Episode 11

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Published on:

16th Apr 2024

S1E11 - Royal Decree With John Holobetz

Gary and CB recap a series win over JMU and look ahead to UVA and Marshall this week. ODU Pitcher John Holobetz joins to tell his story and talk ball.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Pride of ODU Collective

he Pride of ODU leverages the power of Old Dominion University alumni and fans to equip student-athletes with the tools and resources necessary for them to excel both during and beyond their time in Norfolk. More importantly, we seek to help student-athletes maximize their NIL opportunities the right way, without ever compromising the values of Old Dominion University and the legacy of all those who have donned the Blue and Silver in the past. To learn more, visit https://theprideofodu.com/

Transcript
Intro:

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Gary: Hello Monarch fans and welcome

to the Hudson Homer's podcast.

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I'm Gary and I'm joined as always

by CB coming to you after a two

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and two week in a series win

over James Madison University.

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CB, you gotta be feeling good

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after, uh, the weekend, right?

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CB: Feeling great, man.

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You, you love a series win.

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Uh, it's always better

when you win on Sunday.

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That, that Sunday feeling after

a series victory is just so nice.

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I mean, just the, the whole, the

vibes after the game were fantastic.

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They had the families out

there, kids were on the bases.

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They had, uh, autographs, which the

way they had it set up was awesome.

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They had the players all just lined

up in the dugout and a bunch of the

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kids just there getting autographs.

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I mean, it's just a, just

a wonderful atmosphere.

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And, uh, it just, it's just

better after you went on Sunday.

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Gary: I agree, and you're bringing up

the post game festivities on Sunday.

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Really cool.

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It was Pack the Park Day,

so no tickets required.

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A lot of people could come in.

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Uh, I don't know if it was as packed

as Friday and Saturday, but there

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was still a great crowd there.

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Uh, but the players hanging around

in the dugout, the kids getting

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to come up and give autographs.

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Really awesome.

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Uh, Mike Langston, who is over on

the Monarchist podcast and does the

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basketball show, uh, had his buddy

with him, Nunu, who got to take all

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kinds of pictures and get autographs.

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And the guys really were enjoying it.

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They weren't just there to be there.

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They

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were enjoying it.

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CB: he said, all of us gave

him a hat, gave Nuno a hat.

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I'm, I'm pretty sure I heard that.

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So that's just like, and Mike pointed

out, he said, all those guys were just

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kind of helped being real great to him.

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And again, no prodding, just, just

like, Hey, we're just good people,

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which, uh, is what I've been

saying about our team for years.

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And it's especially true this year.

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They're just really good people.

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My mom doesn't like that.

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I call them kids.

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Uh, so young men Uh, I was gonna

say kids but young men that uh,

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they're just really great folks

and you just want to root for them

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Gary: Yeah, it was definitely a nice

feather in the cap after a really nice

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weekend series of good weather, a lot of

fans, a lot of JMU fans made the trip down

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there, uh, just a great environment at the

Bud and what a way to cap it off to make

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those kids days getting things signed and

gear going out and all kinds of fun stuff.

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Uh, also quite a few Luke Newcomb

shirts floating around the ballpark

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this weekend.

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CB: We like that make make them some

money our friend of the podcast luke

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newcomb Luke waters deserves some

some cash go out and buy his shirts

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Gary: So we go two and two over the week.

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But let's get you caught up

on dollars for dingers first.

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Uh, hit a couple this week.

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Bumped our season total up

to 32 dingers on the season.

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And then, bucks for bags,

we are at 61 stolen bases.

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61 for 76.

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Still looking really good with that ratio.

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Start saving your dollars for your

dingers and your bucks for the bags.

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We will have that promotion

again here at the end of the

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season working through ODAF.

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CB: Yeah, we love it.

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Stolen base numbers

slowing down a little bit.

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We're still, we're still getting them.

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We're still catching them.

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And again, uh, Stephen Meyer

got, he's got up to 19 now.

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I actually got caught for the first

time of the season, uh, but that was on

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purpose so they could score a run at home.

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Uh, but he's at 19.

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I said, uh, the only guy I could

find the last 20 years that even

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had 20 was Connor Myers at 21 years.

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So Stephen's right up there with

the most anybody's had in a while.

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Gary: Kind of nice when the only

time you've been thrown out is

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when you intentionally did it

with two outs to get a runner home

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from third in a tight ballgame.

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So heads up play by all involved there.

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Sorry to see the streak end, but

19 for 20 with an asterisk by the

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one is five.

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CB: Not too bad.

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Gary: Let's jump into the week.

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Actually, we had four really good ball

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games.

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I thought over the

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CB: This was probably their best

week overall, the way they played.

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I mean, going two and two,

it's kind of surprising.

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I think they had a three and one week, you

know, so it's, it's surprising to say it

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was your best week, but I, I think it was,

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Gary: You start the week off at, I

think East Carolina has jumped up to 15.

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Did I see that today?

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Maybe I'm

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CB: I saw him at nine earlier

today on the baseball America poll.

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So who knows they're, they're high.

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They were 11.

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I think we played them on Tuesday.

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Gary: We'll go with nine.

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We'll take one of the 5, 000

baseball polls that exist.

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Pick the highest number

that looks best for us.

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And we'll go with a, with

number nine, East Carolina and.

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But we were out of the gate with a

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bang in that one.

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CB: yeah.

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I mean, we, we, I really thought

we had a shot in this one.

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Uh, we scored two runs right there in

the first, uh, Boucher doubled in Kyle

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Edwards, Lavarie singled him in and

you're off to a tune out the lead at

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their place, which is always good to

get their fans to shut up a little bit.

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Gary: They did come right back

though in the bottom half, uh, ended

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up actually going ahead three to

two on a RBI single, starting out

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looking at the first two innings.

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I mean, it's, four to

four after two innings.

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And you're thinking, oh, this could be

one of those nice record setting midweeks

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where everyone's in double digits, but

kind of slowed down a good bit after

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that second inning, uh, with the RBI

singles from Pullman and Stephen Meyer.

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Uh, that put ODU on top four to

three and then ECU got one of the

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bottom half to make it four, four,

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CB: Yeah, and then they didn't score

again till the 5th and then, um, oddly

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enough, uh, Vincent Bechera maybe had

his worst appearance of the year, ending

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in two thirds, uh, gave up two runs.

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I mean, if that's your worst one of

the year, that's, that's telling me

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you're having a pretty good year.

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So, yeah, it's just one of those.

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They, they're just better,

like realistically, they're,

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they're a top 25 team.

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They're a better team.

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And, you know, just, how

do you crawl back in?

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It was seven to five loss.

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Uh, but you know, if you lose seven to

five to a top 10 team and you played

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really well in the game, I mean, you

can't, you can't say much more about that.

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So look, they, they, they did their best.

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They.

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They played really hard.

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I mean, obviously there's always spots

where you could have got something

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more here or there, but you got to

feel really good about that game.

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Gary: I mean, obviously the baseball

season is more than just your two games

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head to head, but if you did just look at

those two games in the vacuum, I mean, we

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won the first one at home, a tight game

with a walk off hit by Stephen Meyer.

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And then you got a two run game

down in East Carolina where you had

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the tying run, uh, up at the plate,

actually on base at one point.

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Uh, so pretty evenly

matched back and forth.

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I think that's why I liked those games.

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Cause.

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They seem to always be evenly matched,

but, uh, Ethan Norby, who came

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in

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from East Carolina out of the four and

two thirds, uh, one run, three hits,

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two walks, 10 strikeouts really came

in and dominated the back end of that

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game.

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And shut us down.

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CB: He was, he was filthy.

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He looked really, I don't

know how he gave up a run.

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Honestly, he looks so good

and his name may be familiar.

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Um, and yeah, obviously

we saw his brother.

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Connor Norby a few years back playing

for ECU, but he also, uh, the last two

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seasons has been playing for the Norfolk

Tides, uh, right here, uh, in Norfolk.

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Uh, he, I think he led the international

league in hits last season.

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So, um, this is his younger brother.

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He's only a freshman, so

that's going to be a guy.

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I mean, hopefully he'll be so good.

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He'll be on the weekends and we won't

ever see him face out to you again.

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Gary: The Norby name definitely sounds

very, very familiar, but like you

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said, East Carolina is a great team.

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They've got plenty of hitters.

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They've got plenty of pitching.

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And I feel, you know, I want

us to win every game, right?

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A loss is a loss, but.

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It wasn't like some of these midweeks

we've had, say, against UVA, where just

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offensively, we can't get anything going.

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That was not the case in this

game, and it gave me a good bit of

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confidence going into the JMU weekend

series that our hitting is there,

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we just scored five runs and we

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needed seven.

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CB: Yeah.

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And another one I want to point out in

that game, Kellen Davis, he actually

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pitched a full inning in that game,

uh, three strikeouts Only 16 pitches.

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He looked outstanding in that one inning.

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Gary: Yeah, Kellen's gotten some work

this week, had the full inning against

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East Carolina, and I believe you end

up with a full inning over the weekend

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as well in some key spots for us, so.

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The Raptor is working.

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CB: Yeah.

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It was another, uh, there's a three hit

day for Luke waters, uh, Alex Boucher,

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a couple of hits, a couple of walks.

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So he had a perfect day at the plate.

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Um, so yeah, you're right.

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I mean, it was, it was

a very encouraging game.

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It did make you feel really good going

to the weekend, which turned out to be

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correct as ODU took two out of three,

starting with the Friday game where the

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story of that game on Friday was dominant

pitching, uh, Jay Cassidy started things

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out four innings, One hit, one walk,

six strikeouts, just looked outstanding.

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John Holibets relieved him out

of the bullpen, finished off

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the game, uh, with five innings.

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Only gave up one run right there

in the ninth inning, just kind

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of got a few cheap ones on him.

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Only three strikeouts, which

for John is a very low amount.

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Uh, but he, he looked outstanding.

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Both of them as a pair, you could

not have asked for more for a couple

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of guys coming out on the mound.

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Gary: Absolutely.

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And John Hollibets is our guest this week.

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You'll hear from him in a little bit.

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But with Jay and John able to combine

to take that whole game on Friday,

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that paid some dividends for us,

especially on Sunday when you had

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Jacob Gomez who could go for longer.

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I thought Jay looked fantastic.

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Four innings was six strikeouts.

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Hollowbats go in the final five.

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Uh, those guys just look comfortable

up there and dominant is the right

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word because at no point in that

game did I feel like JMU had a chance

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to win it.

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CB: No, I really, even when they

finally scored around the ninth, I

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was, it was kind of amazing because

it was like, they just didn't look

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like they had a chance to do anything.

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Um, and, and on top of that, our

offense was outstanding that day,

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Maverick Stallings, started things

off driving in, Alex Boucher, Evan

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Holman had a nice hit, drive in Kenny,

uh, and TJ actually had a bunt single

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past the pitcher that scored Maverick

in that same inning, uh, TJ Aiken.

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So he was, so that was cool to see

TJ Aiken hadn't played in a little

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while and he got the start in the left

field all three games this weekend.

