average on the Firefighters and

1:15:43 swings at strike one, 388 for a good

1:15:45 portion of May.

1:15:47 He was hitting in the 400s. That one

1:15:48 sneaks inside.

1:15:49 >> I have good news for you, Zach.

1:15:51 >> Hello.

1:15:51 >> Someone just put in the comments, "These

1:15:53 announcers are so young."

1:15:55 Congratulations, Zach. You've been

1:15:57 called young again.

1:15:58 >> 31 in years, young in soul. Ball four,

1:16:01 sprint.

1:16:03 Mondo can race all the way around and

1:16:05 that will bring in the second point of

1:16:07 the game for the Firefighters. So,

1:16:09 Peanut

1:16:10 gets that OBP up a little bit more.

1:16:13 Another RBI comes in for Armando. Hey,

1:16:16 we're about to do some very [music] fun

1:16:18 stuff here

1:16:20 at home plate. Oh.

1:16:23 >> I just want to congratulate the

1:16:24 Firefighters on winning the game. I was

1:16:26 seeing great banana balls out there and

1:16:28 I guess we just couldn't get it done

1:16:30 this time.

1:16:31 Good luck on the rest of the game. I'm

1:16:32 rooting for you.

1:16:35 >> Thanks, Jimmy.

1:16:37 Appreciate you.

1:16:38 Firefighters have absolutely no idea

1:16:40 what just occurred. Mondo

1:16:43 says let's go back to the dugout. Okay,

1:16:45 words of encouragement. See, this is

1:16:46 Banana Ball.

1:16:48 We're all a family here at Moffitt.

1:16:49 We're all family in the tailgate and in

1:16:51 the fire station.

1:16:53 Austin Depples back out for another

1:16:55 inning of work.

1:16:59 And we need to go see about the

1:17:02 Charlotte Zoo.

1:17:04 >> Now in left field, here to get wild,

1:17:07 it's Kev.

1:17:08 >> Charlotte, I heard some terrible news

1:17:11 that you guys don't have a zoo. Is that

1:17:13 true?

1:17:16 You guys, I am so sorry, but you know

1:17:18 what? Here at Banana Ball, we like to

1:17:21 make the impossible happen. So, we

1:17:23 decided to bring the zoo to you. I found

1:17:26 these very sad kids that wanted to visit

1:17:30 a zoo. So, at this time, please welcome

1:17:33 our zoo animals.

1:17:37 We have a Dalmatian,

1:17:40 a sheep, I think. A sheep I think it's a

1:17:42 sheep. A pig, and a horse head.

1:17:46 Kids, feel free, enjoy the petting zoo.

1:17:50 Have fun. You've never been to a zoo,

1:17:52 but you know what? We shouldn't leave it

1:17:54 just to the kids. Charlotte, do you want

1:17:57 TO VISIT THE PETTING ZOO?

1:18:00 WE'RE GOING TO BRING THE PETTING zoo to

1:18:02 you.

1:18:08 Is that a sheep? I don't know.

1:18:22 >> Batting for the Tailgaters, number 11,

1:18:24 Mac Danfer.

1:18:28 >> Hello, Macadoodle.

1:18:29 What happened here? Bradford Webb has a

1:18:31 horse head on.

1:18:33 Of which

1:18:35 I don't know why.

1:18:38 I think I said that grammatically

1:18:39 incorrect anyway.

1:18:41 There are still children on the field.

1:18:42 Austin Temple cannot pitch with those

1:18:44 people out there.

1:18:45 Somebody is still riding

1:18:47 a I don't know who's in the pink onesie

1:18:50 out there. Oh, Johnny Hummel, 100%. Was

1:18:52 a youngster still riding on his back

1:18:54 getting off the field in the foul

1:18:55 territory.

1:18:56 >> Checks out.

1:18:57 Mac Danford sword, strike one.

1:19:00 >> Tell you what, Brett Sanchez was not

1:19:02 pleased with Trey Hudson walking off the

1:19:03 field there. He had some choice words

1:19:06 for a home plate umpire and

1:19:07 normally don't see such a blissful soul

1:19:10 as Sanchy get that irate coming off the

1:19:12 mound and he was to conclude that third

1:19:14 inning.

1:19:16 >> Quick go two hole for Danford.

1:19:18 >> [music]

1:19:19 >> Check over.

1:19:20 There was no swing according to our

1:19:22 first base umpire Brett Bullard.

1:19:26 So, we'll do this again. The one-two

1:19:30 Nothing offered there.

1:19:31 >> Zack, this sun is is atrocious right

1:19:33 now. It's blaming off of blaming

1:19:36 gleaming off of a skyscraper directly

1:19:38 over the center field fence.

1:19:40 This is jeez. I now know what The Weeknd

1:19:43 when he was talking about those blinding

1:19:45 lights, I understand now.

1:19:46 >> I usually don't wear my sunglasses while

1:19:48 we broadcast. I might have to do it

1:19:49 right now because I can't see a thing.

1:19:51 Wow, look at that.

1:19:53 >> You guys can't see what we're seeing. I

1:19:55 wish you could.

1:19:56 >> Oh, I feel so much better. Mac Danford

1:19:58 goes down with a K and that is

1:19:59 back-to-back strikeouts for Macadoodle

1:20:02 and all of a sudden Austin Temple is up

1:20:03 to four strikeouts tonight.

1:20:05 >> Yeah, including back-to-back. Got Jose

1:20:06 Brother Gonzalez looking to conclude the

1:20:08 top of the third right there. Just threw

1:20:10 that big old sweeper out of the zone and

1:20:11 got Mac to go for it. As now it's the

1:20:14 biggest, the largest, the belated

1:20:15 birthday boy, Taj Porter had a single

1:20:18 his first time up.

1:20:19 >> How old is Taj?

1:20:22 >> The biggest, the largest.

1:20:24 >> But like in numbers.

1:20:29 >> We'll find out here soon.

1:20:32 He he he I'm going to say 25, but I know

1:20:34 he's much older than that.

1:20:35 >> really hoping you were just going to say

1:20:36 the biggest the largest again and I

1:20:37 would just have to take my medicine.

1:20:38 >> Turned 28 yesterday. I just had to

1:20:39 confirm that. He was 28 years old

1:20:41 yesterday.

1:20:41 >> So, the biggest the largest.

1:20:44 1-1 biggest and the largest swing makes

1:20:46 it 1-2.

1:20:46 >> He's not older, he's just stronger

1:20:48 state.

1:20:49 >> Correct.

1:20:50 I did a leg workout today by the way.

1:20:52 I'm hoping to get quads as big as that

1:20:53 man. That seems impossible.

1:20:58 >> You're getting there.

1:20:59 >> I'm trying man. I did lunges. So,

1:21:00 Marshall Shields the one that's getting

1:21:02 me to work out a little bit more with

1:21:03 him. Boy.

1:21:05 And it's not for the weak of heart.

1:21:08 >> 2-2

1:21:09 Taj throws the bat out there. Tiny over

1:21:13 IN BETWEEN THE LEGS DOUBLE TRICK PLAY

1:21:15 AND EJ'S GOT himself a pair and the

1:21:17 Firefighters have taken a 6-5 lead in

1:21:20 the trick play column, but that's the

1:21:21 gift of being the home team. When you

1:21:23 can walk off innings, you limit the

1:21:25 damage for trick plays.

1:21:27 >> Yeah, only two outs recorded. Neither of

1:21:29 those trick plays in the home half of

1:21:30 the third right there. They get two

1:21:32 trick plays

1:21:34 on one play for out number two here in

1:21:35 the top of the fourth as it's given

1:21:37 Indiana Stanley.

1:21:40 >> Brett Loftis since the Banana Ball open

1:21:43 to say Indiana Stanley has been one of

1:21:44 the hotter bats and hotter players in

1:21:46 the league would be darn near an

1:21:48 understatement.

1:21:51 We showed that last week. 2-0 count make

1:21:54 it 3-0.

1:21:55 >> Yeah, he's been incredible. What India

1:21:57 has done since the Banana Ball open

1:21:59 hitting up near 300 had that big home

1:22:01 run in the ninth in Corpus Christi.

1:22:04 >> And he'll earn himself a ball four

1:22:05 sprint right here. The first one that

1:22:07 Austin Temple has issued

1:22:09 since he got up against Taylor Justice.

1:22:11 And so, with two outs, so runner aboard

1:22:13 here for the Gators.

1:22:15 >> Yeah, and for the captain Jordan Huze, a

1:22:16 big time spot. Fielder's choice and an

1:22:18 RBI for J5 in his first time up.

1:22:21 >> [music]

1:22:21 >> Keep the line moving.

1:22:23 To Zack Watts is what you're trying to

1:22:26 do here towards the top of the order.

1:22:28 Got to give AT credit man, he's settled

1:22:29 in in that top of third moving forward

1:22:31 here.

1:22:33 >> And Hussein has been an excellent clutch

1:22:35 batter especially with runners in

1:22:38 scoring position. He doesn't really have

1:22:39 to swing the bat either. A lot of ball

1:22:40 four sprints for J5.

1:22:43 Not just a glove magician.

1:22:45 That's Ryan Cox. Throw down.

1:22:48 Safe.

1:22:50 Wheels on Indiana Stanley showing right

1:22:51 there.

1:22:52 Tiny wants to skip her Val Perez get

1:22:54 challenge that.

1:22:57 Does Val go for it?

1:23:00 Oh.

1:23:02 Hello.

1:23:04 Yep. Val Perez will initiate a challenge

1:23:07 here Zach.

1:23:08 Tyner was very convicted in it as well.

1:23:10 I'm excited to see this replay.

1:23:15 >> Dalton Cornett saying I don't know to

1:23:17 Austin Temple probably in form of that.

1:23:21 >> And it's it's out number three here in

1:23:23 the top of the fourth. If it is

1:23:24 overturned, I think it's a good chance.

1:23:26 And it's a runner in scoring position if

1:23:28 he's safe. And boy, that is tighter than

1:23:30 we initially thought. I I mean from that

1:23:32 angle he looks out. Correct.

1:23:34 Let's see here. However, from this angle

1:23:36 you can't tell till the tags applied.

1:23:39 You can't tell the hands on the bag.

1:23:40 This should be able to tell us what we

1:23:41 need to know.

1:23:42 There's the guy right there. I think he

1:23:43 got him Zach. I think that's clear

1:23:45 enough evidence to overturn that call.

1:23:47 And Tyner usually with these players if

1:23:49 they come out that convicted, they got

1:23:51 something to stand on. And Tyner Hughes

1:23:53 clearly has something to stand on.

1:23:56 Umpires will take their time here on the

1:23:58 review.

1:23:59 And just for reference in Banana Ball,

1:24:01 it's not the the umpire who made the

1:24:03 challenge made the call. They don't go

1:24:05 over to the replay tent. It is the other

1:24:07 three infield umpires that will go over

1:24:10 to the challenge tent to see this. So,

1:24:12 there is no personal conflict in one way

1:24:14 or the other going over to the tent. So,

1:24:16 it's the second base umpire here Eric

1:24:17 Byrnes made the call. Trey Hudson, Brett

1:24:19 Buller, and Chris Walker over at the

1:24:20 tent. Seems as if they have a call,

1:24:22 Zach.

1:24:24 Firefighters infielders are further

1:24:25 reviewing towards dugout.

1:24:27 >> The call on the field has been

1:24:29 confirmed.

1:24:30 >> Woah.

1:24:31 >> The runner is safe at second.

1:24:33 >> with you, Zach. I mean, everybody knows

1:24:35 I'm a Tailgaters guy. That looked pretty

1:24:37 good. That Tyler got him before Indy

1:24:39 touched the bag. I I I really thought he

1:24:41 was out.

1:24:42 >> Verbiage is what got me there.

1:24:44 >> If you say it stands cuz you don't think

1:24:45 you have the angle, that's that's

1:24:46 understood. I don't know how you confirm

1:24:48 it there.

1:24:50 Confirming means that there's no [music]

1:24:52 doubt he was safe, and I think there's

1:24:53 plenty of doubt he was safe.

1:24:55 But either way, it's a 1-1 count now to

1:24:57 J5 with a runner in scoring position.

1:24:59 That is a dribbler that goes foul. And

1:25:01 those have gone against the Firefighters

1:25:03 a lot this year, to say the least,

1:25:05 including like 15 of them against the

1:25:07 Kokanuts.

1:25:09 But this is not the beach. This is the

1:25:11 tailgate.

1:25:13 Jordan Hussein, the first Tailgater to

1:25:15 get to 100 trick plays. Bow the Beavers

1:25:16 on a roof with Grubbs, who's going to

1:25:18 come into frame here shortly.

1:25:21 Potentially.

1:25:22 >> Yeah, Grubbs up there with him. I I'm

1:25:24 looking at it in real time. Other those

1:25:25 guys.

1:25:27 >> Danger seekers.

1:25:31 That's one of the things I've been asked

1:25:32 more. What has Bow gotten himself up to

1:25:34 this weekend? Well, that's a good start.

1:25:36 Up on the roof.

1:25:40 And he go round. OH, YEAH, HE DID. RING

1:25:42 HIM UP. THAT IS FIVE STRIKEOUTS FOR

1:25:45 AUSTIN TEMPLE.

