Savannah Bananas @ Firefighters

0:46 Heat. Heat.

1:06 Heat. Heat.

1:26 Heat. Heat.

1:32 [music]

1:35 Heat.

1:48 Heat.

1:50 [music]

1:59 Okay.

2:17 Oh,

2:27 hey.

2:34 Hey,

2:48 hey, hey.

2:53 Come

3:01 >> [music]

3:09 >> on.

3:10 Come

3:14 on.

3:27 Oh,

3:39 hey.

3:43 Heat. Heat.

4:44 down.

4:50 Hey

6:04 Hey,

6:15 hey, hey.

7:36 Heat.

7:53 Heat.

7:59 Heat. Heat.

8:23 [music]

8:30 >> [music]

8:56 >> Welcome in to the capital of the Corn

8:58 Husker State, Lincoln, Nebraska, where

9:00 we've got the Savannah Bananas taking on

9:02 the Firefighters. It's the first battle

9:05 in this twoame set between two teams who

9:08 both desperately need a sweep. The

9:10 Bananas dropped two of three games last

9:11 weekend to the Clowns and have fallen

9:13 out of first place for the first time

9:15 this year. While the Firefighters were

9:17 on the wrong end of a three-game sweep

9:20 at the hands of the Tailgator and have

9:22 dropped down to sixth place in the

9:24 standings. It's only the third [music]

9:26 time this season we've gotten to see the

9:27 Bananas and firefighters do battle and

9:30 it happens in front of over 8,000 fans

9:33 here in Hey Market Park. as we welcome

9:35 you inside with the statistical savant

9:37 of Banana Ball, Josh Tleski, the voice

9:39 of the firefighter, Zack Stton. I am Bo

9:42 Scala. Happy thirsty Thursday. Thank you

9:44 so much for spending it with us here in

9:47 virtual banana land. Zack, I want to

9:49 start with you because the firefighters

9:50 are coming off their worst weekend of

9:52 the year and really looking for a

9:54 turnaround as we near the halfway point

9:55 of this season.

9:56 >> And Bo, if I were to tell you the

9:57 firefighters had 24 runs, 31 hits, 37

10:00 trick plays in that weekend, you would

10:02 not have said it was their worst

10:03 weekend. You probably thought they would

10:05 have won the series, but that's the

10:06 price you pay when you go up against the

10:08 best team in the Banana Ball

10:09 Championship League in the Texas

10:10 Tailgator right now.

10:11 >> And Josh, for the Bananas, their

10:13 pitching was tremendous. It was actually

10:15 the offense that let them down last

10:16 weekend.

10:16 >> Yeah, the pitching has been sensational

10:18 lately for the Savannah Bananas.

10:20 Honestly, the strongest in the Banana

10:22 Ball Championship League. The only

10:23 problem is the Indianapolis Clouds have

10:25 continued to get stronger as Banana

10:27 Ball's expansion team, but also the

10:29 offense has let them down quite a bit.

10:32 You saw the Bananas able to string

10:33 together some things last Saturday, but

10:35 for the most part, they've only been

10:37 able to get their offense by

10:39 capitalizing off of the mistakes of

10:41 other Banana Ball teams. Okay, we'll get

10:43 to those highlights in a little bit, but

10:44 let's feast our peepers on what happened

10:47 in Charlotte, North Carolina last

10:50 weekend. Because although the Tailgator

10:52 struck first, it was a really nice

10:54 counter punch after that by the

10:55 firefighters.

10:56 >> It was a really good counter punch by

10:57 Austin Temple. Keep in mind, Delegator

10:59 had 13 hits [music] in game one. 12 of

11:01 them were singles. Austin Temple told me

11:03 after the first inning, he felt really

11:05 confident cuz things were just getting

11:06 hit like 2 feet [music] away from his

11:08 infielders. He comes back with six

11:09 strikeouts in that game. Darien McDow

11:12 comes back [music] with a two-run shot.

11:14 Hit about 500 ft. And firefighters

11:17 again, the offense was not the problem

11:18 last week. There's a Dragon. It's

11:20 breathing fire. Darien McDow breathing

11:22 fire as well. Kaden Peanut Green.

11:24 [music] Next inning, walk-off ball for

11:26 Sprint. dude is one of the most improved

11:28 players in our sport this year. That guy

11:30 didn't need to improve his swing at all.

11:32 Dalton Cornet, [music] big fly, 3-1

11:34 lead. Firefighters are coasting. But

11:35 then the Texas Tailgator offense, Mico,

11:38 they just do what they always do.

11:39 >> They are so gosh darn relentless. And

11:42 [music] after dropping points in three

11:44 straight innings, how about Zack Watson

11:46 getting it going and then the captain

11:48 Jordan Hussein two-run double down the

11:50 left field line. And as the away team

11:52 this weekend, it was the [music]

11:54 tailgator consistently mounting some

11:56 monster rallies to take the absolute

12:00 heart out of the firefighters. Then when

12:02 you got Ben Dum, one of your best

12:03 pitchers,

12:03 >> [music]

12:03 >> erratic like that, that just compounds

12:05 for the firefighters.

12:06 >> That goes to one of two themes that have

12:08 haunted the firefighters. Ball four

12:10 sprints and mistri plays right there.

12:12 That gave up another run and another

12:14 point [music] for the Texas Tailgator.

12:16 Ultimately, firefighters could not come

12:18 back into it. Reese Miller shuts the

12:19 door on a 5-3 win for the Tailgator.

12:21 Firefighters [music] would lose game

12:23 two, six-2. Then game three, 7 to1. I

12:26 [music] want to keep in mind in none of

12:28 those games did the Firefighters

12:29 offensively play bad. Look at this. 14

12:32 hits in game two, 10 in game three. They

12:35 kept the trick [music] play battle

12:36 awfully close against the best defensive

12:39 team in the sport. But that's again the

12:42 price you pay when you go up against the

12:44 Texas [music] Tailgator. So that takes

12:45 us to the numbers. And when you look at

12:48 the offensive numbers, like I told you

12:50 earlier, you would think the

12:51 firefighters over the last couple of

12:53 weeks would have won [music] two or

12:54 three games, would have had themselves

12:56 out of last place. But it's the pitching

12:58 that has [music] become a problem. The

13:00 ball four sprints, 38 of them over the

13:02 last two weeks. [music] That 14.6% ball

13:05 four sprint rate, that will not last.

13:08 That will not [music] keep you in the

13:09 hunt for the playoffs. If you want to be

13:11 up there, you have got to get that down.

13:12 It's so important to throw strikes in

13:14 banana ball. It was a couple

13:15 heartbreaking losses a couple weekends

13:17 ago [music] in Corpus Christie and the

13:18 Tailgator offense really took it to this

13:21 firefighters pitching staff in

13:22 Charlotte. Again, an RA above 10. You

13:25 just can't have that. And the mall four

13:27 sprints are certainly the biggest

13:28 measure of a Yucra so inflated right now

13:32 for firefighters pitching. Hopefully

13:34 they get better results this weekend

13:35 from Austin Temple, Jared Donaldson and

13:38 company. All right, let's get a [music]

13:39 gander at what the Savannah Bananas did

13:42 against the Indianapolis Clowns taking

13:44 on the [music]

13:45 expansion team for a second straight

13:47 weekend after they split in Kansas City.

13:50 And how about Joe Lidle? An offensive

13:52 force. Nobody on this [music] Clowns

13:54 team knows what it's like to play

13:56 against the Bananas more than Lidle here

13:58 in his fourth World Tour. [music] He was

13:59 tremendous last Thursday night. I mean,

14:01 he had a big weekend all around for the

14:03 Indianapolis Clowns, but you saw him

14:05 collect four games last Thursday night.

14:08 And he wasn't the only Clown doing

14:10 damage [music] throughout the weekend.

14:11 You saw Eli Payton collect his fifth

14:13 home run of the night against Connor

14:15 Harris. And all of that equated to a 4

14:18 to2 Clowns victory last Thursday. And

14:21 then Josh and I thrilled to broadcast

14:23 Friday night together. Big Tiger Friday.

14:25 Got our best Big Tiger shirts on and I

14:27 took a little spill off the roof. So

14:29 Tfki had to take care of the call by his

14:32 lonesome and Corell Prime gave him some

14:34 good highlights as well as Brian Dansro

14:37 bombs away for the Indianapolis Clowns.

14:39 The long ball reigns supreme for the

14:40 Clowns on Friday night. You saw Prime

14:43 with a two-run shot in the second.

14:44 Dancero a two-run homer run in the

14:46 fourth. [music] Joe Ray Jr. two-run

14:48 tater in the sixth inning. Every inning

14:50 in which the Indianapolis Clowns had a

14:53 home run, they earned a point against

14:55 the Savannah Bananas. And then outside

14:57 of that, Peanuts the elephant got to

15:00 face off against Dakota Stiltzaw.

15:02 Britain induced the trick play against

15:04 him and through [music] his first full

15:06 inning in his banana ball career. And

15:09 then you saw Gage Vorhees, the speed was

15:12 on full display for the first year

15:14 Indianapolis Clown as Vorhees had a 59

15:17 second inning, the fastest in Clown's

15:20 franchise history. And it had to feel

15:22 [music] that much more special that Gage

15:24 did it against his former team. He spent

15:26 two different years with the Savannah

15:27 Bananas between 2022 and 2025. He helps

15:30 the Clowns take game two last Friday

15:32 night 3 to2. So now Indianapolis looking

15:35 for the sweep on Saturday night. And Max

15:37 [music] Young Goldberg, the banana ball

15:40 rookie, big walk-off double to get the

15:42 walk-off in the second inning. It was

15:44 the first of [music] a couple timely

15:45 hits for the Bananas throughout the

15:46 night. And you saw another from Ryan Cox

15:49 in the seventh inning. That one clipping

15:51 off of Clark Gilmore's glove. A go-ahead

15:54 walk-off single for Coxy in the seventh

15:56 inning of play, putting the Nanners up

15:58 3-2. And from there, you can just put

16:00 your trust in Danny Hosley. Still

16:03 perfect in his save opportunities this

16:05 season. He was able to shut the door

16:07 against Jackie Bradley Jr. Yeah, Hosley

16:10 faced nine batters last weekend. He

16:11 retired them all, four of them via

16:13 [music] the punch out as you get a look

16:15 at the numbers across the whole weekend

16:17 with the Clowns taking [music] two of

16:19 three games which sets up the standings

16:21 or well which actually let's look at the

16:24 Bananas offense and pitching the last

16:26 couple weekends [music] because uh

16:28 that's what we've been focusing on. It's

16:29 the exact opposite of the firefighters

16:31 the offense letting them down. The

16:32 pitching's been superb. Well, if we zoom

16:34 out banana ball at large right now the

16:36 tour average erra is at 6 and a half.

16:39 The bananas in this stretch have a 4.23

16:42 earned run average and they are hitting

16:43 all the marks that they are wanting to

16:45 as a pitching staff. Best in the Banana

16:47 Ball Championship League in ball force

16:49 sprint rate and strikeout rate. But it

16:52 is this offense that continues to let

16:54 them down. Just batting above the

16:56 Mendoza [music] line. And you see

16:58 they're having a hard time scoring runs

17:00 in these contests. [music] And in Banana

17:02 Ball, you're playing based on points.

17:04 You have to win innings when you can

17:06 only score four and a half average runs.

17:08 [music] And sometimes you're getting

17:10 multiple runs in those innings. It makes

17:12 things incredibly tricky. And that's why

17:14 you see the bananas two and three across

17:17 the last two weekends. Especially want

17:19 to point out the fact that if you're the

17:20 visiting team, you want to [music] put

17:21 offensive pressure on the home team. The

17:23 firefighters had so much work cut out

17:25 for them against the Texas Tailgator

17:26 because they kept scoring two to three

17:28 runs in the top half of frames. If

17:30 you're only scoring four runs a game,

17:32 [music] you're doing nothing in terms of

17:34 making the other team have offensive

17:36 pressure on them. at something the

17:38 Bananas have to do tonight while the

17:39 firefighters take a peek. Eight ball

17:41 four sprints [music] in two weeks and

17:43 that's with one less game pitched. You

17:45 got to learn how to not give away the

17:46 free pass,

17:47 >> right? And just going back to what we

17:49 saw earlier, the firefighters have had

17:50 38 ball four sprints from their pitching

17:52 staff across the last two weekends. So,

17:54 a big difference in that regard. Okay.

17:56 And now the much awaited standings.

18:02 Yeah, get a look at it. Okay. So, the

18:04 tailgator a half game up now. The

18:07 firefighters amid this skid dropping

18:09 down to [music] sixth place, but they're

18:12 still just two and a half games out of a

18:13 playoff spot. I mean, we're not even to

18:15 the halfway point [music] in this

18:16 season. There is a lot of banana balls

18:18 still to be played. Take the two last

18:19 games of Charlotte out of the [music]

18:21 equation. The firefighters have lost 10

18:22 games since the start of May by two

18:24 points or less. They are competitive in

18:26 every game. There are just points where

18:28 [music] they're either making it a

18:29 little bit too much work on themselves

18:31 or the ninth inning has really haunted

18:33 them. This is a [music] perfect

18:34 opportunity to reverse that story here,

18:36 Bo.

18:37 >> Every single game so important. The

18:39 Party Animals Coconuts currently playing

18:41 right now. They sit at uh third and

18:44 fourth [music] in the standing. So,

18:45 there's just there's so many moving

18:46 pieces as you take a look at how these

18:48 teams started. Fantastic. First for the

18:50 Bananas, second for the firefighters

18:52 going into May, and since then, the

18:54 Bananas 6 and eight. Not a full-blown

18:57 disastrophe, but it's the second worst

18:59 record in the league across that time.

19:01 It is a full-blown disastrophe for the

19:03 firefighters. Three and 12 since the

19:05 start of May. They go from second

19:06 [music] place to sixth across that time.

19:07 Well, if you look back to the Banana

19:09 Ball Open, these were the top two seeds

19:11 in that Banana Ball Open. Neither of

19:13 them came away winning that in season

19:15 tournament. And you've seen since then

19:17 they're on a little bit of a skid. And

19:19 we've talked about the Bananas having

19:20 some woes playing as the away team this

19:22 season. Just a 500 record. Well, the

19:24 firefighters have really struggled

19:26 playing as the home team surprisingly in

19:29 2026. A big part of why they are just

19:32 three and 12, but they are hoping to

19:34 pick things up this weekend in Lincoln.

19:37 This is the 30th game of the year for

19:38 the Firefighters. It is their 20th home

19:40 game. So, uh, they're going to have to

19:43 try and salvage this homeheavy stretch

19:46 in their season across this twoame

19:48 stretch here in Lincoln, Nebraska. I'll

19:51 tell you what, the Nanners, even though

19:53 it hasn't been going their way for the

19:55 most part since the start of May, they

19:57 think they may have found the solution

19:59 to that problem. Ty Jackson shaved his

20:01 head and it was all sunshines and

20:03 rainbows last Saturday night for both

20:05 Tai and the Nanners. Well, even though

20:07 Ty has bald, it hasn't changed the fact

20:09 that he's been hitting the ball really

20:11 well for the Savannah Bananas these

20:13 days. Lot of good contact for Tai to

20:16 Fly. Continues to be that spark plug for

20:18 the bananas. And for more on Tai being

20:21 the guy who has all the mojo for this

20:23 team, let's catch up with Sam Bowman.

20:27 >> Well guys, you can't deny the bananas

20:30 are as hot as ever riding that historic

20:32 oneame win streak into here in Nebraska.

20:36 And it's hard to argue the science. Ever

20:38 since Ty Jackson shaved his head, things

20:40 have turned around. And it feels like

20:43 everybody's catching on to the magic of

20:45 that shiny shiny dome.

20:49 What's up, Dr.

20:50 >> What's up, [laughter] T?

20:53 $20. Yo yo yo, where's my money?

21:04 >> Hey yo, Ty, you miss. You miss. You need

21:06 help with the dance?

21:07 >> Yeah, hold on a second.

21:09 All right. All right.

21:14 I got it. Thank you.

21:20 Hey, T. Uh, keep walking.

21:27 >> Will I hit a home run later?

21:28 >> Yo, I'm not a magic eightball.

21:31 >> Yo, so I try again later.

21:34 >> Now, listen. We know the bananas are all

21:36 about making their own luck, but when

21:37 you've got something that seems to be

21:38 working like uh Ty Jackson's lucky bald

21:41 head, why would you take any chances,

21:43 guys?

21:49 >> [cheering]

21:51 >> That makes sense to me. SB. Oh no. Todd

21:54 Jackson.

21:55 >> What? Currently face down on the

21:58 infield. We're in the midst of our home

22:00 run hitter who just rounded second base.

22:03 Would love if we could get a shot of

22:05 that little rap scallion because

22:07 [cheering] I just trusted the CPR

22:10 techniques of these firefighters to be

22:11 able to take care of Tai. Is that Dr.

22:14 Meadows who is an obstacle?

22:16 >> Yep. 100%.

22:17 >> And nothing stopping this little

22:19 superstar as he cruises [cheering] to

22:22 the inside the Parker against the

22:23 Nanners.

22:24 >> Already our hero. And we haven't even

22:25 started an official inning here in

22:27 Lincoln, Nebraska. The home run hero.

22:29 Bald.

22:31 >> He's so bald.

22:33 >> Yeah. Ty Jackson's head. It's It's

22:35 captivating, is it not, Stan?

22:37 >> I I can't take my eyes off of it. You

22:39 know what else I can't take my eyes off

22:40 of? The banana ball rules. And you know

22:43 the only guy to present those virtual

22:45 Jesse Cole.

22:49 >> Banana Ball is the fastest and most

22:51 entertaining show in sports. And the 11

22:54 rules guarantee the most fans first

22:56 experiences every second.

22:58 >> Unbelievable.

22:59 >> Welcome to the Banana Bowl Championship

23:01 League.

23:02 >> Rule number one, win the inning, win the

23:04 point. The team that scores the most

23:06 runs in an inning wins the point. It's a

23:09 walk-off winner to the deepest pole

23:12 field.

23:12 >> Oh my goodness.

23:14 >> With the equalizer point, trick plays

23:16 provide the away team an opportunity to

23:18 earn a point going into the final

23:19 inning. And in the final inning, every

23:22 run counts as a point. Rule number two,

23:25 banana ball has a 2hour time limit,

23:27 guaranteeing that every game is

23:30 fast-paced and action-packed. Rule

23:32 number three, no stepping out of the

23:34 batter's box. If you do, it will result

23:37 in a strike. back stepped out of the box

23:39 and because he stepped out of the box,

23:40 that's it.

23:41 >> Rule number four, no bunting. [music]

23:44 Cuz bunting sucks. If you bunt, you'll

23:46 be thrown out of the game. Rule number

23:48 five, batters can steal first base.

23:51 >> Three, take it off for first throw from

23:53 Leroy in time.

23:55 >> Rule number six, there's [music] no

23:57 walks. Walks are ball force sprints. The

24:00 batter can advance as far as they want

24:02 until every position player touches the

24:05 ball. No defenders have touched the

24:07 banana ball. It is a four base spread to

24:10 open up the ball game.

24:11 >> Rule number seven,

24:13 >> no mound visits.

24:15 >> Nope. Rule number eight, foul balls

24:18 [music] caught by a fan count as an out.

24:20 >> Oh, they did. They kept doing it on the

24:24 court. We're going to show

24:26 >> rule number nine, the showdowns. In

24:29 showdowns, the best of the best face off

24:31 in the biggest [music] moment. One

24:33 hitter verse one pitcher with one

24:35 fielder behind him and the hitter has to

24:38 score deep to right center. See you

24:42 later. Rule number 10, the banana ball

24:44 challenge role gives the coaches and you

24:47 the fans a chance to impact a call on

24:49 the field. [cheering]

24:51 Rule number 11, the golden batter. Once

24:54 a game, each team can give any player in

24:56 a bat regardless of the lineup. This

24:58 offers the biggest matchups on the

25:00 biggest stage. Big on big game. Let's

25:04 go. Let's go. Let's go.

25:07 >> Get out of here ball. [cheering]

25:09 That thing had a family.

25:12 >> And those are the rules of banana ball.

25:19 >> Thank you, virtual Jesse. We have the

25:22 rules. And now the full capacity crowd

25:24 here in Hey Market Park getting on their

25:27 feet for real Jesse Cole down on the

25:30 field. Let's get it to Big Hill.

25:33 >> All right, Camille, are you ready to get

25:35 this crowd going absolutely crazy?

25:38 >> Yeah. [screaming]

25:40 >> Yes, she is. All right, Camille.

25:41 Whatever you do, they're going to do.

25:44 Here we go. Let's bring it.

25:47 >> Good start. Oh, looking good.

25:54 Oh, a little sprinkler. I like this.

25:56 Good with the firefighters. Here we go.

26:01 of staying alive. I don't know how you

26:04 know that, but okay. Here we go. Oh,

26:07 hey, baby. I like this one.

26:10 Keep it going.

26:12 Oh, no. Jumping Jack.

26:21 Oh, clap.

26:23 Give me a look around. 8,000 fans going

26:27 crazy for you. Let's hear it for

26:30 7-year-old Camille. [cheering]

26:38 [cheering]

26:47 Ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls, hot

26:51 shots and smoke shows from around the

26:54 world. Tonight, you and thousands of

26:57 your friends here live and millions more

27:00 watching at home have gathered to

27:02 witness something beyond your wildest

27:04 imagination.