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Gary: He did.

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And he went two for three on Friday.

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Uh, I think the only surprising

thing for me on Friday was that

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nobody hit any home runs despite

the wind blowing about 25 miles an

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hour straight out to right center.

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Like I could not believe.

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That someone didn't pop one up and it just

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ended up going out of

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CB: It is crazy.

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It didn't happen.

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I'm glad it didn't because that to me

meant our guys were locked in and having

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really good at bats and they were focused

on making good hard contact and they

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weren't worried about like, I gotta hit

a pop fly in the air and get it out.

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So it's, it's good,

but it is crazy, right?

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There wasn't just an accidental

like fly ball to right field.

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Oh, it's out over because it

got blown 20 feet further.

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Yeah, that, that was crazy.

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The wind was nuts on Friday night.

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Gary: that three spot in the second

to really kind of set the stage.

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And then we just kind of kept

scratching off runs the rest of the way.

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Fifth, sixth, seventh, and

eighth, we all scored one run.

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In the fifth was when Stephen

Meyer was caught stealing.

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Kyle Edwards was on third.

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Uh, Stephen Meyer broke for second,

basically stopped, stayed alive in the

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rundown long enough for Kyle to score.

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Uh, Jamie, you kind of fell for the

oldest trick in the book that we've

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been doing successfully this season.

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I was for nothing and kind of a cruise

from there with some, uh, RBI single

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from Stallings later, and then, uh, Meyer

with the sack fly, but I just love to see

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them kind of continue to pile on runs and

play the small ball and not let missed

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opportunities bring them down because.

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You know, going to the ninth, seven,

nothing looking pretty strong.

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CB: Friday was one of the

best all around games.

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They played all season.

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I mean, just dominant pitching.

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And as you said, just that, I

think of the way I said it, just

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that persistent offense, just

with aggressive base running.

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I mean, it's just everything

you want at every game.

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Gary: Yeah.

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And the Monarchs only

struck out six times.

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They drew four walks.

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Uh, so love seeing that ratio a little

more in that neighborhood than what

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we've seen of like 11 and two from some

of those Friday games that we've lost

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this season to start a weekend series.

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CB: So we moved to Saturday,

uh, you know, Saturday.

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We did not get the win.

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Um, got down pretty solidly and kind of

kept scratching back and couldn't quite

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make it despite scoring some runs of the

ninth making something scary for him.

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Gary: I thought there was a pivotal

moment there in the bottom of the six.

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It was a four, two ball

game at that point.

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And ODU had runners at second and

third with nobody out and just, I

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think there's some, some bad luck

hops and a bad read on a past ball.

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We ended up not scoring in that situation.

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And I kind of made a mental note of if

we end up losing by two runs here, this

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ending is going to come back to haunt

us not being able to get those runs in.

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And unfortunately that, that feeling

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was correct.

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CB: We lost by exactly two runs.

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Yeah.

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And that's also where, you know, you

have guys come in here and there and

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you, you give away a couple extra

runs in the, in the ninth inning.

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You know if we hadn't given away

those couple extra runs of the ninth

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inning well We scored three in the

bottom of ninth that and that'd be

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us them walking the game off, right?

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If we don't have that happen, so

just like I said a little little

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missed opportunities here and there

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Gary: And that's going to happen

in baseball, especially when you're

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playing a team that I think we're

pretty evenly matched with, uh, what

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I was excited to see though, is.

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We got it down as far as 7 to 2 going

into the ninth, but the guys were

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still having really good at bats.

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We're staying focused.

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Stephen Meyer hit a two

run home run that got out.

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Kenny LaVarie got an RBI single.

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Kind of kept, kept the game alive.

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Kept them in it, kept them engaged.

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And I feel like that helped them

carry some momentum into Sunday for

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a must win game to take the series.

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Um, just seeing that, that push at the end

of the game was really important because

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we've had some games like this where we

don't put up much of a fight in the ninth

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and that's kind of it and it impacts

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you the next day.

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CB: Yeah, I I agree.

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It was it was very good to see they

they clearly This weekend and again,

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we talked about that last week.

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You said, you know, you

got to ask yourselves.

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Who are you?

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Are you uh, like like you said,

are you a bad hitting team who

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occasionally has a good day?

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Um Or you're a good kidding team

who has not shown some consistency.

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And this weekend it looked like the whole

mentality was, no, we are a good team.

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We are going to show we're a good

team and even if we lose it's going to

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be we're going down hard We're going

down swinging and so yeah, you're

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right It definitely it showed the

right attitude that you want to see

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Gary: And from, from the pitching

side, I mean, you give up six

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of those seven runs were earned.

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Blake Morgan gave up two over two and two

thirds, had two walks, two strikeouts.

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Uh, not, not the cleanest

outing we've seen from Blake.

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We know he's still trying to get right.

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Jamey really attacked him

too, uh, early in counts.

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Uh, but I thought Ben Moore did

a good job of kind of bridging

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things there because he had Uh, I

think he had the 4th, 6th inning.

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He only gave up one run on four

hits and had four strikeouts.

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So I thought he did a good job of,

of patching it together along with

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Vincent Bashara to keep us in that

game and keep it from getting out

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of hand.

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CB: We talked about jmu having a lot

of fans That was a game where uh, some

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of the reason for those fans a couple

of local kids, fenwick tremble, from

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cox high school He had Two hits,

two RBIs and Mason Dunaway from, uh,

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Hickory High School in Chesapeake.

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He had two hits, a walk and an RBI.

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And then Max Kuhl, uh, who is, from

Ocean Lakes here at Virginia Beach.

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His brother, Aiden, uh, of

course, plays with Old Dominion.

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He came in and had three really solid

innings, uh, there at the end of the game.

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Couldn't quite finish it off.

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He, he had a rough time in the ninth,

uh, where we got some runs, but.

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He looked really good up

until that ninth inning.

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So that was just a case of, uh,

they played well and especially the

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guys were local played really well.

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Gary: I thought Max pitched really

well the first time through that order.

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And I think we kind of

caught on to him, but.

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He had some pretty nasty breaking

stuff that he was using to

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set up a fastball low and in.

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Uh, it looked almost exactly the same,

so you didn't know if it was going to

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go diving down into the dirt or stay

up in the zone for a strike and kind

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of caught some of our guys flat footed.

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Ended up with six strikeouts.

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Uh, but thought he, he

looked pretty strong for JMU.

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Uh, it was in the back of Rally Alley.

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There's a tent that's set up there

and the Kuhl family actually rented

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that out, uh, for the weekend.

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So you saw a lot of people

wearing split jerseys of JMU and

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ODU running around Rally Alley.

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Uh, that was for Max and Aiden.

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I thought that was a.

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Uh, pretty cool thing to do, when

you've got your, your two kids playing

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on opposite teams together there,

they had a pretty big party going.

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Uh, so cool to see that come together.

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And he pitched pretty well.

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He was, two outs shy of getting a

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four inning save there.

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CB: Yeah, I mean, it was really neat.

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Uh, yeah, Mom and Grandma had

a, had the jersey that had,

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both numbers and both teams.

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And I was able to get them both

together after the game on Sunday, get

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a nice picture on the field with them.

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And so that's, that's one, you know,

it's, and I was talking to Aiden

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and he said, we have never been on

the same field at the same time.

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You know, they, he played at Cape

Henry, Max played at Ocean Lakes.

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And he's a couple of years old,

Aiden's a couple of years older.

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And they just never played against

each other and never were able to

370

:

play on teams together growing up And

have not faced each other in college.

371

:

So this this was a literally a once

in a lifetime experience for them

372

:

Gary: That's so awesome to hear, and I got

to chat with quite a few of them during

373

:

the games over the weekend, and they

were just absolutely having a blast, so.

374

:

I know the attendance on Sunday

got announced at a higher,

375

:

CB: Yeah,

376

:

Gary: Saturday is the busiest

I have ever in my life seen

377

:

rally alley.

378

:

I mean, there was more beer going out than

379

:

I've ever seen too.

380

:

CB: I don't know how anybody moved

like I looked over and i'm like It's

381

:

like y'all are packed in like sardines.

382

:

It was yeah the the

i'm looking right here.

383

:

The attendance is 858 For Saturday,

I think it was listed at nine

384

:

50 for Sunday after six 18.

385

:

So every single day we were setting

a new, uh, high for the season.

386

:

People hear those numbers.

387

:

Like I had the, ECU number up here,

they had like 4, 400 on a Tuesday, right?

388

:

They're just in a different, you

know, we, we got to start growing the

389

:

people to really understand how good

of a deal ODU baseball is and weekends

390

:

like this really do it, you know?

391

:

And so.

392

:

It was great to see those numbers again.

393

:

I I agree.

394

:

I just those numbers are not and there's

just limitations of How long you can keep

395

:

somebody there counting people and and

how many you know people come a little bit

396

:

later Uh, but yeah, it was it was amazing

to see the crowds all three days were

397

:

fantastic And like I said just got better

and better saturday was was a huge crowd

398

:

Gary: And there were a lot

of people over at SB Ballard

399

:

for the spring football game.

400

:

And I followed several large

groups of them over to the bud.

401

:

So it was nice to see that

football crowd coming out.

402

:

seeing the, we'll call it a glorified

practice that was going on there and

403

:

then making their way over to the

bud and getting engaged in that game.

404

:

Uh, cause it was, it was a pretty fun

one, uh, even though we did end up on the

405

:

losing side of it, like it was exciting

406

:

down to the last pitch.

407

:

CB: I think that was the most

because, you know, we've had years

408

:

and years where they've had that.

409

:

And I think moving the time

so they could make that move.

410

:

That was the most people I've ever

seen transfer from the football

411

:

game to the baseball game.

412

:

It was very clear that

was what was going on.

413

:

It was great moves all around.

414

:

Gary: And that leads us to

the game on Sunday, the rubber

415

:

match, for ODU and JMU.

416

:

And so happy to say that ODU

came out with a victory there.

417

:

Six to three, clinched the series.

418

:

I think for a lot of Monarch fans

that maybe pay more attention to

419

:

other sports, felt really good to

get a series win over JMU after, uh,

420

:

the past two years.

421

:

CB: Yeah, they've kind of been

kicking our butt in all the sports.

422

:

So it was nice to come out and,

and say, You're not going to

423

:

come to our house and do that.

424

:

We started up on them, uh, pretty

hard early, uh, big home run from Luke

425

:

Waters, big two run Homer, uh, Maverick

stalling had been, I mean, both those

426

:

home runs were just absolute line shots.

427

:

They, they both hit the

crap out of those balls.

428

:

Um, and, uh, so that was great to see the

pitching was really, you know, the, the

429

:

pitching, it was interesting because, you

know, Dylan Brown, he got a good, good

430

:

first inning, came out, had some troubles.

431

:

I think he loaded the bases with no outs.

432

:

And then Trent Buchanan came in,

picked him right up, got those

433

:

outs, got out of it with no runs.

434

:

Um, he had a little bit of

issues, or in the third inning,

435

:

had a little bit of issues.