1:25:47 SO, AFTER A dreadful top of the first

1:25:49 inning, AT, FIVE STRIKEOUTS IN FOUR

1:25:52 innings of work, he has been magic for

1:25:55 the Firefighters tonight. And from magic

1:25:57 on the mound to magic with you, our

1:26:00 friends. It is time for a tradition

1:26:02 unlike any other where we lift our hands

1:26:04 up

1:26:05 and we say hello to a SMALL CHILD.

1:26:08 >> BABY.

1:26:13 CLAP THOSE HANDS, CHARLOTTE.

1:26:19 >> [cheering]

1:26:22 >> WAVE THOSE ARMS.

1:26:28 OOH, AH.

1:26:34 You look great, Charlotte.

1:26:42 Ooh, ah.

1:26:50 Start clapping those hands.

1:27:04 Wave those arms.

1:27:17 One more time, Charlotte.

1:27:29 What?

1:27:30 Huh?

1:27:31 >> Yeah.

1:27:31 >> Charlotte, give yourselves a big round

1:27:33 of applause.

1:27:34 >> that horse head that Bradford was

1:27:35 wearing right there, and I just turned

1:27:37 into it. Hey, Rex Castillo

1:27:39 is on the field with a fan who's got an

1:27:41 unbelievable story. Rex Castillo.

1:27:45 >> Hey to you.

1:27:45 >> Hey guys, Denice Roethlisberger turns 50

1:27:48 years young today. Has been a K Clubber

1:27:50 since 2023. Of all places you wanted to

1:27:53 be, why a banana ball game?

1:27:54 >> Uh, cuz it's just my happy place.

1:27:57 >> Nice and simple. Loafy, for doing it for

1:27:58 fans like this, how special is it to put

1:28:00 on a show like this for fans like this?

1:28:02 >> Everywhere we go, it's something new

1:28:03 every time. And seeing fans come to the

1:28:05 game for the first time is super

1:28:06 special. And uh, obviously hosting our K

1:28:09 Clubbers that have been here for a

1:28:09 while, it makes it even more special.

1:28:11 So, having everyone together puts it all

1:28:13 together easy.

1:28:15 >> This is why we do it, guys. A smile from

1:28:17 coast to coast. Guys, back to you.

1:28:18 >> So, I have gotten to meet Miss today on

1:28:20 multiple occasions. First time was on

1:28:23 Banana Land at Sea. Second time was when

1:28:24 we played at Chapel Hill this year. And

1:28:26 obviously got to talk to her at Banana

1:28:27 Ball backstage today.

1:28:29 Always such a blissful soul to get to

1:28:31 interact with. She's here with her

1:28:32 sister and a bunch of family today.

1:28:33 Happy 50th birthday to her. Don't look a

1:28:35 day over 29.

1:28:37 >> Dalton Cornett, DEEP RIGHT FIELD WITH

1:28:40 HIS FATHER IN ATTENDANCE, THE MAYOR OF

1:28:42 PITT FOR PASSES, GOES YARD.

1:28:50 The second pitch of the inning and DC-3

1:28:54 GETS HIS SECOND BIG FLY OF THE YEAR.

1:28:59 DALTON CORNETT, HOW DO YOU DO? IT'S A

1:29:02 3-1 Firefighter lead.

1:29:10 Give me that kick, Dalton Cornett. So

1:29:13 beautiful. Firefighters, multiple home

1:29:16 runs again this week and DC knew it as

1:29:19 soon as it left his bat.

1:29:21 Only question was, did that one leave

1:29:23 the yard or did it leave the stadium

1:29:26 entirely?

1:29:28 Dalton Cornett, a run for glory to a

1:29:30 buzz run.

1:29:31 >> And now, out in center field, here's

1:29:34 Ryan Stone Lampert.

1:29:36 >> Charlotte, the NBA finals have started

1:29:38 and unfortunately, the Charlotte Hornets

1:29:41 aren't playing. But we've got two fans

1:29:42 down here on the field who are ready to

1:29:44 show their support. But there can only

1:29:47 be one biggest fan. So, they're about to

1:29:49 have a little race. But this race is

1:29:51 different. They're going to go one at a

1:29:52 time and they're going to buzz into the

1:29:54 microphone and run as far as they can.

1:29:56 Whichever one goes the furthest will be

1:29:58 our winner and the loser, well, they are

1:30:01 getting a buzz cut.

1:30:03 This is the buzzed run. Kyle, he's going

1:30:06 to go first. He's going to start buzzing

1:30:08 and running in 3 2 1 go.

1:30:18 Right there, just in front of second

1:30:20 base. Eric, you know the mark to beat.

1:30:22 If you get by him, you win. If not,

1:30:24 we're buzzing all your hair off. He's

1:30:26 going to start buzzing and running in 3

1:30:28 2 1 go.

1:30:38 Oh my goodness.

1:30:41 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

1:30:43 Eric is your winner, WHICH MEANS KYLE,

1:30:45 IT'S TIME TO GET a buzz cut.

1:30:48 Let's go to the chair.

1:30:50 >> What?

1:30:51 >> You know, they do call Charlotte the

1:30:53 Buzz City.

1:30:53 >> All righty, Kyle, you and that mullet

1:30:55 >> They really do.

1:30:56 >> a seat right there and let's

1:30:57 >> who's about to get a buzz cut to a guy

1:30:59 we're all buzzed about here in the

1:31:00 firehouse. Brian Trepanier, again, if

1:31:03 you have a problem with Brian Trepanier,

1:31:04 it's because you are at fault. You're

1:31:06 the problem. Everybody on the Texas

1:31:08 Tailgaters loves him. Everybody on the

1:31:10 Firefighters loves him. Of course, last

1:31:11 year a member of the Texas Tailgaters,

1:31:13 this year picked up in the off season

1:31:15 after Ron Franklin's unfortunate injury,

1:31:17 comes in for the Firefighters, and he's

1:31:19 darn near been been one of the best

1:31:20 relievers in the sport. 180 ERA, and he

1:31:23 just finds ways to get out of damage. A

1:31:25 ton of unearned runs against him. BK.

1:31:28 >> Oh my gosh.

1:31:32 Oh lord.

1:31:32 >> As if we didn't know, our producer

1:31:34 Mohawk Mike says this is the loser of

1:31:35 the buzz run.

1:31:36 >> Thank you, Mike.

1:31:37 >> Thank you for pointing out the obvious

1:31:38 to us there.

1:31:39 >> [laughter]

1:31:40 >> I wondered why he was getting his hair

1:31:42 cut. Right up Kyle's alley. Thank you so

1:31:43 much, Mike.

1:31:45 >> My question is, how did they determine

1:31:47 who won and lost that?

1:31:49 >> No clue.

1:31:49 >> Well, it was based off of how far you

1:31:51 could buzz. [music]

1:31:52 >> Oh, okay.

1:31:52 >> Mohawk Mike also asked that question as

1:31:54 well.

1:31:54 >> Good.

1:31:55 >> good.

1:31:55 >> Down south with Mohawk Mike. I get to

1:31:56 work with him almost every single week,

1:31:58 and I just had to incorporate him there.

1:32:00 If y'all all only hear some of the

1:32:01 things he says in my ears to me,

1:32:03 goodness gracious. One of the best

1:32:04 producers in in our sport, man.

1:32:10 This one hit out of play behind us.

1:32:12 Three to one ball game, by the way.

1:32:13 Three to one ball game. Firefighters

1:32:15 have won each of the last three innings

1:32:17 after the Tailgaters won the first. Two

1:32:19 out of three of those have been walked

1:32:20 off by home runs. One by Dalton Cornett,

1:32:22 the other

1:32:23 by Darian McDowell. Logan Lacy [music]

1:32:25 diving out for it, won't get it. And

1:32:26 Zach Watson is back aboard with his

1:32:28 first hit of the night.

1:32:29 >> You know, Zach, this what top of the

1:32:30 fifth inning, already the third time

1:32:32 through the order, and Nick Lopez has

1:32:34 something special.

1:32:50 >> [music and singing]

1:33:13 [music]

1:33:25 >> So, if you guys will look down at the

1:33:26 field,

1:33:27 he's having to be dragged to home plate

1:33:30 because he doesn't want to go home. He,

1:33:32 being an outlaw, straying away ever so

1:33:34 slightly to Miranda Lambert

1:33:37 because he doesn't want TO GO HOME. NOW,

1:33:39 he's going to hit with his bat upside

1:33:41 down and his helmet on backwards. Why,

1:33:42 you may be asking, as Zach Watson takes

1:33:45 off for second, and they're safely.

1:33:47 Lopey is about to be in the splash zone.

1:33:51 And there it went, right in the

1:33:53 background.

1:33:56 >> Caden is trying his absolute darnest to

1:33:58 get Zach [music] Watson's foot off there

1:33:59 and now Lopi has to take a face full of

1:34:01 water

1:34:02 and try to go to AB. This is first at

1:34:05 bat by the way since the first [music]

1:34:06 inning was pinch hit by Jason Hart.

1:34:09 Thank you, Brett Loftis.

1:34:11 One of the rare times I wasn't loud

1:34:12 enough in my life.

1:34:14 2-0 count.

1:34:16 Fouled off. Anybody in the crowd have a

1:34:17 chance for it? Nope.

1:34:20 He was really

1:34:21 really cool as they go crazy came off a

1:34:24 bounce. There's a fire truck with all of

1:34:26 its lights illuminating out beyond left

1:34:29 field. Yep. Really cool what the city of

1:34:30 Charlotte has done for us here in the

1:34:32 batter's box. Really cool what the

1:34:33 Charlotte Fire Department's doing. Lopi,

1:34:36 is this cool?

1:34:37 It's into the stands foul.

1:34:41 I can't wait for about another 30 to 45

1:34:43 minutes from now when the sun goes down

1:34:44 and this place is illuminated. It is one

1:34:46 of the most beautiful backdrops in all

1:34:48 of sports.

1:34:50 >> [music]

1:34:51 >> 2-2. Oh my gracious, BK. Thought he had

1:34:55 himself strike out number one. Instead,

1:34:57 [music] ball four sprint with an RBI

1:34:59 attached to it is on the table. There

1:35:01 have been some gripes from pitchers on

1:35:04 both sides tonight.

1:35:05 Mhm.

1:35:08 Lopi will make sure the ball four sprint

1:35:10 is not applied. Darian McDowell looping

1:35:12 backwards. He ran backwards. Joe

1:35:13 Mikulik's going to send Zach Watson home

1:35:16 and that's a good decision. It's the

1:35:17 first run for the Tailgaters since the

1:35:20 top of the second inning.

1:35:24 It's good piece hit from Lopi. And and

1:35:26 with the ball four sprint defense it

1:35:27 actually kind of played in the benefit

1:35:28 of the firefighters. That might be in

1:35:30 the gap and an extra base hit otherwise.

1:35:32 BK's obviously very upset as was Brett

1:35:34 Sanchez during his outing. The pitchers

1:35:36 have not been pleased with Trey Hudson's

1:35:37 strike zone.

1:35:39 And I don't say that to be disrespectful

1:35:41 as Kyle Martin had wanted to know. It's

1:35:42 just clearly obvious that the pitchers

1:35:44 have not been thrilled this far this

1:35:46 evening. Correct.

1:35:47 BK does not usually get that animated

1:35:50 with an umpire as Kyle Martin swings

1:35:51 through, strike one there.

1:35:54 >> He's He's very level-headed, BK is.

1:35:57 >> This guy was with each and every game

1:35:59 last year. I've never seen Brian

1:36:01 Trepanier once show anything other than

1:36:03 positive emotion out there on the bump.

1:36:04 And right there, showing a little bit of

1:36:05 frustration after giving up that RBI

1:36:07 single.

1:36:08 >> That's just his second earned run he's

1:36:09 given up all year.

1:36:11 You can UNDERSTAND WHY HE'S FRUSTRATED.

1:36:12 EJ STEPS OVER AT FIRST, GOES BEHIND THE

1:36:15 BACK, and tags out Nick Lopez. And that

1:36:18 will count as a trick play cuz he went

1:36:20 behind the back.

1:36:21 >> [music]

1:36:21 >> And that's an important one. Savvy

1:36:23 veteran move there from Eric Jones Jr.

1:36:27 >> Yeah, unassisted double play, by the

1:36:30 way.

1:36:31 As EJ stepped on the bag.

1:36:36 And then he went behind the back. I

1:36:37 don't know actually if that'll end up

1:36:38 counting as a trick play.

1:36:39 >> Let's find out. I'll wait for this. Ball

1:36:40 never left his hand. That'll be

1:36:42 interesting to see what our official

1:36:43 scorer, Blake O'Hara, rules there.

1:36:45 >> I said trick play. I might have jumped

1:36:46 the gun. They have put it on the board

1:36:47 here as a trick play, so that must mean

1:36:50 that Blake O'Hara has ruled it a trick

1:36:51 play, but we'll find out here officially

1:36:54 in just a couple of moments. But that's

1:36:55 a big-time

1:36:57 unassisted double play because now bases

1:37:00 are clear and it's just one run of

1:37:01 damage given up so far by by Brian

1:37:04 Trepanier. I can't say his full name. I

1:37:05 used to call him BK.

1:37:07 >> Barth off the hands. Chance for a

1:37:10 big-time play [music] here from

1:37:11 Showtime. Tip drill. PEANUT UNDER THE

1:37:14 LEGS. HOW DO YOU DO?

1:37:17 YOU CAN CALL THEM BOTH IN.