27:06 From sparks to sirens, from the station

27:10 to the stadium, firefighters from across

27:12 the globe have come together to witness

27:15 this. This is not baseball. This is the

27:19 Crucible where the toughest, hottest,

27:22 and most entertaining players are

27:24 forged. This is a game of the fans, by

27:28 the fans, and for the fans. But this is

27:31 not your granddad's pastime. I know this

27:34 is not any other night at the firehouse.

27:37 This game is baseball by birth, fruit by

27:40 name, and an absolute worldwide

27:42 phenomenon by the grace of God. But make

27:46 no mistake, when the heat gets too

27:48 intense, we don't cool off. We run

27:50 towards the flames. This is a time for

27:54 over 8,000 people in attendance to get

27:57 on your feet and give me your voices.

28:02 [cheering]

28:05 Because this is the hottest show in

28:07 sports, ladies and gentlemen. This is

28:10 Banana

28:12 Ball.

28:14 And now the starting lineup for your

28:17 firefighters

28:19 and the Savannah Bananas.

28:22 Leading off for the firefighters, the

28:24 hot shot at shortstop number two, Kayen

28:28 Peut Green.

28:34 Banana center fielder number five, Dr.

28:38 the Doc Meadow

28:44 in the two-hole behind the plate for the

28:46 firefighters. DC3

28:49 Dalton Cornic

28:55 Bananas PH number 19 Dan Our first

29:04 manning the hot corner for the Fire and

29:06 Flames number 11 Logan Showtime Lacy

29:16 at first base for Savannah Bananas.

29:18 Number nine, Max Young Gulper.

29:24 The firefighters cleanup hitter. Ranging

29:27 left field number zero, Lamar

29:31 [screaming and groaning]

29:31 Sparks.

29:37 Bananas. Third baseman number four, Kyle

29:40 KJ Jackson.

29:48 In the five hole for the firefighters at

29:51 first base, number four, Eric Jones Jr.

29:59 behind the plate for the Savannah

30:01 Bananas, the captain, number one, Bill

30:04 Loy.

30:11 Batting six for the firefighters ranging

30:14 center field number 30 Arando Bera

30:19 [groaning and screaming]

30:23 in left field for the Bananas. Number

30:25 15, we call him Rat Robert Anthony Cruz.

30:36 The firefighters extra hitter number

30:38 seven, Mason Mad Max Maxwell.

30:46 Bananas right fielder number two, Reese

30:49 Superman Alexian.

30:57 Ranging right field for the

30:58 firefighters, number 10, Darien Premium

31:03 McDow.

31:07 At shortstop for the bananas, our glove

31:09 magician number six, Ryan Cox,

31:18 the firefighters designated hitter

31:21 number 24, Dakota Diesel McFaden.

31:29 Banana Zh number seven, tie to Fly

31:32 Jackson.

31:38 The firefighter second baseman number

31:41 55er

31:43 Tidy Hugh

31:49 second base for the bananas number eight

31:50 our greatest showman Jackson

31:55 [cheering]

32:00 the flamethrower on the mound tonight's

32:03 starting pitcher for the firefighters.

32:06 Number six, Austin Temple.

32:10 >> On the mound for the Savannah Bananas

32:12 tonight, number 88, Noah Na.

32:20 The firefighters are led by Battalion

32:22 Chief Val Perez, Captain Cory Pi, and

32:26 Lieutenant Drew Yanessa.

32:31 Savannah Bananas are led by Tyler

32:33 Gillum, assisted by Adam Broy, Ryan

32:36 Kellogg, Bryce Stover, and the legend

32:40 Reggie Hort.

33:08 ladies and gentlemen, at this time we

33:10 ask all those who are able to please

33:12 rise, uncover your heads, and turn

33:14 towards the flag with your right hand

33:16 over your heart for this evening's

33:17 performance of our national anthem.

33:20 performing this evening. Please welcome

33:22 Nathan Schneider with his rendition of

33:25 The Stars Spangled Banner.

33:28 >> Oh, say can you see [singing]

33:33 by the dawn early

33:37 light?

33:39 But so proudly

33:42 we hailed [singing]

33:44 at the twilight

33:47 last gleaming.

33:50 Who's brought stripes and bright

33:53 [singing] stars

33:55 through the paral [singing]

33:59 fight.

34:01 For the ramp parts we [singing] watched

34:06 were so gallently

34:09 streaming

34:12 and the [singing] rockets

34:15 red glare.

34:18 The bombs bursting [singing]

34:21 air

34:23 gave proof through the [singing] night

34:28 that our flag was still there.

34:34 Oh, say [singing] does that star spangle

34:40 banner

34:42 yet way

34:45 [singing]

34:48 or the land

34:50 [singing] of the free

34:57 and the home [singing]

35:00 of of

35:04 the rain. [singing]

35:06 [cheering]

35:07 >> Thank you very much, Nathan Schneider.

35:10 [applause]

35:14 Wonderful rendition of the national

35:16 anthem.

35:18 And we are oh so close to the first ever

35:21 banana ball game here in the great state

35:24 of Nebraska.

35:27 The 11 and 18 firefighters host the 17

35:30 and 11 Savannah Bananas.

35:33 Sixth place verse second here in the

35:36 inaugural season of the Banana Ball

35:38 Championship League. And it goes down

35:42 [cheering] in the shadow of Memorial

35:44 Stadium where in two nights time we will

35:47 have over 85,000 fans in what will be

35:50 the third largest game in Banana Ball

35:52 history.

35:54 But across Highway 180, we get the

35:57 opening act. Over 8,000 fans on hand

36:00 here in Hey Market Park.

36:05 And the Firefighters, their second home

36:08 game this season against the Bananas.

36:09 Only the third time these two teams have

36:12 done battle. [music] You get a look at

36:13 their defensive alignment left to right

36:15 in the outfield. Noah Bridges, he's the

36:17 designated fielder. We expect him to

36:18 play the majority, if not the whole game

36:20 out in left field. Then Armando Betta in

36:22 center. Darien McDow in right in the

36:25 infield. Third to first. It's Logan

36:27 Lacy, Kaden Green, South Trimble, and

36:29 Eric Jones Jr. with Dalton Cornet

36:31 [music] behind the dish.

36:31 >> I want to point you to a couple things.

36:33 Number one, Tiner Hughes not in the

36:34 lineup today. Dealing with something

36:35 minor. Hope to get him back for the

36:37 football game. Darien McDow is a

36:39 highlight maker in right field. There

36:41 are some things he [music] does that you

36:43 just have to see to believe that don't

36:45 reflect in the trick play column, but I

36:47 promise you it will make your eyes pop.

36:50 Kaden Peanut Green though the clear guy

36:52 to watch here for trick plays. First

36:54 firefighter ever to 50 in one season.

36:57 They got to do a lot to help out their

36:58 guy in the middle in Austin Temple. Over

37:02 the last speak of the devil, the 6'4

37:06 proud of Palm City, Florida, former

37:08 collegiate banana. And [cheering] after

37:10 a rocky first inning, he was fantastic

37:12 his last outing against the Tailgator.

37:14 >> Yep. his last two starts, seven and a

37:15 third innings, eight strikeouts, just

37:17 five ball, four sprints, five earned

37:19 runs, but he earned the firefighters

37:21 four points across those starts. Those

37:24 were massive for his confidence. Again,

37:26 struck out six in game one in Charlotte

37:29 after giving up four in the first

37:31 inning. He repeats a confident start

37:33 like that. And Austin Temple can provide

37:35 you something special here in Lincoln,

37:38 Nebraska, not too far from Omaha, where

37:39 he played with Notre Dame in the College

37:41 World Series in 2022. He's got as good a

37:43 stuff as any pitcher in the sport. It's

37:46 all about the control. As you get a look

37:47 at the lineup that goes against him, DR

37:49 Meadows at the top, then Dan Ober, Max

37:51 Young Goldberg. Cleaning it up is Kyle

37:53 Jackson, followed by Bill Loy, Robert

37:55 Anthony Cruz, reselects the Ryan Cox, Ty

37:58 Jackson, and Jackson Olsson to round it

38:00 out. Well, the big guy you're looking at

38:02 is Bill Loy who last year batted over

38:04 500 against the firefighters. He was

38:07 phenomenal against them. But these

38:09 Savannah Bananas, we've mentioned the

38:11 offensive lows. They've started the

38:13 games a little slow as well. Just a 259

38:17 collective average in the first three

38:19 innings of play this season. Hoping that

38:21 will not be the case going against

38:23 Austin Temple, who has the highest earn

38:25 run average of any pitcher with five or

38:28 more starts this season.

38:30 The doctor slumping as of late, but

38:33 still a 319 average

38:36 as he goes. as the Bananas offense seems

38:39 to go. We'll see if that is the case

38:41 here tonight as we'll get it on down to

38:43 Cass.

38:44 >> This game started. Here's Cass.

38:46 >> Lincoln, Nebraska, you have waited long

38:49 enough. It is about time we start the

38:52 clock. But first, I need some help.

38:54 Please welcome four-year-old Micaia.

38:59 [cheering]

39:00 [applause]

39:01 Hello, Micaia. Oh, yes. Grab that

39:02 awesome hat of yours. Now, on the count

39:05 of three, myself, 8,000 people in

39:09 attendance, and you are going to yell,

39:11 "Start the fire." Here we go. 1 2 3.

39:18 >> The fire [screaming]

39:22 >> showtime.

39:24 That's your first time experiencing the

39:25 flames, Boss Scala. You can feel the

39:28 heat up in the broadcast booth. I'm also

39:31 a little confused. This is my first

39:33 firefighters headlining game I've gotten

39:35 to see in person. I thought they were

39:37 fighting fires. Why are we starting the

39:39 fire?

39:39 >> We need something to fight ourselves.

39:41 >> It's an homage to William Joel.

39:44 [laughter]

39:45 >> But I thought it was we didn't start the

39:47 fire, not we did.

39:49 >> Hey, you know, he doesn't care,

39:50 >> right? Okay, Bill,

39:53 you know,

39:53 >> just getting those royalty checks.

39:56 >> I don't blame him. Ball in a strike on

39:58 the doctor.

40:01 On base percentage has just dipped below

40:03 400 at 396 as he fouls back the fast

40:07 ball. It's low 90s gas from Austin

40:09 Temple. Usually sits about 90 to 92.

40:11 Curveball sweeper and splitter to round

40:14 out the Arsenal.

40:17 Look out Dr. Pirouetses out of the way

40:19 of a heater and the count's even at two

40:20 and two.

40:21 >> Really, it's that curveball that he

40:22 builds everything off of that's moving.

40:24 Austin Temple is as dangerous as they

40:25 come.

40:27 right back up the middle and no chance

40:29 for Peanut.

40:31 >> Dr. Meadows starts the weekend with a

40:34 knock. Yeah, that's what you're hoping

40:36 to see from Dr. Meadows who over the

40:38 last two weekends is batting below the

40:40 Mendoza line for the Savannah Bananas. A

40:42 lot of struggles against the Clouds

40:44 pitching staff. But now that they've

40:46 gotten him on again, we have seen him

40:48 continue to get healthier and healthier

40:49 since this hamstring injury. See if they

40:52 put him in motion. Dan Over hasn't

40:54 slowed down all season. That ball ripped

40:56 off the right center field wall. Dr's

40:58 getting a big stop sign from Gillum as

41:00 Oburst coasts into second with a stand

41:02 up double. Two Nanners in scoring

41:05 position. Two batters into the game.

41:08 Great piece of opposite field hitting

41:10 from Dan Obur. This is stuff that we

41:11 have seen all season long. He has flex

41:14 the power to the opposite field this

41:16 season. A couple home runs now adds on

41:19 another double and it's Max Young

41:21 Goldberg, a hero last Saturday for the

41:24 Bananas. up with a chance to plate some

41:26 runs early. Infield in for the

41:28 firefighters.

41:30 Peter just misses up and out. Evens the

41:33 count had out a ball and a strike on

41:34 MJG.

41:36 Two for five last weekend.

41:39 His double walked off the second inning

41:41 of the only victory the Nanners had.

41:43 That was last Saturday night. A 3-2 win

41:45 over the Clowns and a couple ball force

41:47 sprints which has been his calling card

41:50 here in his rookie season. 23 of them on

41:52 the year leading the Bananas only one

41:54 behind Jake Skull for the tour lead

41:57 but has a higher rate than Jake Skull.

41:59 So when you just focus on those plate

42:01 appearances Young Goldberg able to draw

42:03 sprints more than just about anyone in

42:05 banana ball and he does it again. Temple

42:08 missing outside to MJG and the Bananas.

42:11 Two guys in scoring position they are

42:13 both able to score easily.

42:16 That's why Gillum put him back in the

42:18 three hole where he started the season.

42:21 This is his 16th start hitting third.

42:25 And he's got a pair of stakes gives away

42:27 to JT Sakalib, the bananas designated

42:29 runner.

42:31 So single, double, two-run ball for

42:33 Sprint. Great speed at first. Kyle

42:36 Jackson,

42:38 who has been absolutely superb all year

42:41 long here in his second full season of

42:43 Banana Ball. limited a little last

42:46 weekend. Two for seven with a double

42:50 >> as he squibs that one foul.

42:52 >> Bo, I want to raise one other point,

42:54 too. The firefighters since the start of

42:56 May have given up a first inning point

42:59 10 times. When we talk about not putting

43:02 as much work on yourself as humanly

43:05 possible, this is what it comes back to.

43:08 Already giving up a crooked number in

43:09 the top half of the first inning. You're

43:11 already making your offense have to come

43:13 back from behind here early on in this

43:15 one,

43:17 >> right? And that's in 15 games. So 10 out

43:19 of those 15 games they've been behind

43:21 the eightball one inning in. By the way,

43:24 KJ did work three ball for sprints last

43:26 weekend. So reach base five out of 11

43:28 times. Can't be upset about that.

43:32 As he cuts and misses on the heater,

43:35 Temple gets his first out on the

43:37 strikeout.

43:38 >> Well, again, that's what we talk about.

43:40 If Austin Temple is going to be

43:41 effective in this Banana Ball

43:42 Championship League, it's taking

43:44 adversity and coming back and punching

43:46 back right there. Goes right back to his

43:48 heater and gets it to work to

43:50 perfection.

43:52 Now he's going to have to go against his

43:53 old battery mate.

43:56 These guys started their careers in

43:58 Banana Land the summer of 2018. Played

44:01 two seasons as collegiate Savannah

44:03 Bananas together.

44:08 >> [clears throat]

44:10 >> That was back when Temple was at

44:12 Jacksonville University. As we've said,

44:14 finished up at Notre Dame and spent a

44:16 couple years in the Astros minor league

44:18 system before coming straight to Banana

44:19 Ball. This is his third tour. All of

44:21 them with the firefighters.

44:26 >> Bill swinging three 0. Comes up empty.

44:29 >> It's about as green as a green light

44:31 you're going to find on a 3-0 count.

44:35 Still Bills count with the 3-1. There

44:37 goes Sakalov. High pop left side. JT

44:41 will have to reverse his course. Noah

44:43 Bridges battling the sun. Catches it the

44:45 oldfashioned way for out number two.

44:48 Yeah, that sun that Noah Bridges was

44:50 having to battle out there in left

44:51 field. Certainly what robbed him of a

44:53 potential trick play. Armando Baser was

44:56 creeping over potentially expecting a

44:58 tip. Instead, a big second out for

45:00 Austin Temple, who was losing Bill Leroy

45:03 with consecutive pitches outside, then

45:05 went in to jam him and get that out.

45:08 Good, good decision from Austin Temple.

45:10 And a filthy sweeper to jump ahead of

45:12 Robert Anthony Cruz.

45:17 Right back to it. It works again. 02

45:20 count.

45:24 Why not go with it again? They go with

45:27 the fast ball. rack able to spoil it out

45:29 of play.

45:36 >> Two runs already across.

45:39 Robert Anthony Cruz looking for more. A

45:40 Sakalov dances off first and able to

45:43 hold up on the O2 breaking ball. That

45:45 was the curve.

45:46 >> That's a heck of a pitch, too. Robert

45:48 Anthony Cruz wanted it all the way till

45:49 the last absolute last second.

45:56 There goes Sakalov. Bouncing ball and

45:58 it's going to find the hole past the

46:00 dive of Trimble. [cheering] JT will park

46:02 it at third.

46:05 Cruz with a seeing eye single and

46:06 they're at the corners.

46:07 >> If we see this replay, South Trimble's

46:10 even struggling with the sun, too. He

46:11 could barely find the ball as it was

46:13 coming back up now with runners on the

46:14 corners. Look at him here. He couldn't

46:16 find it either. Peanut had his shades

46:18 up.

46:21 >> Sticky situation. And great breaking

46:23 ball as Temple jumps ahead of Reese

46:26 Selelexiatis buried in the seven hole as

46:29 Cruz will steal second without a throw.

46:31 Just a pump fake from Cornet.

46:37 Third stolen base of the season for

46:38 Rack. Now there's two runners in scoring

46:40 position and a two-1 count on Super

46:44 Reese. Three for nine last weekend. A

46:46 pair of doubles.

46:48 One of them a walk-off.

46:50 Just looking for insurance here.

46:54 High pop right side. McDow

46:59 under the leg with two runners in

47:01 scoring position. How about the hood

47:04 from Premium first trick play of the

47:06 ball game. Great to see from Darien

47:10 McDow. A little surprised in himself

47:12 that he came away with that banana ball.

47:15 Looking at it in the glove. Nonetheless,

47:18 gutsy trick play, but a big one for the

47:20 firefighters again trying to deny that

47:22 equalizer point tonight.

47:25 Here's the nanners defensive alignment

47:27 with two runs [music] to work with in

47:29 the first inning. Left to right in the

47:30 outfield. Rack DR and super east. Third

47:33 to first in the infield. KJ Cox, Olsen,

47:35 [music] and Ziegler who is the nanner's

47:37 designated fielder. MJG the starting

47:40 first baseman in the lineup. We probably

47:41 won't see him there until the eighth or

47:43 ninth inning. And Bill Loy is the

47:45 battery mate [music] for now, isn't it?

47:46 Well, you have seen the designated

47:48 fielder pay massive dividends for the

47:50 Bananas this season. You've seen the

47:52 plethora of [music] double trick plays

47:53 that have occurred because Alex

47:55 Ziggler's been manning the first base

47:56 bag. Well, he's also already set a

47:59 career high with 51 [music] trick plays

48:02 and counting for the Savannah Bananas

48:04 this season. Previous high was 37 and

48:07 you are seeing Ziggy potentially on his

48:10 way to 100 before [music] seasons end. A

48:13 really impressive year defensively for

48:15 Alex Ziggler here in his fifth world

48:17 tour. And in the middle of it all, it's

48:19 Noah in his third season as a Savannah

48:22 Banana. The pride of St. Louis,

48:24 Missouri. Had been cruising all year

48:26 until he had his first real rough outing

48:28 last weekend against the Clowns.

48:29 >> Yeah, you saw Noah Nisnik surrender

48:32 multiple home runs for the first time in

48:34 a start since March 21st, 2025 against

48:37 the Party Animals. That was also a game

48:39 that came in Grayson Stadium. But Noah

48:42 Nisnik in 16 career starts or 15 I

48:45 should say against the Firefighters has

48:47 a 7 and0 record with a [cheering]

48:51 4.03 earned run average in 44 and 2/3

48:55 innings pitched.

48:56 >> But he's going to have to go up against

48:57 a lineup that is much more dangerous

48:59 than he's faced the last couple years.

49:00 If we gave away a most improved player

49:02 of the year in our sport, two guys in

49:04 this lineup are there with Kaden Peanut

49:06 Green and Mason Maxwell, who is a

49:08 dangerous batter when it comes to

49:10 runners in scoring position. He's all

49:12 the way down in the seven hole. Watch

49:14 out for Armando Betta, too. The last

49:16 couple of weekends, five hits. He looks

49:18 much more like the guy the firefighters

49:20 drafted in the third round.

49:23 >> What a sophomore season it's been.

49:25 Nearing the halfway mark here for Kaden

49:27 Peanut Green, pacing the firefighters

49:30 with his .404 batting average, which is

49:32 third best in the sport. 505 on base

49:35 percentage, plus the team's trick play

49:37 leader at shortstop as he lines it right

49:40 back up to shoot. He does his job. The

49:42 firefighters are going to get to bring

49:44 up the innings tying run just two

49:46 batters into this bottom of the first.

49:48 >> Boico, does it look like that's a guy

49:50 who's leading off for the first time

49:51 this year? He approaches it right back

49:53 exactly how he would when he was in the

49:55 two- hole or even the six hole. Nothing

49:57 too difficult. Just get some contact

49:59 right back up the middle. That's why

50:00 Peanut's been so good this year. [music]

50:05 Dalton Cornet

50:07 ahead one and out.

50:10 18th time hitting in the two-hole for

50:12 DC3.

50:14 Another legend of the sport here in year

50:16 number five [music]

50:18 in banana ball. in second with the

50:19 firefighters after his first three were

50:21 with the party animals. Nisnick checking

50:23 on Kaden Green, but Ziggler's throw back

50:26 to the mound ends up going all the way

50:28 to first now. Cornet took off for first.

50:30 They're going to have to send him back.

50:32 >> He cannot swipe first base.

50:33 >> No. And and Vincent Chapman is wise to

50:36 it. [laughter] That's a handball vet

50:39 trying to pull a fast one on the

50:40 umpires. You can only steal first on a

50:42 wild pitch or a pass ball.

50:46 >> Watch him throw his hands up at the end.