436

:

Um, and then Kellen Davis comes out,

gets two outs, gets him out of it.

437

:

And then Jacob Gomez was able to come

out and pitch the rest of the game.

438

:

The last five ings, um, gave up

three in the eighth, had some issues,

439

:

but finished it off in the ninth.

440

:

And there was a certain point in

the game where I said, you know,

441

:

every button that Fenwood is

pressing today is working perfectly.

442

:

It was just one of those

games where everything they

443

:

were doing was working right.

444

:

Um, all the moves they're making were

going, going exactly how they should.

445

:

It was just, just a great game.

446

:

Gary: Trent Buchanan coming in out

of the pen right there in the second

447

:

inning and putting a stop to what could

have been a really big inning for JMU.

448

:

That was so critical for

the rest of the game.

449

:

Because we didn't look

great in our first at bats.

450

:

Uh, kind of got those Sunday scaries

of previous Sundays where we just

451

:

don't hit and we don't score.

452

:

Uh, but Trent coming in,

getting out of that bases loaded

453

:

jam without giving up runs.

454

:

It fired the guys up.

455

:

You could just see him

coming off the mound.

456

:

You could see the dugout get into it.

457

:

I think that just gave some

confidence to the lineup of, alright,

458

:

we can just go have our bats.

459

:

We don't have to start

pressing this early.

460

:

It's still 0 0.

461

:

Uh, and they end up, you know,

getting one run there in the second.

462

:

Uh, by putting some pressure on

and putting the ball in play and

463

:

Holman getting the first on an

464

:

error.

465

:

CB: Yeah.

466

:

I mean, talking about the Sunday,

I mean, Sunday has been an issue.

467

:

They, if anybody noticed, they

changed up the vibes yesterday.

468

:

They wore the all white uniforms

instead of the, the all Hudson blues.

469

:

And so it was just one of those, Hey, we

gotta, we gotta do something different.

470

:

We gotta change things up again.

471

:

Just those conversations.

472

:

I'm sure that the players, the team, the

coach that they're all having is like,

473

:

we got it, we got to decide who we are.

474

:

We got to figure out how to

be who we actually can be.

475

:

, I was talking to, a couple of the Jamie,

you guys, they said, I think they said

476

:

they haven't won a Sunday all season.

477

:

Uh, which is, God, that's gotta be rough.

478

:

I think the guy was saying is like, we'll

win a series, but we'll lose on Sunday.

479

:

And so the bus ride home sucks.

480

:

Gary: Yeah.

481

:

The, the result on Sunday definitely

changes your outlook on the entire week.

482

:

I know we've talked

about that a few times.

483

:

JMU has struggled in

general, away from home.

484

:

Uh, they've kind of done for the most

part of what you saw from this weekend

485

:

where they're able to kind of steal one

here, there, uh, but then end up losing

486

:

the series on the road, but I mean,

they, they've got some dudes and they,

487

:

they put pressure on Jacob Gomez late.

488

:

I mean, he ended up pitching a five inning

save, which I believe is a season high for

489

:

him in innings, uh, gave up three runs,

they were all there in the eighth inning,

490

:

uh, but he had seven strikeouts and no

walks and coach Finwood after the game.

491

:

Said that Jacob Gomez is going to finish

that game, whether we won or lost.

492

:

He was not going to take that opportunity

away from Jacob and Jacob wanted it.

493

:

Uh, he came back out in the ninth,

looked fine, got out of it real quick.

494

:

And it was handshakes and high

495

:

fives from there.

496

:

CB: Yeah.

497

:

I mean, Jacob's a bulldog.

498

:

He, he was, uh, furious about that eighth

inning about how the way he pitched.

499

:

Um, and it, so it was great to see him

collect himself and come back and, and

500

:

be the pitcher that he is and go out

and throw that really good ninth inning.

501

:

Point out the Fenwick Trimble from,

from Cox hit a homer off of him in

502

:

the, in the, uh, eighth inning there.

503

:

So again, nice homecoming weekend for him.

504

:

Gary: And the reason you're able to

use Jacob Gomez for five innings on

505

:

a Sunday is because of the work that

Jay and John put in on Friday to

506

:

close that game out without having

to have Jacob on the back end there.

507

:

So.

508

:

That was clutch.

509

:

I kind of kept saying all weekend, like

we, whether it was Saturday or Sunday,

510

:

we just need to get the lead in the

six or the seven and bring in Jacob

511

:

Gomez and we will quench this series.

512

:

I was hoping that we would

get to that point on Saturday,

513

:

but I will take it on Sunday.

514

:

A beautiful, it was like 78 degrees.

515

:

I got nice and torched

on my left side again.

516

:

Uh, just a fun day at the ballpark

and capping it off with a win to win

517

:

the series and keep us in a, in a good

518

:

spot in the Sunbelt.

519

:

CB: Yeah, it was a great weekend.

520

:

And, uh, you know, I pointed out,

uh, TJ Akin got back in the lineup,

521

:

played, uh, left field all three days.

522

:

He went, uh, four for 10 on the weekend.

523

:

Uh, so he doubled his

hit total for the season.

524

:

You know, he's a young

kid, really great athlete.

525

:

Um, still got, you can see as

he plays outfield, he's got some

526

:

work to do in the outfield still.

527

:

again, we've been waiting for

somebody to take over left field.

528

:

Maybe it's TJ Hunter Cole

keeps getting that bats.

529

:

Maybe it'll be Hunter.

530

:

Uh, you know, you want to see somebody

take it over, but TJ has got a really

531

:

bright future, I think, at old dominion.

532

:

Gary: Absolutely.

533

:

He has some things to work out,

but he's well on, on his way of

534

:

heading in the right direction.

535

:

I also have to give a, just a big

shout out to Evan Holman over the

536

:

weekend.

537

:

Didn't have the best offensive series.

538

:

But this was the first warm weather

games that we've had and he still caught

539

:

all three games and he was Really solid

defensively back there throughout a

540

:

couple base Steelers Uh, you know,

that wear and tear is probably starting

541

:

to kick in a little bit of as much

catching as he's done, especially as the

542

:

temperatures start increasing, uh, but

he was just a beast back there, uh, then

543

:

came through for us and some key spots

544

:

throughout the weekend too.

545

:

CB: Yeah.

546

:

Evan is, he's just some

kind of special guy, man.

547

:

He is, you know, being able to,

catchers are always, it's one of the

548

:

toughest jobs and being willing to

be back there every inning for an

549

:

entire weekend and still doing all

the little things every single play.

550

:

I mean, you can't ask for more.

551

:

I got a chance to meet his, uh, his

parents this weekend and what a shocker.

552

:

They're surprisingly

great, amazing people.

553

:

I would, yeah.

554

:

I could never believe that, uh,

someone as wonderful as Evan would

555

:

be raised by wonderful people also.

556

:

What a, what a crazy coincidence.

557

:

Gary: Crazy thought, but we'll fit

right in with the rest of the crew.

558

:

I know I spent some time, uh, with

the parents tailgating a little bit

559

:

before the game on Sunday, had a

blast, interacted with a ton of people.

560

:

There were just so many people running

around the ballpark, uh, this weekend.

561

:

It was a fun, fun experience.

562

:

Uh, but just happy to get that series win

sweep would have been great, but two out

563

:

of three clinch the series, hold a key

tiebreaker over someone that you're neck

564

:

and neck with in the standings as well.

565

:

And I don't know if you all have looked

at the Sunbelt baseball standings.

566

:

I know I put a tweet

out yesterday from 11.

567

:

7.

568

:

Uh, but there are three games separating

the second place team and the 11th

569

:

place team in the Sun Belt, Louisiana.

570

:

Uh, they did lose one game at

some point, but they still have

571

:

not lost in conference play.

572

:

I think since the first

weekend, they're 14 and 1.

573

:

Uh, then you got a whole bunch of people

between 9 and 6, 9 and 6 and 6 10.

574

:

So, Sunbelt is still wide open,

except the Cajuns may have, uh, I've

575

:

done some work to solidify that one

seed, but everything else is just

576

:

wide.

577

:

CB: Yeah, they'd have to really

go on a terrible stretch to

578

:

not be the number one going in.

579

:

That's for sure.

580

:

Gary: Yeah.

581

:

They're going to have to, I think,

intentionally do some things, but you

582

:

know, you got coastal Troy, Southern

Miss, Georgia, Southern Georgia state.

583

:

All of them are nine and six.

584

:

Uh, you got us and JMU at seven and eight

and then App State South Alabama and Texas

585

:

State at six and nine ULM and Marshall Uh,

even Arkansas State sitting down there at

586

:

four and eleven Still has the opportunity

to bump up to get some pretty good seed

587

:

and it's just a meat grinder It's the

588

:

meat grinder of the Sunbelt

589

:

CB: It really is well, and what it means

hopefully at the end is you're going

590

:

to have a really outstanding Tournament

with a bunch of really evenly matched

591

:

teams And whoever comes out of it,

you know, however many teams we end up

592

:

getting in the uh, the big tournament 64

They're going to be very battle tested

593

:

and ready for some tough appearances.

594

:

You know, there are some of these

Some of these leagues, they take,

595

:

you know, multiple schools from, and

they're not battle tested, they're

596

:

not ready, and they go out and go 0

2 in the regionals, and that has not

597

:

been the case with the Sun Belt teams.

598

:

They go out and they compete really well.

599

:

Gary: Some tough teams.

600

:

Well, we're going to take a quick break.

601

:

When we get back, uh, you're going to

hear from John Hollibets himself to

602

:

talk a little bit about the weekend

and just baseball in general, and

603

:

then we'll give you a quick rundown

of ODU schedule with UVA at Harbor

604

:

park, and then a road trip up to

Huntington, West Virginia to take on the

605

:

Thundering Herd, we will be right back.

606

:

Hello, Monarch fans and welcome

back to the Hudson Homer's podcast.

607

:

I'm Gary and CB is with me and we're

also joined by another special guest.

608

:

John, thank you so much for

hopping on with us today.

609

:

How was your Monday?

610

:

John: No problem.

611

:

It's good.

612

:

It's good.

613

:

Been hanging out all day.

614

:

Went to the field.

615

:

Got some stuff done.

616

:

And uh, feel good.

617

:

Ready to attack the week.

618

:

Gary: Awesome.

619

:

Well, how's the team feeling after

taking two out of three against

620

:

JMU over the weekend at home?

621

:

John: It feels good.

622

:

I mean uh, you know it's a big rivalry.

623

:

The Royal Rivalry or whatever it's called.

624

:

But um, It feels it always

feels good to beat the dukes.

625

:

CB: That's great.

626

:

Yeah, I know.

627

:

So you, uh, I mean, you had

a great night on Friday, man.

628

:

You were, you got out there, um,

what, five innings in relief, one run.

629

:

I don't think even have that

many strikeouts compared to

630

:

what you usually have, but how'd

you feel about that outing?

631

:

John: Um, I felt good.

632

:

Uh, I hit some spots early.

633

:

I got ahead early.

634

:

Um, I think I don't know the exact

pitch count, but through three

635

:

innings I was at like 20 some pitches.