1:37:20 AND THE TIP DRILL goes good for the

1:37:22 Firefighters. They give up just one run

1:37:24 of damage and give up no more. And it's

1:37:27 a one-nothing lead for the Tailgaters

1:37:29 going into the bottom half. It's a free

1:37:31 trick play inning for the Firefighters

1:37:33 as we bang on the drum all day with the

1:37:35 fire line.

1:37:44 >> All clear. All clear. All units.

1:37:49 Fire line.

1:37:50 all plane.

1:39:12 >> [cheering]

1:39:20 >> Bob the Beaver sitting on the ledge in

1:39:22 Charlotte, North Carolina.

1:39:25 >> Can we just pan out and see see exactly

1:39:29 how high up he is if we might?

1:39:30 >> Oh my lord!

1:39:33 He's standing atop his head.

1:39:35 >> Guys, just just one moment here. Let's

1:39:38 You guys are going to see how high in

1:39:39 sky he is.

1:39:39 >> Oh my Oh my god.

1:39:41 >> Yeah.

1:39:43 >> The ribbon board that sits atop the

1:39:45 bottom bowl.

1:39:46 >> Mhm.

1:39:46 >> You guys can see why we may be so

1:39:49 afraid.

1:39:49 >> Yeah, 100%.

1:39:51 >> Hey, Brett Sanchez back out on the mound

1:39:53 here.

1:39:54 Beginning the fifth inning for the Texas

1:39:57 Tailgaters. He's allowed three straight

1:39:58 walk-offs to the Firefighters.

1:40:01 >> Part of the reason why he might be out

1:40:02 here is his pitch count is really low

1:40:04 for going into the fifth inning. Just 55

1:40:06 44, excuse me, given up here as we go

1:40:08 into the bottom half of the fourth or

1:40:09 fifth inning.

1:40:10 >> I can't talk.

1:40:11 >> Because of all those walk-offs, Zach.

1:40:12 That's why his pitch count is so low.

1:40:13 Inevitably, you know, gave up the

1:40:14 walk-off ball for Sprint, Caden Green,

1:40:17 to conclude the third. And then

1:40:19 three pitches in in the fourth, gives up

1:40:21 a walk-off home run to Dalton Cornett.

1:40:23 So, that is why we have seen that thus

1:40:25 far.

1:40:27 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Steak

1:40:30 sting won't even do it. He's been

1:40:32 extremely frustrated tonight. He's one

1:40:34 of the grittiest pitchers in the middle

1:40:35 of an extremely competitive. And right

1:40:37 there you see it in him. He's just happy

1:40:39 to get it back on the scoreboard.

1:40:40 Doesn't even go to his signature

1:40:41 celebration.

1:40:43 ERIC JONES JR. LIFTED UP IN UH shallow

1:40:47 left-center field. Zach Watson dropped

1:40:49 it.

1:40:50 It'll go down as a trick play missed. EJ

1:40:51 is halfway [music] to second.

1:40:53 But he will reach for the second time

1:40:55 tonight. But that one is a trick play

1:40:56 missed.

1:40:56 >> And you're seeing for the first time in

1:40:57 a long time this year

1:41:00 >> Brett.

1:41:02 I want you to put A PIN IN THAT EXACTLY

1:41:04 WHERE YOU LEFT IT CUZ CHIEF IS HERE WITH

1:41:05 A BLACK BANDANA AND HE'S GOT A BAT.

1:41:09 THAT is just beautiful. Brett, continue

1:41:10 what you were saying.

1:41:11 >> You see it for the first time in a long

1:41:12 time this year that another team is

1:41:14 applying [music] pressure on the

1:41:15 Tailgaters when it comes TO TRICK PLAYS.

1:41:17 >> LAMAR SPARKS RIGHT BACK TO THE SAME

1:41:20 PLACE. INDIANA STANLEY.

1:41:25 LEAPING play as Smoke gets back to

1:41:27 first.

1:41:31 Air Indy.

1:41:33 As the Superman sound plays because it's

1:41:36 the superstar in center field for the

1:41:39 Tailgaters.

1:41:40 >> I thought Lamar Sparks just had

1:41:43 a fist straight series with a home run.

1:41:44 Foul ball.

1:41:46 No catch.

1:41:47 >> It's caught by a seat. Does that count?

1:41:49 >> No.

1:41:49 >> I mean, real good catch by that seat

1:41:51 over there.

1:41:51 >> Unless it's Donnie Allen dressed as a

1:41:53 seat.

1:41:54 >> Well,

1:41:56 Mason fights that one off into left

1:41:58 [music] field. That will fall. Smoke is

1:42:00 going to third.

1:42:02 And that's a good test as he goes to the

1:42:05 corner. And there are runners on the

1:42:06 corners with two away. Mason Maxwell has

1:42:08 another hit tonight.

1:42:10 >> You know, regardless of what happens

1:42:11 here, Tailgaters up one to nothing in

1:42:13 the inning. A guy who has already hit a

1:42:14 two-run walk-off jack tonight, and

1:42:16 you're down by four trick plays. There's

1:42:18 a multitude of different ways either

1:42:20 this out number three could happen, or

1:42:21 potentially point number four for the

1:42:23 Firefighters.

1:42:26 >> On to the outside part. With the

1:42:28 Firefighters leading in trick plays,

1:42:29 boy, this is a huge [music] opportunity

1:42:31 to get some insurance.

1:42:33 As that one will trickle into the fans

1:42:36 and off the hands of a bananas fan with

1:42:39 a Tailgater hat.

1:42:40 >> Nope, more importantly, he's wearing

1:42:41 yellow though.

1:42:42 It's the most important fact you stated

1:42:44 there, Zach Staten.

1:42:45 >> And he didn't bring his glove.

1:42:47 >> He had a hat, too. He could have had a

1:42:48 trick play there.

1:42:49 >> Said he won't.

1:42:50 >> Darian leans out, won't go for it.

1:42:52 >> For those wondering at home, fans cannot

1:42:54 have trick plays. For those wondering at

1:42:55 home,

1:42:56 >> I wish, but Josh Lewsey.

1:42:58 >> DARIAN MCDOWELL GETS THAT CLUB HEAD OUT

1:43:00 THERE, BUT ZACH WATSON

1:43:02 >> [music]

1:43:02 >> is at the track, and the Texas

1:43:04 Tailgaters get a point on the board for

1:43:06 the first time since the first inning,

1:43:07 and make it a 3-2 game.

1:43:09 >> It's big, man. I mean, normally Watty's

1:43:10 probably going to go for a backflip

1:43:12 catch, a tip drill right there. But if

1:43:13 you allow that run to come home to

1:43:14 score, the inning pushes, and then if

1:43:16 you allow that ball to get too far past

1:43:18 you, the Firefighters could win the

1:43:19 inning. And instead, you just make the

1:43:20 catch regularly, still trail by four

1:43:22 trick plays, but only trail now three

1:43:24 [music] points to two.

1:43:29 >> Guided by steady leadership, deep

1:43:31 operational expertise, and a commitment

1:43:34 to strengthening both his team and the

1:43:37 broader organization. As the commanding

1:43:39 officer of Rescue 10 on C shift, he has

1:43:43 played a pivotal role in advancing

1:43:45 specialized capabilities, including

1:43:48 helping establish the department's urban

1:43:50 search and rescue program, and expanding

1:43:53 floodwater rescue initiatives across

1:43:55 North Carolina.

1:43:57 Throughout his career, Rogers has shaped

1:43:59 generations of firefighters through his

1:44:01 work in training and mentorship,

1:44:04 emphasizing teamwork, continuous

1:44:06 learning, and a steadfast focus on

1:44:08 safety.

1:44:10 The 2025 officer of the year has served

1:44:13 your community at the Charlotte Fire

1:44:15 Department for nearly 40 years.

1:44:20 FANS, PLEASE JOIN US IN CELEBRATING our

1:44:23 firefighter of the night, Captain Jerry

1:44:26 Rogers.

1:44:32 >> Jerry Rogers has spent four decades of

1:44:36 his life serving this great community in

1:44:39 the Charlotte Fire Department, earning

1:44:41 the rank of captain in the process. A

1:44:43 salute to him and all of the great

1:44:45 firefighters here

1:44:47 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and around

1:44:49 our country and world watching tonight.

1:44:51 Brian Trappaniere back out on the mound

1:44:53 for a second inning of work. Again, both

1:44:55 pitchers, all three that have come in

1:44:57 tonight, have had some former fashion of

1:45:00 some frustration coming through. [music]

1:45:03 But BK going to try to stretch this one

1:45:05 out into the seventh inning. Surrendered

1:45:07 a point for the first time in a long

1:45:09 time,

1:45:11 and easily negate it right here.

1:45:13 >> Yeah, the only two runs BK's conceded

1:45:15 this year have come both against the

1:45:16 Tailgaters, against his former squad,

1:45:18 and

1:45:19 conceded that last one in the fifth, RBI

1:45:21 single, got squeezed a little bit on

1:45:23 what he thought should have been a

1:45:24 called strike three. However, now he

1:45:27 gets an opportunity against a couple at

1:45:29 least of his former teammates as a guy

1:45:30 who caught him a lot last year, Taylor

1:45:32 Justice, saluting him as he steps in the

1:45:34 box against him. Taylor having a really

1:45:35 good night. RBI single and a ball four

1:45:36 sprint thus far.

1:45:38 >> Wow.

1:45:39 Wow.

1:45:41 You know, there's something called

1:45:42 middle middle in our great sport.

1:45:45 And a ball.

1:45:48 >> Justice watches that one go low. Again,

1:45:50 [music]

1:45:50 that's the cool part of this is the

1:45:52 Tailgaters and Firefighters have a ton

1:45:53 of respect for each other, but when you

1:45:54 see

1:45:55 >> BK up there,

1:45:56 it's just it takes it up a notch even

1:45:58 more.

1:45:59 >> These guys love him. I mean, he was a

1:46:01 locker room favorite last year and you

1:46:02 can still see that this year.

1:46:05 >> Taylor Justice, [music] my goodness.

1:46:07 Thought that one would have been a

1:46:08 strike. Instead, Taylor Justice didn't

1:46:10 put the bat on his shoulder. It's a ball

1:46:12 four sprint.

1:46:14 Tex Tailgaters have another one aboard.

1:46:15 DJ has been on all three times he's

1:46:18 approached the plate tonight.

1:46:19 >> Yeah, a couple ball four sprints now for

1:46:21 him. That's how he's made his money this

1:46:22 year. OBP still over 500 because of how

1:46:25 many ball four sprints he's able to

1:46:26 draw. And now the man they call brother,

1:46:28 who's over two tonight,

1:46:30 at the dish.

1:46:33 >> That is five straight balls that BK has

1:46:36 thrown to start out the second inning.

1:46:37 Ben Dom is loosening up in the bullpen.

1:46:42 >> And finally,

1:46:43 a strike on the board.

1:46:46 Sometimes you just go palms up

1:46:48 and wonder what could have been.

1:46:50 >> [music]

1:46:52 >> Lofted into center field. Mondo racing

1:46:54 in.

1:46:55 >> Does he have something special?

1:46:56 Drill? Yes, you do. Right into the bread

1:46:59 basket.

1:47:00 >> Make it a nine to five lead for Trick

1:47:02 Please. I believe they did end up taking

1:47:04 the trick play from EJ off the board. So

1:47:06 now it's nine to five.

1:47:07 >> Brett Loftis brought up a great point.

1:47:09 Ball never left his hand. Our official

1:47:11 scorekeeper, Blake O'Hearn, goes back,

1:47:13 reviews it, and decides that he's right.

1:47:15 So EJ's trick play comes off the board

1:47:16 [music] in the top of the fifth, but

1:47:17 Mondo gets what right back.

1:47:23 >> Still cool play by EJ Nunez. He had an

1:47:24 unassisted double play, which you just

1:47:26 don't see very often in the sport of

1:47:27 baseball or of arena ball.

1:47:31 Mack Danford has one of the coolest

1:47:32 walk-up songs in the sport, Return of

1:47:34 the Mack. He also has back-to-back Ks

1:47:36 tonight to start out his evening.

1:47:38 Would love to change that here.

1:47:42 That is a beautiful ball right at the

1:47:44 belt.

1:47:49 Taylor Justice aboard at first.

1:47:51 One away.

1:47:55 Hit a 3-1 count.

1:47:58 Walked by Mack yesterday. He was going

1:47:59 out to get some dinner. By the way, he

1:48:01 chose QDOBA.

1:48:03 Local Charlotte residents says that's a

1:48:05 ball for Sprint. No free ads, of course.

1:48:09 No.

1:48:10 Not at all.

1:48:12 I'm I'm being honest with you. It's my

1:48:14 third favorite out of all of those kinds

1:48:15 of restaurants. I don't I haven't eaten

1:48:17 QDOBA since 2013.

1:48:18 >> Wow.

1:48:20 The biggest, the largest, Taj Porter.

1:48:23 Man, I don't know what happened there.

1:48:25 He's got a single on his line tonight.

1:48:27 >> [laughter]

1:48:28 [music]

1:48:32 >> Taj last week

1:48:34 went yard off of Jovan Rey, good friend

1:48:37 of his.

1:48:40 Going to get a birthday bash here.

1:48:43 Might have just done it. Darian McDowell

1:48:47 backing up, leaping to make the grab on

1:48:48 the track. It will result in a run

1:48:50 coming in, but Taj Porter, boy, he put

1:48:53 everything he had in that 28-year-old

1:48:55 body into that swing.