50:48 He threw his hands up like, "Oh, my

50:50 fault. My fault." Sorry, y'all.

50:51 >> He said, "That's on me." Ziggler, only

50:54 his second error of the year.

50:57 >> Just a little lack of concentration on

50:58 the throwback to Nisnik.

51:00 >> DC3, by the way. 516 batting average

51:03 with runners in scoring position.

51:05 >> Yeah, that leads the tour as Ziggler is

51:06 able to handle that. No trick play

51:08 though. He whipped it between the legs.

51:10 Never saw

51:12 the any air between the ball and the

51:15 glove. It's got to be a toss there to

51:16 get the trick play. Yeah, on an

51:18 unassisted play, you have to see the

51:19 ball leave the hand of your first

51:22 baseman or whoever is taking it to the

51:24 bag. That was not the case for Alex

51:26 Eagler. And now it's Logan Lacy lofting

51:29 this one into left field. Cruz was

51:31 ranging back. Now ranges in and set

51:34 himself up pretty well to hold Kaden

51:37 Peanut Green at third base.

51:40 Shows off the chooch. No reason for

51:43 Peanut to take a chance there. He's not

51:44 the guy that matters. That's now Lamar

51:46 Sparks, the man at the dish, the

51:49 firefighters team leader with seven home

51:51 runs. That is second most in the sport,

51:53 only behind Kyle Martin, Texas

51:56 Tailgator's prolific slugger. And

51:59 Sparks, boy, he has lived up to all

52:01 expectations as the firefighters napped

52:03 him in the fourth round. Seven home runs

52:05 is the most a firefighter has ever had

52:06 in a regular season. And he's got some

52:09 experience playing in this ballpark with

52:10 the Fargo Morehead Red Hawks. and

52:12 Cleburn of the American Association had

52:14 a couple of big fly extra base hits here

52:17 last year.

52:20 >> Jam shot that's going to plate Green

52:23 from third. Sparks with a big turn. He's

52:25 thinking about two bases. Throw to

52:27 second's. Perfect, but late. [cheering]

52:31 Head first dive. Sparks with a hustle

52:33 double and a ribeye to go with it.

52:36 Bananas inning lead cut in half. Val

52:39 Perez and Triionessa have talked to

52:40 these guys about being a little bit more

52:42 aggressive on the base pads and you see

52:44 it right there. It's a great throw from

52:45 rack. Attack's pretty good from Jackson

52:47 Olsen, too. But Lamar, that's what

52:50 happens when you get aggressive. You

52:52 sometimes get rewarded for it. Now the

52:53 former banana EJ,

52:56 >> the plop thickens.

52:59 Guy who caught nois a decent amount

53:01 across these last two tours. Shattered

53:04 back, but it might do the job. Yeah,

53:05 that's going to find grass. Sparks can

53:08 run well. He scores easily.

53:10 >> Let's go.

53:11 >> The bats in two pieces, but it dies a

53:13 hero as we're tied in the first.

53:16 >> And that's where if you're the Savannah

53:17 Bananas, not only does the E3 from Alex

53:21 Ziggler hurt, but also just the way that

53:23 Robert Anthony Cruz was addressing that

53:25 banana ball off the bat of Lamar Sparks.

53:28 He recognized a little bit of

53:30 lacadasical play got himself a hustle

53:32 double and that was come around to score

53:34 an inning tying run. Now it's the

53:37 hottest hitter on the team. Armando

53:39 Betta off the end of the bat up the

53:40 middle. Cox 360. No chance. Sparks

53:43 hustling over to third. Throw from Cox

53:46 in time.

53:49 A strike to KJ from his shortstop.

53:53 And that guns down the potential inning

53:55 winning run. It it was actually Noah

53:58 Bridges, the designated runner utilized

54:00 for the first time in there for Eric

54:02 Jones Jr. here as he get another look.

54:05 Ends up making the third out at third.

54:07 >> That one's going to stand for the

54:08 firefighters cuz you had a bunch of

54:10 momentum.

54:12 Again, I just talked about

54:13 aggressiveness on the base pad.

54:14 Sometimes you get rewarded, but

54:16 sometimes you can uh fight off a little

54:18 more than you can chew. And you saw it

54:20 right there with the firefighters who

54:22 just pushed the inning. And I don't

54:24 think they hit a ball any harder than 70

54:26 mph exit reload.

54:27 >> Yeah, maybe that's what Peanut had on

54:29 his liner up the middle. I [cheering]

54:31 think the hits from Sparks and EJ were

54:35 probably more around 50 miles per hour

54:37 off the bat, but they look like

54:39 screamers in the scorebook as you got a

54:41 tale of the tape here for Hey Market

54:43 Park. Talked about it on the pregame

54:45 show. The Nebraska Corn Huskers baseball

54:47 team share it with the Lincoln Salt Dogs

54:50 who have been here since 2001.

54:52 Nebraska's baseball team started playing

54:53 here in 2002. about eight and a half

54:56 thousand fans and of course we have

54:58 maxed it out here tonight for the

55:00 Bananas and firefighters.

55:03 >> This is a beautiful ballpark especially

55:05 with driving in on the highway. You see

55:08 three things. Football stadium to your

55:10 left, hey Market Park to your right, and

55:12 then Pinnacle Bank Arena right behind

55:14 it. I mean this is in terms of

55:16 collegiate towns and sports. This is one

55:18 of the most beautiful and most excited

55:21 towns we've been to here in Banana Ball.

55:27 How about Ryan Cox getting to take his

55:29 turn as the Dunkin Donut batter of the

55:32 game. If Coxy strikes out, [cheering]

55:35 the fans here in Lincoln, Nebraska get

55:39 free donuts courtesy of Duncan.

55:41 [cheering]

55:43 Fast ball poured in for strike one.

55:45 >> By the way, you know some concerts that

55:46 have been played here, Bo?

55:48 >> I do not, but I would like to learn.

55:50 >> I'll tell you here in a second. big one

55:51 and it went off.

55:52 >> Bob Dylan, John Melanchamp, Willie

55:55 Nelson, and the Almond Brothers have all

55:57 played at this very ballpark.

55:59 >> Star studded.

56:03 >> Reminds me of Sutter Health Park out in

56:06 Sacramento. They've had some I mean now

56:08 that that place holds 14,000, so little

56:11 more room to work with there as Bridg's

56:14 tip drill will take care of Cox in

56:16 style.

56:18 >> Boy, that's a tough one for Noah, too.

56:19 He's looking directly into the sun, but

56:22 at the last second pulls that tip drill

56:24 out. And that's not an easy one to pull

56:26 the tip drill out on, Josh.

56:27 >> Well, I think that one's redemption for

56:29 the trick play that he could have had in

56:31 the first inning of play. Of course,

56:33 that ball was hanging up in the sun

56:34 quite a bit. That one a little more of a

56:37 low liner. So, Bridges able to size it

56:39 up a little bit quicker. That's what

56:41 allowed him to induce that tip as now

56:42 the firefighters have two trick plays

56:45 tonight. Anti-Jack gets plunked by

56:48 Austin Temple. Slam

56:51 of the helmet. Tai looks like he's in

56:53 some serious pain here, but

56:57 >> his teammates are out on the field.

56:58 What's happening?

57:01 [music]

57:10 to apologize.

57:13 It's too late.

57:16 I said it's too late to apologize.

57:21 It's too late.

57:35 That

57:35 >> is an emotional tie fight.

57:39 >> [cheering]

57:41 >> singing to Austin Temple who plunked him

57:43 with low 90s gas. Doesn't feel good.

57:46 >> No,

57:48 >> I don't know if Tai was supposed to fall

57:49 off the chairs.

57:50 >> I was about to say I think he bounced

57:51 his helmet off one of the chairs.

57:52 >> I'm going to wager no. Great speed on

57:55 the bases for the Nanners. Ty plunk for

57:57 the third time this year as Jackson

57:59 Olsson off the end of the bat.

58:02 Armando Betta tip drill and he'll take

58:06 care of it himself. Tai trying to tag

58:08 and take second. He will easily gets in

58:10 there standing

58:12 on the trick play. So that's a trade for

58:14 the firefighters. They grab their third

58:16 trick play of the game as they're trying

58:17 to fend off the bananas attempt at an

58:20 equalizer point. But Jackson into

58:22 scoring position with two outs.

58:26 >> Yeah, you're just hoping that Austin

58:27 Temple's able to continue to stay in the

58:29 zone. I think that's a vote of

58:30 confidence from Armando Basera out there

58:32 in center field. And Temple finds the

58:35 zone now. the count even ball and a

58:36 strike.

58:38 Dr. a single up the middle his first

58:40 time. Came around to score the first of

58:43 two runs for the Bananas in the first

58:44 inning.

58:47 Firefighters equaled it to deny the

58:49 Danners the point. Pushed the frame.

58:53 Hot shot past the dive of Trimble into

58:55 right. Jackson coming home. Premium's

58:58 throw is not even close to in time.

59:02 [cheering]

59:03 Meadows with the ribeye.

59:05 And that trick play comes to bite the

59:08 firefighters for now at least. That's

59:10 the reason why Jackson's able to score

59:12 the run with two outs. And man, it is

59:14 just nice to see the bananas doing some

59:16 things with guys in scoring position.

59:18 You saw the two RBI sprint from Max

59:20 Young Goldberg in the first. Now Meadows

59:23 gets the two out hit here in the second

59:25 inning. The Bananas were just 5 for 31

59:28 with runners in scoring position last

59:30 weekend. This is a nice start for them

59:32 against the Firefighters. There goes DR.

59:35 He got a late jump. Cornets throws

59:36 perfect and in time. Meadows wants the

59:40 challenge and Tyler Gillum is going to

59:43 trust his veteran.

59:44 >> Wow.

59:46 I mean, it was as perfectly timed as you

59:49 could get on the tag

59:51 down at second base. Dalton Cornet with

59:53 a laser of a throw.

59:59 You look at it here on the replay. I'm

1:00:02 not sure if this angle is going to tell

1:00:03 us much in terms of where the hand is

1:00:04 right. I couldn't agree more.

1:00:11 >> Gosh, the sun is blaring.

1:00:13 >> Yep.

1:00:14 >> Here at 7:21 p.m. Central.

1:00:17 >> Yeah, this angle is just not I don't

1:00:18 think you can see it timewise.

1:00:21 >> Now, that shot from the first base angle

1:00:23 isn't going to do it.

1:00:24 >> And I don't like I

1:00:26 >> It's intriguing on that home plate

1:00:28 angle.

1:00:29 >> It is. It looks like his left hand might

1:00:31 be sneaking.

1:00:32 >> Oh, he's he looks safe to me.

1:00:35 >> But is it enough evidence to overturn

1:00:37 the call on the field?

1:00:38 >> Right. We've seen one angle that doesn't

1:00:39 tell us much. And we've seen another

1:00:40 angle that seems to indicate safe. This

1:00:43 I don't think is going to tell us.

1:00:44 >> No, that does not tell you anything.

1:00:45 >> You really need to see it from if we

1:00:47 have a third base camera that looked on

1:00:49 it maybe. But

1:00:51 >> this call is going to stand.

1:00:52 >> I think it should stand. But I've been

1:00:54 surprised. Yes, we have massively from

1:00:58 time to time.

1:01:03 >> From what we've seen from these angles,

1:01:05 this call should not be overturned.

1:01:09 >> If you showed me this play in a vacuum

1:01:11 from the home plate angle, I think I

1:01:13 would have wagered safe. But

1:01:16 >> I'm not seeing enough evidence to flip

1:01:17 it.

1:01:18 >> And neither did the umpire.

1:01:20 >> Field stands. The runner is

1:01:22 >> Vincent Chapman, Heath Banks, third base

1:01:24 umpire. They both took a long look at

1:01:25 it, did not see evidence to overturn it,

1:01:27 and it is the first caught stealing for

1:01:30 Dr. Meadows this year in 13 tries, but a

1:01:34 run comes across for the Ners. A chance

1:01:36 to win the inning. Let's get it on down

1:01:37 to Sam Bowman. Hey guys, it's Banana

1:01:40 Ball's first time in the state of

1:01:41 Nebraska. So, we found some fans who

1:01:44 like a little local flare. Something

1:01:45 about the Huskers. We've got Adam and

1:01:48 Kai. Adam, I'm going to start with you.

1:01:51 You came in from Omaha today. that

1:01:54 important to see some banana ball.

1:01:56 >> It is. What we were doing is it's Kai's

1:01:57 8th birthday on Saturday and he wanted

1:02:01 tickets to come to the Savannah

1:02:02 baseball.

1:02:03 >> Wow. So, Kai, you're turning eight. Is

1:02:05 there anything you would love to get for

1:02:08 your birthday tonight?

1:02:11 >> A sign from every player.

1:02:13 >> A sign from every player. Okay. And I

1:02:17 think there was one player you were

1:02:18 hoping would do something tonight.

1:02:21 >> I hope KG hit a dinger. He hopes KJ hits

1:02:24 a dinger. So, the hopes and dreams of a

1:02:26 young 8-year-old Kai are riding on Kyle

1:02:29 Jackson. One last question for you, Kai.

1:02:32 What do you like more as far as yellow

1:02:35 foods? Corn or bananas?

1:02:37 >> Bananas.

1:02:39 >> Bananas. We've converted them. We've

1:02:40 converted them. Corn Huskers. Banana

1:02:42 country right now. Guys,

1:02:45 >> you're Big Jay journalist, Sam. That was

1:02:47 a hard-hitting question at the end.

1:02:49 Bananas or corn? I mean, they're both

1:02:51 fantastic.

1:02:53 It's like picking between my

1:02:56 hypothetical children that don't exist.

1:02:58 >> Really? You consider corn and bananas

1:03:00 that close?

1:03:01 >> I love them both.

1:03:03 >> Okay.

1:03:04 >> Controversial take. I'd take corn.

1:03:06 >> Interesting.

1:03:07 >> And I love bananas.

1:03:08 >> Interesting.

1:03:09 >> Corn's like the best.

1:03:10 >> Well, I've eaten a banana for breakfast

1:03:12 every day, so I I must disagree with

1:03:14 you.

1:03:15 >> And that's very healthy and tasty for

1:03:16 you. [cheering]

1:03:18 >> Jam shot. And it's

1:03:22 Not going to be caught in the second

1:03:24 deck. Mason Maxwell still alive. What a

1:03:28 second world tour it's been for Mad Max,

1:03:30 the pride of Newfield, New Jersey.

1:03:32 [cheering] Goes down swinging here with

1:03:34 plenty more time to wax poetic about the

1:03:37 firefighters 11th round pick across the

1:03:40 rest of tonight. For now, he's no first

1:03:42 strikeout victim.

1:03:45 High heat, effective pitch. N usually

1:03:48 sits about 88 to 89. and he can get up

1:03:51 to 91 92

1:03:54 and he's really adding some

1:03:57 stink to the heater

1:04:00 as Darien McDow

1:04:02 with a ball in a strike on him.

1:04:11 Long fly ball out to right. Alexiotis

1:04:15 can't come up with the behind the back

1:04:17 catch and his counterpart in right

1:04:19 premium good hustle into second. Two

1:04:21 bases on the missed trick play.

1:04:23 >> All right, so now we've seen this a

1:04:24 couple different times now where

1:04:26 something has gone against either of

1:04:28 these teams. Austin Temple plunked the

1:04:30 batter. Banana scored. Now a trick play

1:04:32 missed. Can the firefighters take

1:04:34 advantage of it right back?

1:04:36 >> Yeah, it wasn't a scenario either where

1:04:38 the cape got in the way for Reese

1:04:39 Alexiatis. Just a regular regular

1:04:42 old-fashioned trick play miss. And it

1:04:45 certainly puts some pressure on

1:04:46 Noanisnik and Bill Loy behind the dish

1:04:49 who has said that the game calling gets

1:04:51 a little different when the Bananas are

1:04:53 playing as that away team. He feels like

1:04:54 they can't necessarily always nibble the

1:04:57 way in which they do when they are

1:04:58 playing as the home squad. One two count

1:05:01 on Dakota McFaten, another legend of the

1:05:03 sport here in his sixth world tour.

1:05:08 This guy was benched going into the

1:05:10 Little Rock series and all he did after

1:05:12 that for the next two months was go 12

1:05:14 of 28.

1:05:16 >> Good lumber here straightaway center.

1:05:18 Meadows is going to watch it. One hop

1:05:20 off the wall. Played it great. McDow

1:05:23 coming home. Relay from Cox. Not in

1:05:26 time.

1:05:28 >> That is the first extra base knock of

1:05:31 Dakota McFaten's 2026 season. And what

1:05:35 do you know? It pushes the inning for

1:05:37 the firefighters and gives the Magic Man

1:05:39 a chance to win it. He absolutely

1:05:42 torched that banana ball out to deep

1:05:44 center. And you see it's hidden speed

1:05:47 from Darren McDall. He got a late jump

1:05:48 out of second. Still able to score.

1:05:52 >> South Trimble his first played

1:05:53 appearance since May 23rd against the

1:05:55 Loco Beach Coconuts. It's the primary

1:05:58 designated fielder and designated runner

1:06:00 for the firefighters as that's a heck of

1:06:01 a stop from Bill Loy. keeps Mcfin on

1:06:04 second, who by the way has to run right

1:06:07 now as the firefighters have already

1:06:08 used Noah Bridges, their designated

1:06:10 runner here tonight. And we'll have to

1:06:13 wait for another trip through the

1:06:14 batting order to get him back out there.

1:06:16 >> Bo South's been in a lineup seven times

1:06:18 this year. He has a a hit in five of

1:06:21 those games. So, he's come up clutch in

1:06:23 a couple different situations. Two

1:06:24 Showman of the Night awards his way.

1:06:29 >> Great take on the change up ahead. Three

1:06:32 and one ball four walks off the inning

1:06:36 and the fast ball miss is just a pinch

1:06:38 up.

1:06:41 McFaten will rumble on in from second.

1:06:44 South Trimble his fourth walk-off of the

1:06:47 year and the firefighters strike first.

1:06:49 Hey, he's had a couple of timely ball

1:06:52 for sprints and knocks for this

1:06:54 firefighter squad. And the firefighters

1:06:57 able to capitalize on another defensive

1:06:59 miscue in this ball game for the

1:07:01 Savannah Bananas as they go out to the

1:07:03 1-0 lead.

1:07:04 >> Remember what I told you about the

1:07:06 firefighters? It was the ball four

1:07:07 sprints and missed trick plays that

1:07:08 haunted them last week. It reverses

1:07:11 script here and now the bananas are the

1:07:13 ones haunted by a mistri play and then

1:07:15 an inning walk-off ball force sprint.

1:07:18 >> Talked about how Armando Basetta is the

1:07:21 hottest bat in this lineup for the

1:07:23 firefighters. Let's show you some

1:07:25 evidence to that [music] claim. He is

1:07:28 heated up across the last two weekends

1:07:30 hitting 538.

1:07:33 A long ball last weekend in Charlotte.

1:07:35 And [music] how about a 1.453

1:07:38 OPS leading the firefighters across

1:07:40 these last six games.

1:07:42 >> And you knew Armando was going to find

1:07:44 his swing at some point, especially with

1:07:45 the fact he doesn't strike out and he

1:07:47 gets on base a lot. And I say that

1:07:49 because he's on the mic, so I know he

1:07:51 can hear me. Armando, hi. Hey, Zack.

1:07:54 Hey, Bo. What's up, Josh?

1:07:56 >> What's going on, Bobo? How are you?

1:07:58 >> I'm doing great. How about yourselves

1:07:59 over there?

1:08:00 >> I think if we were any better, it would

1:08:02 be illegal. [laughter] I want to talk

1:08:04 about the turnaround because, you know,

1:08:05 I sent you a text a couple weeks ago.

1:08:07 I'm not here to take credit. You

1:08:09 definitely did this on your lonesome,

1:08:11 but your approach has been so great this

1:08:13 season. You're keeping the strikeouts

1:08:15 down, the sprints are have been way up,

1:08:18 and all of a sudden, the barrels are

1:08:19 coming.

1:08:20 >> Yeah, absolutely, Vico. I mean, I've

1:08:22 been trying to keep the same approach

1:08:23 the whole season. You know, it has been

1:08:25 working for a lot of base knocks, but,

1:08:27 you know, it was getting me on base and

1:08:29 I was seeing a lot of pitches and

1:08:30 getting on base in this game with all

1:08:32 four sprints is big time cuz, you know,

1:08:34 guys on bags uh can get two bags right

1:08:37 away. And I mean, yeah, it's just uh

1:08:40 sticking to it. And now I'm like seeing

1:08:42 my pitch, being on time, and swinging

1:08:45 hard, you know? And uh by the way, I

1:08:48 I'll give you a little bit credit for

1:08:49 that message. You kidding me? in high

1:08:50 spirits throughout the last two weeks.

1:08:52 I'm not going to lie to you. It made me

1:08:54 feel real good that you know you're

1:08:55 watching and uh you know thinking about

1:08:57 me. That was great. Thank you, Bo.

1:08:59 >> Well, that warms the heart to me.

1:09:00 >> I was about to say if you ever need

1:09:01 anybody to lift you up, it's Bo Armand.

1:09:03 [laughter] I'll ask you a question here

1:09:04 in a second. I have to lay out for a

1:09:06 moment.

1:09:06 >> All right.

1:09:16 >> [applause]

1:09:17 >> You know exactly what to do so that I

1:09:20 can [laughter]

1:09:27 >> This is game two of bald head time.