636

:

So, uh, I felt good.

637

:

I just kept rolling.

638

:

Uh, didn't I mean, Eddie made a

great play to save me in the second

639

:

or third inning I was pitching.

640

:

That was awesome to watch.

641

:

I mean, I thought for sure that was

landing and Eddie just threw his glove out

642

:

and caught it and turned two out of it.

643

:

It was awesome.

644

:

CB: What's it like having guys like him

and Kenny behind you where, you know,

645

:

they're going to make great plays?

646

:

John: I think I could just pitch

with a little bit more freedom.

647

:

Um, I don't have to worry

about striking everybody out.

648

:

Um, I can just pitch to my

spots and induce weak contact.

649

:

Gary: Yeah, last year

primarily came out of the pen.

650

:

This year came in as the Friday

starter, and now we've moved to

651

:

this opener where typically Jay

Cassidy starts the day on Friday.

652

:

Potentially Kellen Davis, bringing

the Raptor in to get out of an ending.

653

:

And then you're coming in afterwards and

Friday you finish the entire game and save

654

:

some other arms for the rest of the week.

655

:

What's that transition been like

for you going from reliever starter

656

:

to kind of reliever starter role?

657

:

John: Yeah, I mean, I've been a

starter my whole life, uh, from high

658

:

school, even a little bit at Radford my

freshman year, and I always liked it.

659

:

Um, I always considered myself as a

starter, even when I came out of the pen.

660

:

Um, but this year, I don't know why,

but like mentally just wasn't there.

661

:

When I came out, I kind of last year,

I was just like, Hey, this is my game.

662

:

I'm in for the for the long haul.

663

:

And this year I was kind of just like

focusing on each batter individually.

664

:

And that's just not my game.

665

:

My game's to throw strikes as hard as

I can and try and hit all my locations.

666

:

Um, And just try and overpower hitters

with either good stuff or good locations.

667

:

CB: So you mentioned Radford, um, which

I'm not sure a lot of people realize.

668

:

I mean, you've been such a important

part of the team that in for a

669

:

couple years now, I think you kind

of forget you started out at Radford.

670

:

Um, tell us a little about how you

ended up at Radford out of high school

671

:

and then how that led to you ending

up at ODU after your freshman year.

672

:

John: Yeah.

673

:

So I don't know if you know,

um, uh, he was a Radford alumni.

674

:

He played baseball, I think in

the Phillies organization, I think

675

:

got up to like double or triple

a his name's Danny van Pelt.

676

:

He was my travel ball coach one

summer when we went down to Georgia.

677

:

And, uh, this was over COVID.

678

:

So it was, uh, Restricted, uh, recruiting.

679

:

And, uh, I, I pitched for him.

680

:

I pitched against, I think like

the 17th team in the country.

681

:

Uh, in terms of like travel ball,

it was a bunch of LSU, Ole Miss

682

:

commits, like power five guys.

683

:

And I went like four innings, one

hit one earned, like I shoved.

684

:

And so he, he called

coach Kays at Radford.

685

:

And he was like, I think you need,

need to like, look at this guy.

686

:

And I was getting recruited

by like Quinnipiac, Longwood.

687

:

Um, Gardner web before that.

688

:

And so, on my way up from that tournament

back home to Pennsylvania, we decided

689

:

to just tours of these schools that were

along the Southern Eastern shoreline.

690

:

Um, so we went to Gardner web,

Longwood, Radford, and, uh, I had

691

:

a FaceTime call with Carl Kuhn.

692

:

Um, and he pretty much offered

me right there and I accepted.

693

:

Um, but before I accepted

anything, we drove home.

694

:

It was like a, I think it was an 11

hour drive from Atlanta to the middle of

695

:

nowhere, Pennsylvania, and we, uh, Took

a trip up north to Fairley Dickinson

696

:

and Quinnipiac just to make sure that I

was making the right choice at going to

697

:

Radford and I decided to go to Radford

and I loved it there for that year.

698

:

And then, uh, there was a couple, um,

scandals that, uh, affected coach Kays.

699

:

And so he had to leave, um, and

I decided to follow him cause I,

700

:

I really liked him as a coach.

701

:

He told me that he wasn't going

to get, he wasn't going to

702

:

start coaching for a little bit.

703

:

He was going to focus on his family.

704

:

So I, uh, called Ryan Moore's dad.

705

:

He pitched here a couple of years ago.

706

:

He was my pitching coach back home.

707

:

I called him.

708

:

I was like, do you think, uh, coach

Marin would be interested in ODU?

709

:

And so, uh, he called coach Marin

and he was like, Hey, if this

710

:

kid enters the portal, do you

think you'll give him a shot?

711

:

And he said, yeah.

712

:

So I entered the portal and got

a couple of phone calls from a

713

:

different couple of different schools.

714

:

And I ended up at ODU.

715

:

CB: I remember it was fast because

I know I think you, you actually

716

:

pitched, I wasn't there for the game,

but you actually pitched against the

717

:

peninsula pilots, like the opening day.

718

:

And then within like a

week you were committed.

719

:

I mean, it was, it was very

fast kind of after the season.

720

:

So yeah, you were, you

were a hot commodity.

721

:

There you go.

722

:

Yeah.

723

:

Well, I appreciate that.

724

:

John: Yeah.

725

:

Yeah.

726

:

Um, I, I remember getting the phone call,

I think it was like a week before the

727

:

school, like the school season ended.

728

:

I was on the Martinsville Mustangs

and, uh, I got a call from

729

:

the head coach, Brandon Nani.

730

:

And he's like, Hey, uh, just so you

know, I, I'm going to pitch this

731

:

guy at Tri City, uh, it's his home.

732

:

Where he's from and next game's yours.

733

:

It's the peninsula pilots home opener.

734

:

I was like, all right, cool.

735

:

Fire me up.

736

:

And, uh, my first inning went well,

if I remember, but the second inning

737

:

couple, like Just fluky hits and then,

uh, gave up a home run and I got pulled.

738

:

CB: Well, it all worked out though.

739

:

That's all right.

740

:

Gary: And there's obviously a ton

of talk about the transfer portal

741

:

now, even several years ago when

you were in it, it's, I think

742

:

it's an even bigger thing now.

743

:

What is that experience like as a player

when you go and you put your name in the

744

:

portal, like, is just your phone, your

DMs going crazy or what is that like?

745

:

And how do they come approach you?

746

:

John: Um, it's hard.

747

:

It's hard to explain.

748

:

You'll have some coaches reach out

on Instagram, some guys on Twitter,

749

:

and some guys will just randomly

call you throughout the day.

750

:

Um, I got a text message from

a guy at, uh, UNC Asheville.

751

:

He's like, Hey, when,

when can I call you today?

752

:

And I was in the middle of a game.

753

:

Um, so I was like, I mean, I was only

in the portal for maybe three days,

754

:

it's just a bunch of DMS from guys and

phone calls and text messages from guys

755

:

that you wouldn't expect to hear from.

756

:

Gary: They're just a full on attack.

757

:

Once you get in that portal, it's anybody

that knows anybody is sending you a

758

:

message, trying to get you to jump on.

759

:

It's pretty wild.

760

:

And it's interesting to hear

a lot of the stories coming

761

:

out about the transfer port.

762

:

You think about a lot of course for

football and basketball, but baseball,

763

:

there's almost just as much movement.

764

:

Cause there's so many

guys and so many teams.

765

:

Ooh, yeah.

766

:

John: Yeah, it's, it's definitely a

scary, uh, decision to make for athletes

767

:

because like I went in knowing like

I have schools interested in me, but

768

:

one of my, one of my good buddies,

he was also at Radford with me.

769

:

He entered the portal and he didn't

get looked at by But I don't even,

770

:

I think he ended up going to a juco,

but like, that was like before the,

771

:

right after the school season started.

772

:

So like he missed an

entire year of baseball.

773

:

Gary: It's a roll of the dice

sometimes going in there, but

774

:

it's a, it'll be interesting to

see how it keeps playing out.

775

:

Uh, I know it's like football

opens up, I think tomorrow

776

:

the 16th and it's going to be.

777

:

The wild west of transfer portals.

778

:

I think

779

:

John: Yeah.

780

:

Yeah.

781

:

CB: So I was gonna ask you so how

have you enjoyed it at od union?

782

:

You've been here two years now.

783

:

You're a junior.

784

:

You're a veteran guy.

785

:

How do you like everything at odu?

786

:

John: Oh, I love it.

787

:

I love the city life.

788

:

Um, it's not really a city really.

789

:

It's kind of just like its own campus.

790

:

And then there's downtown

Norfolk, of course.

791

:

And then there's a bunch of areas around

like Suffolk and Chesapeake and all that.

792

:

But I mean, I love around campus.

793

:

I like the campus life.

794

:

Um, and it's a great looking campus

and a short walk everywhere you go.

795

:

CB: Are you one of the guys, uh, you

live one of the houses right there

796

:

by the estate by the uh, by the bud?

797

:

John: Yep.

798

:

Yep.

799

:

I'm I'm right next to the corner house.

800

:

CB: Okay You Perfect.

801

:

Can't be bad, man.

802

:

John: Yeah, no.

803

:

Gary: Uh, I spent some time in that corner

house, uh, Saturday before the game.

804

:

It's a pretty, pretty good hangout

spot for all of the parents.

805

:

They may actually enjoy

it more than you guys do.

806

:

Cause you're actually out there

working by the time they get in it.

807

:

John: Definitely, we definitely

take that for granted.

808

:

The distance for the baseball field

and all that, because at Radford it's

809

:

like a mile walk everywhere you go.

810

:

From the freshman dorms or the new

apartments down to the baseball

811

:

field and the athletic facilities.

812

:

Gary: You just don't have

an excuse to be late ever.

813

:

So you can't say you got

caught up in traffic.

814

:

That's the only downside with a coach

family cannot be late sitting that close.

815

:

John: Yeah.

816

:

CB: Uh, so John, you're a,

you're an extremely talented

817

:

pitcher, uh, and you're a junior.

818

:

So, this is kind of the time of

year, every game I've seen you

819

:

pitch, there's scouts watching you.

820

:

Um, is that something that

is kind of on your mind?

821

:

Is that something that's creating some,

you know, noise in the background?

822

:

You know, where is that at for you?

823

:

John: Um, it definitely, it's

something that I think about.

824

:

I mean, you, it's impossible not to.

825

:

Um, every game you're sitting there,

you're trying to warm up for a game

826

:

and you turn around and there's

three guys just watching you.

827

:

Um, and they're critiquing

everything you do.

828

:

You do and they're writing down

the notebook and just want to

829

:

know what they're talking about.

830

:

But, um, I try and drown it out as much

as possible by just focusing on the game.

831

:

Uh, and I, I kind of, I like the

attention, um, not just for me, but for

832

:

teammates that I think are definitely

talented enough to get drafted like

833

:

Eddie and Luke and Kenny and Tice.

834

:

Um, if we just turn it around and we win

a couple of games, who knows what happens?