1:48:58 Really good piece of hitting, man. I

1:48:59 know Taj is going to be frustrated about

1:49:01 that output.

1:49:02 You know, Taj has been wanting some more

1:49:03 long balls. Thought he had that one. We

1:49:05 thought he had that one. Great play by

1:49:06 Darian. But nonetheless, bottom line is

1:49:09 Tailgaters played another run. First

1:49:11 time they played it on back-to-back

1:49:12 innings since the first and second

1:49:13 tonight.

1:49:14 And it's come against an elite reliever

1:49:17 for the Firefighters in BK.

1:49:19 Getting some frustrations aside,

1:49:21 he has been able to get out of some

1:49:22 damage with the help of his defense as

1:49:24 you saw right there from Darian

1:49:25 McDowell. Did not like that pitch call.

1:49:29 Where have we heard that before?

1:49:33 Indiana Stanley reached on a single and

1:49:35 a ball for sprint tonight trying to make

1:49:36 it three for three.

1:49:46 Jacob Peppersick now running at first.

1:49:48 [music]

1:49:50 And again with the designated runner,

1:49:52 you can use it one time through the

1:49:53 order. So, Pip running in place of

1:49:55 Taylor Justice after Taj Porter made

1:49:57 that last out.

1:50:02 Wow.

1:50:04 That's a ball for sprint inside.

1:50:07 And BK is

1:50:09 not happy at all.

1:50:13 Jacob Peppersick all the way to third.

1:50:14 Runners on the corners.

1:50:16 Texas Tailgaters threatening again. BK,

1:50:18 you can see it there, man.

1:50:19 >> Man, you I've never seen him upset on

1:50:21 the mound. Seriously. I mean, out of all

1:50:23 the outings he made in the blue and

1:50:24 orange last year and now this year for

1:50:25 the Firefighters, that's just not a guy

1:50:27 who gets upset. And now with two outs in

1:50:29 the inning, it's going to be the 2025

1:50:31 Anaball Pitcher of the Year who won the

1:50:32 Anaball game, Ben Dunn III.

1:50:35 >> This man was locked in in Scranton

1:50:38 through four innings all scoreless. Then

1:50:40 last week through a scoreless Thursday

1:50:42 night appearance and then was walked off

1:50:44 in the [music] eighth inning

1:50:47 on a Friday night. But, when Ben Dunn

1:50:49 III's slider's moving, when his stuff is

1:50:51 grooving,

1:50:52 you know what he can do. Pitcher of the

1:50:54 Year [music] last year with a 3 minute

1:50:55 11 seconds MPI and Jordan Hussein gladly

1:50:58 offers at the first one.

1:51:00 This is a big one here for the

1:51:01 Firefighters. Again, you only got a run

1:51:04 of damage to negate right now if you can

1:51:06 get out of the inning. But, J5 is a

1:51:08 difficult out to be we

1:51:12 >> Trick pitch.

1:51:14 Fans, hello.

1:51:17 Oh my lord, a fan had it in their hands

1:51:21 and they've dropped it.

1:51:22 >> Guy was sitting down, too. All he had to

1:51:24 do was bring it in the bread basket,

1:51:25 man.

1:51:27 >> Oh, we're trying to trick pitch again?

1:51:29 HUSSAIN, LEFT FIELD, ADAM LAND, ONE RUN

1:51:33 CAME backwards trotting, another run

1:51:35 racing around from first and Indiana

1:51:37 Stanley. It is an RBI double

1:51:40 for Jordan Hussain.

1:51:42 >> OH, CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN.

1:51:45 Two-run double.

1:51:48 Tailgaters have now played in three here

1:51:50 in the inning.

1:51:52 And that's big, man. Jordan Hussain gets

1:51:54 going down there in that dent hole, hit

1:51:55 right around 300 right now. Table set up

1:51:57 for the top of the order here in Zack

1:51:58 Watson.

1:51:59 >> WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1:52:00 >> PEANUTS!

1:52:01 >> [cheering]

1:52:03 >> YES, SIR. WHAT A PLAY FROM the

1:52:04 shortstop. But three runs come across in

1:52:07 the top of the sixth and the

1:52:08 Firefighters are going to have to get on

1:52:10 their horse here going into the bottom

1:52:12 half of the sixth as Brett Sanchez is

1:52:14 coming out again.

1:52:16 He is absolutely trying everything he

1:52:18 can to will this one back into his hands

1:52:21 here and the Tailgaters have given him a

1:52:23 heck of a top of the sixth, Caden Green.

1:52:26 >> He's an elite shortstop, man. It's not

1:52:27 just cuz of the trick plays, it's cuz of

1:52:29 things like that.

1:52:31 >> Speaking of trick plays,

1:52:32 Tailgaters sure could use them right

1:52:34 now. I mean, trailing nine to five in

1:52:36 that category, it's been Peanut and

1:52:38 Donny Hughes leading the charge up the

1:52:39 middle here for the Firefighters. It has

1:52:41 been absolutely incredible what we've

1:52:43 seen. We We know at the top of the show,

1:52:44 Sunshine was four away entering this one

1:52:47 getting to 100 on the year. Sunshine

1:52:50 hadn't gotten a trick play since then.

1:52:52 The Tailgaters could really use them,

1:52:53 but it's more of an odd, the reason the

1:52:55 best trick play team in Banana Ball only

1:52:58 has five of them tonight cuz of how good

1:53:00 the Firefighters defense, or excuse me,

1:53:02 [music] offense and defense have been

1:53:04 here this evening. So, nine to five, the

1:53:06 Firefighters lead the trick play battle

1:53:09 thus far in our in the driver's seat in

1:53:11 the gate the equalizer point. Something

1:53:13 the Tailgaters have won five times this

1:53:16 year more than anybody else in Banana

1:53:17 Ball.

1:53:19 >> But,

1:53:20 if they're going to have a special

1:53:21 inning,

1:53:23 then why wouldn't we start it off

1:53:25 with something incredibly special here

1:53:29 for one of North Carolina's sons,

1:53:32 for one of the very best to ever do it

1:53:36 in Banana Ball.

1:53:38 Who might it be?

1:53:41 The anticipation builds.

1:54:48 >> Three Bridges gave him a standing

1:54:49 ovation.

1:54:51 >> D-Mac fights this one off up THE MIDDLE,

1:54:53 SUNSHINE. OH!

1:54:55 >> [screaming]

1:54:56 >> JONATHAN SUNSHINE LOAISIGA'S

1:54:59 second trick play OF THE BALLGAME.

1:55:02 BUCKET.

1:55:04 THAT'S INCREDIBLE

1:55:05 from Sonny.

1:55:08 THAT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN HIM DO

1:55:09 THAT this year. Wow.

1:55:14 >> He's got a stiff arm up in this press

1:55:16 box. We were all so excited.

1:55:18 That's a heck of a play.

1:55:20 Putting future children at risk for that

1:55:22 one. Mondo, right through the gap in the

1:55:25 right field for a base knock. That's his

1:55:27 second single on the evening.

1:55:29 >> Telling you something. Volume hitters at

1:55:30 Staten, you let that guy stay in the

1:55:32 lineup, he will continue to do what he's

1:55:35 been doing past few games against these

1:55:36 Texas Tailgaters. Armando Becerra is one

1:55:39 of the best players [music] in Madera

1:55:40 ball. Just continue to let him stay in

1:55:42 this lineup and he'll continue to heat

1:55:43 up like he has been.

1:55:45 >> Mondo is a weapon on the base paths and

1:55:47 Tyner Hughes on the very next pitch goes

1:55:49 right over to the opposite side, [music]

1:55:51 a left field single. And so, Mondo will

1:55:53 move up from fire station to fire

1:55:55 station and Tyner Hughes gets first hit

1:55:57 on the evening.

1:55:59 And now,

1:56:00 might we see a bit of peanut power here?

1:56:07 That is a 70

1:56:09 1 mile an hour curveball.

1:56:11 >> If that. I think you're being a little

1:56:12 generous there, [music] Zach.

1:56:14 >> I started with a seven and I was like, I

1:56:16 can't say 70.

1:56:17 I'll have to say seven. [music] That

1:56:18 seems disrespectful. So, I just

1:56:20 committed to it. Peanut,

1:56:21 opposite field. Kmart, giving it a

1:56:23 chase. Can he get there? NO, HE CAN'T.

1:56:25 AND THAT BOUNCES INTO THE SEATS.

1:56:29 THEY CALL THAT FOUL? There's no shot.

1:56:32 There's no way.

1:56:33 >> I would love to see a replay of that if

1:56:35 we have it.

1:56:35 >> That landed about I think about 2 inches

1:56:37 fair.

1:56:38 >> If we have a look at that, I would love

1:56:41 to see a second look at it.

1:56:42 >> Firefighters are begging for a

1:56:43 challenge.

1:56:43 >> this down? Can we slow that down?

1:56:45 >> Okay, well, hold on. I might have been

1:56:46 wrong.

1:56:50 >> I would say If we could slow that down

1:56:52 just a hair so slightly.

1:56:54 Thank you, guys. Let's see it here.

1:56:57 Right field umpire is in the way. We can

1:56:58 see that's fair. That's easily fair. It

1:57:01 lands on the chalk.

1:57:02 Yep.

1:57:04 Unfortunately, that's a miscall by the

1:57:05 right field umpire William Black.

1:57:07 >> Fans were arguing for it, but I don't

1:57:09 believe you can challenge a foul.

1:57:11 >> Correct, you cannot.

1:57:13 >> Peanut and side.

1:57:17 He's worked it 3-2.

1:57:19 Again, it's a very difficult

1:57:21 view

1:57:22 on that right field line as Peanut goes

1:57:24 right back to that side and well, he hit

1:57:26 it out of here. The problem is he hit it

1:57:27 about 14 ft foul.

1:57:32 Peanut.

1:57:33 This one might be a little bit more

1:57:35 doable for Kay Mart.

1:57:37 And he just snags it the old-fashioned

1:57:38 way. Sunny was all the way out there

1:57:40 trying to see if he can get a tip drill.

1:57:42 Instead, that will advance Mondo

1:57:44 up to third base. Runners on the corners

1:57:46 for a guy who's already got a big fly

1:57:47 tonight, [music] Dalton Cornett, but the

1:57:49 firefighters right now

1:57:51 got to be asking, man, what [music] if?

1:57:53 Cuz that one

1:57:54 >> That seems fair.

1:57:56 >> It was. I mean, let's just call it the

1:57:58 fact of the matter. That That was a fair

1:57:59 ball as Zack Staten, and that's very

1:58:00 unfortunate for these firefighters.

1:58:03 >> DC

1:58:05 Fair. No, I'm sorry, it's foul.

1:58:07 Sorry.

1:58:08 >> You also mentioned Sunshine running all

1:58:09 the way out there to right field. You

1:58:10 talk about all these trick plays that he

1:58:12 has this year and the Tailgaters have.

1:58:14 It's a big reason for his effort on

1:58:15 plays like that. I know Kay Mart just

1:58:16 called it straight up, but now another

1:58:19 opportunity for Sunshine.

1:58:21 >> And he gets it. That is his third trick

1:58:24 play on the night. And we are one away

1:58:26 from history and the Texas [music]

1:58:27 Tailgaters after getting blitzed in the

1:58:29 second, third, and fourth innings have

1:58:31 come all the way back to tie this ball

1:58:33 game up at three a piece.

1:58:34 >> Buckets! Jonathan Sunshine Luters. Now

1:58:37 you only trail by two in the trick play

1:58:38 category, and you got a tied ball game

1:58:41 at three up. And while Zack and I have a

1:58:43 conversation, they're going to kiss down

1:58:44 on the field.

1:58:47 >> And right now we're going to have a good

1:58:48 old-fashioned kiss-off. Charlotte, you

1:58:51 are going to determine the winner by a

1:58:52 round of applause. Sir, what are your

1:58:55 names?

1:58:56 >> My name's Kevin. This is Bree.

1:58:57 >> Kevin and Bree, how long have you two

1:58:59 been been together?

1:59:00 >> It's been 1 year.

1:59:01 >> 1 year, newlyweds. All right, you two

1:59:04 take it away.

1:59:08 Aw, that guys, that was adorable. Couple

1:59:11 number two, what are your names?

1:59:13 >> I'm Chris and this is Mary Gray.

1:59:14 >> Chris and Mary Gray, how long have you

1:59:16 two been together?

1:59:17 >> 16 years.

1:59:18 >> 16 years, a little bit more experience.

1:59:21 Let's see what you got.

1:59:25 Oh, oh, they got a little handshaking.

1:59:27 Oh.

1:59:28 Oh, a spin and a dip. Uh-oh, okay. Watch

1:59:31 out for the camera.

1:59:32 Getting a little handsy there.

1:59:35 Sir, last but certainly not least, what

1:59:37 are your names?

1:59:37 >> Deb and Mike.

1:59:39 >> Deb and Mike, how long have you two been

1:59:40 together?

1:59:41 >> 44 years.

1:59:42 >> 44 years. You guys are the last couple,

1:59:47 the most experienced couple. Let's see

1:59:49 what you got.

1:59:53 >> [cheering]

1:59:54 >> Oh, oh, don't pick her up. Oh my gosh.

1:59:58 >> She's

1:59:58 >> Wha- Why are you grabbing

2:00:01 Charlotte, I'm sorry.