1:09:30 >> You know what they say, Armando, you

1:09:31 can't spell banana ball without bald.

1:09:35 [music]

1:09:38 >> Use your imagination.

1:09:40 >> I mean, his head looks like a ball now,

1:09:43 so that that makes sense. It's good

1:09:45 catch, Bond.

1:09:50 >> Oh my goodness. Turned into a Dan

1:09:52 Overbur somehow.

1:09:56 >> Two of your former collegiate bananas

1:09:58 teammates right there.

1:09:59 >> Mhm.

1:10:01 >> Armando, there was a point in time where

1:10:03 you were starting to maybe come out of

1:10:04 the everyday lineup for a moment here

1:10:06 with the firefighters in May. How did

1:10:08 you keep your confidence as Dan Over

1:10:10 just sends a screamer down the left

1:10:11 field line? How did you keep your

1:10:13 confidence to know that it would get

1:10:15 turned around once you found your swing?

1:10:17 >> You know, I just tried to be the same

1:10:19 player every day and helping my team

1:10:21 wherever I could if it wasn't on the on

1:10:24 the on the baseball field, you know, was

1:10:25 in the dugout, you know, keeping us up

1:10:27 and uh you know, trying to be behind

1:10:30 everybody as best I could.

1:10:31 >> It also probably helps that you have

1:10:33 like one of the driest sense of of

1:10:35 humor, so anytime anybody's joked about

1:10:37 it, you just be like, "Yeah, 100%."

1:10:39 Dude, I I mean, you can ask a couple

1:10:41 guys. I think South's a big fan of my

1:10:43 humor.

1:10:45 >> I got some one a good oneliners and uh

1:10:47 yeah, I mean it's it's it's a hit in the

1:10:48 clubhouse, bro. I promise.

1:10:49 >> I bingo. I can't give this guy a

1:10:51 [laughter] compliment. I can't give him

1:10:53 a compliment cuz he'll come back with

1:10:55 like I'll tell him like, "Hey, that was

1:10:56 a great swing in the third inning." He

1:10:57 was like, "Oh, so you think my swing in

1:10:58 the first inning wasn't all that good?"

1:11:01 >> Hey, Zach. Sometimes I just feel like

1:11:02 you're going coming for my neck. But

1:11:04 it's all right. It's all low. It's all

1:11:05 >> coming for your neck with a hug.

1:11:07 [laughter]

1:11:09 No, you're right. You're you're a good

1:11:10 guy. You're a nice guy.

1:11:11 >> Thanks, man. I appreciate you.

1:11:12 [laughter]

1:11:13 >> That's a big K for Austin Temple here in

1:11:15 the second third inning, I beg. Pardon?

1:11:19 >> What's that curveball?

1:11:21 >> Filthy.

1:11:23 >> Nemano, I'm curious. Does this feel at

1:11:26 all kind of like the things that you

1:11:27 experienced last year? I mean, we saw

1:11:30 kind of a slow start out of the gate

1:11:31 with the party animals, but in your

1:11:33 second half, you were white hot for this

1:11:35 squad.

1:11:37 >> As he immediately has to make a play.

1:11:40 >> Good job keeping Dan on third.

1:11:42 >> Yeah. All right. I mean, yeah, I did

1:11:46 feel very similar to last year's start.

1:11:49 Um, the only thing that was pretty

1:11:52 different was I was actually putting

1:11:53 balls in play and, you know, helping out

1:11:57 that way. Uh even though last year I

1:11:59 still had a lot of RBI's because I would

1:12:02 when I would hit I'd get I get guys to

1:12:04 score. So I mean very similar in like

1:12:08 amount of times on base but honestly I'd

1:12:11 rather take this year because I was able

1:12:12 to help on the other side of the ball on

1:12:14 defense.

1:12:15 >> You get barrels is what you'd get. You

1:12:16 cannot you don't have to be humble. You

1:12:18 get barrels is what you'd get.

1:12:20 >> I stay on the barrel. I try to go

1:12:22 >> Mondo. If you look behind you, there's a

1:12:24 a stadium behind you of about 85,000

1:12:27 people go fill that place up. You are

1:12:29 one of four players for the firefighters

1:12:31 that have ever played in a football

1:12:32 stadium. What do you tell the rest of

1:12:34 your guys about what Saturday's going to

1:12:36 be like and the emotion of it?

1:12:37 >> Honestly, I mean, you just go into flow

1:12:40 state once you're in front of so many

1:12:42 fans like that and all right, hold on.

1:12:45 Let's get this run down. What's going

1:12:48 on?

1:12:48 >> Dan sacrifices himself. Temple will tag

1:12:51 him and KJ replaces him over at third.

1:12:53 >> All right, I'll take two. Just one more

1:12:56 to get in.

1:12:56 >> Things were happening there.

1:12:57 >> KJ picked off to

1:12:59 >> Things were indeed happening. That was

1:13:00 weird.

1:13:00 >> Start that chaos.

1:13:03 >> But yeah, playing at the football

1:13:04 stadium, it's it's a lot about just, you

1:13:06 know, trusting everything you got, you

1:13:09 know, getting up there and just having a

1:13:12 lot of fun. I mean, it's a lot of fans,

1:13:14 so it could get overwhelming. It's

1:13:15 really loud. Oh, here we go.

1:13:18 Ball for sprint. Mondo's got to hustle

1:13:20 into second. Loy looking for two bases.

1:13:24 And just ahead of our man on the mic.

1:13:26 >> Here you go,

1:13:30 man. I did not know there's three there.

1:13:34 Let me get you talking. It's

1:13:36 >> a lot of moving to pieces.

1:13:38 >> I distract you with the whole 85,000

1:13:39 people in the stadium deal. I know.

1:13:48 Football stadium's a lot of fun.

1:13:50 >> Yeah, a lot of fun. Can't see much, but

1:13:52 you know, you try your best to get up

1:13:53 there, swing back, make some plays. I

1:13:55 mean, the hungers are insane with the

1:13:57 short porch at one of the sides of the

1:13:58 field. So, I

1:13:59 >> I was going to say, let's not forget

1:14:01 about your alltime performance in

1:14:03 Nashville last season.

1:14:04 >> Oh, yeah, that was a blast. That's what

1:14:05 I'm talking about, Flow State, man. I

1:14:06 mean, I just put it all on the board

1:14:08 there and just like did did my best to

1:14:10 have a good game and uh you know, coming

1:14:12 in to play in uh replacement for Reese

1:14:15 as he was getting married that weekend.

1:14:16 So, I mean, it was just a blessing to

1:14:19 have that opportunity. It was so so much

1:14:21 fun.

1:14:21 >> Give it up for marriage.

1:14:22 >> Someone else's blessing is your

1:14:24 blessing.

1:14:25 >> That was a showman of the game, Mondo.

1:14:27 >> Yes, it was. Come on now.

1:14:29 >> Did you smash the guitar that night?

1:14:31 >> No, I didn't.

1:14:32 >> Three trick plays, though.

1:14:34 I was really hoping you did cuz you

1:14:35 would have smashed the daylight.

1:14:37 >> It was It was Rack and Jason Swan.

1:14:39 >> I did hit a back flip though on my way

1:14:41 in on a homer.

1:14:42 >> That'll work.

1:14:43 >> I need to see one more of those in the

1:14:45 firefighter uniform. Although back flips

1:14:47 have not been kind to us.

1:14:49 >> That's okay. I mean uh hit a regular

1:14:51 back flip pretty easily, but these back

1:14:52 flip catches uh I'm going to have to

1:14:54 work on those.

1:14:54 >> If we get the third out right here, can

1:14:55 you do a back flip to celebrate?

1:14:58 >> Come on, Zach. You just said we get hurt

1:14:59 doing back flip. You want to do a back

1:15:00 flip? No.

1:15:01 >> See, there's the humor. There's

1:15:03 [laughter] the humor.

1:15:04 >> There it is.

1:15:04 >> And I did get the backflip. Even more

1:15:07 humor.

1:15:08 >> Armando Betta, thank you so much for

1:15:10 joining us. It was a blast, man.

1:15:12 >> Absolutely. Love y'all.

1:15:13 >> Keep up the great work.

1:15:15 >> Love you, Mondo.

1:15:15 >> Thank you, guys.

1:15:17 >> Right back at you. Let's get it on down

1:15:19 to Jolie Jabala.

1:15:21 Children and teens in foster care

1:15:24 without a permanent home. To raise

1:15:26 awareness and support this community, we

1:15:28 created Bananas Foster, the official

1:15:31 nonprofit of Banana Ball. Our

1:15:33 organization is dedicated to celebrating

1:15:36 the foster care community while

1:15:38 educating and inspiring others to get

1:15:40 involved. Tonight, we are celebrating

1:15:43 the Eel family. David and Carrie weren't

1:15:46 planning on being foster parents, but

1:15:48 they heard about a kiddo in need, so

1:15:51 they became licensed three years ago. In

1:15:54 that time, they're dedicated to keeping

1:15:57 siblings together and dedicated to

1:16:00 having a relationship with biological

1:16:02 families. In total, they've welcomed

1:16:05 five kiddos into their home and adopted

1:16:08 four into their family. Fans, please

1:16:12 welcome to the field the Eel family

1:16:14 that's making a difference right here in

1:16:16 your community.

1:16:19 [cheering]

1:16:21 Even

1:16:31 [cheering]

1:16:36 if you can't

1:16:55 Another massive shout out to David and

1:16:58 Carrie, [cheering]

1:17:00 superherooes

1:17:03 here in the foster care community.

1:17:07 We're adopting four kiddos into the

1:17:08 family. That is beautiful. Beautiful

1:17:10 stuff.

1:17:12 Warms the heart

1:17:14 as does some Thursday night banana ball.

1:17:19 Got the party animals and coconuts

1:17:21 dueling on the Jersey Shore.

1:17:24 They got going an hour before us. And

1:17:26 then here in Lincoln, Nebraska

1:17:30 as Memorial Stadium lurks out beyond

1:17:32 center field. A one- nothing

1:17:35 firefighters lead. Two and a half

1:17:37 innings in the books. Bananas a run

1:17:40 scored though here in the third inning.

1:17:42 They've pushed at least a run across in

1:17:44 all three innings yet to turn that into

1:17:46 a point. Trying to change their fortunes

1:17:49 here in the last of the third. It'll be

1:17:51 up to Noah Nisnik and the Bananas

1:17:54 defense to make it happen. Top of the

1:17:56 order

1:17:57 due to swing it for the firefighters.

1:18:01 >> Kayen Green.

1:18:02 Oh, this ain't supposed to happen to me.

1:18:06 >> Keep rocking and keep knocking. Whether

1:18:09 you be ting up,

1:18:12 you see [music] the hate that they

1:18:13 serving on a platter. So what we going

1:18:15 to have

1:18:21 like this?

1:18:23 When I look at you, my mind goes [music]

1:18:26 on trip.

1:18:29 Then you came in [music] and knocked me

1:18:32 on my face.

1:18:35 Feels like I'm in the race, [music]

1:18:37 but I already won first place.

1:18:43 Never [music]

1:18:44 for you.

1:18:49 [music]

1:18:53 >> Oh my goodness. [music]

1:18:56 >> I look at you and smile

1:18:59 before you came around

1:19:03 and you [music] knock me down. Knock me

1:19:06 down.

1:19:10 around [music]

1:19:13 you.

1:19:19 [music]

1:19:19 >> So, to recap,

1:19:21 Devon Ray carried down some high heels,

1:19:23 dropped them, and then shoved his face

1:19:25 in the cake. Blake Morgan [music] put on

1:19:27 a dress and a wig.

1:19:28 >> Mason Maxwell stood on top of Chief's

1:19:30 place. Peanut got awarded a medal, but

1:19:33 got shoved about a hundred times.

1:19:36 Well, last I checked, Mason Maxwell's

1:19:38 got that dog in him, and Javon's a big

1:19:40 fan of buttercream frosting, but I I

1:19:42 can't explain the Blake Morgan thing.

1:19:44 Sorry, guys.

1:19:46 Neither can I. It's a 1-1 count on

1:19:49 Peanut

1:19:52 Cornet on deck. Lacy in the hole.

1:19:55 Firefighters chasing a run, but up a

1:19:57 point in this ball game.

1:20:00 Green singled up the middle, his first

1:20:02 time. This is a great play. Jackson

1:20:05 Olsen but can't convert on the trick

1:20:07 play. What's the official scoring

1:20:09 decision there?

1:20:10 >> I'm going I'm going to go with trick

1:20:12 play miss there.

1:20:13 >> Olsson makes the play I think with

1:20:15 ordinary effort has time to throw out

1:20:17 Kane Green but then that trick play

1:20:20 attempt is I think the deciding factor

1:20:23 and what allows Green to reach base

1:20:25 there.

1:20:26 >> Yeah, it's one of those if Olsson tries

1:20:28 to get him the oldfashioned way, throws

1:20:29 it over the top, gives it his best

1:20:31 effort and Peanut beats that then it's a

1:20:33 hit. clear cut, but that's not what

1:20:36 happened. So, trick play missed.

1:20:38 Completely agree with the scoring

1:20:39 decision. [music] Misnik

1:20:44 bringing in Olsson Cox and Meadows in

1:20:46 center to Boogie on this one to Daltton

1:20:49 Cornet. [music]

1:20:51 We ground it out to first, his first

1:20:53 time.

1:20:55 Peter scrapes the outside corner to even

1:20:57 up the count.

1:20:58 >> That's back to back innings, by the way,

1:20:59 with the trick play missed from the

1:21:00 bananas. Last time it did not end well.

1:21:03 see if it ends well or ends better for

1:21:05 them here.

1:21:06 >> Right. And they had an error in the

1:21:08 first inning, too. So, the defense has

1:21:09 been sloppy early here in Lincoln for

1:21:11 the Bananas. And around Atlanta, Tyler

1:21:14 Gillum said the biggest thing that they

1:21:15 needed to clean up was defense. They had

1:21:17 done that over the last couple of

1:21:19 weekends. Now, starting to rear its ugly

1:21:21 head here tonight in Hey Market Park as

1:21:23 N is 3-1. Is hit to Olen. He goes to Cox

1:21:26 for the lead out and Cox tries to

1:21:29 transfer between the legs but not able

1:21:31 to get Dalton Cornet. So a fieldielder's

1:21:34 choice for DC3 and the Nanners still

1:21:37 hunting a trick play.

1:21:40 >> Good hustle by Cornette. Firefighters

1:21:43 have grounded into 27 double plays this

1:21:46 year. That leads the Banana Ball

1:21:47 Championship League. That won't count

1:21:48 there. That's the danger especially when

1:21:50 you get the leadoff guy on to not get

1:21:52 him advanced in the runner scoring

1:21:53 position. Oh my Atlanta.

1:21:57 Showtime has destroyed a banana ball.

1:22:03 Second weekend in a row. No, third

1:22:05 weekend in a row with a home run. And

1:22:08 Showtime has sent us to the fourth

1:22:11 inning with a two-run blast.

1:22:15 Goodness gracious. Get some air

1:22:18 underneath that one, baby.

1:22:22 Oh.

1:22:23 >> [laughter]

1:22:26 >> Please, Javon, don't hurt Showtime.

1:22:30 >> Cake to the face

1:22:32 with some force.

1:22:35 Sam Bowman, grab that messy man.

1:22:38 >> Loey Lacy, what? Sweeter, the cake or

1:22:40 the hit?

1:22:43 >> I think they're about the same.

1:22:46 >> It's daytime right now, but I'm seeing

1:22:47 SARS.

1:22:49 >> Clean them off. Clean them off. that

1:22:53 >> honestly

1:22:54 >> USB.

1:22:55 >> Honestly, I I would kind of rather him

1:22:57 play third base with the cake on his

1:22:58 face.

1:23:03 >> We had already bought costumes for it,

1:23:05 so we had those. And then I thought

1:23:06 Lincoln, Nebraska, Lincoln Logs, which

1:23:09 also have absolutely nothing to do with

1:23:12 this city that we are in, but we already

1:23:15 bought those two. And so here's the game

1:23:16 that we came up with that we are stuck

1:23:18 with. I have two couples here. I have

1:23:20 Adam and Jana and I have Matt Nashley

1:23:22 and they are dressed like Abraham

1:23:24 Lincoln. They are going to have to pick

1:23:26 up these 2x4s one at a time as a couple

1:23:29 between their legs. Take those logs,

1:23:31 drop them in the pool together. That's

1:23:33 right. We're dropping logs. This one is

1:23:35 called Lincoln Logs. You're welcome,

1:23:38 Nebraska. Here we go. Let's get ready.

1:23:40 On your marks, get set, go. Move that

1:23:44 log. We're moving fast here.

1:23:49 The beards really tie this one together.

1:23:52 >> People where I live don't cook like

1:23:53 that.

1:23:53 >> Get on over it.

1:23:54 >> I live in Atlanta.

1:23:55 >> And drop that log. Very good. This is

1:23:58 going to be close. They're moving in.

1:23:59 They're getting that second one.

1:24:01 >> Ashley and Matt picking up the deuce

1:24:03 here in the second log. Dropping logs in

1:24:06 front of 8,000 people. Never thought

1:24:09 that would be on their bucket list.

1:24:13 Get on over it. Drop the deuce. Bang.

1:24:16 Two logs in and they are your winners

1:24:19 and a gift for the losers.

1:24:23 They get a bucket of water dumped all

1:24:25 over them for their efforts. Four score

1:24:27 in seven years ago.

1:24:28 >> Brand new promo.

1:24:29 >> The greatest nothing to do with this

1:24:31 city promo there ever was. Give it up

1:24:32 for Lincoln Live

1:24:33 >> out here for our first ever banana ball

1:24:36 game

1:24:38 >> here in Husker City, Lincoln, Nebraska.

1:24:43 Did love seeing four Abraham Lincoln

1:24:45 down there. That's four more Abraham

1:24:48 Lincoln than we've had across

1:24:51 43 banana ball games all time. Good to

1:24:54 see Logan Lacy's been clean cleaned up.

1:24:56 Be even better if he had some of that

1:24:58 new

1:24:59 summer collection. Banana ball merch hot

1:25:02 off the presses.

1:25:04 Merchandising. Merchandising.

1:25:08 The yogurt flamethrower. The kids love

1:25:10 it.

1:25:12 Can't wait till we get our own

1:25:13 flamethrower we could sell. Um, banana

1:25:17 ball.com.

1:25:18 >> I have been begging for that for a long

1:25:19 time.

1:25:20 >> Use with caution, kids. When we got our

1:25:22 pyro rob here, I asked him for multiple

1:25:25 flamethrowers. I was told no

1:25:26 expeditiously.

1:25:28 >> Logan Lacy with the two-run homer to win

1:25:31 the fourth and a nasty bender to sit

1:25:34 down. Reese selects the already fourks

1:25:36 now for Austin Temple. Starting to find

1:25:37 a groove. Yeah, did a great job throwing

1:25:40 that breaking ball down and away from

1:25:42 Reese Alexiatis expanding the zone.

1:25:44 We've seen some erratic control for

1:25:46 Austin Temple. A couple sprints, a hit

1:25:48 by pitch, but he's still collecting the

1:25:50 strikeouts at the same time. Like this

1:25:52 has been part of the weirdness of the

1:25:54 way that the firefighters pitching has

1:25:55 gone this year because their stuff with

1:25:57 strikeouts as Ryan Cox goes right back

1:26:00 up the middle into left center field.

1:26:01 That'll go almost all the way the track.

1:26:03 He's going to have himself potentially a

1:26:05 double. He will have a double.

1:26:08 But that's the point. Like their

1:26:09 strikeout stuff is excellent. It's the

1:26:11 the around the margins where they've

1:26:13 kind of been picked apart.

1:26:19 Offense hasn't been the problem. Cox now

1:26:22 one for two tonight as that was played

1:26:23 beautifully by Santa to make sure it

1:26:26 wasn't worse than a double.

1:26:29 And Ty Jackson plunked his first time.

1:26:32 Came around to score a run in the

1:26:33 second.

1:26:35 Firefighters promptly doubled that,

1:26:38 >> earned their first point of the ball

1:26:40 game

1:26:43 and then did the same in the third.

1:26:49 >> Curveball fouled away. A ball and two

1:26:51 strikes

1:26:53 on Tai here in his third World Tour.

1:26:55 fifth year as a Savannah Banan.

1:27:03 Fouls the fast ball back. Kenny's played

1:27:07 himself out of a platoon pretty much

1:27:08 starting just about every day for the

1:27:10 Savannah Bananas at this point. He's

1:27:12 been doing very good and making

1:27:15 consistent contact for this squad and

1:27:16 batted 400 in the month of May. Hoping

1:27:19 to stay hot here in June.

1:27:22 Count even at two and two here. He went

1:27:24 one for four last weekend, a double and

1:27:26 two ball for sprints. So he reached base

1:27:29 half of his plate appearances against

1:27:30 the Clowns.

1:27:34 >> Great take. Tai's fired up.

1:27:37 >> You saw him immediately turning that

1:27:39 back, hyping himself up to his

1:27:41 teammates, just trying to get some more

1:27:43 energy out of these guys.

1:27:46 >> And ball four, fast ball below the

1:27:48 knees.

1:27:50 >> Temple's complaining he should not be.

1:27:54 as that's a

1:27:56 RBI ball for Sprint.cock scores easily

1:27:59 of course from second base and Tai

1:28:01 aboard for the second time tonight.