835

:

CB: I love that's such a great mentality.

836

:

You don't hear enough guys say

that, you know, the, the reality is,

837

:

yeah, they're coming out to see you.

838

:

But if they, those other guys

show up and show out, man, that,

839

:

that puts them on there too.

840

:

Uh, that's, that's really cool, man.

841

:

John: Yeah.

842

:

Gary: I think about how many scouts have

seen Jay Cassaday pitch this year because

843

:

they're showing up on Friday and watching

him work the first couple innings.

844

:

And Friday was a great example of you two

tag teaming and just snuffing a team out,

845

:

like can't really get anything going.

846

:

It's a great performance from

both you Friday against JMU.

847

:

John: Yeah, it's, uh, yeah, no, Jay's

a really good pitcher and I'm surprised

848

:

that like he doesn't have as much

attention on him right now because he's

849

:

89 to 91 and he's got a weird build and

mechanics, but it just works for him.

850

:

CB: Yeah, I've gotten to where I

don't understand what pro teams are

851

:

looking for anymore, to be honest.

852

:

So I, I'm, I'm with you.

853

:

What, why can you not use a guy like that?

854

:

That's got unique delivery and good stuff.

855

:

John: yeah.

856

:

CB: So speaking of, draft type stuff,

you really put a good impression out

857

:

for yourself last summer, playing

up in the Cape, up in the Cape Cod

858

:

league, which is of course pretty much

the premier amateur league out there.

859

:

I think I looked it up just a minute ago.

860

:

You have like 630 innings

scoreless, 10 strikeouts.

861

:

I mean, I know you were telling

me you didn't get to pitch a ton

862

:

up there, but you did really well.

863

:

How was that whole experience up there?

864

:

John: It was awesome.

865

:

Uh, it was a little expensive.

866

:

So if not very liquid, it's, it's a

little tough to, to stay up there for

867

:

more than like two week span, a three

week span, but just the attention,

868

:

all the atmospheres are insane.

869

:

Even at Harwich, every

single game was packed.

870

:

Um, and it felt like a little league

game because like, it just, everyone

871

:

that just loves baseball and it's

so old fashioned, just like gritty.

872

:

It's just the gritty, League.

873

:

CB: It's great.

874

:

Gary: I imagine your parents traveled

up there as well, because I've seen

875

:

them, I think, at almost every single

home game I've been to this year.

876

:

They've invited me to tailgates and

all of that, but how, how do they

877

:

like, uh, the Cape other than the cost?

878

:

John: Uh, I think my mom liked it.

879

:

Uh, my mom was there for most of the

trip cause I had a couple things.

880

:

I had my, I was celebrating my

21st on July 31st that year.

881

:

So we decided to, uh,

plan a little vacation.

882

:

And so I had an expired passport, so

we needed to get a passport for me and

883

:

had to get it expedited and everything.

884

:

So my mom had to stay with me for

most of it, but it was, it was fun.

885

:

It was interesting.

886

:

CB: No, I was just going to say,

so John, we got about, well, we

887

:

got two more home stands at the,

the bud as it's constructed now.

888

:

Um, and you know, obviously I don't

think you're going to be around, uh,

889

:

even next year, much less when the,

when the new bud is, is available.

890

:

So what, what's your pitch to people,

why they got to come out and see you

891

:

guys these last few weekends, they

have a chance to see you at the bud.

892

:

John: Um, I think the budget

is just a special place.

893

:

Um, it's it shows what we've been through

and what we're gonna get in the future,

894

:

like, uh, the new upgraded stadiums, our

future, and that's gonna be awesome for

895

:

the program in terms of getting recruits

and getting better players in general.

896

:

But I mean, we're.

897

:

Still going to be the gritty,

tough nose, uh, players, uh,

898

:

not willing to go down easy.

899

:

Um, I think you said it last

year on the podcast, uh, we

900

:

drink out of the water hose.

901

:

Um, that's what we want to recruit.

902

:

That's what we like.

903

:

And I mean, we did a really good job

of recruiting this past year and I

904

:

hope we keep doing it in the future.

905

:

CB: Yeah, I love that because I know I've

talked to Finney about certain guys that

906

:

we had committed, ended up changing their

minds or going other places and things.

907

:

And like, he just kind

of takes the approach.

908

:

Hey, look, I want guys

who want to be here.

909

:

And I'm, I'm with you.

910

:

I think you're right.

911

:

You get those guys.

912

:

It's that tough mentality.

913

:

I want to play at a place that want

to play with a bunch of tough guys.

914

:

I love hearing that, man.

915

:

Gary: So we've asked all the pitchers

who have come on so far to tell us

916

:

about something weird that the bullpen

does, because I know sometimes you

917

:

all have to occupy a lot of time.

918

:

Uh, Jay told us about inducing the

bounder and all of that fun stuff.

919

:

So I think that's actually catching

on a little bit in Rally Alley.

920

:

I don't know if you caught it on Sunday

or not, but, if it's inducing the

921

:

boundary, you can tell us if there's

something else you want to reveal.

922

:

That's like a weird quirk

of this pitching staff, man.

923

:

John: this is just pitchers that do

it, but, uh, we did it a lot last year

924

:

and we're starting to do it again.

925

:

We did it this past weekend.

926

:

Um, whenever a hitter gets into

a three, two count, uh, Gomez in

927

:

the dugout yells, where's Ben?

928

:

And then, because his last name's Moore,

um, our thing is like when you get into

929

:

two strike count, we always say one more.

930

:

Uh, so he says, where's Ben?

931

:

And then does this goofy voice and

yells Ben Moore at the top of his lungs.

932

:

And then everyone else goes, yeah.

933

:

Uh, and then if the hitter fights

it off, we do it again and just

934

:

keep going until the bat's over.

935

:

I

936

:

CB: Yeah, I was thinking I was

looking through my pictures.

937

:

You guys keep adding more and more

things like we went from Thumbs up at

938

:

first base and now it's a thumbs down

and i've even seen thumbs down with

939

:

the tongue out a few times So yeah, you

guys just always are adding More and

940

:

more nonsense, but I think it's great.

941

:

You got to

942

:

John: mean, that's our jobs.

943

:

Our jobs is to keep it.

944

:

Entertaining for when we're not pitching.

945

:

Gary: You can definitely feel the energy

coming out of the dugout, especially, I

946

:

think really the last two home series.

947

:

Like you've really been able to feel it.

948

:

The crowd gets into it,

uh, makes it a lot of fun.

949

:

The other question that we're

asking everyone that comes on is

950

:

we know we're getting the college

football video game back this summer.

951

:

Uh, so hopefully at some point

in the future, we get the college

952

:

baseball game back in the future.

953

:

So what would you rate yourself if

they came out with a college baseball

954

:

video game again, and would you

just dominate your teammates or how

955

:

would that play out, uh, in those,

uh, tournaments within the team?

956

:

John: That's that's tough, that's a tough

question because I know I'm going to get

957

:

clowned on it either no matter what I say.

958

:

Um, so, I mean, I wouldn't

play my teammates at all.

959

:

I already do that too much.

960

:

With inner squads and

everything in the preseason.

961

:

Uh, man, I don't, I don't know.

962

:

I definitely know that I'd have

not a lot of walks per nine.

963

:

If we're doing show stats, my

walks per nine will be very low.

964

:

CB: So we'll call it high

control number right,

965

:

John: Yes.

966

:

Gary: I think Luke said

he would be 99 overall.

967

:

He was pretty, pretty

blunt about that one.

968

:

Jay was.

969

:

Like the sneaky 82, I think he said

that just gets a lot of strikeouts.

970

:

So, all right.

971

:

So low, low K per night

or a watch for nine.

972

:

I like that.

973

:

CB: Well, John, we appreciate

you coming here, man.

974

:

I've really, I've thoroughly

enjoyed getting to watch

975

:

these last couple of years.

976

:

And, uh, we got a little bit

more, you can watch it here.

977

:

And then I'm real excited to see you, uh,

blast your way through the minor leagues

978

:

into the big leagues in a few years.

979

:

John: And hopefully that

happens, that'd be awesome.

980

:

CB: I believe it, man.

981

:

Gary: We're definitely rooting for it.

982

:

We'll be, uh, keeping a close eye

on the team, uh, Tuesday, which is

983

:

when this episode will come out at

Harbor park against UVA, as long

984

:

as we don't have any rain, and then

of course you all are heading up.

985

:

To Marshall to check out their new stadium

over the weekend for a three game set.

986

:

So, John, thank you so

much for joining us.

987

:

We really appreciate your time and

good luck with the next four games.

988

:

John: No problem.

989

:

It's been fun.

990

:

Keep doing what you guys are doing.

991

:

CB: Thanks, man.

992

:

Gary: Thank you.

993

:

We had a great time

talking with John Holobetz.

994

:

A lot of really good insight there

to the bullpen that I enjoyed.

995

:

Uh, just an awesome,

awesome person to talk to.

996

:

Uh, I know CB, you've

known him for a while now.

997

:

I finally got to meet

him over the weekend.

998

:

Uh, awesome kid, awesome parents.

999

:

CB: Yeah, John, he's a he's a great guy.

:

00:46:21,035 --> 00:46:24,275

He's one of those guys the first time

I met him I think I might have met him

:

00:46:24,275 --> 00:46:28,385

over the summer before the the School

even started last year, but it was just

:

00:46:28,385 --> 00:46:34,025

one of those like, okay Here's another

just really genuinely good kid Clearly

:

00:46:34,045 --> 00:46:37,735

loves being out here loves baseball and

is gonna you know, he's just a really

:

00:46:37,745 --> 00:46:41,175

hard worker And so he's just one of those

guys and and I fully believe he's going

:

00:46:41,175 --> 00:46:44,525

to be a pro player And give me one of

those guys gonna really represent old

:

00:46:44,525 --> 00:46:46,155

dominion really well wherever he goes

:

00:46:46,155 --> 00:46:49,635

Gary: And as we talked about earlier, he

pitched really well on Friday against JMU,

:

00:46:49,665 --> 00:46:53,755

kind of bouncing back after a bad start

against Coastal, probably the worst of the

:

00:46:53,845 --> 00:46:58,905

season, I think by far, uh, to come back

and secure that first win of the series

:

00:46:58,905 --> 00:47:00,665

and let the guys take it from there.

:

00:47:00,665 --> 00:47:05,435

And Do some weird stuff with

saying Ben Moore in the bullpen.

:

00:47:06,330 --> 00:47:09,275

CB: Yeah, they're always

yelling at me Like I mentioned

:

00:47:09,275 --> 00:47:10,495

the job, they keep adding.

:

00:47:11,060 --> 00:47:12,360

Stranger and stranger things.

:

00:47:12,370 --> 00:47:15,350

So it's always kind of fun to

just be a spectator for that

:

00:47:15,350 --> 00:47:17,080

Gary: And it's keep that energy up.

:

00:47:17,560 --> 00:47:21,620

Well, we're going to look ahead now to

the game on Tuesday, which if you're

:

00:47:21,620 --> 00:47:25,220

listening on the day, this dropped out,

it is today, uh, should be at Harbor

:

00:47:25,220 --> 00:47:27,990

Park, hopefully hasn't been canceled by

the time that you're listening to this.

