S1E17 - Montgomery Run
Special Bonus Episode! ODU Baseball is 2-0 in the SBC Tournament. We recap the two wins, preview Ga Southern and lay out the road ahead.
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
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Gary: Hello, Monarch fans and welcome to the Hudson homers podcast.
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:We are coming to you today with a
special episode as ODU has won in
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:their single elimination game against
South Alabama and then pulled the
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:upset over top seeded Louisiana.
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:I'm Gary joined, as always,
by my partner in crime, CB CB.
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:I know you and I were texting
a good bit yesterday during
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:the game and pretty excited.
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:But how are you feeling this morning
with the opportunity ahead of us
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:CB: Man, it's pretty fantastic.
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:You could not have asked for a
better start to a tournament for
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:a team coming in that had to win
or literally leave the state.
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:Uh, you know, you come in, single
elimination, which is rough.
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:We had that last year.
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:Last year they came in, they lost
that one game in a pretty close game.
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:And that's that's your week, uh, and
that's got to be a terrible feeling so
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:The way things are going right now, man.
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:It's it's feeling pretty good
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:Gary: We have taken over the path
of the one seed and we've got an
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:opportunity today when we play
Georgia Southern at 830 Eastern to get
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:tomorrow off, which is huge for a team.
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:It's already had to play an extra
game compared to pretty much the
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:rest of the double elimination field.
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:They've played their way
into a situation where.
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:They went today and they likely become
the favorites to win this tournament.
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:And it's something we talked about,
but we didn't necessarily think it
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:was possible, but now the opportunity
kind of lies in front of us here.
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:CB: Yeah, I mean it's huge and I you
know, I still wouldn't want to discount.
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:Uh, whoever comes out of the other side
You know troy or southern miss, uh, but
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:you definitely Odu has put themselves
in an amazing spot When you've got a
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:situation where you could if you win this
game tonight You have not only have the
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:day off on friday But then you go into
Saturday and a team has to beat you twice
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:for you not to make the championship.
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:And I know we saw all season throughout
the Sun Belt, you know, beating the same
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:team twice on the same day is not easy.
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:So really, they put themselves
in an amazing situation.
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:If they can go out there and get this
win tonight against a team they beat
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:two out of three in the regular season.
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:Man that they have put
themselves in a great spot.
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:Gary: Absolutely in a great spot, but
the pathway to get there was interesting.
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:And I think what I've been most
proud of and most excited about is
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:the number of guys that are stepping
up in the most critical of moments.
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:And a lot of those guys are seniors.
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:We opened the tournament.
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:Vincent Bashara gets the start.
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:He has his third great outing in a row
and then he's immediately backed up
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:by Jacob Gomez, who has really been
nails all season long and Gomez comes
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:in and it would allow one, I think
one inherited runner to score, but
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:locked him down the rest of the way.
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:Uh, so just.
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:Two seniors stepping up in huge moments.
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:I love the move by Finney to have his
seniors anchor that pitching staff in
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:that single elimination game, rely on
that experience, come away with a three,
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:two win over a pretty good South Alabama
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:CB: Yeah, the pitching plan could not
have worked more perfectly on tuesday
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:night Uh, you know vincent four and a
third innings to earn runs Like I said,
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:one of them was gomez gave it up, uh five
strikeouts and then jacob gomez four and
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:two thirds Only three hits six strikeouts.
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:So combined 11 strikeouts in one walk for
the two pitchers And that's the biggest
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:thing is when you're getting in there
in this tournament You're gonna have to
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:play one more game than anybody else if
you keep going having only two guys be
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:able to throw uh was huge and you you
definitely saw the The senior experience.
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:Those are two guys, you know, remember
when they were freshmen, they were
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:pitching in the, uh, the, uh, CUSA
tournament that the older man won.
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:And it was probably all
these best season ever.
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:Uh, and you really saw that
veteran leadership show up and
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:it was exactly what they needed.
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:Gary: saw it on the offensive side of
the ball, and even though he's not a
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:senior, Maverick Stallings remained hot
in that first game, hitting a two run home
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:run, that got us most of the way there,
because we didn't have a whole lot of
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:offense, we only had, I think, four hits
for that game, but Maverick Stallings
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:stays hot, he hit his sixth home run in
his last five games, continued to lead,
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:uh, the Monarchs in home runs, and, you
know, the Monarchs in home runs, and,
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:More than half of those have come just
within the last week, week and a half.