1:28:03 Nanners have scored in every inning in

1:28:05 the runs department yet to turn those

1:28:08 into a point then. And I'll say what you

1:28:10 saw from Ty Jackson, not only him being

1:28:12 able to work the ball fourth sprint, but

1:28:14 the way in which he turned back to his

1:28:16 dugout fired up about the way he was

1:28:18 working that plate appearance. You need

1:28:20 that cuz you have, just like you

1:28:22 mentioned, Bo, bananas have scored in

1:28:23 every inning, but they still haven't

1:28:25 gotten a point. You can't allow that to

1:28:27 deflate you too much. And Tai Jackson

1:28:29 being that spark plug, he's trying to do

1:28:31 his best not to have that affect his

1:28:33 team.

1:28:35 Good fight there by Olsen on the O2.

1:28:41 After a beautiful curveball,

1:28:44 put Jackie in the O2 hole. flew out to

1:28:47 center field his first time

1:28:52 >> and goes down swinging. It's the curve

1:28:55 again and strikeout number five for

1:28:57 Temple.

1:28:59 >> When his location is good, this guy is

1:29:02 unhitable. It's five strikeouts already.

1:29:06 You look at the the runs given up, that

1:29:09 certainly sticks out, but how can you

1:29:11 not acknowledge that his strikeout stuff

1:29:13 is just superb right now?

1:29:18 Curveball fouled away. Quick 02 count on

1:29:21 Dr. Meadows. Singles in his two trips to

1:29:24 the dish so far.

1:29:26 >> Scored a run. Has drove in driven in a

1:29:28 run.

1:29:29 Ty dancing off of first. Broken bat and

1:29:34 a tip drill from Trimble to Green. South

1:29:37 will grab the trick play.

1:29:40 A run across for the Nanners. We'll see

1:29:43 if the fourth inning is the first time

1:29:45 they can actually turn that into a point

1:29:47 as the firefighters up four nothing in

1:29:50 trick place

1:29:54 >> right field left field

1:29:56 >> hey baby time middle of the fourth

1:29:58 >> field

1:30:00 >> cuz we're going to get the biggest hey

1:30:01 baby Nebraska has ever seen so let's get

1:30:04 those hands all the way up in the air

1:30:07 all the way up in the air all the way

1:30:08 around and join us here we

1:30:12 Clap those hands.

1:30:16 [applause and cheering]

1:30:18 >> You guys look good.

1:30:22 [cheering]

1:30:23 >> Now get those arms waving. Here we go.

1:30:37 >> Keep it going.

1:30:51 Now, keep it clapping as we shuffle.

1:30:57 What do you think?

1:31:00 >> You guys look good.

1:31:06 >> Okay, now let me hear you sing it.

1:31:09 I know what I'm getting at midnight.

1:31:14 >> Oh yeah, let's go.

1:31:17 >> Sounds great.

1:31:18 >> Can you get them delivered late night?

1:31:19 >> One more time. [cheering]

1:31:34 >> You guys are amazing. Give yourselves a

1:31:36 round of applause. Beautiful

1:31:41 scene here at Hey Market Park.

1:31:45 25-year-old stadium,

1:31:48 home of the Nebraska Corn Huskers

1:31:50 baseball team and the Lincoln Salt Dogs

1:31:52 of the American Association. Had Garrett

1:31:55 Deleno on their pitching staff

1:31:58 2021 and 2022.

1:32:01 And those same years had [music]

1:32:04 Kyle Perry on the Nebraska baseball

1:32:06 team. They were sharing this field.

1:32:08 That's banana MPI leader Kyle Perry to

1:32:11 you. Put some respect on his name. Bet

1:32:14 your bottom dollar. KP having himself a

1:32:16 heck of a second world tour.

1:32:19 Lamar Sparks first pitch he sees here in

1:32:22 the home half of the fourth. A moonball

1:32:25 out to Alexi.

1:32:28 And it's so tough. You saw Super Reese

1:32:30 miss the trick play.

1:32:31 back in the second inning. Helped the

1:32:34 firefighters get those two runs and earn

1:32:36 their first point. He's coming in and

1:32:38 out of the shadows. It happened to him

1:32:40 on the miss trick play behind the back.

1:32:41 Happened to him on that fly out right

1:32:44 there.

1:32:45 >> I don't know how many times the Bananas

1:32:46 are going to go this deep into a game

1:32:48 without recording a trick play. They've

1:32:49 been just so good with them. CJ almost

1:32:52 hit Shay Ty, our social media

1:32:54 coordinator, down the third base line.

1:32:56 >> Great evasive maneuvers from Shay. It's

1:32:59 a broken bat RBI single by EJ.

1:33:04 Tied the first inning at two runs each.

1:33:07 And a big knock for EJ. His first hit

1:33:10 against his former squad. So very fun

1:33:13 and brought in an RBI for the

1:33:15 firefighters as well as EJ puts good

1:33:17 lumber on that banana ball and lines it

1:33:19 in front of Robert Anthony Cruz in left

1:33:21 field.

1:33:23 How about his second hit against his

1:33:24 former squad?

1:33:26 >> I say Josh soothsayer here. Johnny on

1:33:28 the spot.

1:33:30 Joshy on the spot, I should say.

1:33:33 >> EJ gives way to Noah Bridges whose pinch

1:33:36 run for him at first. Both times Jones

1:33:39 has singled. And now Mondo had an

1:33:41 infield single his first time. Will

1:33:44 swing it. One on, one out. Betto

1:33:48 representing the inning winning run for

1:33:50 the firefighters.

1:33:51 >> By the way, firefighters, most runs they

1:33:53 scored on Noah Nisnik last year, five.

1:33:55 They already got six on them here.

1:33:57 >> [cheering]

1:33:59 >> High pop. Meadows battling the sun.

1:34:05 >> There is out number two. And here comes

1:34:07 Jesse Cole

1:34:11 now coming to pitch. Hailing from right

1:34:14 here in Lincoln, Nebraska. And he led

1:34:18 the Nebraska Corn Oscars to the College

1:34:21 World Series and a World Series champion

1:34:24 with the New York Yankees. Please

1:34:26 welcome Java Chamberlain.

1:34:30 [cheering]

1:34:37 [cheering]

1:34:42 What a moment.

1:34:45 Java Chamberlain

1:34:47 who led the Corn Huskers to their first

1:34:50 ever victory

1:34:53 in the Baseball College World Series

1:34:57 back here in his hometown of Lincoln,

1:34:59 Nebraska. And I think he's going to

1:35:01 high-five every fan in the stadium.

1:35:04 >> He's going to slow the NPI in this

1:35:06 inning way down, but for good reason to

1:35:09 get the home crowd agilation. A former

1:35:11 World Series champion, [music] Vico. I

1:35:13 found out Java Chamberlain would be here

1:35:15 and I think both like [cheering] at

1:35:17 least 12-year-old me and 13-year-old you

1:35:19 start freaking out. Why would I be

1:35:21 younger than you in this situation? I

1:35:22 don't know. But we watch this guy out of

1:35:25 the bullpin helped the Yankees win a

1:35:27 World Series in 2009. He was absolute

1:35:30 gas in certain situations. What a treat

1:35:33 to see him back in his hometown.

1:35:35 >> Well, the legend began in 2007. He had

1:35:37 16 straight scoreless innings to start

1:35:40 his MLB career. You had the infamous

1:35:43 Java rules

1:35:45 where he wouldn't pitch backtoback days.

1:35:47 If he pitched multiple innings, he had

1:35:48 to take multiple days off. Fans were

1:35:51 clamoring for more Java Chamberlain. And

1:35:53 then he made 31 starts in 2009

1:35:58 in route to the Yankees most recent

1:36:00 World Series title. And what a moment

1:36:02 here for Jada looking up to the sky

1:36:05 getting to pitch in Hey Market Park once

1:36:08 again. He caught at home the seasons of

1:36:10 2005 and 2006.

1:36:14 He was first team all Big 12 for

1:36:16 Nebraska, third team all-American.

1:36:20 And at 40 years old, he's got the zip.

1:36:23 Some good giddy up on that fast ball.

1:36:25 And again, his rise to the bigs was

1:36:27 pretty quick, too. Was playing for the

1:36:29 Yankees by 2007. Had the earned run

1:36:31 average below one that season. And he

1:36:34 didn't appear in all that many games.

1:36:36 that he was still a top 10 finalist in

1:36:38 Rookie of the Year for the New York

1:36:40 Yankees. It just goes to show you what a

1:36:43 revelation he was at the beginning of

1:36:45 his major league career. This is pretty

1:36:48 cool, too. Former New York Yankee going

1:36:50 up against a guy who did not grow up too

1:36:52 far outside of New York City and Mason

1:36:54 Maxwell

1:36:56 in New Jersey. So, this what a cool

1:36:58 moment for Mason.

1:37:01 We

1:37:02 >> talked about it his first time up out of

1:37:03 Newfield, New Jersey.

1:37:06 Mad Max

1:37:08 was the firefighters final draft pick

1:37:10 number 85 overall this past November and

1:37:14 he has rewarded them time and time

1:37:16 again. Just barely a foul ball. Seth

1:37:19 Markham first base umpire right on top

1:37:21 of it.

1:37:23 Travis telling Maxwell it was a foul

1:37:25 ball. Get another look.

1:37:28 >> I think that was the right call.

1:37:29 >> Yeah, it's close.

1:37:31 >> That safety base is in foul territory.

1:37:33 Going over the safety base does not mean

1:37:37 a fair ball.

1:37:38 >> Java is still talking to Mason. He's

1:37:40 still rattling off at him.

1:37:42 >> He's telling him what pitch is coming.

1:37:43 >> That's sick.

1:37:44 >> Like he's calling a cutter.

1:37:48 That's a bend to it.

1:37:53 Oh yeah, Jabba having a good chat with

1:37:55 Maxwell.

1:37:56 >> What is he saying to him?

1:37:58 >> Got the smile on his face. I mean, you

1:38:01 still see the confidence that Jabba's

1:38:03 got on that pitcher mound. A head 02.

1:38:05 >> What did Mason do to Java Chamberlain?

1:38:08 Man,

1:38:08 >> fast ball.

1:38:10 He said haters coming.

1:38:13 It's a guy who's touched 101 in his

1:38:15 career.

1:38:18 This fast ball, a fly ball. Dr. a

1:38:21 tumbling catch for dramatics. And Java

1:38:25 Chamberlain gets the job done [cheering]

1:38:28 here in his hometown and his college

1:38:31 home.

1:38:39 [applause]

1:38:43 >> The most electric three pitches of

1:38:45 Banana Ball right there. Come on now.

1:38:49 >> That was wild from start to finish.

1:38:54 Oh my goodness.

1:38:56 >> Every pitch got made contact with too.

1:38:59 >> Incredible. Sam Bowman, what's going on

1:39:01 down on the field?

1:39:02 >> Hey Java, for starters, we saw you

1:39:03 chatting there with Mason Maxwell at the

1:39:05 bat. What are you saying to him?

1:39:07 >> Well, and you know what I'm throwing.

1:39:10 Hit it. [laughter] You know what I'm

1:39:12 throwing. I'm not I'm not being

1:39:13 secretive. I'm telling you exactly what

1:39:14 I'm doing. You missed it.

1:39:15 >> So, you still got a little fire.

1:39:18 >> How's that sound?

1:39:20 >> It's awesome. like this is this is such

1:39:22 an incredible place. Last time I pitched

1:39:25 on this mound, my dad was here and when

1:39:28 I looked, it's like I know my dad's here

1:39:31 and it's just absolutely cool that I got

1:39:32 this opportunity.

1:39:34 >> Job, you took every second you could

1:39:36 walking down here just soaking it up one

1:39:38 more time.

1:39:39 >> Yeah, cuz you don't get it a lot. You

1:39:41 know, you're just a dad and do whatever.

1:39:44 But to be able to be in this situation

1:39:47 and with these guys that work their

1:39:49 butts off and do this to perform in

1:39:52 front of everybody to have that chance

1:39:55 is really really cool. It's really cool

1:39:57 and I'm old. So

1:40:00 >> hey Java, you still got the job done.

1:40:02 Three pitches. He's still got the fire

1:40:04 in him. Guys, let's let him hang out

1:40:06 with this Corn Husker Nation a little

1:40:07 bit.

1:40:08 >> That sounds sublime, Sam. Thank you so

1:40:12 much. And how cool is that? I can I can

1:40:15 promise you, Jabba Chamberlain, your

1:40:17 dad, Harlon, is looking down, beaming

1:40:19 ear to ear. I mean, that was that was

1:40:22 such a special performance for the

1:40:24 former Corn Husker right back here in

1:40:26 his home city. I mean, you've seen it so

1:40:28 many different times with these former

1:40:30 major leaguers who come in to play

1:40:32 banana ball. One, they want to put on a

1:40:34 show for the fans, but you know, you

1:40:36 think about the guys who have done it

1:40:37 because they want their kids to see them

1:40:39 play out on the diamond one more time.

1:40:41 Jabba wants to soak things up with his

1:40:43 alma mater. And honestly, it reminded me

1:40:46 as well of Jason Kipnas in Cleveland in

1:40:48 2024. Kitnas didn't get a game in front

1:40:51 of the Cleveland crowd for the last time

1:40:53 due to co and then he hung him up and he

1:40:56 got that big ovation here. I'm sure that

1:40:58 felt pretty similar there for Java

1:41:00 Chamberlain. Dan Oburst is two for two

1:41:02 with two doubles and just barely missed

1:41:05 what would have at least been two more

1:41:06 bases. I think that would have been a

1:41:08 triple if it was maybe a foot over to

1:41:12 the left. Get another look. Yay.

1:41:18 About as close as they come.

1:41:22 And the double to left, a double to

1:41:24 right center for Our

1:41:26 >> Chief.

1:41:29 A man of the people.

1:41:31 Even colored in yellow.

1:41:33 >> Also a dog of the people.

1:41:36 >> He's a boy dog. Both

1:41:38 both can be true.

1:41:39 >> Get you a dog that can do both.

1:41:41 >> Oh, he is so cute.

1:41:44 >> Slatter misses high. A 3-1 count here on

1:41:47 Obururst leading the Bananas with his

1:41:49 367 batting average here in his eighth

1:41:52 year as a Nanner. And looks like Vincent

1:41:55 Chapman lost track of the count. It

1:41:56 should be 31.

1:41:58 >> It should be 3-1.

1:42:00 >> And Vincent's trying to say it's 2-1.

1:42:03 >> He's asking his third base umpire, just

1:42:04 ask us, Vince. No. No, it's 3-1.

1:42:09 Gosh, there's ball four. Okay. Yep, he

1:42:11 figured it out at the end. Dalton

1:42:13 Cornets's confused as could be.

1:42:16 Firefighters dug out. Same goes for

1:42:18 them.

1:42:19 >> I think they played up in the outfield

1:42:21 just as a safety precaution there, which

1:42:24 is not a fun risk to take with Dan Ober

1:42:27 at the plate if you want to play

1:42:28 shallow. Luckily, it didn't burn him

1:42:30 there. Well, look, I mean, when we had

1:42:34 Armando Baser on the microphone, we kind

1:42:36 of gathered, you know, he and all of the

1:42:37 outfielders, everybody on the field of

1:42:39 play, they are keeping track of these

1:42:41 counts as well. So, the firefighters, I

1:42:44 think, were were well aware of what that

1:42:46 count was and did a good job despite

1:42:49 some confusion keeping Obur to just one

1:42:52 base. It's one-1 count on Max Young

1:42:54 Goldberg. two-run ball force sprint back

1:42:58 in the first and then went down swinging

1:43:01 in the third. One of five strikeout

1:43:03 victims of Austin Temple. It's

1:43:05 >> four ball force sprints by the way

1:43:06 issued out by the firefighters

1:43:09 when they've had opportunities to clean

1:43:10 innings too.

1:43:12 >> Sky to center beta back looking up. Oh,

1:43:16 it's out straight away center field. Max

1:43:19 Young Goldberg big [cheering] boy

1:43:21 two-run shot.

1:43:24 third of his career.

1:43:28 And you know what? We saw it on the

1:43:30 pregame show. He was rubbing Tai's head

1:43:33 for potentially good luck tonight. A

1:43:36 moonshot for Maxfield to center field

1:43:40 and a big blast sorely needed for the

1:43:43 Bananas.

1:43:45 [cheering]

1:43:49 did not have a single home run a weekend

1:43:52 ago against the Indianapolis Clowns.

1:43:56 That has got to be a nice sigh of relief

1:43:58 for the Savannah Bananas. SB

1:44:01 >> Hey, Max, who who's the credit go to on

1:44:04 that one? Honestly, man, I just got to

1:44:05 say one thing. That man shaved his head

1:44:08 because he got the 200k.

1:44:10 >> Time to hit a home run. [laughter]

1:44:11 >> Thank you. But it's cuz he's a team guy

1:44:13 and it allows guys like me to have a

1:44:15 moment like that where we get to embrace

1:44:18 awesome cool stuff, man. I couldn't

1:44:20 agree more, bro. When you put in that

1:44:21 work and get to that spot, that's all

1:44:23 you can do, bro. Rub the head.

1:44:24 >> I want to say one more thing,

1:44:26 >> man. I love Nebraska. Yo. [laughter]

1:44:30 >> Hey, S.

1:44:33 >> Four stakes on the evening already for

1:44:36 MJG. About halfway through this ball

1:44:39 game with less than 55 minutes to play

1:44:42 here in the top of the fifth inning.

1:44:44 Zack Phillips is in. He's got a grounder

1:44:46 from KJ to EJ. And that's just pure

1:44:50 hustle. KJ beats the flip from Eric

1:44:53 Jones Jr. Official scoring decision on

1:44:55 that one.

1:44:59 Josh is really thinking.

1:45:01 >> Yeah, this one's tough.

1:45:02 >> If it helps you, I thought it was a

1:45:04 single.

1:45:05 >> That's That's where I lean. I think KJ

1:45:07 was just inter to the bat.

1:45:10 >> He It was such a late jump on Zack

1:45:12 Phillips. I think that is where

1:45:14 >> the biggest problem is with that play

1:45:16 and the way in which it broke down.

1:45:18 >> And it gets weird because EJ flipped it

1:45:20 between the legs. That's where you end

1:45:22 up in the debate. Trick play missed or

1:45:23 single as Bill Loy perfect swinging

1:45:25 bunt. He wasn't hard out of the box

1:45:27 though. Cornette is going to get him.

1:45:30 Bill took his time getting out of the

1:45:32 box. I don't think he thought it was

1:45:33 going to stay fair. and that's going to

1:45:35 cost him an infield single.

1:45:37 >> Yeah, the firefighters had been burned

1:45:39 by that particular swing on a multitude

1:45:42 of occasions this year. So, I think

1:45:44 Dalton Cornet the second that that went,

1:45:46 he wasn't waiting to see if that would

1:45:47 dribble foul. He's going straight for it

1:45:49 to try and make something out of it. And

1:45:52 Zack Phillips living up to his name,

1:45:53 quickly working here on Robert Anthony

1:45:56 Cruz.

1:45:58 >> Laser beam down the right field line.

1:46:01 Nice stop by McDow. KJ will score

1:46:03 easily, but Premium holds rack to just a

1:46:05 single as it's the third run across for

1:46:09 the Nanners here in the fifth inning.

1:46:10 First two against Austin Temple.

1:46:13 Now they've pushed a pair across or one

1:46:15 run across against Zack Phillips.

1:46:25 Philly three world tours as a Savannah

1:46:28 Banana. This is his first campaign on

1:46:30 the firefighters. was snagged in the

1:46:31 sixth round.

1:46:34 45th overall draft pick

1:46:37 as a bouncer to Kaden Green is one trick

1:46:40 play. Make it two. Trimble between the

1:46:43 legs on the Twin Killing.

1:46:46 The Nanners with their biggest offensive

1:46:48 inning yet, but it ends in a double

1:46:51 trick play as the firefighters are up to

1:46:54 six on the night. Nanners still don't

1:46:55 have one. Yeah, at this point the

1:46:58 firefighters, you're living with the

1:47:00 opportunity to deny that equalizer

1:47:03 point, but now you've got to get on your

1:47:04 horse offensively again. We see if they

1:47:07 can put a beat on a banana ball as the

1:47:09 fire line is about to put a hurt on

1:47:11 these drums.

1:47:12 >> Fire line. Fire line. All the units. All

1:47:16 the unit.

1:47:18 All great. All the units

1:47:34 on

1:47:42 Heat up

1:48:03 here.

1:48:07 Heat.

1:48:10 [music]

1:48:14 Heat.

1:48:36 >> [cheering]

1:48:39 >> Bo,

1:48:41 in the history of Nebraska,

1:48:43 >> drums have never been banged [music]

1:48:44 harder.

1:48:46 >> I believe it.

1:48:48 We go to the bottom of the fifth inning.

1:48:56 >> 2-1 firefighters lead. Allan Satov

1:49:01 righty out of Ridgely, Maryland

1:49:04 after three years in the Seattle

1:49:05 Mariners organization here in his rookie

1:49:08 campaign in banana ball. Yeah. Trying to

1:49:10 earn his third point of the season for

1:49:11 the Savannah Bananas out for the 10th

1:49:13 time this year. We saw Sat pitch against

1:49:15 the Clowns last Friday night and gave up

1:49:19 three runs although none of them were

1:49:21 earned as the Clowns were able to beat

1:49:23 up on him after an Alex Ziggler error at

1:49:26 first base. set off eventually

1:49:28 surrendered a home run to Joe Gray Jr.