:

00:47:28,010 --> 00:47:30,970

But, uh, UVA, we just

talked about them recently.

:

00:47:30,970 --> 00:47:34,750

We won't go too in depth here, but

they are now at 28 and eight overall.

:

00:47:34,760 --> 00:47:36,470

They're 11 and seven in the ACC.

:

00:47:37,465 --> 00:47:40,275

Uh, since we last saw them, they

took two out of three from North

:

00:47:40,275 --> 00:47:43,695

Carolina, uh, beat VCU in a midweek.

:

00:47:44,515 --> 00:47:49,945

And then they took two out of three

from Louisville, uh, on the road.

:

00:47:49,955 --> 00:47:52,985

And they put up some runs

in that Louisville series.

:

00:47:52,985 --> 00:47:58,245

They won 21 to three, they lost

14 to 10 and they won 16 to seven.

:

00:47:58,685 --> 00:48:01,745

Uh, so no, the lineup has

not cooled off yet for

:

00:48:02,115 --> 00:48:06,545

CB: But again, I still say the pitching

is vulnerable if our guys can go

:

00:48:06,545 --> 00:48:09,925

out and hit the way they're capable

of And our guys can pitch the way

:

00:48:09,925 --> 00:48:14,485

they're capable of we can very much

beat Uva, um, they're they're not a

:

00:48:14,485 --> 00:48:18,795

team as I see their rank number 10

right now Um, they're not unbeatable.

:

00:48:18,795 --> 00:48:23,385

We we played them very well Two

games now, uh, but we've not

:

00:48:23,385 --> 00:48:24,485

hit either one of those games.

:

00:48:24,585 --> 00:48:27,195

So hopefully now we get some, maybe

we get a little bit of home cooking.

:

00:48:27,545 --> 00:48:29,835

Um, hopefully we'll have a huge crowd.

:

00:48:29,835 --> 00:48:30,965

I really would love it.

:

00:48:31,015 --> 00:48:34,405

Hopefully, we can just pack the

place, and, reset that record

:

00:48:34,405 --> 00:48:36,955

for the most people that ever

watched a college game in Virginia.

:

00:48:36,965 --> 00:48:38,795

I think it was 7, 000 or thereabouts.

:

00:48:39,135 --> 00:48:41,295

And I think it's going

to be a very exciting.

:

00:48:41,645 --> 00:48:41,995

Nice.

:

00:48:42,015 --> 00:48:44,365

Not going to be, not going

to be super, super warm.

:

00:48:44,375 --> 00:48:46,745

Uh, but it's also not going

to be cold or anything.

:

00:48:46,745 --> 00:48:52,785

So, wear a jacket, come on out and just,

man, let's, let's pack the harbor park and

:

00:48:53,315 --> 00:48:55,255

Gary: And Harvard park

is such a cool stadium.

:

00:48:55,255 --> 00:48:57,895

And even if you're not really that

interested in the tides of the

:

00:48:57,895 --> 00:49:00,815

Orioles organization, it's just a

great place to go watch a ball game.

:

00:49:00,825 --> 00:49:02,005

It's right down there on the water.

:

00:49:02,300 --> 00:49:05,100

Around a lot of cool stuff,

especially with waterside renovation

:

00:49:05,100 --> 00:49:06,320

and all that stuff going on.

:

00:49:06,820 --> 00:49:08,450

Uh, so definitely get down there.

:

00:49:08,470 --> 00:49:11,350

I'm jealous that I will not be able

to be there in attendance, but I

:

00:49:11,350 --> 00:49:13,460

will be watching or listening one on.

:

00:49:13,795 --> 00:49:18,185

CB: UVA always has a good crowd, they

would draw well when they come play here.

:

00:49:18,485 --> 00:49:21,085

,I'll talk to a few people

might not be an ODU fan.

:

00:49:21,335 --> 00:49:22,685

We got some local guys, right.

:

00:49:22,715 --> 00:49:26,735

Ethan Anderson from Cox high school,

Harrison did awake from Western branch.

:

00:49:27,085 --> 00:49:30,565

And we got Cullen McKay from,

uh, Maury right there in Norfolk.

:

00:49:30,565 --> 00:49:34,435

So hopefully, uh, their families account

for like two or 3, 000 people and they

:

00:49:34,435 --> 00:49:36,815

can come out and help fill up the stadium.

:

00:49:37,215 --> 00:49:40,545

There's a lot of good reasons for this

to be a really packed, great place.

:

00:49:40,545 --> 00:49:43,965

I'm sure those guys are gonna really

enjoy getting the chance to play back

:

00:49:43,965 --> 00:49:45,635

in Norfolk, uh, for the first time.

:

00:49:45,635 --> 00:49:46,625

Gary: Yeah, excited for it.

:

00:49:46,625 --> 00:49:47,995

Fingers crossed for weather.

:

00:49:48,025 --> 00:49:51,845

Wish I could get down there, but everyone

have a great time at Harbor Park.

:

00:49:52,645 --> 00:49:57,455

And then this Friday we hit the road

again and we're going up to Huntington,

:

00:49:57,455 --> 00:50:01,915

West Virginia to take on Marshall and

be playing in their brand new ballpark,

:

00:50:01,915 --> 00:50:03,515

which I have not been there yet.

:

00:50:03,515 --> 00:50:07,355

But every picture, every video

I've seen just looks fantastic.

:

00:50:07,355 --> 00:50:08,635

Huge upgrade

:

00:50:08,965 --> 00:50:09,205

that

:

00:50:09,270 --> 00:50:11,670

CB: yeah, huge upgrade over playing

at the YMCA or whatever they were

:

00:50:11,670 --> 00:50:12,790

doing over the last few years.

:

00:50:12,790 --> 00:50:15,140

So that, yeah, it looks great.

:

00:50:15,450 --> 00:50:18,720

Unfortunately their baseball

hasn't looked great for them.

:

00:50:18,771 --> 00:50:21,551

Gary: Yes, they are 12 and 22 overall.

:

00:50:21,561 --> 00:50:23,861

They are five and 10 in conference.

:

00:50:24,261 --> 00:50:27,581

So they are probably looking at

this weekend as a make or break.

:

00:50:28,031 --> 00:50:30,391

Uh, but I'll tell you this,

they're 10 and four at home.

:

00:50:30,391 --> 00:50:32,361

They're one in 14 on the road.

:

00:50:32,961 --> 00:50:35,341

So they are a different ball club at home.

:

00:50:35,641 --> 00:50:40,041

They have won so far anyway, won

both of their home Sunbelt series.

:

00:50:40,041 --> 00:50:43,751

They were able to beat Arkansas

state and Texas state took two

:

00:50:43,751 --> 00:50:45,001

out of three from both of them.

:

00:50:45,001 --> 00:50:47,691

So they've won both their

Sunbelt series at home.

:

00:50:48,136 --> 00:50:53,546

Uh, and then pretty recently they

beat West Virginia, uh, which I don't

:

00:50:53,546 --> 00:50:57,046

know if necessarily West Virginia is

that great of a ball club, but they

:

00:50:57,046 --> 00:51:00,656

are, definitely in the rankings of

the power conferences and they won,

:

00:51:01,016 --> 00:51:03,136

uh, at home 3 to 2 and 11 innings.

:

00:51:03,336 --> 00:51:05,326

So obviously big rivalry with them.

:

00:51:05,756 --> 00:51:08,716

Then over this past weekend, they were

just the raging Cajuns next victim.

:

00:51:09,446 --> 00:51:10,326

I kept it close.

:

00:51:10,446 --> 00:51:12,926

They lost 3 and 2 0.

:

00:51:13,236 --> 00:51:16,306

Uh, so they pitched pretty well against

a good lineup, uh, for the Cajuns.

:

00:51:16,346 --> 00:51:19,036

But, uh, it's gonna be tough

sledding for anybody to go down to

:

00:51:19,036 --> 00:51:20,176

Louisiana and get a win this year.

:

00:51:20,706 --> 00:51:23,056

CB: I was, I'm looking at those scores

and I mean, yeah, like I said, West

:

00:51:23,056 --> 00:51:25,956

Virginia, they're always a good team,

whether or not they're nationally

:

00:51:25,956 --> 00:51:28,046

or whatever, but yeah, three to two.

:

00:51:28,046 --> 00:51:30,966

And then, like I said, very low

scoring games against what we saw.

:

00:51:30,976 --> 00:51:34,216

We know firsthand an

extremely good Louisiana team.

:

00:51:34,216 --> 00:51:38,656

So I, you know, you hate to go on four in

a week, but man, you gotta feel pretty

:

00:51:38,656 --> 00:51:40,356

good about how you went on four, I guess.

:

00:51:40,446 --> 00:51:41,896

Gary: They're gonna tune up a little bit.

:

00:51:41,896 --> 00:51:45,746

They're doing a home and home with

Moorhead State on Tuesday and Wednesday.

:

00:51:45,756 --> 00:51:49,536

So they've got one more game than us,

which is great since we are traveling.

:

00:51:49,916 --> 00:51:52,936

Uh, so we'll see how they, uh,

They do in that one, with a quick

:

00:51:52,956 --> 00:51:59,216

turnaround time on the home and home,

but then Friday, 6 PM, Saturday, 7 PM.

:

00:51:59,216 --> 00:52:02,096

So Saturday night game

and then Sunday at 1 PM.

:

00:52:02,396 --> 00:52:04,346

CB: did not even notice that

until just now that it's 7 p.

:

00:52:04,346 --> 00:52:04,476

m.

:

00:52:04,476 --> 00:52:05,016

So that's cool.

:

00:52:05,156 --> 00:52:08,156

That'd be nice, could hang out on a

Saturday night, watch some, watch the

:

00:52:08,156 --> 00:52:10,206

game on ESPN Plus, enjoy ourselves.

:

00:52:10,206 --> 00:52:10,406

Gary: Yeah.

:

00:52:10,406 --> 00:52:14,186

And if you are planning to make the

trip to Huntington, West Virginia,

:

00:52:14,246 --> 00:52:16,516

uh, one of the perks of having

a new ballpark is usually do a

:

00:52:16,516 --> 00:52:17,826

lot of really cool promotions.

:

00:52:17,836 --> 00:52:19,726

So they're doing decade days.

:

00:52:20,151 --> 00:52:20,781

For these games.

:

00:52:20,791 --> 00:52:24,691

So like Friday is eighties night,

Saturday is nineties night, and

:

00:52:24,691 --> 00:52:28,311

then Sunday is two thousands night,

which makes me feel incredibly old.

:

00:52:28,311 --> 00:52:30,791

If that's now for that throwback decade.

:

00:52:30,976 --> 00:52:34,016

CB: Yep, that's now an old decade,

many, many, many moons ago.

:

00:52:34,016 --> 00:52:35,566

Gary: Yeah, I don't really

want to think about that.

:

00:52:35,566 --> 00:52:39,796

We're going to move on to some, uh,

some key players here for, for Marshall.