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:Uh, but then Jake Tyser had the
RBI single that put us ahead.
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:I mean, it ended up being the game winner.
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:We won that thing three to two.
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:And then Kenny LaVarie goes
two for four at the dish.
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:He was hot, he was getting on base.
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:So you just, again, you know, Kenny Tyser,
Stallings stepping up in a big, big way to
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:have us eke out a three, two win because.
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:South Alabama pitched really,
really well in that game.
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:Zach Willingham, their
starter only gave up two runs.
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:Danny Diaz gave up the other one.
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:It was actually an unearned run.
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:Uh, but I mean, they, they pitched
well, they threw their top arms against
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:us in that single elimination game.
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:Uh, but we just were a little
bit better with pitching and we
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:hit just enough to win that ball
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:CB: Yeah, that was uh, exactly
what you've been wanting.
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:The ODU offense all year, you
know, when your pitching staff
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:goes out, only gives up two runs.
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:It's like, we have to score
some runs and win this game.
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:And it's a thing they,
unfortunately, have not done enough.
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:And so, to get exactly what we
needed, Maverick hit that big
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:two run homer that tied the game.
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:Uh, continued being, uh, uh, uh.
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:Uh, and then Jake Tyser coming up big
with just a single again, we don't need
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:Jake Tyser to hit the ball over the wall
every time he is the guy that he can hit
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:the ball so hard just on any swing that
it just got past the infield exactly where
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:we needed it to be and scored the run.
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:And then, of course, as you pointed
out, the only other 2 hits for
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:Kenny LaVarie,, a senior coming up.
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:Uh big time in a big situation and again
congratulations came of ari this game
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:was his 227th at old dominion which
set the uh all time record for games
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:played by an odu baseball player and
I would I would believe an odu athlete
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:Gary: We've put that stat out there
that no one's played more games in
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:an ODU uniform than Kenny LaVarie.
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:And we haven't had any
pushback from any teams.
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:Uh, any communication
staff, anything like that.
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:And I personally can't think of anyone
else who would have played in more games.
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:So we're going to continue to give
him that crown until someone tells us
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:differently, but amazing accomplishment
by Kenny LaVarie and just fitting
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:that he comes through so clutch in
elimination game to continue getting
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:some games, uh, onto that record and
adding a few more, maybe solidifying
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:it so that no one else can touch it.
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:Uh, we were great on the base pass
on, uh, this opening game as well.
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:We ended up with four
steals, uh, Kyle Edwards.
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:He only reached base once he
walked, but he stole two bags.
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:Luke Waters also didn't have
a hit, but he drew a walk and
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:he was able to steal a bag.
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:And then Stephen Meyer, I think
he only officially had one at bat
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:because he was hit by a pitch and
he walked and he stole a base.
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:So even though we only had four hits,
we were doing a lot with the runners.
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:We did get on base of applying
pressure, getting in position to score.
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:Uh, and it paid off for us.
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:I mean, , the only must win games, in
my opinion, are the ones that if you
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:lose your season's over, that was a
must win, and once again, we saw this
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:team step up and do what they needed
to do to win it, but, uh, the pitching
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:performance from Bash and from Jacob
Gomez, that's going to stick in my
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:mind from this game, because they were
just electric for us to close that one
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:CB: Yeah, I mean those guys have been uh,
the heartbeat of the team all season Uh,
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:Jacob Gomez, especially, I mean, what he
brings you, uh, in relief on the mound is,
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:is just absolutely necessary for a team.
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:And so, yeah, those guys stepping up
in the biggest situation, like I said,
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:the only must win you've had all year.
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:Uh, and we don't even, the game
tonight, it's not even a must win.
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:I mean, you, it's a want to win.
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:It's a, and it might be, you
really would, would prefer to win.
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:Uh, but as you said, the only must win
was that Tuesday night game and your
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:biggest players came up in the biggest
spots and that was excellent to see.
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:And yes, Stephen Meyer must just be
a big, uh, bloody pulp right now.
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:He's got 24 hit by pitches on the
season, and it seems like he's had
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:12 of those in the last two weeks.