1:49:30 But nonetheless, he's been very

1:49:32 effective on the pitcher mound. A pretty

1:49:34 high strikeout rate this season and

1:49:37 jumping ahead of Darien McDow 02. Battle

1:49:41 between ninth rounders in the inaugural

1:49:43 banana ball player. Draft sat off. Good

1:49:45 old country hard ball.

1:49:47 Kid who grew up on the farm. That is

1:49:50 cheese by McDow.

1:49:52 Learned how to throw in a chicken barn.

1:49:55 That is how this all started for Allan

1:49:58 Sat. And I mentioned the high strikeout

1:50:00 rate currently sitting at 21%

1:50:04 for Big All. And that one came on just

1:50:06 three pitches against Premium.

1:50:16 >> Two balls and no strikes on Dakota

1:50:18 McFaten.

1:50:20 Booming double to straightaway center

1:50:22 his first time.

1:50:24 tied the second inning and set up the

1:50:26 walk-off ball [music] for sprint by the

1:50:28 on deck man South Trimble.

1:50:32 DMAC came in tonight hitting 296, a 397

1:50:36 on base percentage

1:50:42 and works himself a ball for sprint.

1:50:45 >> Yeah, Bo, I would have been floored if

1:50:47 he had swung at that one. We saw the

1:50:49 green light special with Bill Loy

1:50:50 earlier. I did not think DMAC was going

1:50:52 to go for it right there.

1:50:55 Noah Bridges.

1:50:57 Doesn't appear so.

1:50:58 >> Well, he can't legally come in.

1:50:59 >> Correct. I just Yep.

1:51:01 >> Chief. Hello.

1:51:05 >> See you.

1:51:07 >> He's such a good boy. He's He's the

1:51:09 best.

1:51:11 10 out of 10 job done by Chief. If

1:51:14 there's one thing that I've told a lot

1:51:16 of people this year that I've been

1:51:18 missing in my life during the banana

1:51:19 ball season, it's more chief.

1:51:21 >> Good. Yep. We all could use more chief.

1:51:25 Just the ability to say, "What's the dog

1:51:26 doing is really important in my life as

1:51:28 South Trimble goes into left field." How

1:51:30 about South Treble? The walk-off sprint

1:51:33 to win the second inning.

1:51:36 His seventh hit now

1:51:38 in 16 at bats this year. A guy who came

1:51:41 in hitting .400. small sample size, but

1:51:43 it's even that much more impressive when

1:51:45 your offensive opportunities are coming

1:51:47 sparingly.

1:51:49 >> Bo, he had seven hits all of last World

1:51:51 Tour. He's already tied it. He had 40

1:51:54 ABS last year. He's got just 16 this

1:51:56 year.

1:51:58 >> And now Peanut

1:52:01 with a pop in the infield. KJ the call

1:52:04 and the catch. Infield fly had been

1:52:07 called anyhow.

1:52:14 So sat off able to take care of the

1:52:16 firefighters

1:52:18 early season MVP candidate,

1:52:21 but it's out of the frying pan into the

1:52:23 fire. Dunlan Cornet,

1:52:26 a home run last weekend, his second of

1:52:29 the year.

1:52:31 About as talented a hitter as you can

1:52:33 find in banana ball. Takes his turn

1:52:35 representing the inning tying run and is

1:52:37 behind 0 and2. He's played in four

1:52:39 straight games with a run batted in for

1:52:41 the firefighters and did a lot of damage

1:52:44 against the Nanners last year. 10

1:52:45 [music] doubles, three home runs, and

1:52:48 now spoils the O2 from Sat.

1:52:54 Couple ground outs tonight so far for

1:52:55 DC3.

1:52:58 Ladder was a fieldielder's choice

1:52:59 though. He did come around to score a

1:53:01 run. down swinging. It's the high fast

1:53:05 ball again for Big Al

1:53:07 as he puts another point on the board

1:53:09 for the Bananas. We are tied at two

1:53:11 through five innings of action.

1:53:19 >> Sat works around the sprint and the

1:53:22 single. And let's get the answer to our

1:53:26 question from our kids at Banana Ball

1:53:28 backstage.

1:53:31 >> All right, guys. Guys, I'm here in

1:53:32 Banana Ball backstage with 9-year-old

1:53:34 Colton and he's got a great question for

1:53:36 Noah Bridges. Colton,

1:53:38 >> what's your favorite movie?

1:53:40 >> Noah, what is it?

1:53:44 >> My name is Noah Bridges. My favorite

1:53:45 movie is Tombstone.

1:53:48 Go get him.

1:53:56 Noah Bridges trick play out in left.

1:53:59 >> Of all the movies I would have thought

1:54:02 were [music] Noah's favorite. Tombstone

1:54:04 is about the most out of left field one.

1:54:06 Tombstone's a great movie. Don't get me

1:54:08 wrong.

1:54:08 >> Never heard of it.

1:54:09 >> What?

1:54:10 >> Never heard of it. He's our Huckleberry

1:54:12 bro.

1:54:13 >> Come on, man. Doc Holiday talking about

1:54:15 Huckleberry Finn.

1:54:16 >> No. Not at all. It's not like it's not a

1:54:19 Mark Twain thing going on here. No, not

1:54:21 at all. Not even close.

1:54:22 >> This is the Old West, my friend.

1:54:24 >> This is Kurt Russell with six shooters

1:54:27 on his hip and saloon doors.

1:54:28 >> Sounds cool.

1:54:29 >> Val Kilmer.

1:54:30 >> Yep.

1:54:32 >> That's an actor. I've heard of his name.

1:54:34 >> Good.

1:54:34 >> Mhm. He was in one of the Rocky movies,

1:54:36 right?

1:54:37 >> No.

1:54:37 >> Huh.

1:54:39 >> He wasn't Drago.

1:54:40 >> He was Batman.

1:54:41 >> He was Batman.

1:54:42 >> Val Kilmer was Batman

1:54:44 >> in Forever.

1:54:47 >> I haven't seen Batman.

1:54:48 >> He was Jim Morrison in the Doors. Yep.

1:54:50 >> Iceman and Top Gun.

1:54:53 >> Oh, he was Iceman. [laughter]

1:54:57 >> Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.

1:55:01 >> I cannot believe you thought

1:55:04 >> Ivon Drago.

1:55:06 >> Wow.

1:55:06 >> Out of Rocky, played by Dolph Lungren.

1:55:10 >> Oh, that's right. Dolph

1:55:11 >> was Val Kilmer.

1:55:12 >> Yeah. Don't you got All right. Well,

1:55:14 let's see if the fans can make a play

1:55:16 here on the foul ball from Cox. They

1:55:17 cannot. You get the mis mistake though,

1:55:21 right? I mean, like it's like Eastern

1:55:22 European names, you know?

1:55:23 >> They sort of had spiked hair.

1:55:25 >> They're both blonde, right? Am I wrong

1:55:27 on that?

1:55:28 >> That's about where the similarities die.

1:55:31 >> Kind of.

1:55:33 >> Is Val Kimmer not tall?

1:55:35 >> No, I don't believe Well, hold on.

1:55:36 >> He's not the blondest.

1:55:39 >> I thought he was.

1:55:39 >> Unless he was dying his hair for some of

1:55:41 these movies.

1:55:43 >> One, two, count on Cox. The fans want

1:55:45 free donuts. Zack Phillips

1:55:48 can't get Ryan Cox to chase the high

1:55:50 heat. Two and two.

1:55:51 >> Val Kilmer was 6 feet tall.

1:55:53 >> He's taller than average. Swing and a

1:55:56 miss. There's the donuts.

1:56:00 Philly delivers for the full capacity

1:56:02 crowd here in Lincoln. And you know, no

1:56:05 matter how deep into the season this

1:56:07 gets, this feels good for Zack Phillips

1:56:10 being able to go up against his old team

1:56:12 and get a K. Send the donuts to the

1:56:14 people. bring the sweets to the people

1:56:17 as he just goes gas right there for Ryan

1:56:19 Cox who swings over it. Remember the

1:56:21 first inning Philly pitched against the

1:56:23 Bananas. He went a minute and 27 seconds

1:56:26 at the time was the fastest inning of

1:56:27 the firefighter season. Already starts

1:56:29 out this inning much cleaner with K.

1:56:32 [cheering]

1:56:32 >> Does look like he's got a little extra

1:56:34 zip on the fast ball going against his

1:56:36 former team.

1:56:37 >> Straight bad ones though to tie. He's

1:56:39 also probably plus because Miss is

1:56:41 playing in the College World Series up

1:56:42 in Omaha tomorrow. [cheering]

1:56:44 >> Recently knocked out his shorts stops

1:56:46 Auburn Tigers. Peanut the first to

1:56:48 receive a throw on the ball for sprint.

1:56:50 Todd Jackson a big turn at first and he

1:56:52 will about face

1:56:55 >> aboard for the third time tonight.

1:56:56 >> Dolph London 6' five.

1:56:59 >> That's a big tiger.

1:57:01 [cheering]

1:57:03 >> [screaming]

1:57:04 >> So they didn't have him on like milk

1:57:06 cartons for all those

1:57:08 >> Rocky boxing scenes.

1:57:09 >> No,

1:57:10 >> he turned out to be a good guy as the

1:57:12 saga continued, right?

1:57:14 >> Liner leaping. Oh wow. Knocked down by

1:57:17 Trimble and he's going to get the force

1:57:19 at second. What an athletic play from

1:57:22 South. Takes a hit away from Olsen and

1:57:26 gets Ty Jackson off the bases. Yeah,

1:57:28 that's just a good job by South Trimble

1:57:30 staying with that banana ball, knocking

1:57:33 it down, and he benefits from a little

1:57:34 confusion from Tai Jackson, who just

1:57:37 wasn't sure whether Trimble handled it

1:57:39 or not. So now Olsen replaces Tai and

1:57:43 this one goes off the glove of Zack

1:57:45 Phillips. Dr. Meadows is in at first and

1:57:48 trying to get a little too aggressive is

1:57:51 JT Sakulov, the designated runner. It

1:57:54 was nobody covering third base, but the

1:57:57 firefighters able to chase down JT and

1:58:00 post a zero in the six.

1:58:02 >> Let me point this out, too. As you see,

1:58:04 broken bad singles. We've had about a

1:58:05 billion of those tonight. Look at Peanut

1:58:08 head on a swivel, get to third, cover

1:58:10 for Philly, place the tag, stick the

1:58:13 tongue out like you're Michael Jordan.

1:58:15 Off the shoulder, baby.

1:58:18 [cheering]

1:58:19 >> Reginald Horton would be proud. Although

1:58:21 in this moment, maybe not so much. Yes,

1:58:24 it went against his beloved bananas, but

1:58:26 it was very accountable defense by

1:58:28 Peanut, his former player back in the

1:58:32 summer of 2022. [cheering]

1:58:36 Kaden played the first half of that

1:58:37 summer on the collegiate summer,

1:58:40 Savannah Bananas. I wonder if you'd have

1:58:42 gone back then and told Peanut

1:58:44 >> in like four years you're going to be

1:58:46 playing in front of 85,000 people at

1:58:49 Memorial Stadium at the University of

1:58:51 Nebraska just what his reaction would

1:58:52 have been

1:58:53 >> against the Savannah.

1:58:55 >> Correct. With a team called the

1:58:56 Firefighters.

1:58:57 >> The plot thickens. Who would not exist

1:59:00 for two more years

1:59:01 >> in a league where another pitcher is

1:59:03 named Peanuts?

1:59:04 >> Right. And we have a front office staff

1:59:07 member named Peanut, too. We've got a

1:59:09 lot of peanuts in Banana Land.

1:59:12 >> Mhm.

1:59:13 >> But there's only one peanut in my heart.

1:59:16 >> No doubt.

1:59:17 >> His dad is here tonight watching. I'm

1:59:19 sure he's also listening to the

1:59:20 broadcast. We have a few family members

1:59:22 watching and I know that because they've

1:59:23 been lighting my phone up.

1:59:24 >> You think they made the six seven hour

1:59:26 drive up from Barry Hill, Oklahoma?

1:59:30 Got to be.

1:59:31 >> I see what you did there.

1:59:32 >> Sounds more enjoy. I didn't even mean

1:59:33 to. That's just a fact.

1:59:34 >> They probably did. Yes.

1:59:37 David Ray Meadows, three hits already

1:59:41 [music] tonight, but last weekend, his

1:59:44 first backflip catch since April 12th

1:59:48 when he injured his right hamstring

1:59:51 [music]

1:59:53 in Keenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North

1:59:55 Carolina. Also picked up his first

1:59:56 stolen base since then last weekend.

1:59:59 Feeling better than ever. And so Spry,

2:00:02 he's joining us on the mic. Dr. What's

2:00:03 going on out there?

2:00:04 >> What's good, fellas?

2:00:06 I'm feeling as good as your hamstring

2:00:08 has to be right now. I mean, the flips

2:00:10 are back, the stolen bases are back. How

2:00:13 good does it feel to Hey, I thought I

2:00:15 thought I had one earlier, but you know,

2:00:16 the glare and the camera angles kind of

2:00:19 Let me tell you about the sun here,

2:00:21 >> please. If I played college ball here at

2:00:23 Nebraska, I would enter the transfer

2:00:25 portal just like that.

2:00:29 >> This is the worst sun.

2:00:31 >> I'm pretty good at like judging balls in

2:00:33 the sun as well, and I never wear

2:00:34 sunglasses. But this is awful out here.

2:00:37 >> Now, now what is your reason for not

2:00:39 wearing the sunglasses?

2:00:41 >> Um, well, usually the sun's not in my

2:00:43 eyes, but today it was brutal. I I we

2:00:48 luckily it's going down enough right now

2:00:49 I don't have to use the binoculars, but

2:00:52 uh we're we're rolling. [music]

2:00:55 Big swing miss from Logan Lacy. Three,

2:00:57 four, and five here for the

2:00:58 firefighters. Lacy, Sparks, and Jones,

2:01:01 the big poppers.

2:01:04 Logan a two-run shot his last time.

2:01:06 Walked off the third inning. He squibs

2:01:08 that foul.

2:01:10 >> Dear, how good does it feel to be back

2:01:12 fully healthy? I mean, it's been a long

2:01:13 process and you you played through the

2:01:15 injury for a while, too.

2:01:17 >> Yeah, it feels so good to come out here

2:01:19 and run around. Um, no, no constraints.

2:01:23 Uh, especially mentally coming off a

2:01:25 hamstring injury. You know, you kind of

2:01:27 like you kind of run, but you're like

2:01:28 you don't want to really run as fast as

2:01:30 you can. Um, but yeah, man, these things

2:01:33 feel good now. And just playing out here

2:01:35 with Reese and Rack and getting to just

2:01:37 run around is just so much fun and uh

2:01:40 helps helps the game hitting as well.

2:01:43 >> There we go. We might get a back flip

2:01:46 here.

2:01:46 >> Robert Anthony Cruz.

2:01:50 >> Hey, there it is.

2:01:51 >> That's a right flip. [cheering]

2:01:53 >> Tell you what, that ball, it carries out

2:01:55 here. Left, right, center. It don't

2:01:57 matter where it is. [cheering]

2:02:04 How cool is it to see your partner in

2:02:06 the outfield perfect the trick play that

2:02:08 you invented? It's pretty cool, man. Not

2:02:10 just him, but I mean, you see Andy

2:02:12 Stanley, Zack Watson, all these guys

2:02:14 across the uh across the league doing it

2:02:17 now. And it's it's unbelievable to,

2:02:20 [music] you know, be able to, you know,

2:02:21 invent it, but also see uh it be a part

2:02:24 of the GR game and bringing, you know,

2:02:26 some acrobatics as well um into the

2:02:28 game.

2:02:29 Dr. This is Zach, by the way. Longtime

2:02:31 listener, first- time caller. I've

2:02:33 literally never been on the mic with

2:02:34 you. I might have had like four

2:02:35 conversations with you in total.

2:02:36 >> What's up, Zachary? Hey, I love

2:02:38 listening to you broadcast the game,

2:02:39 man.

2:02:40 >> Oh, hi.

2:02:41 >> Should I hit one?

2:02:42 >> Yes, please, Dr. All right, let's see

2:02:44 what we can do here.

2:02:47 >> Oh, I missed it.

2:02:50 >> Clangs off the glove. Alexi cleans it

2:02:52 up, but Sparks hustling the whole way.

2:02:54 We'll get to third.

2:02:56 >> Well, that was a great shot at it, Dr.

2:02:58 Yeah, that was dumb. I might have cost

2:03:00 the inning.

2:03:02 >> I tried not to distract you on that. I

2:03:03 promise you. Dr. We talked about your

2:03:06 outfield mate. Is it still [music] weird

2:03:09 yet to see EJ and Donnie and Philly in a

2:03:11 different uniform after playing for so

2:03:13 long with them?

2:03:14 >> It is. It is so weird. Um, but it's also

2:03:18 fun to get to compete against these guys

2:03:20 as well. [music] Leaf Al, let's go.

2:03:23 [laughter] Come on, Big Al.

2:03:26 [cheering] Yeah. And not not only them,

2:03:27 but you know, the coconuts and the

2:03:29 clowns and the tailgators. Um well, not

2:03:31 I don't think we lost anybody [music]

2:03:33 tailgators, but

2:03:36 >> right back up the shoot.

2:03:38 >> That one hurts, fellas.

2:03:39 >> I'm sorry, Dr. We. We convinced you to

2:03:41 do it.

2:03:42 >> No, that's on me. I got to perfect that.

2:03:44 But it was fun talking to you guys. I

2:03:46 love you guys. And you know, we still

2:03:48 got a lot of ball to play.

2:03:49 >> Love you, too, bro. Thanks for joining

2:03:50 us, Dr. Love you.

2:03:52 >> You're a legend.

2:03:55 >> There goes Dr. Meadows

2:03:58 >> can't nail the back flip catch and then

2:04:00 his longtime teammate Eric Jones Jr.

2:04:02 capitalizes with a hot shot right back

2:04:05 up to shoot. He's three for three with

2:04:08 his second run driven in. Look at what

2:04:10 Zachary Bridges is starting here. He's

2:04:12 got banana fans celebrating what the

2:04:14 firefighters are doing.

2:04:16 >> But really, this is this is an important

2:04:18 game here for the Firefighters. Not just

2:04:20 for the confidence after coming off a

2:04:21 rough stretch against the Texas

2:04:22 Tailgator, but because when you play in

2:04:25 the middle of a cornfield, [music] you

2:04:27 know the rules. There's usually an

2:04:29 85,000 seat football stadium somewhere

2:04:31 in it. And that's where the firefighters

2:04:33 for the first time ever [music] will

2:04:35 play in a football stadium. And not only

2:04:37 is it their first ever football stadium,

2:04:38 folks, they are the home team in this

2:04:42 football [music] stadium. Nebraska has

2:04:44 embraced Go Big Red. Well, on Saturday

2:04:48 night, we're going to go [music] big red

2:04:50 everything with flames, fireballs,

2:04:53 explosions. Firefighters are [music]

2:04:55 probably wearing the red uniforms.

2:04:57 This is a massive weekend, the largest

2:05:01 weekend [music] literally for this

2:05:03 firefighter brand, and tonight could be

2:05:06 a huge confidence boost going into that

2:05:08 night.

2:05:11 What a view of Memorial Stadium,

2:05:15 which will overtake

2:05:17 Death Valley, [music] Clemson's version

2:05:19 of Memorial Stadium for the largest

2:05:21 Memorial Stadium we've ever played in.

2:05:23 Uh, more importantly, [music]

2:05:25 the third largest venue in Banana Ball

2:05:27 history. All of them coming in the last

2:05:29 five weeks. Just behind Kyle Field and

2:05:32 Neand Stadium and overtaking [music]

2:05:36 Clemson's Memorial Stadium as well as

2:05:38 Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. I

2:05:39 mean, we've been getting those SEC

2:05:41 atmospheres lately, but now we get a

2:05:43 look at the Big 10. I know Nebraska is

2:05:45 certainly going to be going to bring it.

2:05:48 And you guys will see on Saturday some

2:05:51 fun Easter eggs in the layout of the

2:05:52 field as Dan Over hits this to South

2:05:55 Trimble. A transfer behind his back and

2:05:58 a trick play for the firefighters.

2:06:00 Gentlemen, if you would have told me

2:06:01 before this game the firefighters would

2:06:03 go into the seventh inning allowing just

2:06:06 one trick play for the Savannah Bananas,

2:06:09 I'd have eaten my hat. [laughter]

2:06:11 I didn't want to eat my hat cuz it's one

2:06:13 of the new Banana Ball fire department

2:06:15 ones which you can get as part of our

2:06:16 new summer collection at

2:06:17 shot.savanabanas.com,

2:06:20 >> but I would have.

2:06:21 >> Yeah, they are sweet. MJG able to hold

2:06:23 up on the high heat up down to third

2:06:26 [music] and Keith Banks said he did hold

2:06:28 up.

2:06:32 Big swing and a miss. Count even had two

2:06:35 balls and two strikes.

2:06:38 >> Zack Phillips out for a third inning of

2:06:40 relief. And that one just barely foul.

2:06:43 EJ thought it was fair. Seth Markham

2:06:45 disagreed with him. EJ appealing back to

2:06:49 Vincent, I think. I don't He's pointing

2:06:52 somewhere.

2:06:55 >> Oh, a challenge.

2:06:57 Well, Seth Markham is the umpire that

2:06:58 makes the call there.

2:07:03 >> Feels like a an odd place to use the

2:07:04 challenge. I don't think the fans did

2:07:06 it. I think this might be a firefighter.