2:00:04 O-

2:00:05 Okay. Okay.

2:00:06 Should I break it up? I don't

2:00:08 A- All right. All right. All right. All

2:00:09 right. All right. All right. Jeez

2:00:11 Louise. Where are you going? Don't go

2:00:12 anywhere. Oh, now the hat gosh. Okay.

2:00:16 Charlotte, this is where you determine a

2:00:18 winner based off a round of applause.

2:00:20 Who do you think the winner is? Kevin

2:00:21 and Bree?

2:00:25 Honestly, not bad. Not bad. Or do you

2:00:27 think the winners are Chris and Mary

2:00:29 Gray?

2:00:31 >> [cheering]

2:00:32 >> Wha-

2:00:33 What?

2:00:37 >> [cheering]

2:00:43 >> I think we have our winners, ladies and

2:00:45 gentlemen. MAKE SOME NOISE FOR MIKE AND

2:00:47 DEB.

2:00:50 >> [cheering]

2:00:52 >> JEEZ,

2:00:53 you guys get a room here, you two.

2:00:54 >> Wow.

2:00:56 Brett Loftis has had a relationship hard

2:00:57 launched

2:00:59 about 24 hours ago.

2:01:04 And that might be in the future of my

2:01:05 friend Eric Jones Jr. as well.

2:01:09 >> Hey Zach.

2:01:09 >> About to be married next month, and he

2:01:11 joins us on the [music] mic. EJ, welcome

2:01:13 aboard, my friend.

2:01:15 >> Good to be here. Thanks for having me,

2:01:16 Zach. Beautiful night here in Charlotte.

2:01:19 >> What has it been like to be home again

2:01:21 here in North Carolina?

2:01:23 >> Uh it's awesome. Uh this is just a

2:01:25 beautiful ballpark, a great city. Know

2:01:28 so many people here.

2:01:30 It's just really fun. I'm trying to save

2:01:32 it. I feel like last year at the Panther

2:01:34 Stadium, it kind of was a blur and

2:01:36 had a a million people to to see. This

2:01:38 time, I'm really trying to slow it down

2:01:40 and enjoy it and appreciate getting to

2:01:42 play on this awesome ballpark.

2:01:44 >> This is a beautiful ballpark, very

2:01:46 scenic. You have played some games here.

2:01:47 In fact, uh you might have lost an

2:01:49 [music] eye here at one point, very

2:01:50 nearly.

2:01:51 >> Yeah, pretty close to where I was. Uh

2:01:53 this bullpen over here, they threw it

2:01:55 wild while I was in the dugout and it

2:01:57 hit me. So, that was

2:01:59 about 12 years ago now and uh it was

2:02:01 pretty cool thinking about it before the

2:02:03 game how

2:02:04 it felt like my career was in jeopardy

2:02:06 at that point and you know, all I wanted

2:02:08 to do was keep playing and here we are

2:02:10 12 years later, still getting to play

2:02:11 the game, rocking crowd here and uh

2:02:15 having fun while we're doing it.

2:02:17 >> Kyle Martin keeps this one going.

2:02:20 With the foul ball, it's a 3-2 count.

2:02:23 You played your college ball at nearby

2:02:25 Davidson. You were part of history for

2:02:26 the Wildcats as K Mart swings for strike

2:02:29 three.

2:02:31 You were part of history, the first ever

2:02:33 team in Davidson history to make an NCAA

2:02:35 tournament and then you beat North

2:02:37 Carolina in the REGIONALS TO GO TO THE

2:02:39 SUPER REGIONALS.

2:02:40 >> YEAH, that was really special. Highlight

2:02:42 of the college career for sure. And

2:02:46 it's really big for the community.

2:02:47 Everybody was supporting us so hard.

2:02:49 Grew up a Chapel Hill fan, too, so it

2:02:51 was extra sweet. And

2:02:54 just fun to, you know, have that group

2:02:56 of guys

2:02:58 >> [cheering]

2:02:58 >> succeed on the field cuz we were so

2:03:00 close off the field. And a lot of times

2:03:01 that's what it is, you know, you grow

2:03:03 together as brothers and then that

2:03:04 carries on to the field.

2:03:06 >> Jordan Barth puts [cheering] that out in

2:03:08 the streets. Now, I mentioned this

2:03:10 earlier. You are getting married next

2:03:12 month. What are you more nervous about?

2:03:14 This game this weekend tonight or that

2:03:17 marriage in about a month?

2:03:19 >> Um

2:03:20 >> [cheering]

2:03:20 >> I would say I've been excited for both.

2:03:23 Um

2:03:24 there's always nerves playing a game.

2:03:25 There's some nerves for the wedding, but

2:03:28 that's the part of being human, you

2:03:29 know, that's what makes life fun. And

2:03:32 I'm I'm really more just excited for

2:03:33 both of them. It's It's coming quick,

2:03:35 you know. We got July next month. Seemed

2:03:38 like a while away when we were playing,

2:03:39 but

2:03:41 and that's what I was talking about.

2:03:43 Just trying to savor the moment, slow

2:03:45 them down, and enjoy it ultimately. It

2:03:48 won't last forever.

2:03:50 >> Jordan Barth continues to stay alive.

2:03:51 The fact you had to think about that for

2:03:53 a minute, I hope Danielle does not hold

2:03:54 that against you.

2:03:56 >> [cheering]

2:03:56 >> I mean

2:03:59 I

2:04:00 I would

2:04:01 I won't say trick.

2:04:02 Yeah, I I just don't think nervous is

2:04:05 the right word, you know. It's like

2:04:07 >> Yes, big time.

2:04:08 >> Okay.

2:04:09 >> Overwhelmingly excited, like, you know.

2:04:12 I think about it all the time. It's

2:04:14 going to be awesome. Such a celebration.

2:04:17 And just joy, you know, makes me happy.

2:04:19 It feels like everything falling into

2:04:21 place.

2:04:22 >> And Jordan Barth having a professional

2:04:24 AB here. Are you keeping the mustache

2:04:26 for the wedding?

2:04:27 >> I'm not. So, I'm actually going to be

2:04:29 shaving the mustache here soon. Thanks

2:04:31 for bringing that up. This is a nice

2:04:32 segue. Let's get a pop.

2:04:33 >> Breaking news. EJ, chance for a trick

2:04:35 play.

2:04:38 Popped up and it falls.

2:04:42 >> [cheering]

2:04:42 [screaming]

2:04:43 >> The heat of competition, of course, for

2:04:45 E.J. Junior.

2:04:49 >> Hey, I I enjoyed that, man. That was a

2:04:50 good attempt.

2:04:51 >> I saw him coming with the hats. I knew

2:04:53 it was going to be close. I could have

2:04:54 reached out and caught it.

2:04:56 >> Can you just tell the people at home how

2:04:58 hard trick plays are?

2:04:59 >> Yeah, it's not that easy cuz the ball

2:05:01 goes really high

2:05:02 and then you just kind of whack it and

2:05:03 you just kind of hope it ends up, you

2:05:05 know, near you, straight up.

2:05:07 And you're just kind of like banking on

2:05:09 your teammates being there cuz

2:05:11 you can't really see where they're at.

2:05:12 So,

2:05:13 and I got these headphones in, so it's

2:05:15 kind of hard to tell who was calling the

2:05:16 play.

2:05:17 I thought it was my ball, but I didn't

2:05:18 really know where my teammates were on

2:05:20 that one.

2:05:22 >> That one [cheering] bounces by Peanut

2:05:24 and Logan Lacey. It'll get into left

2:05:25 field. Runners move up from station to

2:05:27 station and

2:05:29 two on with two out here.

2:05:31 That just means more talking to E.J.

2:05:33 >> Like I feel like that was a decent pop,

2:05:35 but ideally I would have hit it higher

2:05:37 and more straight up.

2:05:39 But,

2:05:40 I don't know.

2:05:41 It wasn't a complete fluff.

2:05:43 >> You know what? He'll get another chance

2:05:44 here, I feel it.

2:05:45 >> That's right. Maybe he'll give me a

2:05:46 ground ball and I'll do a ground ball

2:05:48 trick play.

2:05:50 >> E.J., how special are the sports fans of

2:05:52 Charlotte, North Carolina?

2:05:53 >> It's awesome. It really is great. You

2:05:55 see the way they're showing up for this

2:05:57 game.

2:05:58 Um there's so many good spots to go to

2:06:00 to uh

2:06:02 you know, enjoy a game day. Lots of

2:06:05 places around. People travel into the

2:06:07 city. The city's grown so much, too.

2:06:09 It's like

2:06:11 you know, we got

2:06:12 NFL.

2:06:15 We got high-level baseball. We got NBA.

2:06:18 We got MLS. So, it's

2:06:20 a really fun city.

2:06:23 >> Yeah, Zach and I got to hit all three

2:06:24 spots yesterday. Your favorite stadium

2:06:26 in Charlotte, E.J.?

2:06:28 >> Uh

2:06:30 I think I got to go with this one just

2:06:31 because of the backdrop, but they really

2:06:34 are all awesome.

2:06:36 I mean the Hornets, what they do on the

2:06:38 court is sweet with the honeycomb.

2:06:42 >> That is a ball for Sprint.

2:06:44 Jordan Barcello come home. He might get

2:06:47 a second run home here. Taylor Justice

2:06:48 getting the win from Mick.

2:06:52 And that will play two runs.

2:06:54 The ball for Sprint gives the Tailgaters

2:06:56 [music] a two-nothing lead in the frame.

2:07:06 >> EJ

2:07:06 >> Yeah.

2:07:08 >> I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but

2:07:09 I I want you to paint the picture for

2:07:10 the folks at home. You're trying to get

2:07:12 the equalizer point against the best

2:07:13 trick play team in the sport.

2:07:15 >> Yeah.

2:07:16 >> And obviously this inning has turned

2:07:17 into what it is. How much pressure does

2:07:19 it feel as as a home defense against a

2:07:21 defense like the Tailgaters trying to

2:07:23 win that equalizer point?

2:07:24 >> Yeah, you know they you know any lead's

2:07:26 not safe.

2:07:28 So, you're really looking to

2:07:30 pick them up every opportunity you can.

2:07:31 That's why

2:07:32 you know, got to pop up. Went for the

2:07:34 pop. Felt like

2:07:37 >> Chance for redemption.

2:07:39 Oh, did he lay the tag? Oh, you know he

2:07:42 did. That's Eric Jones Jr.

2:07:43 >> you guys. Appreciate it. Let's get a win

2:07:46 here.

2:07:47 >> Why don't we?

2:07:48 >> Firefighters.

2:07:48 >> EJ, you're one of my favorite people on

2:07:49 the planet. You're the bomb.

2:07:53 We broke some news tonight. EJ's shaving

2:07:54 his mustache. It's unfortunate,

2:07:58 but

2:07:59 a soldier dies today.

2:08:00 Let's look at what we've got on tap for

2:08:03 tomorrow. The Clowns and the Savannah

2:08:05 Bananas go at it once again at historic

2:08:07 Grayson Stadium. True TV, on Savannah

2:08:10 Bananas YouTube page. Again, you can see

2:08:11 that also in Español with our friend

2:08:14 Jose Benitez on YouTube. And then the

2:08:15 Texas Tailgaters and Firefighters game

2:08:17 two of a three-headed monster here in

2:08:20 Charlotte, North Carolina from Truist

2:08:22 Field.

2:08:23 >> Yeah, man. A really good day. Same same

2:08:25 slate as tonight.

2:08:27 Obviously the Bananas and the Clowns. I

2:08:29 believe first pitch wasn't until 7:00

2:08:32 p.m. tonight or 7:30,

2:08:34 if I'm not mistaken.

2:08:37 But, anyway, they're playing in Savannah

2:08:39 tonight, playing on truTV tomorrow.

2:08:41 >> [cheering]

2:08:45 >> That is the slate and again, Saturday,

2:08:47 Sunday will be major league affair

2:08:49 for the Loco Beach Coconut and the Party

2:08:52 Animals. That's the first major league

2:08:54 ballparks to not feature the Savannah

2:08:56 Bananas at all. Brett Sanchez is coming

2:08:59 back out for a seventh inning of work.

2:09:01 >> Yeah, 7:30 first pitch, by the way, in

2:09:04 Grayson this weekend for all three of

2:09:06 those games. Yeah, Brett Sanchez

2:09:07 tonight, man. I mean, it's been the

2:09:09 duality of the outing, right? You go

2:09:11 inning number one, three up and three

2:09:12 down, then you give up three straight

2:09:14 walk-offs second, third, and the fourth,

2:09:16 then you hang up two zeros in the fifth

2:09:17 and the sixth. He's back out here in the

2:09:19 seventh again, working with a two-point

2:09:22 lead. So, it really comes down to now,

2:09:24 can the Tailgaters do what their

2:09:25 adversaries have already done tonight

2:09:27 and win three straight innings here in

2:09:29 the fifth, sixth, and seventh?

2:09:33 >> Lacy popped up. Anybody got a chance for

2:09:35 it? No.

2:09:38 Firefighters are leading the trick play

2:09:40 column seven, or excuse me, 11 to seven.

2:09:42 Problem is,

2:09:44 right now, they've got to find runs here

2:09:45 in the bottom half of the seventh

2:09:47 to negate the two coming from the top

2:09:49 half. This is a good start for Logan

2:09:51 Lacy, but he swings right out of his

2:09:52 shoes. It's a 3-2 count.