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:Uh, he's been getting hit a ton.
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:And 27 steals for him also.
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:That, I don't, again, I don't really know
where that ranks as far as historically,
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:but I know that's the most anyone's had
in at least the last 20 years at ODU.
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:It might have been, he might have the
most since Kevin Gibbs was here in
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:the mid 90s stealing 40 bags a season.
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:Gary: It's pretty crazy to think
that he's racked up that many, uh,
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:considering that, you know, his batting
average is not super impressive.
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:His on base percentage is.
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:Uh, and definitely when he gets on
base in those situations, he is doing
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:everything he can to take a bag.
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:Uh, you were dead on with your assessment
about the scouting report on Meyer too,
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:because we saw it against South Alabama.
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:We saw it against Louisiana.
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:They're throwing him inside.
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:Down and in, down and in, down and in.
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:And that's why he keeps getting hit on
that elbow, or the thigh, or the knee.
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:Uh, I hope they have some access to,
some ice baths because we had a couple
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:of guys get beat up, uh, over the last
couple of games, Stephen Myers, one of
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:them, Evan Holman, and then of course,
Alex Boucher was back in the lineup for
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:that first game wearing like a clear
visor face mask while he's batting.
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:I can only imagine how difficult
that is to try to pick up spin
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:looking through a visor, but.
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:Tough guy back in the lineup
after getting smashed up.
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:I mean, you can see like both of his
eyes are black, nose is in head shape,
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:but he's out there, he's in the lineup
and he's doing everything he can
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:CB: Yeah, they did say on the broadcast
the second game that his nose is broken.
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:Um, and you you can see I think you're
right that first game back between the
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:visor and then just having a few days
off He did not look good at the plate.
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:Um, and then the second game he
looked really good I don't i'm trying
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:to check the box store right now.
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:I'm, not even sure he had a hit In the
second game, but he just was making
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:good swings and having good contact.
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:So that's a good sign Uh, because boucher
is the guy, you know, he's having a
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:little bit of a down year compared to his
freshman year So it'd be it'd be great
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:to finish it off strong here, especially
after coming back from the broken nose
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:Gary: Well, speaking of the next
game, we go and take on the top
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:seed of Raging Cajuns who they're,
they're a really good ball team.
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:It takes a lot to win our conference this
year and they did it pretty handedly.
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:Uh, they kicked our ass when we went down
to Lafayette earlier this year and swept
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:us, only scored one run over three games.
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:But things were a little bit
different, in this game.
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:ODU right from the jump, Kenny LaVarie,
another senior stepping up, smacks
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:a solo home run, which tied our
offensive output for three games down
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:in Lafayette, did it in one inning.
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:And that really set the tone for
ODU in this one, gave them some
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:confidence that they can knock off
this one seed and we really saw it
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:pay off there in the fourth inning.
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:CB: Yeah, I mean this team, uh just
went in and they put in some work.
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:I mean this was uh As you
said, we, we, they absolutely
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:killed us when we played them.
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:And again, that was months ago.
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:So things change, but this team was good.
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:They swept the season awards, uh, and
our guys came out and, and as well, as
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:good as the hitting did that, we'll,
we'll talk about it in a minute.
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:You have to talk about the pitching.
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:I mean, again, everything, everything
with ODU starts with the pitching.
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:Blake Morgan coming out, three
scoreless innings to start the game,
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:three strikeouts, looked great.
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:Um, probably could have pitched more.
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:He was in the fourth
when they took him out.
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:Um, but you know, at a certain
point, it becomes, hey, Blake, you
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:know, we'll let you pass the baton.
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:You've only thrown 45 pitches.
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:It means you can come back
for us in a day or two.
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:Um, if we need you on Friday,
definitely need you on Saturday.
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:Uh, Ben Moore came in.
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:He was outstanding.
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:Ben Moore has been a fantastic pitcher
for Old Dominion this whole time here.
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:Uh, four scoreless innings.
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:Only one walk, five strikeouts,
uh, just looked amazing.
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:And then John Holabatz, uh,
surprisingly, honestly, uh, came in
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:to close the game, had a little bit of
trouble in the, in the eighth inning.