:

00:52:40,046 --> 00:52:44,796

Uh, I look at them offensively and

to some extent pitching as well.

:

00:52:45,106 --> 00:52:46,466

They're not that far off from us.

:

00:52:47,081 --> 00:52:49,641

They don't have a really

high team batting average.

:

00:52:49,641 --> 00:52:51,501

I mean, they're hitting two 29 as a team.

:

00:52:51,501 --> 00:52:55,351

I think we're, we've exceeded that

some over the past couple of games.

:

00:52:55,711 --> 00:52:59,141

Don't hit a lot of home runs there

at 22 home runs on the season.

:

00:52:59,421 --> 00:53:03,161

So they are definitely a small

ball team need to get guys on base.

:

00:53:03,201 --> 00:53:05,681

And, you know, if you're able to

get six, seven runs on them, I'm

:

00:53:05,701 --> 00:53:08,951

not sure that they have the offense

to get back into games like that.

:

00:53:09,371 --> 00:53:11,401

CB: You know, and that's one of

those things too, is you really,

:

00:53:11,461 --> 00:53:15,501

at this point, have no idea how

their ballpark plays either.

:

00:53:15,811 --> 00:53:20,276

You just don't know enough about, it is

a home run park, is it a pitcher park?

:

00:53:20,286 --> 00:53:23,896

Cause I also don't think their

team is necessarily that good.

:

00:53:23,896 --> 00:53:26,466

I think it's going to take them a few

years to kind of get back to being

:

00:53:26,466 --> 00:53:29,346

able to recruit really well, to be

able to get, get some better players.

:

00:53:29,901 --> 00:53:33,291

Uh to be able to tell

you so It's a question.

:

00:53:33,291 --> 00:53:37,551

Yeah, is it just for all we know the

ballpark was made and it's impossible

:

00:53:37,551 --> 00:53:39,941

to home run out of there That's

how the bug was for a long time.

:

00:53:40,631 --> 00:53:42,621

Uh, but you're right There

are some similarities.

:

00:53:42,621 --> 00:53:45,656

I when you said that it hurt my feelings

because I'm looking at their stats.

:

00:53:45,656 --> 00:53:46,986

I'm like, maybe these guys kind of stink.

:

00:53:47,356 --> 00:53:48,606

Um, but you're right.

:

00:53:48,756 --> 00:53:49,106

Yeah.

:

00:53:49,136 --> 00:53:50,646

So that, that kind of, that hurt my heart.

:

00:53:50,656 --> 00:53:51,366

You have to admit it.

:

00:53:51,366 --> 00:53:54,036

Gary: But I will say that our

averages on the offensive side

:

00:53:54,046 --> 00:53:55,956

are on the upswing, which is good.

:

00:53:55,956 --> 00:53:56,966

And it seems like there's.

:

00:53:57,396 --> 00:54:00,606

They're kind of suffering from the

same cage and hangover that we had.

:

00:54:00,696 --> 00:54:06,136

Uh, uh, Owen Ayers is someone I wanna

point out on, on the offensive side,

:

00:54:06,346 --> 00:54:12,316

uh, hitting 2 87 with the 8 98 OPS

six bombs, 14 doubles, only driven

:

00:54:12,321 --> 00:54:16,636

in 11 runs though, uh, but definitely

a, a prominent hitter for them.

:

00:54:17,096 --> 00:54:18,266

Elijah Vogel song.

:

00:54:18,266 --> 00:54:19,436

He's one of their power hitters.

:

00:54:19,436 --> 00:54:21,866

He's only hitting 2 0 7,

but he's got six bombs.

:

00:54:22,196 --> 00:54:27,426

Driven in 21 runs, uh, and then Cam

Harthan, who I don't think has started

:

00:54:28,296 --> 00:54:31,456

a ton of games this year, maybe about

half of their games, but he is hitting

:

00:54:32,116 --> 00:54:36,286

313, uh, and intends to be able to

get on base pretty well, so not a lot

:

00:54:36,286 --> 00:54:40,256

of big scary names to watch out for,

like what we saw with, with JMU with

:

00:54:40,256 --> 00:54:43,856

like Finwick Trimble and some of those

other guys, but they're just one of

:

00:54:43,856 --> 00:54:46,576

those lineups that if they can string

together three or four hits, they're

:

00:54:46,576 --> 00:54:47,886

definitely going to put runs on the board.

:

00:54:48,661 --> 00:54:48,981

CB: Yeah.

:

00:54:48,981 --> 00:54:51,881

And then looking at the pitching

side, there's probably a somewhere

:

00:54:51,881 --> 00:54:56,131

where it says who started when, but

very clearly, uh, Bryce Blevins is

:

00:54:56,131 --> 00:55:01,191

one of their guys who he's got 56

innings, 44 strikeouts, 14 walks.

:

00:55:01,751 --> 00:55:03,971

Um, he's made 10 appearances, six starts.

:

00:55:04,626 --> 00:55:10,856

two complete games one shutout Um, so he's

he's clearly a guy and as you saw over

:

00:55:10,856 --> 00:55:14,326

the weekend they were if they were holding

louisiana down they're doing some things.

:

00:55:14,546 --> 00:55:15,816

Another guy also has 50.

:

00:55:15,816 --> 00:55:18,846

I mean, we don't have anybody on odu

that's even close to 15 So having a couple

:

00:55:18,846 --> 00:55:23,196

guys where they've they've clearly got

some starters Which is different for us.

:

00:55:23,196 --> 00:55:25,676

Gary: I think Bryce Glovans is

typically their Friday starter

:

00:55:25,676 --> 00:55:29,036

and the strategy there is get him

out of the game because he's good.

:

00:55:29,436 --> 00:55:31,246

Uh, he's far and away their best pitcher.

:

00:55:31,246 --> 00:55:33,146

He's the biggest arm

you have to worry about.

:

00:55:33,226 --> 00:55:37,556

Um, and it looks like they've mixed some

guys, um, in their starting rotation.

:

00:55:37,556 --> 00:55:39,596

It looks like Drew Harlow

has had some starts.

:

00:55:39,596 --> 00:55:41,616

He's had a 4 7 8 ERA.

:

00:55:41,896 --> 00:55:46,446

Then Carter Lyles, he

started nine games, 5 2 6 ERA.

:

00:55:46,586 --> 00:55:52,016

Nicholas, uh, Weyrich is, or Weyrich

is probably their best reliever.

:

00:55:52,016 --> 00:55:55,306

He's made 15 appearances,

got a three flat ERA.

:

00:55:55,306 --> 00:55:57,636

43 strikeouts, 19 walks.

:

00:55:57,656 --> 00:56:01,326

So they've got some arms for sure,

but I don't know how deep they

:

00:56:01,326 --> 00:56:04,086

are, especially if you get into

something funky on a Saturday or

:

00:56:04,291 --> 00:56:04,651

CB: Yeah.

:

00:56:04,661 --> 00:56:08,141

So they pitch well, they

don't hit that well.

:

00:56:08,141 --> 00:56:11,521

So you hope our pitching

continues to excel.

:

00:56:11,761 --> 00:56:14,961

This seems like a team we can

really keep off the scoreboard.

:

00:56:15,341 --> 00:56:19,891

Um, and you know, if our guys can just

go out and continue throwing up good at

:

00:56:19,901 --> 00:56:24,771

bats, continue being the hitters, they

can be, this is a series, you know, it's

:

00:56:24,791 --> 00:56:26,271

not easy winning a series on the road.

:

00:56:26,606 --> 00:56:28,116

But I think they can win this series.

:

00:56:28,116 --> 00:56:29,876

And realistically, I think

they can sweep this series.

:

00:56:29,926 --> 00:56:30,576

I don't know.

:

00:56:30,636 --> 00:56:35,156

I do not think Marshall is that great

of a team, but again, it's Sunbelt play.

:

00:56:35,626 --> 00:56:37,406

Any given weekend and

they're playing at home.

:

00:56:37,896 --> 00:56:40,226

So our guys just got to go

out and do what they can.

:

00:56:40,266 --> 00:56:42,916

And we should be able to come out of

this feeling good about the weekend.

:

00:56:42,916 --> 00:56:45,456

Gary: I've watched some of their

games over the weekend series.

:

00:56:45,456 --> 00:56:47,996

They definitely draw a

nice crowd that is loud.

:

00:56:47,996 --> 00:56:48,786

They're energetic.

:

00:56:48,786 --> 00:56:49,536

They get into it.

:

00:56:49,536 --> 00:56:52,646

It's similar to football of no matter

how terrible they are, they're going

:

00:56:52,646 --> 00:56:54,806

to have a boatload of fans that

show up for the football games.

:

00:56:55,206 --> 00:56:56,076

Same thing for baseball.

:

00:56:56,076 --> 00:56:57,496

They come out there, have a good time.

:

00:56:57,806 --> 00:57:01,636

Uh, if, if it's good weather, their

crowd's going to even be a little bit

:

00:57:01,636 --> 00:57:05,156

rowdier, so it's no easy task to go

up there and try and win this series.

:

00:57:05,156 --> 00:57:08,236

But I think it's a series that

we need to win to prove that we

:

00:57:08,236 --> 00:57:09,646

can win a series on the road.

:

00:57:10,041 --> 00:57:13,941

against a team that, you know, on paper,

I think that we are, superior then.

:

00:57:14,721 --> 00:57:16,531

But I mean, it's a Sunbelt, man.

:

00:57:16,561 --> 00:57:19,291

No one else has been able to go

up there yet and get a series

:

00:57:19,291 --> 00:57:21,141

win against them in Huntington.

:

00:57:21,181 --> 00:57:25,021

So hopefully we're treading some

new ground there, but we just need

:

00:57:25,021 --> 00:57:26,271

to play our game the right way.

:

00:57:26,991 --> 00:57:29,251

Play some small ball,

get guys on, get them in.

:

00:57:29,521 --> 00:57:34,641

And I think if we can get up 345 runs

Uh, our pitching versus their hitting

:

00:57:34,641 --> 00:57:36,581

is a matchup that we will win nine

:

00:57:36,581 --> 00:57:36,851

times

:

00:57:36,851 --> 00:57:38,200

out of 10.

:

00:57:38,226 --> 00:57:38,446

CB: Yeah.

:

00:57:38,446 --> 00:57:40,106

Got to set a record for that new ballpark.

:

00:57:40,106 --> 00:57:41,486

We got to etch it into the record books.

:

00:57:41,486 --> 00:57:43,646

The first, uh, visiting

team to win a series.

:

00:57:44,136 --> 00:57:45,376

And so that's kind of this

:

00:57:45,961 --> 00:57:46,761

Gary: Wouldn't hate that.

:

00:57:46,761 --> 00:57:48,601

Wouldn't hate to see

some run records broken.

:

00:57:48,611 --> 00:57:52,451

Maybe, you know, some shutouts,

some no hits, something like that.

:

00:57:52,701 --> 00:57:55,001

We're positioned well, our

pitching versus their hitting.