2:09:55 Ball four is spread on the table and a

2:09:57 strikeout on the table.

2:09:59 Holds on and it's a ball four sprint.

2:10:03 Awfully tight. Lacy wants two.

2:10:06 Lacy, ah, IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH.

2:10:08 OH, they call him safe.

2:10:12 Eric Byram over there on the call.

2:10:16 As Chief comes in,

2:10:20 and Zack Watson dropped the ball.

2:10:22 >> Yeah, I I think the thing that Taj

2:10:23 Porter and the entire Tailgater defense

2:10:25 was upset about, we never got an appeal

2:10:27 down the first to see if Logan Lacy

2:10:28 went.

2:10:30 >> I guess we'll continue to wait on that

2:10:31 as Logan or excuse me as Eric Jones Jr.

2:10:33 gets hit one and oh.

2:10:35 >> Big time AB here for the Charlotte

2:10:37 native.

2:10:38 >> You heard him there.

2:10:40 >> He can negate

2:10:41 the two runs that were earned coming off

2:10:44 of his mistrick play as

2:10:47 that one stays just inside. And now with

2:10:49 the ball four stripes there could be

2:10:50 potential

2:10:51 for a run scoring. And that is a hot

2:10:53 shot to Jordan Barth.

2:10:57 >> Just like playing racketball, man. Catch

2:10:59 it with the racket right in the glove.

2:11:01 JB shooting a little smile there.

2:11:04 Great play for out number one. However,

2:11:06 still need four trick plays to catch up.

2:11:08 11 to 7 in the trick play battle right

2:11:10 now. Tailgaters with two outs to play

2:11:12 with here in the seventh.

2:11:13 And then obviously potentially all three

2:11:15 in the eighth.

2:11:16 >> What the Gators have done here in the

2:11:17 fifth, sixth, and the seventh is reverse

2:11:20 the pressure back on the Firefighters

2:11:22 with the way that they have scored. So

2:11:24 even if you're not going to get the

2:11:25 equalizer point, which right now the

2:11:27 Firefighters do hold the advantage,

2:11:29 there's a big opportunity to earn a

2:11:31 fourth point anyway.

2:11:34 As Lamar Sparks stares at the first

2:11:35 strike, it's a 2-1 count.

2:11:39 Oh my goodness. Lamar wanted to send

2:11:41 that one back [music] to Katy, Texas,

2:11:43 his native hometown.

2:11:49 Broken back

2:11:50 and Waddy right there. No trick play.

2:11:53 >> Yeah, man. I I think the Tailgaters know

2:11:55 what's at stake here. They know they

2:11:57 need to win this inning. And that's

2:11:58 going to put them ahead four points to

2:11:59 three. You still would potentially have

2:12:01 the opportunity in the eighth inning

2:12:03 down by four trick plays. Right here,

2:12:04 you just need to get out number three

2:12:06 and retake the lead in the points

2:12:07 category.

2:12:08 >> Firefighters desperately need Mason

2:12:10 Maxwell to get on.

2:12:12 He'll stare at ball one. He's got an RBI

2:12:14 single tonight and another one

2:12:16 that did not score a run.

2:12:19 MASON, SUNSHINE!

2:12:22 THERE IT IS! DOUBLE BUCKET! JONATHAN

2:12:25 SUNSHINE LUDDERS IS THE QUICKEST PLAYER

2:12:28 EVER IN BANANA BALL HISTORY TO 100 TRICK

2:12:30 PLAYS IN A SINGLE SEASON.

2:12:34 >> PLAY! Jonathan Sunshine Ludders has just

2:12:38 become the fastest player in Banana Ball

2:12:41 history to record 100 trick plays in a

2:12:45 season.

2:12:47 >> [cheering and applause]

2:12:48 >> And now, down on the field, here's Rex.

2:12:53 >> Sunshine, you have been the face of

2:12:54 trick plays. No one does it better than

2:12:56 you. What does it mean to get to 100

2:12:58 trick plays tonight?

2:13:00 >> It means a lot. It's not just a

2:13:01 individual thing. It takes a lot of

2:13:03 amazing teammates to do double trick

2:13:04 plays. You got to be be bought in to do

2:13:06 that. Captain Jordan who's saying has

2:13:08 set an awesome tone for us right from

2:13:09 the beginning. He said, "We are going to

2:13:11 do tricks even in ninth inning." And we

2:13:13 just follow his lead.

2:13:14 >> Ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up

2:13:15 FOR SUNSHINE LUDDERS ONE MORE TIME.

2:13:18 >> [cheering]

2:13:20 >> MAN, that's cool. Not a better human

2:13:21 being, either. 2025, Ryan Cox got to 100

2:13:25 trick plays in a single season in 35

2:13:27 games. Tonight, game number 27 for the

2:13:29 Texas Tailgaters, and Jonathan Sunshine

2:13:32 Ludders' 100 trick play on the year

2:13:34 brings the Tailgaters within two in the

2:13:35 trick play battle and also wins them

2:13:37 point number four as they retake the

2:13:40 lead. What a special year he's having as

2:13:42 he's currently on pace to break Cox's

2:13:45 single season record as well of 210, but

2:13:48 we got to wait a little bit longer

2:13:49 before we can get to that. Four points

2:13:51 to three, not five. Four points to

2:13:54 three. The Texas Tailgaters lead this

2:13:55 ball game as they trail by two now in

2:13:57 the trick play category.

2:14:00 Want to point this out, too.

2:14:02 There's going to have to be a lot of

2:14:03 credit given to Brett Sanchez. Was

2:14:06 walked off in three straight innings in

2:14:08 his first game starting as a visiting

2:14:10 pitcher for the Texas Tailgaters, and he

2:14:12 comes back and with the Texas Tailgaters

2:14:15 getting four or three straight innings

2:14:18 of runs, he holds the Firefighters

2:14:20 completely off the board. I mean, that

2:14:22 is an incredible bit of moxie that you

2:14:24 saw tonight from the visitor rookie.

2:14:27 >> Yeah, I mean, he was, you know, a

2:14:28 visitor last year and as you mentioned,

2:14:31 his first start as a visitor

2:14:33 in his time as a Texas Tailgater, his

2:14:34 second in Banana Ball. I mean, it's just

2:14:36 an absolutely incredible outing for him

2:14:38 and now Ben Dunn III is going to come

2:14:40 back out there in his second inning of

2:14:41 work after he came in and got the final

2:14:43 out of that sixth inning. And he'll have

2:14:45 to face eight, nine, and 10 of the

2:14:47 Tailgaters order.

2:14:51 >> As we salute the service here in

2:14:53 Charlotte,

2:14:54 we start the eighth inning.

2:14:56 Massive one for both these teams.

2:14:58 Firefighters could use another trick

2:15:00 play or two to get some insurance.

2:15:04 Tailgaters could put another run on the

2:15:05 board. They're very much flirting with

2:15:06 not even really needing an equalizer

2:15:08 point to have some comfort going into

2:15:10 the ninth as Taj Porter swings for

2:15:12 strike one.

2:15:13 >> Yeah, it's important for the

2:15:13 Firefighters to be ripping trick plays

2:15:15 here if possible as well, Zach.

2:15:18 >> Taj stays alive.

2:15:20 An 11-9 lead in the trick play column.

2:15:23 You don't feel the most comfortable

2:15:25 >> [music]

2:15:25 >> with that anytime, but certainly not

2:15:27 against the best defensive team in the

2:15:29 sport. Taj

2:15:31 left field single.

2:15:34 >> What a productive night for the

2:15:35 Quadfather. He's now got two base hits,

2:15:37 also had a sac fly and an RBI. I mean,

2:15:39 he's just having a really, really,

2:15:41 really good night tonight as Jacob

2:15:42 Peppersack is going to come in and run

2:15:44 for him. And the two guys after him been

2:15:46 just as good. This guy has yet to be

2:15:48 retired. Indiana Stanley, a single and a

2:15:50 couple of ball four sprints as well.

2:15:55 >> Indy has been about as good as you could

2:15:57 ask for here in this nine hole.

2:15:59 Again, we talk about his performance

2:16:01 after the Banana Ball open. You could

2:16:02 just see what he did in Corpus Christi

2:16:03 as a something to build off of,

2:16:05 something [music] to continue to put in

2:16:06 the confidence bank.

2:16:09 Saw him potentially compete for a player

2:16:11 of the year contender with a diving

2:16:13 catch in center field.

2:16:14 That one right through the gap. Another

2:16:16 one fought off and into right field.

2:16:18 Runner going for third. McDowell, that

2:16:20 is a hose over to third. Lacy corrals it

2:16:24 but not before

2:16:26 they get another guy to third. Jacob

2:16:27 Pipersik corner runners with nobody

2:16:30 away.

2:16:31 >> Pip man, he is amazing when going first

2:16:33 to third and there is a golden robe

2:16:36 going on down in that third base dugout

2:16:38 here. It's the 10 hole do up. Wonder who

2:16:41 it might be.

2:16:46 >> The Texas Tailgaters are invoking the

2:16:49 golden batter rule. NOW BATTING IN PLACE

2:16:53 OF JORDAN HUSSEIN IS THE TAILGATERS

2:16:55 GOLDEN BATTER. PLEASE WELCOME NICK

2:16:59 LASER.

2:17:00 >> NOT

2:17:01 KYLE MARTIN but rather it's Lopi. His

2:17:04 third golden bat appearance of the year.

2:17:07 And you might be shocked but this is the

2:17:08 guy who led the Texas Tailgaters with a

2:17:10 golden batter appearances in 2025 and as

2:17:13 hot as he's been, why not let him hit?

2:17:15 Tonight he's two for three with an RBI

2:17:18 single and right here he just needs to

2:17:20 get a run in.

2:17:23 >> About to say potentially

2:17:25 >> [music]

2:17:26 >> Mick wants that lefty on righty match up

2:17:28 but you would get that with Kyle Martin

2:17:29 too. This is how much trust they have in

2:17:31 Lopi.

2:17:32 Sky high.

2:17:34 Left center.

2:17:36 Is there a trick play to be had here? OH

2:17:38 MY GOODNESS, THERE'S MISCOMMUNICATION.

2:17:42 And a run's going to score off that.

2:17:44 It'll go down as a mis-trick play and

2:17:46 Lopi brings one in.

2:17:50 And I think you can see now the

2:17:51 Firefighters on way different pages.

2:17:54 >> No, Abridges wanted to get in the out.

2:17:56 >> Mondo understands the situation. You got

2:17:57 to have trick plays.

2:18:00 >> Yeah, that's tough man.

2:18:02 You're right Zach. You just got to get

2:18:03 the the the out right there and just

2:18:06 concede that you're going to give up a

2:18:07 run. But, instead you didn't get out and

2:18:09 you conceded a run.

2:18:11 >> Fans could really help the Firefighters

2:18:13 cause.

2:18:16 They won't.

2:18:17 And now because it's a trick play

2:18:18 [music] miss, that will go as an

2:18:19 unearned run against Van Dunk.

2:18:27 Right back up the gut. Chance [music]

2:18:28 for a double play. 1 2 3.

2:18:33 That is a trick play for Caden Green.

2:18:35 Make it 12 on the game for the

2:18:37 Firefighters. Tiny Hughes caught it with

2:18:38 the bare hand, but they will say that's

2:18:40 not a forceful enough throw to make it a

2:18:42 trick play.

2:18:42 >> Yeah, I mean that's your typical play

2:18:44 you're going to see in Major League

2:18:45 Baseball right [music] there on a 6-4-3

2:18:46 double play. What's not typical is

2:18:48 Peanut going between the legs. As you

2:18:49 mentioned, 12 trick play in the ballgame

2:18:51 and a double play nonetheless. Nick

2:18:53 Lopez, who was at the dish 48 seconds

2:18:54 ago, is right back up there. The beauty

2:18:56 of the golden batter.

2:18:59 >> And Brett Loftis did time that up, by

2:19:00 the way. It was 48 seconds.

2:19:03 We turn the lineup over for the fourth

2:19:05 time now for the Texas Tailgaters.

2:19:12 Lopey was pinch hit for in a second AB.

2:19:14 Otherwise,

2:19:16 tonight, single, RBI single, reaches on

2:19:19 a trick play miss, and has an

2:19:20 opportunity to bring another run [music]

2:19:21 90 ft from home.

2:19:25 Steady goes off hands. Tiny, slow roll

2:19:27 to him, but he does get the trick play.

2:19:29 And so, the Firefighters will go into

2:19:31 the bottom half of this frame with a

2:19:33 four trick play advantage here

2:19:36 over the Texas Tailgaters, who can make

2:19:38 that lead evaporate quicker than anybody

2:19:41 in this sport. And they also have a run

2:19:43 in the top half of the frame.

2:19:47 We will send it to the field for Lee not

2:19:50 me in Banana Ball.

2:19:57 >> Somebody tell

2:20:03 >> Sing it, Charlotte.

2:20:05 >> [music]

2:20:18 [music]

2:20:26 >> I know you can sing louder than that.

2:20:58 >> [music]

2:21:11 [music]

2:21:18 >> Charlotte, you sound beautiful. Keep up

2:21:21 the energy, and let's go, Firefighters.