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:Uh, but you know, you had a big lead, so
the lead got cut down from seven, nothing
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:to seven, three, and then he closed it
out, looked phenomenal in ninth inning.
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:Um, didn't, I really didn't understand
bringing Holabatz in, in that kit
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:in that time, but sometimes I got
to sit back and say, you know what,
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:I don't know everything they know.
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:They mentioned on the broadcast, chris
finwood, uh has over 600 collegiate
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:wins Almost 400 odu I have zero.
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:So sometimes you gotta step back and
say, they know what they're doing And
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:I don't know everything they know.
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:Gary: don't know an exact
reason why John Holowitz came
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:in with a seven, nothing lead.
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:Uh, I, I think there's a couple of
theories you could go with like one.
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:If you want to really be
successful in this tournament,
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:you have to win this game.
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:Like if we click over to the
loser's bracket, uh, it is an
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:even harder and longer road than
we already have in front of us.
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:So bringing in your ACE to make sure
we close out those two and get the win.
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:Uh, I think Bo Cowan pointed out
that hollow beds actually got hot
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:the day before in the bullpen,
but didn't come into pitch.
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:They had gotten him up again yesterday,
and maybe you get them up twice.
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:You got to use them because he's not
gonna be able to pitch the next day.
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:Anyway, uh, those are the only things
that, that I can really think of, you
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:know, would love to save that arm and
see if he could give you a six, seven
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:innings, uh, against Georgia Southern.
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:But.
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:Like you said, that coaching staff
knows a lot more about baseball than
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:we do and how the guys are feeling
and what the plan is, what things look
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:like he did only throw 32 pitches.
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:So if he doesn't throw against
Georgia Southern and we win that
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:game and we get a day off, he was
probably fully available to you.
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:The rest of the tournament would
probably even give you a couple
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:innings against Georgia Southern today.
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:I think in my mind, I'm thinking, Oh, man,
if we roll out against Georgia Southern,
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:Jay Cassaday for two or three innings, the
Holovets close it, we can seal this thing.
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:But that's, uh, I think wishful
thinking in a tournament game
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:against another good opponent.
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:Uh, you're talking about Blake.
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:Uh, he pitched well, only gave up
four hits over the three innings.
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:I think the only reason that he ended
up coming out of that game early
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:is because he had to sit so long
through that six run fourth inning.
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:Uh, and he may have just cooled off too
much, but hey, Ben Moore, no runs, no
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:hits, five strikeouts over four innings.
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:I will take that in the
tournament all the time.
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:CB: Yeah, uh, and as you say, so
getting back to the offense, uh, you
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:pointed out You know, kenny lavare
The big home run in the first inning
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:had himself another two hit game.
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:So he's got four hits already through
two games Uh, but then everything broke
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:loose in the fourth inning, uh, Kyle
Edwards let us off with a double Uh,
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:Kenny had that second hit where he singled
Which actually scored Kyle on a single.
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:Uh, that was, uh, he just hit
it in the exact right spot.
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:Uh, there was a little bit of goofing
around out in the outfield and, and
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:Kyle just kept running the whole time.
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:We were extremely aggressive on
the base paths in both these games.
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:So that second run came through.
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:Um, and then again, Luke Waters followed
that up with another double, uh, which
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:scored Kenny, Tyser walks, Boucher walks.
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:So we got the bases loaded.
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:Stephen Meyer had a perfectly
placed ground out to, uh,
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:actually the second baseman.
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:I thought it was the
first baseman originally.
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:Uh, he just kind of hit
like a high chopper.
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:It was the exact best
spot you could hit it.
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:Luke Waters scored.
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:So we still have second and third
with only, um, Only one out.
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:Evan Holman hits a beautifully placed
double down the line, uh, the, the,
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:the choking up on the bat is working.
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:Evan is just looking now.
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:I, I, my dad said it, we were watching
the game, I think earlier, uh,
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:but I, he had made a great point.
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:He said, I think Evan is just
better with guys on base.
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:Uh, the amount of hits that Evan
gets with guys on base, he's, uh,
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:his batting average of guys on
base has to be way higher than his
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:batting average of bases empty.
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:Maverick Stallings, weird play, catcher's
interference, the catcher's glove kind
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:of got stuck out there, and then T.
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:J.