:

00:57:55,001 --> 00:57:58,541

I think it's going to come down

to, can we continue this consistent

:

00:57:58,541 --> 00:58:03,341

approach from our lineup that we've

seen in the last four games where it's

:

00:58:03,341 --> 00:58:06,991

not this crazy rollercoaster of zero

runs, 10 runs, zero runs, 10 runs.

:

00:58:07,011 --> 00:58:08,301

It's a much more consistent.

:

00:58:08,746 --> 00:58:11,706

Run totals that we're putting up

and that's going to be much more

:

00:58:11,706 --> 00:58:13,216

sustainable long term for this team.

:

00:58:13,216 --> 00:58:15,486

CB: So we are halfway through conference.

:

00:58:15,516 --> 00:58:19,946

We got to really continue this momentum

because halfway through conference seven

:

00:58:19,946 --> 00:58:27,471

and eight, uh, you know a sub 500 team

and 18 and 17 Overall a just above 500

:

00:58:27,471 --> 00:58:31,291

team, this is not really where you want

to be We want to again you're really

:

00:58:31,291 --> 00:58:37,491

hoping this weekend was a springboard to

being who you can be Going out winning

:

00:58:37,491 --> 00:58:40,571

two out of three every weekend Taking

some of these midweeks, especially, you

:

00:58:40,571 --> 00:58:42,411

know, again, I think we can beat UVA.

:

00:58:42,411 --> 00:58:43,931

We just got to play really well.

:

00:58:43,931 --> 00:58:45,861

And then from then on, we're playing BCU.

:

00:58:45,871 --> 00:58:46,461

We got Richmond.

:

00:58:46,461 --> 00:58:50,501

We got teams that we can and I

believe should beat on the weekdays.

:

00:58:50,851 --> 00:58:53,361

So you can start picking up, if you

can go to them on the weekend, you

:

00:58:53,361 --> 00:58:56,101

go three in one of the week, all of a

sudden you start racking up some wins,

:

00:58:56,411 --> 00:58:57,911

start feeling good, get that confidence.

:

00:58:57,911 --> 00:59:01,921

So this is again, we, I think they did

what they needed to do this week, go

:

00:59:01,921 --> 00:59:04,651

out and play really hard, play really

tough against really good teams.

:

00:59:04,651 --> 00:59:04,790

Thanks.

:

00:59:05,151 --> 00:59:08,791

And keep that momentum going as now,

you know, we're getting out of Once this

:

00:59:08,791 --> 00:59:12,191

tuesday rolls around we're kind of out

of that real extremely tough stretch

:

00:59:12,231 --> 00:59:15,141

of the season And now we just have

the regular tough rest of the season

:

00:59:15,141 --> 00:59:17,881

Gary: I think you want to see the

dividends of this tough schedule

:

00:59:17,891 --> 00:59:20,471

play out over the next three series.

:

00:59:20,861 --> 00:59:23,001

Cause your next three series are

against teams that are actually behind

:

00:59:23,001 --> 00:59:26,481

you in the standings with Marshall,

Louisiana, Monroe, and Texas state.

:

00:59:26,761 --> 00:59:27,961

Again, it's the Sunbelt.

:

00:59:28,031 --> 00:59:32,251

Nothing's going to be easy, but if

you come out of those three series

:

00:59:32,451 --> 00:59:34,501

and you've won two out of every three.

:

00:59:34,911 --> 00:59:38,081

You are going to be in prime

position for one of the top four

:

00:59:38,081 --> 00:59:40,681

seeds in the conference tournament,

which is where we want to be.

:

00:59:40,951 --> 00:59:42,251

It's going to set us up for success.

:

00:59:42,731 --> 00:59:46,141

So you're hoping that this crazy stretch

of games against really good teams.

:

00:59:46,181 --> 00:59:47,671

Didn't just wear everybody out.

:

00:59:47,801 --> 00:59:49,181

Didn't seem that way on Sunday.

:

00:59:49,571 --> 00:59:54,121

Um, because you can use what you've

learned there, your battle toughness.

:

00:59:55,061 --> 00:59:59,111

And go out and take, six of these

next nine or seven of these next nine.

:

00:59:59,451 --> 01:00:02,121

And if you just look at what that

would do to you in the standings,

:

01:00:02,121 --> 01:00:05,381

that's going to put you basically

behind Louisiana and that's it.

:

01:00:05,851 --> 01:00:08,821

And that's probably realistically

what we need to look at here is

:

01:00:08,891 --> 01:00:12,011

getting somewhere between that two to

four seed going into the tournament.

:

01:00:12,011 --> 01:00:15,911

CB: Yeah, so, you know as always I I

think I probably a broken record, but

:

01:00:15,911 --> 01:00:19,431

every week I says i'm excited i'm excited

about the end of the season here, you

:

01:00:19,431 --> 01:00:23,771

know, we got a little over a month left

until the tournament Um, and so it's it's

:

01:00:23,771 --> 01:00:27,961

gonna be very exciting to see these guys

continue to make these strides and some of

:

01:00:27,961 --> 01:00:32,381

these guys, you know It's a lot of games

There's still a lot of games where guys

:

01:00:32,431 --> 01:00:35,811

who have not established themselves can

might get a shot and establish themselves

:

01:00:35,811 --> 01:00:38,701

and Some guys who are sitting there on

the bench thinking no i'm never getting

:

01:00:38,721 --> 01:00:41,631

to play well, but i'm just gonna still

keep working they might be in there, so

:

01:00:41,631 --> 01:00:46,626

it's uh Anything can happen and speaking

of anything that happened, Alex Boucher.

:

01:00:47,791 --> 01:00:50,241

Pulled up a clearly had a hamstring issue.

:

01:00:50,561 --> 01:00:53,971

Uh, when he slid in the third yesterday,

it was only the second inning.

:

01:00:54,331 --> 01:00:57,871

Um, and they pulled him out of the game,

which immediately Jake Tyser came in after

:

01:00:57,871 --> 01:01:01,141

not having played first base all season,

made three great plays in one inning.

:

01:01:01,591 --> 01:01:04,021

But hopefully, hopefully, boo is good.

:

01:01:04,071 --> 01:01:07,141

I would guess he might not be

playing in the game, uh, at Harbor

:

01:01:07,141 --> 01:01:08,591

Park tomorrow, but who knows?

:

01:01:08,601 --> 01:01:09,261

I'm not a doctor.

:

01:01:09,261 --> 01:01:10,351

I saw him at the game.

:

01:01:10,351 --> 01:01:14,416

He seemed like he was, Okay, at least

he went like, you know wincing in

:

01:01:14,416 --> 01:01:15,836

pain and crying every time he walked

:

01:01:15,846 --> 01:01:17,996

Gary: I will say this coaching

staff has been pretty good.

:

01:01:17,996 --> 01:01:21,116

Uh, if there's even a remote chance of

further injury, they're taking out of

:

01:01:21,116 --> 01:01:24,756

the game because one of our midweeks,

what Stephen Meyer went down, somebody

:

01:01:24,756 --> 01:01:26,456

else went down like back to back innings.

:

01:01:26,901 --> 01:01:29,201

Uh, but they were fine and

back for the rest of the game.

:

01:01:29,201 --> 01:01:30,581

So hopefully everything is.

:

01:01:31,081 --> 01:01:31,871

Is good there.

:

01:01:31,931 --> 01:01:35,581

Uh, he was going first to third on

a single to right and got in safely.

:

01:01:35,891 --> 01:01:40,881

So definitely a good hustle play for him,

I'm looking forward to actually being

:

01:01:40,881 --> 01:01:42,551

at home this weekend for the first time.

:

01:01:42,591 --> 01:01:45,421

And I don't know how long I just able

to watch the games up at Marshall.

:

01:01:45,421 --> 01:01:48,771

I think that's going to be a,

going to be a fun one and hopefully

:

01:01:48,781 --> 01:01:50,361

really fun for ODU fans to

:

01:01:50,361 --> 01:01:50,781

enjoy.

:

01:01:50,781 --> 01:01:52,891

CB: I am also looking forward

to watching the games.

:

01:01:52,931 --> 01:01:56,611

Um, and again, I appreciate I do get

people Stop me here and there and tell me

:

01:01:56,611 --> 01:01:58,421

they really uh, are enjoying the podcast.

:

01:01:58,421 --> 01:02:00,351

That's that's always nice to hear.

:

01:02:00,411 --> 01:02:04,401

Hopefully That people are having the

same excitement for od baseball that

:

01:02:04,411 --> 01:02:06,211

that I certainly have every single day

:

01:02:07,276 --> 01:02:08,376

Gary: I hope so as well.

:

01:02:08,386 --> 01:02:11,256

So if you're listening to this and you

have friends that aren't subscribed,

:

01:02:11,296 --> 01:02:15,656

go steal their phone from subscribe

on iTunes, Spotify, whatever you want.

:

01:02:16,221 --> 01:02:20,061

Uh, let us continue sharing the

story of ODU baseball this year and

:

01:02:20,071 --> 01:02:22,071

getting to hear from awesome players.

:

01:02:22,071 --> 01:02:23,911

Like we had John Holabatz on today.

:

01:02:24,291 --> 01:02:25,571

Uh, we want to keep that going.

:

01:02:25,571 --> 01:02:27,681

So thank you all for listening.

:

01:02:27,691 --> 01:02:28,651

We appreciate it.

:

01:02:28,701 --> 01:02:32,181

Uh, if you did not get a koozie this

weekend at the bud, we will have plenty

:

01:02:32,451 --> 01:02:34,411

in two weeks when ULM comes to town.

:

01:02:34,421 --> 01:02:36,521

That's also baseball alumni weekend.

:

01:02:36,731 --> 01:02:39,641

So we're going to have a special

guest next week to promote some stuff

:

01:02:39,641 --> 01:02:41,461

that's going on, for that weekend.

:

01:02:42,706 --> 01:02:43,436

I think that'll do it.

:

01:02:43,456 --> 01:02:44,366

CB, anything else

:

01:02:44,396 --> 01:02:45,046

that I'm missing?

:

01:02:45,851 --> 01:02:49,401

CB: No, i'm just like hey, I think

it's time to go monarchs this thing

:

01:02:50,016 --> 01:02:50,566

Gary: Absolutely.

:

01:02:50,566 --> 01:02:52,116

Well, thank you all for listening.

:

01:02:52,136 --> 01:02:52,816

I'm Gary.

:

01:02:52,936 --> 01:02:53,626

Go Monarchs!

:

01:02:53,626 --> 01:02:55,486

CB: and i'm cb go monarchs

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About the Podcast

Hudson Homers
Covering Old Dominion Baseball
Co-Hosts CB and Gary cover all things in the world of Old Dominion Baseball. Join us for this weekly podcast keeping you up to date on the Monarchs, Dollars for Dingers and Sun Belt Baseball. We will be joined by current and former ODU players, coaches and even a few of you from Monarch Nation. As always, The Monarchists Podcast Network is By Fans, For Fans. www.odumonarchists.com

About your host

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Gary Williams

ODU alumn and diehard Monarch sports fan.