2:21:29 So,

2:21:31 here's what's at stake for both teams

2:21:33 as we welcome you to the bottom of the

2:21:35 eighth. Firefighters lead the trick play

2:21:38 advantage 13 to 9, and the Tailgaters

2:21:40 lead the game 4 [music] to 3, and they

2:21:41 lead the inning 1-0. For the first time

2:21:44 tonight, the Tailgaters will make a

2:21:46 pitching change

2:21:47 >> [music]

2:21:47 >> and send Brett Donny Allen

2:21:50 up to the mound.

2:21:51 >> Yeah, I mean, a dude who's really,

2:21:52 really good when he's in the zone. And

2:21:53 he was last weekend, man. He got himself

2:21:54 out a couple of jams. [music]

2:21:56 He pitched on game one and game three in

2:21:58 Corpus Christi. He only gave up one ball

2:21:59 for sprint across both of those outings,

2:22:02 both single-inning outings in Corpus

2:22:04 Christi. And they're looking at him here

2:22:06 with a one-run lead in the inning to

2:22:08 secure [music] point number five and

2:22:09 potentially points five and six if the

2:22:12 Tailgaters can have a five-trick play

2:22:14 inning or not. It's going to be tough

2:22:16 here despite having the bottom of the

2:22:17 lineup. Bottom of the lineup's been good

2:22:19 here tonight. Is Daryll McDowell a

2:22:20 two-run walk-off home run earlier? This

2:22:23 is a big-time moment in this ballgame.

2:22:25 >> Best the Firefighters can do going into

2:22:28 the ninth inning is tie this game.

2:22:30 The worst they could do is that one

2:22:34 goes into the stands, nobody can catch

2:22:35 it. The worst they could do if the

2:22:36 Tailgaters were able to get five trick

2:22:38 plays in the frame is go down

2:22:41 six to three

2:22:43 in the ninth inning.

2:22:44 >> Yeah, that's a four-point swing, Zach.

2:22:46 That's incredible.

2:22:48 You could be either looking at a tied

2:22:50 ballgame or you could be trailing by

2:22:51 three.

2:22:52 >> I mean, that's what a Banana Ball really

2:22:53 is at its nature, man. That's how the

2:22:54 equalizer point was inputted into the

2:22:56 sport.

2:22:58 >> Daryll McDowell at one like strike two

2:22:59 won't matter. That is way outside.

2:23:02 Firefighters lead the Banana Ball

2:23:04 Championship League in steals of first

2:23:06 base with 11. The premium not going for

2:23:09 it whatsoever.

2:23:15 The one-two.

2:23:19 >> Pistol score.

2:23:20 >> What?

2:23:21 Daryll beats that one into the ground.

2:23:23 Jordan Barth. [music]

2:23:25 Oh, he stumbled for a minute and they do

2:23:27 call the outs.

2:23:30 Barth, I think, got caught in between

2:23:31 trying to decide if he wanted a trick

2:23:33 play or not.

2:23:34 Instead, just gets the out.

2:23:39 >> Yeah, he's out, but there's a golden

2:23:40 hood down there.

2:23:43 >> The Firefighters are invoking the golden

2:23:46 batter rule. Hitting in the place of

2:23:50 Noah Bridges.

2:23:54 Here is DC3,

2:23:57 Dalton

2:23:59 Cornett.

2:24:00 >> [screaming]

2:24:02 >> So, it is the guy

2:24:04 who had a walk-off homer tonight.

2:24:08 Dalton Cornett.

2:24:10 Who last weekend in Corpus Christi,

2:24:12 Texas

2:24:15 had the showdown winner

2:24:18 in the top of round two.

2:24:22 He gets another one tonight.

2:24:26 It's a tie inning.

2:24:28 It'll stay a 4-3 game for the time

2:24:30 being.

2:24:31 >> And there's no way that the Tailgaters

2:24:32 can get the equalizer at this point as

2:24:34 well.

2:24:36 With you not getting a double trick play

2:24:38 right there.

2:24:39 You needed five in the inning, and you

2:24:41 didn't get a trick play on that out at

2:24:43 all.

2:24:44 Successfully have the Firefighters

2:24:45 negated the equalizer point tonight.

2:24:48 >> DC3 really wanted that one. That is the

2:24:50 first time by the way that the

2:24:51 Firefighters have won the trick play

2:24:53 battle for the equalizer point against

2:24:55 the Tailgaters

2:24:57 here in 2026.

2:24:59 DC

2:25:00 just stays alive with a light-hearted

2:25:01 foul.

2:25:05 Logan Lacey leads the Firefighters in

2:25:07 golden AB opportunities, but DC3

2:25:11 getting his third chance tonight.

2:25:14 AND HE GETS THE STRIKEOUT. DONNIE COMES

2:25:17 RIGHT AT HIM AND FANS THE golden batter.

2:25:20 >> That's the guy you took in the sixth

2:25:22 round of the Banana Ball player draft

2:25:24 right there, Brett Allen. He's a dog,

2:25:26 man. He's got grit. And right there, he

2:25:29 gets a guy sitting 340 to swing out of

2:25:31 his shoes for out number two, and one

2:25:33 out away from making it a 5-3 ballgame.

2:25:36 >> So, the last hope of the frame lies on

2:25:38 the shoulders of Armando Becerra with a

2:25:40 couple of singles.

2:25:42 Gators lead it one nothing in the top of

2:25:43 the eighth. They win the inning, they're

2:25:45 up 5-3 in the game. Mondo, screamer

2:25:49 fouled on the first base line. Also, how

2:25:50 rare is this? Both teams use a golden

2:25:52 batters in the eighth inning tonight. We

2:25:54 will not be seeing a golden batter in

2:25:55 the ninth.

2:25:58 And he plunked him.

2:26:02 So, Armando Becerra will reach for a

2:26:03 third time tonight.

2:26:05 And if you're asking at home what Brett

2:26:06 Lots just talked about, and it's a great

2:26:08 point, it's because both these lineups

2:26:10 were about to turn back over to the top

2:26:11 half. So, if you're going to use it, you

2:26:13 got to use it now.

2:26:16 So, now Tyner Hughes up against another

2:26:18 one of his visitor teammates from a year

2:26:20 ago.

2:26:21 Last AB brought up his first hit on the

2:26:23 evening.

2:26:24 Tyner Schaper, J5

2:26:27 over to first, and the Tailgaters will

2:26:30 get a fifth point going into the top of

2:26:33 the ninth.

2:26:34 >> This has been one of the most impressive

2:26:36 things this team has done this year. Win

2:26:38 four straight innings and take a

2:26:40 commanding two-point lead into the final

2:26:42 frame. Caz, my friend, tell us about

2:26:44 these final inning rules.

2:26:46 >> The score is Tailgaters five,

2:26:49 Firefighters three.

2:26:51 But, the thing about Banana Ball is the

2:26:53 final inning means the most as every run

2:26:56 scored counts as a point. You are about

2:27:00 to see the Firefighters get three quick

2:27:03 outs and battle back to win the game.

2:27:07 Charlotte, it all comes down to this.

2:27:09 This is THE FINAL

2:27:12 INNING.

2:27:14 >> [screaming]

2:27:28 >> Grub taking a nap?

2:27:31 Don't know how you could in a moment

2:27:32 like this.

2:27:34 If you're just joining us,

2:27:36 the Texas Tailgaters won the first

2:27:38 inning, the Firefighters won the next

2:27:40 three.

2:27:41 The Tailgaters then won the next four to

2:27:43 get us to a 5-3 game in favor of the

2:27:46 boys in blue and orange and get us to

2:27:48 Javon Ray, who for the first time this

2:27:51 year

2:27:52 steps up

2:27:54 with a potential win in the ninth

2:27:55 inning.

2:27:57 He [music] pitched the ninth inning last

2:27:58 week and for the first time this season

2:28:00 and was absolutely stupendous. Got his

2:28:03 first ninth inning 1-2-3, then got a

2:28:06 showdown shut down in the first round of

2:28:08 showdowns.

2:28:09 Now Javon Ray in a pressure situation

2:28:12 where we usually see Johnny Hummel is

2:28:14 being trusted by Val Perez, Corey Pie

2:28:17 and this Firefighter bunch to get them

2:28:20 to the bottom of the ninth with no

2:28:22 damage done against him. And as you

2:28:23 heard Kaz Eagan say,

2:28:25 in the ninth inning, in the final

2:28:26 inning,

2:28:27 every run you score counts as a point.

2:28:31 So this is a hyper-critical situation

2:28:34 for both squads.

2:28:35 >> Grubb is still asleep. And while two

2:28:37 points is commanding usually in Banana

2:28:39 Ball heading to the final inning, you

2:28:40 throw all things out the window. Javon

2:28:43 Ray maybe one of his tallest task yet.

2:28:45 Having to face the heart of the order in

2:28:47 Kyle Martin, Jordan Barth and Taylor

2:28:49 Justice. All guys who have gotten at

2:28:52 least one hit tonight. Taylor Justice

2:28:54 due up third has not been retired yet.

2:28:57 The defending Banana Ball Player of the

2:28:59 Week,

2:29:00 big-time task.

2:29:04 >> RAY TO EJ!

2:29:06 FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME GETS THE TRICK

2:29:08 play on the backhanded scoop. That is a

2:29:10 beauty as the Fire and Flames launch on

2:29:13 the first pitch of the final frame.

2:29:15 >> That was jarring to say the least

2:29:17 following that Banana Ball through the

2:29:18 fire. EJ able to get 14th the 14th trick

2:29:22 play of the night for these

2:29:24 Firefighters. Just the second time this

2:29:25 year they've gotten 14 trick plays in a

2:29:27 Banana Ball game.

2:29:32 >> But the threats keep on coming.

2:29:34 Jordan Barth, RBI single in his first

2:29:37 plate appearance, has not gotten one

2:29:39 since.

2:29:41 >> Yeah, reach via trick play missed his

2:29:42 last time up.

2:29:45 >> Trick play missed that ended up bringing

2:29:47 in two

2:29:49 in the seventh inning.

2:29:51 Think about how different this game

2:29:52 would feel right now

2:29:54 if the Firefighters find a way to turn

2:29:56 that trick play and negate that point.

2:29:58 It's a 4-3 game going into the bottom of

2:30:00 the ninth or going into the ninth of

2:30:01 this game, I mean.

2:30:05 A little high.

2:30:07 2-2 count. Javon Reynaud,

2:30:10 a product of Georgia Southern,

2:30:12 five-pitch mix.

2:30:15 Trying to get Barth to offer high.

2:30:17 And he works it from 1-2 to 3-2.

2:30:25 Barth gives the fans a shot.

2:30:28 Nobody there.

2:30:29 >> Shouldn't be lost on you, that Javon

2:30:30 Reynaud was a four-star recruit out of

2:30:31 high school that went to Tennessee, one

2:30:34 of the best baseball programs in

2:30:35 America. This guy has pedigree, and he's

2:30:37 been showing it off.

2:30:41 >> Barth, screamer right through the gap in

2:30:43 right field. Darian McDowell, oh my

2:30:45 goodness.

2:30:47 He was playing in because of all four

2:30:48 sprint defense. E.J. sags off the base a

2:30:51 little bit. Darian came up throwing

2:30:53 instead. It's a single for Jordan Barth.

2:30:54 >> You can visibly see the frustrations

2:30:56 there from Darian McDowell, pointing

2:30:58 back at the first base bag.

2:31:01 And now a runner aboard and a guy with

2:31:03 plus speed in Jordan Barth against

2:31:05 Taylor Justice, who is yet to be retired

2:31:07 tonight. See, he's 2 for 2. That's a

2:31:09 couple singles and also a couple of ball

2:31:10 four sprints.

2:31:12 Massive moment here for the Tailgaters.

2:31:16 >> Justice has been [music] about as clutch

2:31:18 as you could find for these Texas

2:31:19 Tailgaters. Five home runs on the year,

2:31:21 well above 350 [music]

2:31:22 on the average as they check back over

2:31:25 to first base.

2:31:27 And he has two of the biggest [music]

2:31:29 clutch plays we've seen on defense. That

2:31:31 one screams foul again last week in

2:31:32 Corpus Christi. One to start a double

2:31:34 play to end the game on Friday night.

2:31:36 Another to send us to the bottom half.

2:31:38 >> Jacob Peppersick is now running at first

2:31:40 in place of Jordan Barr.

2:31:45 >> Justice swings and he's struck out.

2:31:47 Jovan Ray giving the shutdown celly.

2:31:51 The first time TJ [music] has been

2:31:54 retired tonight.

2:31:57 And so,

2:31:58 the last hope of the inning relies

2:32:01 on Jose Brother Gonzalez with a runner

2:32:04 on.

2:32:05 10th round pick in the Banana Ball

2:32:07 player draft.

2:32:09 Had himself an RBI ball for sprint last

2:32:11 time he's up. Can he produce again?

2:32:21 Right up the middle. Tiny

2:32:24 there. We will go to the bottom of the

2:32:26 ninth with a 5-3 game still intact.

2:32:30 Firefighters have every opportunity to

2:32:33 play the heroics that were against them

2:32:35 last week.

2:32:36 But these Texas Tailgaters

2:32:39 have shown fight,

2:32:41 battle, and moxie

2:32:43 over these last four innings. Completely

2:32:46 scoreless have the Firefighters been

2:32:49 since the fourth inning.

2:32:52 Can they hold them scoreless one more

2:32:53 time?

2:32:57 Well, they're going to have to do it

2:32:59 against Deuce Deuce. The man who leads

2:33:05 Banana Ball in saves. But first, we have

2:33:08 a song.