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:Aitken, um, hit a single to score
that seventh run to score Evan.
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:Uh, so just everyone in the whole
lineup producing in that, uh,
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:fourth inning, uh, just fantastic.
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:Everything you want to see
out of the lineup, what we've
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:been hoping to see all season.
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:This inning was exactly what As you
watch this team all year and you see
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:him, you know, intimately you just
think like, this is who these guys
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:could be every single game all the time.
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:Um, so that was, it was fantastic to see.
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:Yeah.
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:Gary: bats in that inning,
working counts, drawing walks.
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:Uh, if they give you something great
first pitch swinging at it, Just a really
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:complete look at what this offense has
tried to be all year six runs five hits
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:one error None of those were home runs
So they were able to have a big inning
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:without needing to rely on the long
ball And you said you're exactly right
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:This is what this offense has supposed
to look like all year and they kind of
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:brought it together there for that that
one inning just kept piling on too.
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:Louisiana, they started,
uh, the conference freshmen
311
:of the year, chase Morgan.
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:He's been great all season long.
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:Uh, they put up five earned runs on him
in three innings, ran him from the game.
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:Uh, the third pitcher that Louisiana
brought in, I believe Blake Marshall.
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:Uh, he threw more innings in that
game than he had all season long.
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:So Louisiana almost went into, let's
conserve some arms, uh, cause we're
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:going to have a tough road now down,
down this big, uh, but to their credit,
318
:those arms that came out of the pen
shut ODU out the rest of the way.
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:We weren't really able to get a whole lot
going, uh, but just a great performance.
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:Evan Holman is another one we talk
about, gets beat up all the time,
321
:takes a beating behind the plate.
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:Uh, he had the ground rule double, he
also hit a triple later in the game.
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:And of course, the relay throw
coming in drills him right to the
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:ribs as he's going into third.
325
:He was fine, he stayed in the game
because he's an incredibly tough
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:dude, but Man, we, we got some, some
tough guys on this team and you just
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:saw it play out again and again as
they've gone through the tournament.
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:CB: You gotta love Evan.
329
:You do wonder if the, uh, 2024
Sunbelt head coach of the year may
330
:have, uh, outcoached himself in this
game, throwing Chase Morgan, who is,
331
:freshman of the year, outstanding.
332
:Thank you.
333
:But in game one, they didn't throw,
uh, their, uh, I can't remember
334
:his name on top, but I know he
carved this up when he faced us.
335
:The, the sunbelt pitcher of the
year didn't throw in game one.
336
:Uh, so you think that was a little bit
of maybe looking ahead saying, well, we
337
:can throw our second guy and beat ODU.
338
:Um, and that turned out not to be true.
339
:So sometimes you, I think
you overmanage yourself.
340
:Gary: Yeah, L.
341
:P.
342
:Langevin, uh, was the
Sunbelt Pitcher of the Year.
343
:Uh, had a, uh, an amazing
344
:CB: was disgusting against ODU.
345
:Gary: was, he was ridiculous.
346
:Uh, I mean, it, it's, you just can
go through his stats and see well
347
:deserved All Conference honors.
348
:It was definitely a decision to not
throw your ace in the first game,
349
:and maybe because it's a 1 8 matchup.
350
:Um, I haven't gone through all
their box scores to see if, you
351
:know, maybe he's been the Saturday
guy and not the Friday guy.
352
:They want to stay with that rotation.
353
:I don't know.
354
:Uh, but it cost them their one
seed because now they're playing
355
:out of the loser's bracket.
356
:They have a lot longer road ahead.
357
:Uh, but Hey, if, if they feel like they
could have gotten past us without their
358
:ace, and maybe they did because of how
poorly we played in Lafayette earlier this
359
:year, but tournament time is different.
360
:You got to throw a lot of those plans
out the window and you got to throw
361
:your best arms to ensure you're in
the best position for the next day.
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:Uh, I feel like old dominion did that.
363
:I feel like we have so many arms left
in the tank because we've only used five
364
:pitchers and we have an opportunity today.
365
:If we win.
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:We get Friday off, we
get to reset those arms.
367
:And we haven't even seen Kellen Davis
come trotting out of the pen yet,
368
:but I imagine we'll see him today.
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:CB: Yeah, there's a lot of good arms.