2:07:09 >> Bananas lost their challenge in the

2:07:11 second inning.

2:07:15 >> Look at Clay Pimp over there, by the

2:07:17 way.

2:07:18 >> Just being himself.

2:07:19 >> The still have their challenge. See,

2:07:21 that's just an angle that can't

2:07:22 overturn.

2:07:23 >> Yeah, I can't see it there. If anything,

2:07:24 it kind of looks where he feels it. Oh,

2:07:26 this is perfect. Here we go.

2:07:33 That's tough. It's very tough. I mean,

2:07:35 this is

2:07:35 >> that's just not the wisest challenge to

2:07:37 begin with to be very honest.

2:07:42 >> I mean, hits the line right there.

2:07:44 >> Right. And then, do you see enough? Does

2:07:45 it cross the front corner of the bag in

2:07:47 fair play?

2:07:48 >> I don't think you see enough to return.

2:07:50 >> That's so tricky,

2:07:51 >> right? You would have to clearly see it.

2:07:53 >> Conclusive, clear evidence. You almost

2:07:55 need an over-the-top view like a drone

2:07:58 or something to really be conclusive

2:08:00 about this.

2:08:02 >> I mean, EJ waited till the absolute last

2:08:04 second that he could to field it.

2:08:08 >> And mind you, this is the best angle

2:08:09 we've had for a fair foul challenge in

2:08:11 the history of Banana. [laughter]

2:08:14 >> How does Seth Markham fit the camera

2:08:17 onto whatever is at top his head? I

2:08:19 don't know. But

2:08:19 >> I was just looking at him trying to

2:08:21 figure out the exact same thing. I'll be

2:08:22 honest, I forgot he had it on there for

2:08:24 a minute.

2:08:25 >> I had no idea he did.

2:08:26 >> We saw this handle earlier. Hello.

2:08:28 >> Drooling on the field is a foul ball.

2:08:32 >> Yeah, Call's got a stand.

2:08:35 >> Similar to the Bananas losing their

2:08:36 challenge back in the second. Don't have

2:08:38 an angle that can overturn it. And if

2:08:40 there was ever a time that we were going

2:08:41 to have an angle, we literally got to

2:08:43 see it through Seth Markham's eyes.

2:08:46 That's pretty awesome. Now it does leave

2:08:48 the fans the only folks who have the

2:08:50 challenge at their disposal for the rest

2:08:52 of the traditional nine innings of

2:08:54 banana ball. Payoff pitch fouled away.

2:08:57 We'll get another 3-2 from Phillips to

2:08:59 MJG.

2:09:00 >> And of course Josh that is no small

2:09:02 thing. They won the Coconuts a game

2:09:04 against these Bananas as that is a K

2:09:06 looking

2:09:11 >> second punchy for Philly.

2:09:15 This is a huge night, I think, just for

2:09:17 his confidence cuz he's been

2:09:19 >> he's had some rough outings, some trick

2:09:21 plays missed that have gone against his

2:09:22 way. But you can see there's some

2:09:24 confidence brewing in there. That's a

2:09:26 look of a guy who knows what he wants to

2:09:28 accomplish tonight. [cheering]

2:09:30 Kyle Jackson is going to have extra

2:09:32 bases out into right center. Betta fires

2:09:36 it in. KJ will stay put at second. Stand

2:09:39 up double.

2:09:41 Third hit of the ball game for Kyle

2:09:42 Jackson. They having a great night. Now

2:09:45 gets the extra base knock for the

2:09:47 Savannah Bananas. And things are in the

2:09:49 hands of Bill Loy. Again, a firefighter

2:09:52 killer last year. Had a 525 batting

2:09:55 average against this squad and looking

2:09:58 to do damage against a guy he caught a

2:10:01 lot for in Zack Phillips.

2:10:04 Was soft contact two innings ago as the

2:10:07 fast ball gets to the bottom of the

2:10:08 zone. Swinging bunt. Cornet great play

2:10:10 to take care of his counterpart over at

2:10:12 first.

2:10:15 Peter misses wide to even up the count.

2:10:24 And Bill fouls it off himself.

2:10:26 >> Ouch.

2:10:29 Never feels good.

2:10:34 [music]

2:10:38 Philly trying to put a bow on three

2:10:40 innings of relief.

2:10:42 And it's a strike out again.

2:10:45 Third K of the outing for Zack Phillips.

2:10:49 >> Yes, he's had a minute and 27 second

2:10:52 inning. But that might be the signature

2:10:54 inning in a firefighter uniform for Zack

2:10:57 Phillips. Runner on second. Need a clean

2:11:00 top of the inning. And you get Bill

2:11:02 Barrels to swing for strike three. Big

2:11:06 time confidence booster for Philly.

2:11:10 Three innings of one-run ball for Zack

2:11:12 Phillips. The run came across three

2:11:14 batters into his outing. Since then,

2:11:16 fantastic.

2:11:18 [cheering]

2:11:19 As we are in the middle of the seventh

2:11:20 inning, firefighters lead three points

2:11:22 to two and lead 7 to one in trick plays.

2:11:28 It's just about been all black and

2:11:31 yellow when it comes to the trickery. It

2:11:33 started with Darien McDow all the way

2:11:34 back in the first. [music] And you do

2:11:36 wonder if the missed trick play from

2:11:37 Reese Selectiatis that helped the

2:11:39 firefighters ultimately get a second

2:11:41 point. If that's sort of I don't want to

2:11:44 say scared off the Savannah Bananas, but

2:11:46 they just [music] there have been some

2:11:47 really tough situations and we've seen a

2:11:49 couple of missed trick plays where you

2:11:51 wonder are they a little bit spooked by

2:11:54 the way the sun was hitting. We saw Dr.

2:11:56 Meadows miss his patented backflip

2:11:58 catch. The only trick play for the

2:12:00 Bananas right now is a rack flip that

2:12:02 got all of Lincoln, Nebraska off their

2:12:04 feet. But as Jacob Baza comes in, if the

2:12:08 Firefighters can get a clean inning here

2:12:10 in trick plays, they go into the top of

2:12:12 the eighth with supreme advantage in the

2:12:15 battle to that equalizer point whether

2:12:16 they deny it or give it up.

2:12:19 >> Get a look at the numbers for Big Red.

2:12:21 Jacob Bazella, five pitch mixers 10th

2:12:24 round draft pick out of North

2:12:25 Huntington, Pennsylvania. Yeah, you saw

2:12:28 Jacob Aa his first two months phenomenal

2:12:31 for the Bananas. 3.37 earn run average

2:12:33 in 10 and two/3 innings pitched. But

2:12:36 across his last 10 and a3's earn run

2:12:39 average at 6.97

2:12:41 and a big reason his ball force sprint

2:12:44 rate has increased by 4%. His strikeout

2:12:46 rate has fallen by 4% as well. So, it

2:12:51 looks like small changes for Jacob Aa,

2:12:54 but it has made a little bit of a

2:12:55 difference as Olsen collects through the

2:12:57 legs, flips through the legs, and Alex

2:13:00 Ziggler caps off a double trick play for

2:13:03 the Nanners. Now with three trick plays

2:13:06 on the night.

2:13:08 >> Their first trick play came an inning

2:13:11 ago in the six. The back flip catch from

2:13:13 Robert Anthony Cruz. And now within

2:13:17 striking distance, down four trick

2:13:19 plays. A maximum of five defensive outs

2:13:21 still for the Bananas.

2:13:23 >> Firefighters will get three of them in

2:13:25 the top of the eighth.

2:13:26 >> Puts the pressure right back on the

2:13:27 firefighters in the top of the eighth.

2:13:28 [music] Just get something. Might not

2:13:30 need to get a ton of trick plays, but

2:13:32 just one or two can really give you some

2:13:34 separation as Mason Sters now at a

2:13:36 three- count.

2:13:38 >> Strike out and fly out so far tonight

2:13:40 for Mad Max.

2:13:41 >> And one of them he got every pitch tip

2:13:43 by Javin Chamberlain.

2:13:45 >> Yeah, that was the fly out to center.

2:13:48 closed out the fourth inning

2:13:54 and he'll earn the ball for sprint.

2:13:56 Brazila upset with himself. Too much

2:13:58 tail on the fast ball. Big turnaround

2:14:00 first and Maxwell will head back to 1B.

2:14:06 And this is a big runner now on base for

2:14:08 the firefighters, especially with the

2:14:10 trick play battle still not decided. If

2:14:13 you can get another point across the

2:14:14 board here, that does wonders for some

2:14:16 insurance opportunities going into the

2:14:18 eighth inning.

2:14:20 >> Screamer and KJ can't snag it on the

2:14:22 leap. Noah Bridges, the designated

2:14:25 runner, will go station to station.

2:14:27 Darien McDow, a frozen rope to left. And

2:14:31 there are two firefighters on the inning

2:14:33 winning run up to second. Yeah, just

2:14:36 good lumber from Darien McDow. Noah

2:14:40 Bridges got a little bit of a slow start

2:14:41 on that ball. I think expecting Kyle

2:14:43 Jackson to come down and make the play.

2:14:46 So only able to advance one base and

2:14:48 Dakota McFaden's first pitch hacking.

2:14:51 That one's back to the screen.

2:14:54 RBI double [music] back in the second.

2:14:57 His first extra base hit of the year and

2:14:59 then a ball force sprint in the fifth.

2:15:06 02 count fouls off the sliders. He's got

2:15:08 to look out for high 80s, low 90s fast

2:15:10 ball. curveball splitter and knuckle

2:15:12 ball as well.

2:15:16 02

2:15:18 never even thinks about the high heat.

2:15:20 Firefighters come into the night 360

2:15:23 average with runners in scoring

2:15:24 position. You just need one to come

2:15:26 home.

2:15:31 Looped out to right center. It is down.

2:15:34 Bridges waited to see it land. He's just

2:15:37 coming around third, but he will score

2:15:38 easily. Dakota McFaten

2:15:42 a walk-off to take the seventh and it's

2:15:44 a 4-2 firefighters lead.

2:15:48 [cheering]

2:15:52 Now stop and it's your homeboy.

2:15:58 [cheering]

2:16:00 Zachary Bridges with the patented

2:16:02 shaking knee si. Ladies and gentlemen,

2:16:06 Dakota McFaden has waited for one of the

2:16:08 biggest opportunities this season to

2:16:11 have one of his biggest nights of 2026.

2:16:14 I smell a showman potentially on the

2:16:16 books here. As we go to our firefighter

2:16:18 of the night,

2:16:19 >> began his career as a volunteer

2:16:21 firefighter and EMT and he continues to

2:16:24 volunteer at the Raymond Volunteer Fire

2:16:26 Department while also being assigned to

2:16:29 Engine AA for Lincoln Fire and Rescue

2:16:32 and serving as the search team manager

2:16:35 for Nebraska Task Force One.

2:16:38 [applause and cheering] This year, MOS

2:16:39 was honored to receive the 2026 Chief

2:16:42 Doug Wilson's Firefighter of the Year

2:16:45 Award.

2:16:47 >> [cheering]

2:16:47 >> In his career, he has served your

2:16:50 community at Lincoln Fire and Rescue for

2:16:53 10 years.

2:16:55 [cheering]

2:16:56 >> Fans, please join us in celebrating our

2:16:58 firefighter of the night, fire apparatus

2:17:01 operator, Justin Moss.

2:17:05 [applause]

2:17:14 All right,

2:17:17 >> Scala. This is one of the best moments

2:17:20 of any firefighter game when you get to

2:17:23 see the firefighter of the night award.

2:17:25 And tonight, Justin Moss, 2026 recipient

2:17:29 of the Chief Doug Wells firefighter of

2:17:31 the year award right here in Lincoln,

2:17:33 Nebraska. He's been a 10-year

2:17:35 firefighter, much like the head coach of

2:17:37 the firefighters, Val Perez, who is not

2:17:39 here this weekend training with the US

2:17:40 women's national baseball team. We

2:17:42 certainly wish Val uh good luck wherever

2:17:44 she is and by wherever of she is. I

2:17:46 think she's in Indiana.

2:17:47 >> Oh, that would be Carrie, North

2:17:48 Carolina.

2:17:49 >> Whoops. I thought Gary, Indiana. So, you

2:17:52 had Dolph Lungren, I had Indiana, North

2:17:54 Carolina

2:17:56 as Hello, Ben Dum. And that last name is

2:17:59 going to get you this statement a lot.

2:18:00 But this has been an important last 6

2:18:03 weeks or so for Ben Dum. He looks like

2:18:05 the pitcher of the year from 2026.

2:18:08 innings pitched used a lot last weekend

2:18:11 in North Carolina in relief goes three

2:18:15 innings just surrenders one run on a

2:18:17 home run when Ben Dum has that slider

2:18:20 moving look out he's got Robert Anthony

2:18:23 Cruz here so Dumb the former Twins and

2:18:27 Braves minor leaguer against the former

2:18:29 nationals minor leager at the dish

2:18:31 couple knocks on the evening so far for

2:18:34 Rack

2:18:37 one run driven in as well

2:18:42 as this one to center.

2:18:45 Vetta hardly has to move. Tip drill.

2:18:48 He'll tip it again. He'll tip it again.

2:18:51 Caught by Noah Bridges. Okay, so you

2:18:56 understand why he just did that.

2:18:58 He's trying to get Noah an opportunity

2:19:00 to get a double trick play. Noah comes

2:19:02 in. I mean, it's probably the right

2:19:05 thing to do. Hey, you've got the trick

2:19:07 play in the book. It now gives it a five

2:19:09 trick play difference, but you know,

2:19:13 Armando did it for a reason.

2:19:17 >> Five trick play advantage for the

2:19:19 firefighters.

2:19:21 Opportunities for more trick plays on

2:19:24 two more outs here in the top of the

2:19:25 eighth.

2:19:27 >> And Ben Dum is not afraid to go for a

2:19:28 trick pitch here if he can sense it.

2:19:32 [music]

2:19:34 What a take. runs the count full.

2:19:36 Alexiatis 0 for three fly out strike out

2:19:40 grounded out into a double play his last

2:19:42 time and he earns the ball for sprint.

2:19:44 Heater just misses up and out

2:19:47 and Super Reese one base on the sprint.

2:19:51 Ben was kind of incredulous on the

2:19:53 location of the last two pitches. He

2:19:54 thought he had just earned strike three.

2:19:57 Now comes ahead, the world's tallest

2:20:02 batter,

2:20:04 Dakota Stilts [cheering]

2:20:07 Al Britain.

2:20:10 What a moment to call Dakota Albertton's

2:20:12 name. Swinging it here for Ryan Cox, who

2:20:14 is one for three with a double. Dakota

2:20:17 Albertton, the bat starting to heat up.

2:20:22 trying to keep a rally going that Alexi

2:20:24 Alexi has given an opportunity to start

2:20:28 with his one out sprint.

2:20:31 >> You've seen three hits from Stilts this

2:20:32 season. That includes an RBI single that

2:20:34 he collected in Kansas City. He's never

2:20:38 been afraid to swing the bat. Very

2:20:40 aggressive up at the plate for this

2:20:42 Bananas team.

2:20:44 Look out. Stilts is plunked

2:20:47 and it's by a side winding righty.

2:20:50 Shades of Schlommo Leetsz instilled his

2:20:53 first career plate appearance all the

2:20:55 way back on the One City World Tour.

2:20:57 You're the man, Bo Scalawa. Wow. Slow

2:21:01 motion. Come on.

2:21:04 Not many times you get to name drop an

2:21:07 original party animal.

2:21:10 Good hard 90 there for Stilts. Gives way

2:21:13 to Ryan Cox who can reenter in his spot.

2:21:15 So two nanners on Ty Jackson.

2:21:20 Takes the fast ball on the outside

2:21:22 corner for strike one.

2:21:26 Tai three-played appearances yet to

2:21:28 record an atbat. Plunked his first time

2:21:31 worked to sprint his last two trips.

2:21:34 Peter just barely misses the outside

2:21:36 corner. Cornette calls it a strike.

2:21:38 Vincent Chapman though called it a ball.

2:21:43 And what a take on the slider.

2:21:48 It's fast ball slider circle change from

2:21:50 Dumb who on the 2-2 goes back to the

2:21:52 Heat. Long run for McDow. He will not be

2:21:55 able to get there in time.

2:21:58 By the way, to clean up our discussion

2:22:00 earlier, it's not just Val Perez in

2:22:02 Kerry, North Carolina trying out for the

2:22:04 United States women's national baseball

2:22:06 team. Kelsey Whitmore, Da Bonitz, Ashton

2:22:08 Landell, all of them there at the

2:22:11 women's national team training camp. Tai

2:22:13 able to beat the wrap and it's just a

2:22:16 fielders's choice. Cox taking [music]

2:22:17 off the base pads. Alexi over to third.

2:22:20 Two outs now. That also took a trick

2:22:22 play opportunity off the board because

2:22:24 of how slow that was hit to Logan Lacy.

2:22:26 So Firefighters now down to one out to

2:22:28 try to induce one more trick play to go

2:22:31 into the bottom of the eighth with a six

2:22:33 trick play lead. Well, at that point,

2:22:35 you're not really focused on collecting

2:22:36 the trick play, more so two outs and

2:22:38 posting another zero. Just trying to

2:22:41 tack on more insurance as Olsen lifts

2:22:43 this out to left center field. Baser and

2:22:46 Bridges chasing it down and it's Noah

2:22:48 Bridges, tonight's designated fielder,

2:22:51 hauling that one in and keeping the

2:22:54 Nanner scoreless in the top of the

2:22:56 eighth.

2:22:58 Boy, that was spooky right there. Mondo

2:23:00 and Bridges nearly colliding. Good

2:23:02 evasive maneuvers by Basetta. Great play

2:23:05 on the run by Bridges. Let's get it down

2:23:08 to Cavs

2:23:08 >> here in banana ball.

2:23:10 >> Be safe. Enjoy your evening.

2:23:13 >> Oh yeah.

2:23:22 [music]

2:23:24 >> Sing it loud. thinking

2:23:27 when you're [music] not strong

2:23:31 and I'll be your friend.

2:23:34 I'll [music] help you car.

2:23:42 [music]

2:23:50 >> Sing it loud.

2:23:53 Brother

2:24:04 is right.

2:24:15 >> One more time.

2:24:20 strong

2:24:22 and [music] I'll be your friend.

2:24:25 I'll never

2:24:30 [music]

2:24:41 >> Lincoln, you are absolutely amazing.

2:24:43 Keep up the energy and let's go,

2:24:45 firefighters.

2:24:49 >> [cheering]

2:24:56 >> What a beautiful scene

2:24:58 here at Hay Market Park. Over 8,000 fans

2:25:02 on hand coming together

2:25:05 and enjoying a heck of a banana ball

2:25:07 game. Firefighters lead 42 going to the

2:25:10 home half of the eighth inning.

2:25:14 It's been a back and forth affair.

2:25:17 Bananas pushed runs across in the first

2:25:19 five innings. Were only able to claim

2:25:20 points in two of them. And

2:25:23 firefighters came back on the second and

2:25:25 third frames. Since then, they've walked

2:25:28 off the sixth and seventh innings. And

2:25:30 now the Nanners go to the best closer in

2:25:32 the history of Banana Ball. Danny Hosley

2:25:35 coming off a weekend in which he faced

2:25:38 nine Indianapolis Clowns batters. Struck

2:25:40 out four, retired the lot of them, and

2:25:43 is really at the peak of his powers.

2:25:44 That microscopic 0.4 42 erra is truly

2:25:48 ridiculous across 21 and two/3 innings

2:25:51 pitched. That translates to a 1,925

2:25:55 RA plus. Astronomical. It doesn't make

2:25:59 sense.

2:26:00 It's more than 19 times better than the

2:26:04 tour average pitcher this season for the

2:26:06 Savannah Bananas. His 3 minute and 31

2:26:09 second MPI is currently third among all

2:26:11 pitchers in banana ball. He's pitching

2:26:13 in his ninth straight game for the

2:26:16 Nanners. They have leaned on him a lot

2:26:18 over the last couple of weekends. And

2:26:21 how about this? He gets to face his

2:26:23 former George Mason teammate in South

2:26:25 Trimble. South has told me up close and

2:26:28 personal Danny Hosley is one of the best

2:26:30 player he players he has ever seen. Some

2:26:33 of the most nastiest things you could

2:26:35 ever see. the arsenal, the

2:26:37 competitiveness.

2:26:42 Yeah. Shows him the signature Vulcan

2:26:44 change up. South able to spoil it on the

2:26:46 two strike offering. Such a fun battle.

2:26:49 Both these cats from the Commonwealth.

2:26:53 Dueling here out in Lincoln, Nebraska as

2:26:56 Alexi's tip drill. He will tip it again.

2:26:59 He will tip it again. He will tip it

2:27:00 again. Dr. into the hat.

2:27:06 adventurous route to a double trick

2:27:08 play.

2:27:12 >> Okay, so might I venture

2:27:15 something to tell you guys? If you're

2:27:17 the firefighters,

2:27:20 is there an opportunity here to just

2:27:21 strike out twice here in a row and just

2:27:24 assure they're not going to get the

2:27:25 equalizer point?

2:27:28 Because it's a threeplay difference

2:27:30 here. If you're Kaden Green, you're

2:27:33 swinging away.

2:27:34 >> I mean, you're you're trying to earn

2:27:35 points for your team right now.

2:27:37 >> Correct.

2:27:37 >> You post the zero in the top half.