2:33:17 >> I've got mad lightning inside me, so I'm

2:33:20 on the clock.

2:33:22 I'm like a titan that's rushing up just

2:33:26 to watch.

2:33:28 I'm stepping

2:33:29 in the flame.

2:33:31 There is no time to waste.

2:33:33 I've got that lightning inside me.

2:33:36 This is how legends [music]

2:33:38 are made.

2:33:47 This is how legends are made.

2:33:58 This is how legends are made.

2:34:02 >> Holding it off the bottom of the final

2:34:05 inning.

2:34:07 It is indeed Miller time as Sam

2:34:10 serenades all the beautiful people of

2:34:12 Charlotte, North Carolina. It's been an

2:34:14 animal saves leader with nine of them

2:34:15 this year, Reese Miller. And I'll tell

2:34:17 you what, it would be a tall task for

2:34:19 him.

2:34:20 Up by two points. Another save

2:34:22 opportunity. Man, he has 22 strikeouts,

2:34:24 only nine ball four sprints, and has not

2:34:26 given up an earned run in over a month.

2:34:29 But he has to face Zack Staten.

2:34:32 Perhaps the three hardest outs and the

2:34:33 three best hitters in this Firefighters

2:34:35 lineup. Gaten Peanut Green in the two

2:34:37 hole, DC3 in the three spot, and Logan

2:34:40 Lacey in the four hole are the three to

2:34:43 up.

2:34:44 Dalton Cornett not only a walk-off homer

2:34:47 tonight, that showdown winner last

2:34:49 weekend in round two came up against

2:34:51 Reese Miller. So,

2:34:54 can DC3 and company repeat a little bit

2:34:57 of the heroics that were thrown against

2:34:59 the Firefighters?

2:35:00 Gaten Green has not reached by a hit

2:35:02 tonight. He does have a walk-off ball

2:35:04 four sprint to help his OBP on the year

2:35:07 go up just a little bit more.

2:35:09 Mikey Spandex of the Calendar Crew in

2:35:11 the crowd with his shirt off.

2:35:15 Peanut .480 OBP,

2:35:17 .388 average on the year coming into

2:35:19 tonight.

2:35:21 Here we go.

2:35:24 Pena, that's a dart. Jordan Houssain

2:35:27 over to first, one down.

2:35:30 That is such a tough play for Jordan

2:35:32 Houssain. Going to the back hand, short

2:35:35 stop to short stop for out number one.

2:35:40 J5

2:35:43 just a perfect throw.

2:35:46 Easy does it. Now, Dalton Cornett.

2:35:50 Little outside, DC3.

2:35:53 A homer tonight in the fourth inning to

2:35:54 walk it off in just two pitches.

2:35:58 He's going to have to find something

2:36:00 here.

2:36:02 Instead, to Sunshine

2:36:04 for the love of the game.

2:36:07 Book it!

2:36:09 Sunshine trick play 101 on the year.

2:36:12 Texas Tailgaters get to double digits

2:36:14 and able to save that consecutive game

2:36:16 streak, but the final hope in this

2:36:18 ballgame against Miller Time is

2:36:21 showtime, Logan Lacey.

2:36:26 Firefighters [music] have got to get

2:36:29 the guy who has started every game in

2:36:31 team history, 79 coming into tonight.

2:36:34 He's got to get on base to give EJ a

2:36:36 chance.

2:36:41 Lacey, did he go? Yes, he did.

2:36:47 Think about the difference

2:36:49 from one game ago. Firefighters were

2:36:50 down three nothing in game three in

2:36:52 Corpus Christi. They come back to win.

2:36:56 Over to Barth, the third BASEMAN ROUNDS

2:36:59 IT UP, AND THE TEXAS TAILGATERS have

2:37:02 come back FROM 3-1 TO WIN IT 5-3 in

2:37:05 their debut in Charlotte, North

2:37:07 Carolina. They call US THE TEXAS

2:37:09 TAILGATERS, BUT IT'S Carolina on all of

2:37:11 our minds here tonight. As the ball is

2:37:14 going in red, white, and blue, winning 5

2:37:16 to 3. Game number 16 that they've won

2:37:20 this year. AND WHY DON'T WE LET them

2:37:22 dance a little bit?

2:37:27 >> [music]

2:37:50 >> If you had told me this morning that the

2:37:53 Tailgaters are going to lose a trick

2:37:54 play battle, wouldn't hit a home run,

2:37:56 would lose three straight innings, and

2:37:58 somehow still find a way to win this

2:38:00 ballgame, I would have called you an

2:38:01 absolute crazy man.

2:38:03 >> [cheering]

2:38:04 >> But, then you follow that up with four

2:38:06 straight innings they would win, fifth,

2:38:08 sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, and

2:38:10 the dominant outing that was by Brett

2:38:12 Sanchez, throwing the first seven

2:38:14 innings despite giving up three straight

2:38:16 walk-offs. That was a gritty

2:38:18 performance, and as my father would say

2:38:20 and a lot of sports enthusiasts across

2:38:21 this country, that's the games that

2:38:23 championship teams win. The games where

2:38:26 you don't start off too well. The games

2:38:27 where you come out and you probably

2:38:28 should have lost. The games that you got

2:38:30 beat down. The games middle part of the

2:38:32 season that you could just concede and

2:38:34 say, "Hey, we've already got a spot in

2:38:35 October." But, you won that ballgame

2:38:37 here tonight, and for the first time

2:38:39 ever that these Tailgaters have played

2:38:41 here in the city of Charlotte, they are

2:38:43 victors, 5 to 3. Who possibly could be

2:38:47 our showman of the ballgame? Well, my

2:38:49 good friend Rick Tostillo is going to

2:38:51 talk to my other good friend.

2:38:54 >> Ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

2:38:56 Dispatch, our showman of the game is

2:38:58 first baseman Taylor Justice, who

2:38:59 insisted that the record-breaker

2:39:01 Sunshine Lutes join us here.

2:39:03 Taylor, we'll start with you. This game,

2:39:05 you started out hot, then the

2:39:07 Firefighters come back and put up a big

2:39:08 fight. How were you guys able to hold it

2:39:10 off?

2:39:10 >> Yeah, I mean, we just got a lot of grit.

2:39:12 This team is a bunch of junkyard dogs.

2:39:14 We want to come out here and win and

2:39:15 beat everyone that's on the field. And

2:39:16 man, I just give it up to my teammates,

2:39:18 and especially this guy right here. It's

2:39:20 incredible what he does on the field,

2:39:21 and man, he he helps us win so many

2:39:23 games.

2:39:24 >> Hey, look, you're the first baseman. You

2:39:25 have to catch a lot of those trick plays

2:39:26 that this guy pulls off. What is it like

2:39:28 sharing that side of the field with him

2:39:30 all throughout the season?

2:39:31 >> Yeah, I mean, I've never seen someone do

2:39:33 a trick play, throw it perfectly at me,

2:39:35 I don't do a trick, and then he

2:39:37 apologizes because it wasn't a good

2:39:39 enough throw to me. No, he's incredible.

2:39:41 He's the best to work with. I can't wait

2:39:42 to do it for a long, long time.

2:39:44 >> Sunshine, we got to ask you at least one

2:39:45 question. You never make it about

2:39:46 yourself, so talk about your teammates

2:39:48 and the vibe that you guys had from the

2:39:49 very beginning when it comes to trick

2:39:50 plays.

2:39:51 >> Yeah, we we take a lot of pride in

2:39:53 winning games together. I mean, it takes

2:39:55 a team to do trick plays, to win a ball

2:39:57 game. We have some amazing junkyard dogs

2:40:00 on this team. Taylor Justice is one of

2:40:02 them. He's such a good teammate, great

2:40:04 leader, and we're having a lot of fun.

2:40:06 >> And Taylor, we got to end it with this.

2:40:08 This is again, we got a lot a couple

2:40:10 games against these Firefighters. What

2:40:11 can we expect for the next 2 days here

2:40:12 in Charlotte?

2:40:13 >> A lot of grittiness, a lot of gritty

2:40:14 ABs, and a lot of trick plays.

2:40:16 >> Well, guys, Charlotte, let's give it up

2:40:18 one more time for our Showman of the

2:40:19 Game, TAYLOR JUSTICE, AND THE RECORD

2:40:21 SETTER, SUNSHINE LUEDERS.

2:40:26 GRITTINESS, you just heard the man

2:40:27 himself say it in Taylor Justice. This

2:40:29 team is gritty. Gritty teams win ball

2:40:32 games. Championship built teams win

2:40:34 these types of games here tonight.

2:40:36 Taylor Justice was extremely gritty. Two

2:40:38 singles, two ball four sprints, and was

2:40:41 able to catch the back end of a double

2:40:43 trick play that gave Jonathan Sunshine

2:40:45 Lueders number 100 on the year, allowing

2:40:48 Sunny to be the quickest banana ball

2:40:50 player ever to 100 trick plays in a

2:40:52 single season here in game 27 for these

2:40:55 Texas Tailgaters. You see the runs

2:40:58 category. Almost got banana balled here

2:40:59 tonight. The boys in blue and orange

2:41:01 again put a lot of runs up, but only put

2:41:03 up two more points than that. 5 to 3 the

2:41:06 final, Sax team.

2:41:07 >> Brett Loftis, you just said the inverse

2:41:09 of what I was thinking. If you'd have

2:41:10 told me this morning when we all got to

2:41:12 the stadium [music] at Truist Field the

2:41:13 Firefighters would have negated the

2:41:15 equalizer point, would have had not one

2:41:17 but two walk-off home runs and would

2:41:19 have found a way to get a 3-1 lead after

2:41:22 four innings and not come away with the

2:41:24 win, I'd have been floored because

2:41:26 that's about as perfect as you can play

2:41:28 against the Texas Tailgaters, but this

2:41:30 is why we keep saying the Tailgaters are

2:41:33 one of the most, if not the most

2:41:35 complete team in this sport. They didn't

2:41:36 have their best stuff tonight on the

2:41:38 pitcher's mound Brett Sanchez still goes

2:41:40 seven innings. They didn't have the

2:41:41 trick play lead, they still have a ton

2:41:43 of runs, 11 of them, and they inverse

2:41:45 the pressure and put the pressure back

2:41:47 on the Firefighters.

2:41:48 >> Yeah, you seen it and I mean no

2:41:50 disrespect when I say this, but you seen

2:41:51 the the crumble that happened there in

2:41:53 the eighth inning, the trick play miss

2:41:55 that allowed that lone run to score in

2:41:56 the eighth that gave you point number

2:41:58 five, then that being the difference

2:41:59 maker.

2:42:00 >> It was the Tailgaters winning 5 to 3,

2:42:01 but that is the pressure that the

2:42:02 Tailgaters put on their opposition to

2:42:04 negate the equalizer point and in return

2:42:07 able to score a run and root a point

2:42:09 because of that. And again, you you

2:42:11 mentioned it. I I think it's really a

2:42:12 life lesson to be heard, if you will. I

2:42:14 I think I I love I love to talk about

2:42:15 those. You're not who you are at your

2:42:17 worst, you're not who you are at your

2:42:18 best, you're who you are at that

2:42:20 baseline. If that baseline can be

2:42:21 somewhere closer to your absolute best,

2:42:23 that is inevitably going to what's going

2:42:24 to make you great. The Texas Tailgaters

2:42:26 this year, they're not who they are at

2:42:28 their very best or at their very worst,

2:42:29 but that baseline is a lot closer to

2:42:31 their very best thus far. And the very

2:42:33 best from the Firefighters, well, the

2:42:34 Tailgaters have been taking punch after

2:42:36 punch after punch cuz we've seen now for

2:42:38 four straight games it come down to the

2:42:40 very final frame and the very last out

2:42:43 and this has been one of the best

2:42:45 matchups, going back to last year, we've

2:42:47 seen in the young sport of Bananaball,

2:42:48 but yet again this year, the Tailgaters

2:42:50 6 and 2 against the Firefighters this

2:42:51 year, but eight incredible ball games

2:42:54 we've seen these two two play.

2:42:55 >> And you have to give a ton of credit to

2:42:56 Austin Temple, starter for the

2:42:57 Firefighters, after giving up three in

2:42:59 the first, strikes out five in four

2:43:01 innings of work. He was, I thought, you

2:43:03 use the word gritty, they use the word

2:43:05 gritty, I thought that's how you

2:43:06 describe Austin Temple's night. A

2:43:07 walk-off homer from DC3, walk-off homer

2:43:10 from Darien McDowell, but you run up

2:43:11 against a juggernaut in these Texas

2:43:13 Tailgaters. Brett, why don't we do this

2:43:14 again tomorrow, huh?

2:43:15 >> I think we absolutely should.

2:43:17 >> Here at Truist Field, 7:00, one more

2:43:19 time. We will see you there here for the

2:43:21 Tailgaters and the Firefighters. Until

2:43:23 then, Brett Loftis, what do we do?

2:43:25 >> We will

2:43:27 gator UP, OF COURSE. WE WILL GATOR UP.

2:43:31 BOOGITY, BOOGITY, BOOGITY.

2:44:00 >> [music]

2:44:25 [music]

2:44:54 >> HEY, SAMMY.

2:44:55 Do you want a picture?

2:45:07 Here we go.

2:45:08 Woohoo!

2:45:13 Oh.

2:45:14 No, no, no, no.

2:45:16 Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

2:45:19 Oh, yeah.