370
:We haven't seen, you know, Dylan
Brown, I would have to imagine
371
:is going to start tonight.
372
:Um, but also Jay Cassidy's there.
373
:Trent Buchanan, Brandon Pond,
as you said, Kellen Davis.
374
:I mean, there, there are guys
who have thrown some big time
375
:innings for this team who have not
appeared yet in this tournament.
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:And, you know, you got to feel
really good if you're ODU.
377
:I mean, just.
378
:The reality of not having a starter all
year, not having that guy that's going
379
:to come out and pitch you five to seven
innings, uh, it feels weird and you feel
380
:like you're kind of piecing it through
the whole season, but what happens when
381
:you get to tournament time, those guys
are those starters that are throwing
382
:you seven innings during the season,
they're throwing you more like four or
383
:five and you're all of a sudden you saw
the Louisiana guy only throwing an inning
384
:and a third all season comes in the game.
385
:Well, ODU doesn't really have those guys.
386
:Pretty much everybody on ODU's team
that's there and available to pitch has
387
:pitched, you know, ten or more innings.
388
:Um, so we've got guys, we've
got a lot of guys in that, you
389
:know, 25 to 40 inning range.
390
:And so we're going to see some guys
throw that for other teams, this would
391
:be like, you know, the 10th guy on
the roster who barely pitches for us.
392
:It's like, well, yeah, that, that guy
comes in all the time, If Stephen Trone
393
:comes in the game, I'm not like, Oh
man, this guy never pitched, he stinks.
394
:It's like, no, I'm like,
Stephen Trone is good to go.
395
:Like, I believe in that guy.
396
:Gary: And you and I have
said it really all season.
397
:If this team can figure out a way to
hit, they have more arms than everyone
398
:else and their arms are built for
these tournament situations because.
399
:You can throw one or two innings,
two, three days in a row, and you've
400
:got the arms to continually do that.
401
:So it'll be interesting to see how
the pitching plan rolls out today.
402
:Uh, we don't know who is starting.
403
:I think Dylan Brown is a great bet.
404
:Uh, he has been resurrected
since I think that VCU game.
405
:A couple of weeks ago, he's had
some great performances for us, uh,
406
:but we got so much behind him too.
407
:I mean, if, if he can give you a three
or four, you can probably throw a
408
:pitcher every ending the rest of the
way, uh, and, and be able to come out
409
:unscathed and have everybody back.
410
:Uh, but again, I think it comes
down to hitting, being able to
411
:put some runs up on the board.
412
:Uh, Georgia Southern.
413
:I absolutely did that yesterday.
414
:They wrecked JMU, uh, 12 to four.
415
:They added five more there in the
ninth inning to really pull away and
416
:throw JMU over to the losers bracket.
417
:The only thing that maybe kind
of gives me some pause and some
418
:concern is that we had that big
outburst for six runs in the fourth.
419
:And then we weren't able to
put up any more runs and kind
420
:of put that thing away later.
421
:We got some guys on base, but never got
that additional hit to bring him in.
422
:So hoping that is just
maybe got complacent.
423
:Louisiana's pitching was, was in good
shape, uh, but we're definitely going to
424
:need to rely on runs over multiple innings
and not just one big inning, uh, against
425
:Georgia Southern because they're, they're
good ball clubs, surprise, surprise.
426
:CB: I'm with you.
427
:It always gets me a little nervous when
you score a ton of runs in one inning, and
428
:then don't do much the rest of the game.
429
:Uh, but at the same time, that feels
very picky after a whole season.
430
:Where we've said, you know,
boy, I wish they would score.
431
:So it, you can't, we really, I feel
like I can't have it both ways.
432
:I gotta be excited when they do score.
433
:Uh, but yeah, I mean, just, just like
you said, they, they had so many good
434
:at bats throughout the game, um, even
though they didn't quite get things going
435
:in other innings, there were lots of
really good at bats, lots of good hits.
436
:Um, and you, you really feel good about
where they are going into this game.
437
:We destroyed Georgia Southern when
they came to ODU back in March.
438
:Uh, but again, that was back in March.
439
:That was a long time ago.
440
:Um, and even that series, you know,
we, we beat them two games in a row by
441
:run rule, and then they beat us two to
one on a Sunday when we couldn't hit.