2:27:40 >> I That just doesn't compute for me as

2:27:43 Hosley tries a little Jeter jump throw.

2:27:45 I mean, that's some Matt Wolf type

2:27:48 action from Danny Do It all. He even

2:27:51 shocked his catcher, Bill Loy.

2:27:54 >> He's Danny Do It all. He can play any

2:27:56 position.

2:27:56 >> Oh, he's doing it again.

2:27:58 >> 360 this time. Jump throw

2:28:02 skips in there.

2:28:05 >> Oh, Bill did it right back.

2:28:08 >> Oh my goodness gracious. Still Hosley's

2:28:10 count

2:28:13 between the legs

2:28:15 and spikes it. Kayen Green is going to

2:28:17 steal first base. Laroy no chance.

2:28:22 Peanut his second swiped first base this

2:28:25 year.

2:28:27 And now the inning winning run is

2:28:28 aboard. And that's why Josh Tleski just

2:28:30 put me in my place on my potential

2:28:32 hypothetical hack of the rule there

2:28:34 because now a potential fifth point on

2:28:37 the base pads. You don't want to take

2:28:38 that away from yourselves.

2:28:41 Vulcan change up. Swung on and miss.

2:28:43 Dalton Cornet been battling with Hosley

2:28:46 for four straight tours

2:28:50 and almost always in the back end of a

2:28:52 game. Usually the ninth.

2:28:55 Tonight they square off in the bottom of

2:28:57 the eighth.

2:28:58 Ozie will check on Peanut back safely at

2:29:00 first.

2:29:03 He just got his second steal of the

2:29:05 year. They've both been at first base

2:29:07 and that one off the glove of Ziegler

2:29:10 Olsen throwing to Hosley who covers in

2:29:13 time.

2:29:15 Heads up play by Jackson Olsen and Danny

2:29:17 Hosley to salvage that play. But when

2:29:20 you've got a guy in Danny Hosley who has

2:29:22 played all over the diamond, his

2:29:24 instincts are just different as he's

2:29:26 coming up the pitcher mound. Seen Hosley

2:29:29 at second, third, left, right, center

2:29:31 throughout his banana ball career. He

2:29:33 can field every position well and his

2:29:35 baseball IQ is fantastic. You saw it on

2:29:39 full display there. He was immediately

2:29:41 off to cover that bag. As soon as

2:29:44 Ziggler was into the dive, it didn't

2:29:45 matter whether he got it in his club or

2:29:48 not. Sword from Logan Lacy. He's behind

2:29:50 O2.

2:29:54 >> Two-run homer. Won the third inning.

2:29:56 Great stop, Bill Loy on the 126.

2:29:59 Curveball gone arrive.

2:30:03 Green leads off second.

2:30:08 The one two swing and a miss. The change

2:30:11 up fools showtime and Hosley bends but

2:30:15 does not break. Scoreless bottom of the

2:30:17 eighth. It'll be a 4-2 Firefighters lead

2:30:21 going to our final inning where every

2:30:23 run scored counts as a point.

2:30:25 >> Disgusting.

2:30:28 >> Danny Hosley absolutely inevitable. Back

2:30:30 down to Cass we go.

2:30:32 >> But the thing about Banana Ball is the

2:30:34 final inning means the most as every run

2:30:37 scored counts as a point. The

2:30:40 firefighters right now need just three

2:30:43 outs to secure a victory. Ladies and

2:30:47 gentlemen, it all comes down to this.

2:30:49 This is the final

2:30:52 inning. [screaming]

2:30:55 Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome

2:30:58 back to the field Sam Tanz. [screaming]

2:31:19 time

2:31:21 just

2:31:32 how [music] legends are made. Oh.

2:31:37 Oh.

2:31:40 Oh.

2:31:42 This is [music] how legends are made.

2:31:46 Oh.

2:31:48 Oh.

2:31:51 Oh.

2:31:53 This is how legends are made.

2:31:57 Now pitching for the firefighters.

2:32:01 Number one. I'm not sure I ever thought

2:32:03 I was going to flex the vocal cords here

2:32:06 on our first night in Lincoln, Nebraska,

2:32:08 but nonetheless, there we are. Johnny

2:32:10 Hmel doesn't have any hair.

2:32:12 >> Hmel,

2:32:13 >> he's got some hair.

2:32:14 >> He's got some hair. He does not have the

2:32:16 hair that he's used to having. He also

2:32:17 does not have lightning out on the

2:32:19 mountain. I think that shows you

2:32:20 something. The last couple of games,

2:32:22 Johnny's not had the best of

2:32:24 performances and luck in the ninth

2:32:26 inning. Was walked off in Corpus

2:32:28 Christie, Texas, surrendered three runs

2:32:30 to the Loco Beach Coconuts in Scranton.

2:32:32 did have a showdown shutdown win for the

2:32:35 firefighters in Corpus Christie, but

2:32:37 last weekend in Charlotte, not what he

2:32:38 wanted either. So tonight, he goes with

2:32:40 a new look. No lightning. This is the

2:32:43 guy you want on the mound if you're the

2:32:44 firefighters. He's nails. He's calm and

2:32:47 poised under pressure. And you know he's

2:32:49 motivated tonight to find a way back

2:32:52 with an opportunity to earn a save for

2:32:54 the firefighters. Viper eight on his

2:32:56 save opportunities. And it's Hmel in his

2:32:58 last five games who has allowed 10

2:33:00 earned runs on the pitcher mound for the

2:33:02 firefighters. It's certainly gotten a

2:33:04 little shakier for Hmel who had locked

2:33:07 down that closer roll due to Ben Dump

2:33:09 struggles to start the year. Now just

2:33:12 trying to get that confidence back up as

2:33:14 he faces the top of this Banana's order

2:33:17 with Dr. Meadows leading us off.

2:33:20 >> Dan Oburst lurks on deck. Max Young

2:33:22 Goldberg in the hole. Then KJ

2:33:27 It's the same thing like you see with

2:33:29 Austin Temple. There is a nasty

2:33:31 curveball in the hand of number 95.

2:33:37 That one got away from DC3.

2:33:40 Dr. Meadows will stay in the box.

2:33:41 >> Yeah, I thought Meadows might have got a

2:33:43 piece of it. I mean, that's a heads up

2:33:46 banana ball player right there. He's got

2:33:48 a couple steals of first this year. The

2:33:49 Bananas need a base runner. Dr's job

2:33:51 here is just set the table. Beautiful

2:33:55 126 curve.

2:33:58 >> Frozen pizza. Meadows back to the

2:33:59 dugout.

2:34:00 >> That's what I just told you. It's that

2:34:02 curve ball that sets the tone. If it

2:34:05 moves like that, I mean, good luck.

2:34:08 Starts way up out of the zone and sinks

2:34:10 right [music] back into it. And you have

2:34:11 seen each of the last two strikeouts for

2:34:13 the Bananas looking young Goldberg and

2:34:15 now Meadows. And both of those calls

2:34:17 came at the top of the zone for the

2:34:18 firefighters relievers.

2:34:22 Now Dan Obururst,

2:34:24 just like Meadows before him, he's

2:34:25 reached three times tonight as that foul

2:34:27 ball gets off Cornet's right hand.

2:34:32 [laughter and cheering]

2:34:33 >> BK hyping up the crowd. Another look.

2:34:37 >> Ouchies.

2:34:38 >> That stings.

2:34:43 >> Doubles. Dan's first two times to the

2:34:46 dish. Ball force sprint in the fifth. He

2:34:48 grounded out in the seventh.

2:34:57 >> [cheering]

2:34:57 >> Now it's his job to try and set the

2:34:59 table.

2:35:03 >> Had a steal of first base in the ninth

2:35:05 last Thursday night.

2:35:08 Led to three straight plate appearances

2:35:10 where he swiped first.

2:35:13 Part of a six steel weekend. Only banana

2:35:16 ball player ever to do that. The only

2:35:18 banana ball player now with two separate

2:35:20 games in which he has stolen first twice

2:35:22 for the Naners.

2:35:25 >> That ball driven out to left center.

2:35:27 Bridges

2:35:29 makes the catch on the run. The Bananas

2:35:32 down to their final out.

2:35:34 >> You see why Noah Bridge You see why Noah

2:35:36 Bridges is the designated runner and

2:35:38 fielder both showed off right there.

2:35:40 Important out number two with Max Young

2:35:42 Goldberg up. That one laced pretty well

2:35:44 off the bat of overs then started to die

2:35:47 out there in left center field. Great

2:35:49 running grab from Noah Bridges. And now

2:35:52 it's Max Young Goldberg. Four runs

2:35:54 batted in tonight for the Savannah

2:35:56 Bananas just trying to keep this ninth

2:35:59 inning alive

2:36:01 trying to pass the baton to KJ who sits

2:36:04 on deck.

2:36:07 Two-run homer in the fifth. Two-run

2:36:09 sprint in the first as the curveball

2:36:12 just misses.

2:36:16 Chapman said it was high.

2:36:22 Back to the bender. That one low.

2:36:26 [cheering]

2:36:28 Young Goldberg has tied Jake Skull with

2:36:31 24 sprints to lead this World Tour. And

2:36:34 he never has to take the bat off his

2:36:35 shoulder there. Hmel can't find the zone

2:36:38 against MJG.

2:36:41 He's aboard for the third time tonight.

2:36:42 And now Kyle Jackson will represent the

2:36:45 game's tying run at home plate.

2:36:48 JT Sakov taking Young Goldberg's spot

2:36:51 over at first, the Banana's designated

2:36:52 runner.

2:36:57 [cheering] Kyle Jackson has certainly

2:36:58 been the MVP of this Banana squad so far

2:37:02 this season, but yet to collect a hit in

2:37:04 the ninth inning of play this year.

2:37:07 This would come at a perfect time for

2:37:09 the Savannah Bananas.

2:37:13 >> Top of the order has been tremendous.

2:37:14 You see KJ three for four on the night.

2:37:17 Great stop. Dalton Cornet had no idea

2:37:19 where the banana ball was. He had

2:37:21 smothered it.

2:37:23 >> Sakov wisely stays put over at first

2:37:25 base.

2:37:26 >> That's six straight bad ones thrown from

2:37:27 Johnny Hmel. You got to get one in the

2:37:29 zone here.

2:37:33 >> There it is.

2:37:36 Two balls and a strike on KJ.

2:37:42 >> Fouled straight back. The Nanners down

2:37:44 to their final strike.

2:37:47 KJ struck out his first time since then.

2:37:50 Two singles and a double.

2:37:56 The 2-2

2:37:58 yanked. Little snag by EJ.

2:38:02 What a massive win for the firefighters.

2:38:04 They take night one in Lincoln, Nebraska

2:38:06 by a score of 4 to2.

2:38:09 >> And how appropriate is it on a night

2:38:11 where he's got three singles against his

2:38:13 former team. It's EJ at the reversed hot

2:38:17 corner to end it, throw the glove, and

2:38:21 stop the slump for the firefighters. How

2:38:24 about that for a debut in Lincoln,

2:38:27 Nebraska?

2:38:30 >> And all in all, it is not just Eric

2:38:32 Jones Jr., But a plethora of former

2:38:35 bananas who did a lot of damage against

2:38:38 this squad tonight. EJ of course a

2:38:40 sensational night in that final out. But

2:38:43 Dakota McFaten a big night offensively.

2:38:46 Zack Phillips with some big innings of

2:38:48 middle relief.

2:38:50 And these former Bananas turned

2:38:52 firefighters were able to lead the boys

2:38:55 to a 4 to2 dub tonight in Hey Market

2:38:59 Park.

2:39:02 >> [cheering]

2:39:04 [applause]

2:39:09 [cheering and applause]

2:39:11 >> And how about one more time for the

2:39:13 Savannah Bananas.

2:39:16 [cheering]

2:39:19 >> Now, before we talk about the Plaza

2:39:21 party that will be taking place after

2:39:23 this, it is now time to hear from our

2:39:26 showman of the night with Sam Bowman.

2:39:29 Here is Eric Jones Jr.

2:39:36 >> EJ.

2:39:37 >> EJ talking.

2:39:38 >> Let's go. Let's go.

2:39:39 >> Yeah. We got our showman of the game,

2:39:41 Eric Jones.

2:39:43 EJ, talk about the importance of getting

2:39:46 this win here tonight in Lincoln.

2:39:49 >> You know, everyone's sweet. This one

2:39:51 tonight's especially sweet. Boys played

2:39:53 well. We're dialed. Let's go.

2:39:55 >> Let's go.

2:39:57 AJ, a former banana coming in here and

2:39:59 getting the win against the boys in

2:40:00 yellow. A little extra fire in you

2:40:03 tonight.

2:40:03 >> Well, that's what the whole team's

2:40:05 about, Sam. We bring the fire every

2:40:06 night. That's what we do here on the

2:40:08 firefighters. We're going to bring it on

2:40:09 Saturday, too.

2:40:11 >> Come on. [cheering] Come on.

2:40:12 >> Dmac, real quick. Dmac, get in here.

2:40:14 Yeah.

2:40:15 >> Dacel. Diesel. Diesel.

2:40:17 >> Diesel.

2:40:19 >> A win in front of this crowd in Lincoln

2:40:20 tonight. How does it set the tone for

2:40:22 the weekend? Well, it's great because we

2:40:24 control the controllables. We were able

2:40:26 to actually, you know, stick to a game

2:40:28 plan, continue to stay with an approach,

2:40:31 and just absolutely execute. And it's

2:40:33 easy when you got a crew like this

2:40:34 behind you the whole time. And it

2:40:37 doesn't matter.

2:40:39 >> Hey guys, one more time for this crowd

2:40:41 here in Lincoln tonight.

2:40:43 [cheering]

2:40:44 >> Hey, let's break it down. Break it down.

2:40:46 Break it down. Break it down. Break it

2:40:47 down. Break it down.

2:40:50 >> Hey, we got smoke going. Let's go.

2:40:58 >> Man, we are blessed when we get to hear

2:41:00 Dakota McFaten [music] on the mic. EJ

2:41:04 with some great words after a showman of

2:41:06 the night performance as well.

2:41:09 It started with a broken back RBI single

2:41:12 that tied the first inning at two runs

2:41:15 each. Denied the Bananas the inning

2:41:17 victory back in the first and then he

2:41:19 really never slowed down. Eric Jones Jr.

2:41:22 three for three, two runs driven in. And

2:41:25 the difference maker, the walk-off to

2:41:27 win the sixth inning that put the

2:41:29 firefighters up 3-2. And then how poetic

2:41:32 he gets to close it out, snagging the

2:41:34 liner for the victory.

2:41:35 >> Boico, there was so much made about the

2:41:38 [music] first matchup in March. EJ

2:41:40 didn't talk too much about the potential

2:41:42 revenge or [music] redemption against

2:41:43 the Bananas this week, but you could

2:41:45 tell it meant a lot to him. And you

2:41:46 could tell it right there in the

2:41:48 interview with Sam Bowman. [music] As

2:41:49 you take a look at the showman of the

2:41:50 night and what happened in this game,

2:41:52 you could tell EJ had this one circled.

2:41:55 [music] It was an important game for

2:41:56 everybody's confidence. And who better

2:41:58 to get confident against than the team

2:42:00 you used [music] to play for that you

2:42:02 own the all-time home runs record for.

2:42:05 This was an important night for his

2:42:06 [music] confidence, but more importantly

2:42:08 for the firefighters going into their

2:42:11 first ever football [music] stadium

2:42:12 game. Tonight, the firefighters put

2:42:15 their hard hats on and got something

2:42:18 done. [music]

2:42:20 >> Very impressive, composed victory for

2:42:23 the firefighters. Opening up this twoame

2:42:25 set as we welcome you back inside with

2:42:27 the statistical soant of the sport, Mr.

2:42:29 Josh Tipsky, the voice of the

2:42:31 firefighters, Zack Stton. I am Bo

2:42:33 Scallisang. Once again, happy Thursday.

2:42:36 Thank you for spending it with us here

2:42:38 in virtual Banana Land. A 42

2:42:40 firefighters win. It was only the second

2:42:42 game that EJ got to play against the

2:42:44 Bananas because the Sunday game all the

2:42:47 way back on March 8th, he had to go up

2:42:49 to Charleston for a wedding. So, in the

2:42:51 second game ever played against his

2:42:52 former team, he is the hero. Uh he was

2:42:54 stupendous, Josh.

2:42:55 >> I mean, it just makes you so happy for

2:42:57 Eric Jones Jr. know the firefighters

2:42:59 paid him a high honor in the off season.

2:43:01 They took him in the first round. He was

2:43:03 their first pick in the Banana Ball

2:43:05 player draft and he certainly wanted to

2:43:07 be an impact player. And for Eric Jones

2:43:09 Jr., I mean, in April, he tore things up

2:43:12 for the firefighters. He batted 714 for

2:43:15 them. From May to now, he entered with

2:43:18 just a 212 batting average in that span.

2:43:21 So, a three hit game for EJ. It coming

2:43:23 against his former team. He named he

2:43:25 gets named Showman. It's a lot of

2:43:27 momentum for him and his squad trying to

2:43:30 dig themselves out of sixth place in the

2:43:32 Banana Ball Championship League

2:43:33 standings. And meanwhile on the banana

2:43:36 side of the coins, they really dug

2:43:38 themselves in a hole tonight. You saw an

2:43:40 error or trick play missed in each of

2:43:42 the first three innings for them

2:43:44 defensively. They wound up surrendering

2:43:46 two points. So it was a lot of defensive

2:43:48 miscues that led to this loss for the

2:43:51 Savannah Bananas and they'll certainly

2:43:53 be looking to clean that up as they

2:43:55 enter this game in Memorial Stadium on

2:43:57 Saturday night. Right. We talked about

2:43:58 it on the pregame show across the last

2:44:00 two weekends with the Clowns taking

2:44:02 three out of the five games against the

2:44:04 Bananas. It was the offense that had

2:44:06 been lagging. The offense was fantastic

2:44:08 tonight and then it was the defense and

2:44:10 pitching that could not hold up their

2:44:11 end of the bargain and the firefighters

2:44:13 a tremendous job capitalizing on it.

2:44:15 >> And I think this is an important win

2:44:16 because you do not want to go in that

2:44:17 stadium across the street with that much

2:44:19 emotion, that much unknown territory

2:44:22 trying to break a four-game losing

2:44:23 streak. Now you have some confidence

2:44:25 going in there. you can learn a bit a

2:44:26 little bit about how to play that field.

2:44:28 Take the day tomorrow to rehearse, get

2:44:30 yourself ready to go, know what it's

2:44:32 going to take, and find a way Saturday

2:44:34 to maybe get yourself a sweep and an

2:44:35 important one at that.

2:44:36 >> Right. It's going to be the third

2:44:38 largest game in Banana Ball history

2:44:40 coming this Saturday night. Bananas

2:44:42 Firefighters will be right back here on

2:44:44 the Firefighters YouTube channel as well

2:44:46 as on the ESPN app and Disney Plus. And

2:44:49 as we've talked about, it will be the

2:44:50 Firefighters first ever game in a

2:44:52 football stadium. They also happen

2:44:54 [music] to be the home team, the

2:44:55 headlining team. It will be the

2:44:57 firefighters show as they try and go for

2:44:59 this twoame sweep. And tomorrow night,

2:45:02 we're going to get a couple more Banana

2:45:04 Ball games as well. You're going to want

2:45:05 to keep it locked to the Loco Beach

2:45:06 Coconuts and Indianapolis Clowns YouTube

2:45:08 channels. That's going to be really fun

2:45:10 to see. I know that our lovely fans do

2:45:13 not like spoilers, so I'm not going to

2:45:14 tell you what happened on the Jersey

2:45:16 Shore tonight, even though they started

2:45:17 their game an hour before us. and you

2:45:19 should have had two screens allocated

2:45:21 for uh these games, but it was a really

2:45:24 fun battle. They have a three-game set

2:45:26 that will continue tomorrow night. So,

2:45:27 make sure to check out those two games.

2:45:29 We'll be in the comments se section

2:45:31 watching along here from Lincoln,

2:45:32 Nebraska. And we will see you on

2:45:34 Saturday night. But before we close this

2:45:36 thing down, we do have to shout out our

2:45:38 wonderful cast and crew. It starts with

2:45:40 our folks an hour in the future on the

2:45:42 other side of the Mississippi River all

2:45:45 the way back in Savannah, Georgia, the

2:45:47 hostess city of the South. Our crew

2:45:48 directed by Chris Haynes, the man, the

2:45:51 myth, the legend, everybody in the

2:45:52 control room. Superb job here. And then

2:45:54 right in Lincoln, Nebraska. This

2:45:56 broadcast produced by Chad Ree. So great

2:45:59 to have Chad back on a Nanner's

2:46:01 broadcast. A big thank you to our

2:46:02 executive producer of BTV, Mr. Josh

2:46:05 Richardson, for Sam Bowman down on the

2:46:07 field [music] for Josh Tleski and Zack

2:46:09 Stton. I am Bo Scala saying so long for

2:46:12 now. We will see you Saturday night.

2:46:14 Same place, same time. Well, similar

2:46:16 place. We're just going to be on the

2:46:17 other side of the freeway and have

2:46:19 another 78,000 fans or uh so on, give or

2:46:23 take a couple. Until we see you right

2:46:24 back here on the Firefighters YouTube

2:46:26 channel Saturday night, we will see you

2:46:28 later.

2:46:45 Heat. Heat.

2:47:00 [music]

2:47:20 >> [music]

2:47:20 >> Heat. Heat.

2:47:26 [music]