442
:Uh, so that I remember that being
extremely frustrating but that was
443
:also that was march Yeah, that was
three months ago, uh, two months ago
444
:who it feels like 100 years ago Uh,
but you know things are very different.
445
:You you really can't take much away
from that I'm sure we have a very
446
:different lineup and pitching rotation.
447
:They have a very different line of
pitching rotation Nobody's got the
448
:same thing in may they had in march
449
:Gary: A lot has changed for sure.
450
:Uh, since, two months ago in March,
we saw that very clearly with how
451
:well we played against Louisiana
when two months ago, they just
452
:absolutely destroyed us in Lafayette.
453
:It's a whole brand new, brand
new game, brand new teams.
454
:I'm sure Georgia Southern
is pretty pumped up.
455
:They had the late game yesterday
and they won it 12 to four.
456
:They controlled that thing
the whole way through.
457
:They were up six, nothing through
to, uh, kind of expose JMU.
458
:I think a little bit, I I'm excited about
the fact that we've got guys up and down
459
:the lineup contributing, and it seems like
it's maybe somebody different each game.
460
:Uh, you know, Maverick Stallings
did not hit a home run against
461
:Louisiana for the first
time in five games.
462
:CB: What a bum
463
:Gary: So finally that, that streak has
come to an end, but you know, that,
464
:I think that just means he's due for
about two more home runs, uh, later this
465
:evening against Georgia Southern, and
466
:CB: a bum you better
better bench that guy.
467
:He's he's no good Um, yeah Boo . Which,
which, uh, speaking of boo, that's,
468
:that's one of my favorite things
now that I understand the context.
469
:When they get a single, you might
see the guys putting the thumbs down.
470
:Uh, and that's, that's the boo.
471
:We don't want singles.
472
:Uh, the singles are boo.
473
:So every time you, uh, you see a,
a node, you hit or get a single,
474
:and they're on first base, they're
giving the thumbs down to the dugout.
475
:That's why, because, uh, boo singles.
476
:So that's a, that's a fun thing once
you understand what they're doing.
477
:Uh, but yeah, this game tonight,
it's going to be exciting.
478
:You know, ODU has really put themselves
in a position that I think very few
479
:people really would have expected.
480
:Uh, but you, you got a chance to go out
and win a game against a team that you
481
:had beat before and you stack up well
against and put yourself in an amazing
482
:spot, uh, going forward in the tournament.
483
:Gary: there's definitely some other action
within the Sunbelt tournament today.
484
:And this is going to sound kind
of crazy when I talk about it.
485
:So, uh, opening the games today,
uh, coastal Carolina and app state
486
:are playing an elimination game.
487
:So either coastal or app will be out
probably by the time this episode hits.
488
:Uh, whatever podcasting platform you
listen through, and that's going to
489
:be followed by JMU against Louisiana
and another elimination game.
490
:So, two of those four teams
are going to be gone before
491
:we even take the field today.
492
:Uh, prior to our game at 5 o'clock
Eastern, uh, three seed Troy is
493
:taking on two seed Southern Miss.
494
:That's the other winner's bracket game.
495
:And then, uh, we are currently
scheduled for eight 30.
496
:I would be shocked if we actually
start that game at eight 30.
497
:Uh, everything looks good on
the weather, but I think so far.
498
:None of the second games have actually
started on time so far in this tournament.
499
:So, uh, expect a long night, get yourself
some coffee, some other beverages,
500
:whatever you got to do, uh, however you
consumed the game against Louisiana.
501
:I recommend, uh, taking that
same approach because it's
502
:only weird if it doesn't work.
503
:I had, uh, For a little while, I had
the radio feed with Eric Bohannon synced
504
:to ESPN plus and was going that route.
505
:Uh, but I had some food out on the
smoker, so I ended up with AirPods
506
:listening to Eric and then the game on TV.
507
:So I may have to go out and buy
another rack of baby back ribs just
508
:to recreate the exact environment
that I watched the game yesterday.
509
:CB: I will be on my parents
couch watching with them again.
510
:So I guess I will have some similar,
maybe a mom bring us more of that
511
:pasta we had last night, I guess.
512
:You mentioned the timing.
513
:Um, it hasn't been that bad, honestly,
because yesterday was the fourth game
514
:that ODU played, uh, and it didn't start
until nine when it should have been 830.
515
:That's not too bad.
516
:Realistically, I mean, I think
the clock is having a big effect.
517
:These games aren't lasting forever,
uh, because there were other years.
518
:I remember one year, I think in
the Sunbelt tournament, ODU had the
519
:last game and because of between
weather and long games, it didn't
520
:start until like one in the morning.
521
:Uh, so things could be a lot worse.
522
:Gary: Absolutely, and it
is pretty warm down there.
523
:I'm sure those of you that are
there don't need me to tell you
524
:that it's, it's hot and muggy.
525
:Uh, but there are definitely
some advantages of playing not in
526
:the sun today, late in the day.
527
:Uh, it takes a little less wear and
tear on your body, a little less
528
:sweating through your uniforms.
529
:Uh, so that that's another advantage of
taking this one seed path is you kind
530
:of get everything that's favorable.
531
:Uh, if we win tonight against
Georgia Southern, uh, we will not
532
:play again until Saturday at, uh, 1.
533
:30 p.
534
:m.
535
:Eastern.
536
:Uh, if we do lose it, Uh, tonight we will
bounce back on Friday at 7 30 eastern time
537
:in that game 12 on the Sunbelt bracket.
538
:So, um, even a loss is not the worst.
539
:You don't have to turn around like
play first thing in the morning,
540
:but the opportunity is there.
541
:I mean, if you can find a way to beat
Georgia Southern, like they found a way
542
:to beat South Alabama and Louisiana.
543
:They are going to be set up for some
pretty amazing things on Saturday,
544
:having a day off to rest some arms,
get the guys off their feet, let
545
:them unwind a little bit, and then
be back at it because you go to and O
546
:through the double elimination round.
547
:You're in the driver's seat moving
forward, and it's gonna be a lot of
548
:fun to watch that unfold tonight.
549
:CB: Yeah, this is a great chance for
these guys to show how good they are, how
550
:good they believe they are all year, how
good we believe they are all year, uh,
551
:to go out and hit like we know they're
capable of, have our pitching continue
552
:to be exactly who they've been all year.
553
:It's extremely exciting.
554
:So this, this is, uh, we, we just got
to sit back and, uh, be grateful for the
555
:first two games and how well they've done.
556
:And hopefully it continues for another,
uh, what, about three games, just,
557
:uh, bop, bop, bop right through it.
558
:And then, uh, all of a sudden find
yourself making some plans for June.
559
:Gary: Yeah, still a very long way
to go to get there, but they've done
560
:some pretty impressive things in
these first two games, and they've
561
:given themselves this opportunity.
562
:Uh, Coach Fenwood said after that final
game against App State, it's like, I don't
563
:know what all we have and if we have the
most talent, but I know that we can fight
564
:and this team has absolutely done that
through the tournament, getting the last
565
:two wins they needed at Georgia State.
566
:Like, it looks like a
different team out there.
567
:Uh, in, in just about every aspect.
568
:And we've said before, why not us?
569
:Why not steal a bid from
somebody else in the Sunbelt?
570
:Maybe, maybe JMU.
571
:CB: You know, sometimes you put
stuff through a meat grinder and
572
:you just get a bunch of stuff.
573
:And sometimes you put stuff through a meat
grinder and you get a beautiful hamburger.
574
:Uh, so I think we might be
that beautiful hamburger.
575
:Gary: We will hope so.
576
:Well, we will definitely be
tuned in and watching it.
577
:Uh, there's a recap from last
night's game at odumonarchist.
578
:com.
579
:Go check that out while you're
there, click over to our store.
580
:We still obviously have all of the
baseball, shirts that are up there.
581
:The Bud Bombers, the Absolute
Nukes, the Luke Newcomb shirt.
582
:Uh, with the proceeds actually go to Luke.
583
:And then there's a new shirt
that is up there as well.
584
:If you're an ODU basketball fan
for coach Mike Jones and Odell
585
:Hodge, stay tuned, to everything
from ODU baseball, ODU Monarchist
586
:account, we will keep you informed.
587
:I'm Gary go
588
:CB: And I'm CB go Monarchs.
