S1E6 - Boston Rain Party
The guys recap a 2-2 week for ODU Baseball and preview a pair of games with Princeton. We cover the start of Sun Belt play with Georgia Southern Friday.
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
I'm going to go to sleep.
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:Good night.
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:Gary: Hello, Monarch fans and welcome
to the Hudson Homer's podcast.
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:Thank you for joining us
for our first five episodes.
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:Kind of strange that we're
already on episode six.
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:I am Gary and I'm joined by my co host CB.
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:CB, how are you doing today?
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:CB: Hey, man, I'm great.
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:Interesting day yesterday, but I am
excited about the week coming up should
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:have some amazing weather for the games.
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:Uh, Tomorrow on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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:That's that's i'm excited about this week
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:Gary: Yeah, it's weird how, you know,
we had the Rutgers week and we went one
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:and three, but I felt fairly positive
because we won that last game on Sunday.
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:Now we've had a two and two week and
we dropped the last two of the week.
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:And I somehow feel worse now
than I did after that series.
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:CB: It is funny how the the way the game
goes on sunday can really I mean you
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:could you could go three and one On the
week, but if you lost sunday, you come
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:in like, hey, you know, it just doesn't
feel right So yeah, but that's not just
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:losing but getting uh getting stomped.
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:Uh, sunday afternoon was uh
made for a Weird feeling in the
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:mouth this morning for sure.
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:Gary: Yeah, it was definitely a weird one
after I thought we got off to a pretty
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:good start, but I want to kick things off
here with our dollars for dingers count.
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:We only got one this week It was
against William and Mary with Kenny
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:LaVarie coming through with a two
run shot So the dollars for dinger
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:total is now nine But bucks for bags
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:CB: Thanks for bags.
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:I'm telling you
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:Gary: We are up to 35 steals.
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:We're 35 for 39.
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:So the perfecto streak on that
is over, but 35 stolen bases
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:at this point in the season.
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:Pretty, pretty good.
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:CB: I think kyle was the first
one that got caught unfortunately,
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:uh, you know, but it happens
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:Gary: Yeah, eventually you're going to
run into someone who can throw you out.
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:And then we, we had another caught
stealing over the weekend that was a
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:result of a double steal where we kind
of intentionally got caught between first
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:and second so that a run could score.
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:So we're not perfect, but 35 for 39.
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:I will gladly take that at
this point in the season.
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:CB: Yeah, 35 bags and 15
games is pretty great.
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:I mean, you extrapolate that out.
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:You're, you're, you're taking a
lot of extra bases out of people.
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:Gary: Absolutely.
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:Well, let's jump into
to recap the week here.
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:We're going to start with the fun stuff.
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:We're going to start with the
game against William and Mary.
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:Unfortunately, only got one of
those in because of weather that
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:was in the area on Wednesday,
just a pretty nasty washout day.
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:But Tuesday, I felt like we just
took a businesslike approach to
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:that game, did what we were supposed
to do and came out with a win.
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:CB: Yeah, it was a real solid win.
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:I mean, that was one I, uh, I wasn't
able to get there, but I was able to
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:kind of keep up with the stats and,
uh, yeah, just the guys, you know,
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:they did what they needed to do.
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:Uh, Blake got off to a pretty
solid opening and all the pitching
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:behind him, you know, really was,
was very solid, you know, Bishara,
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:Nick Sulpizio, another good outing.
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:Kellen Davis bring out the
Raptor with a full inning.
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:Um, you know, cool.
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:Gotta got in there toward the end
and ponded another good closing.
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:I mean, so again, the pitching really
showed up well that day and the hitting
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:did, you know, Kenny, uh, Kenny really
turn things around this week and
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:Kyle Edwards had a really great week.
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:Uh, and they also got started
up with that on Tuesday.
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:So it was good to see William and
Mary always plays tough again.
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:They always, no matter what they
got going on, they always show
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:up and play tough against ODU.
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:Gary: And 13 total strikeouts for
the Monarch pitching staff that day.
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:Pretty good for a bullpen game.
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:Blake gets the start.
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:Blake gets credited with the win.
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:Uh, thought he threw really well,
but I think the, the key moment from
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:a pitching perspective in this game
was when Vincent Becerra came on with
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:one out there in the third inning.
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:Bases loaded, one out.
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:He gets two strikeouts to get
out of that inning unscathed.
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:Really great performance to come
out of the pen early for Bash.
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:CB: Yeah, that's just tough, man.
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:You know, he's, he's one of those guys
when he's on, he's really, really good.
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:He's, um, you know, I think that's the
difference between him being, you know, a
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:middle relief guy and him being a guy that
could really go out and be successful.
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:He just, he hasn't really always been
as consistent, but man, when he's on and
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:he's really doing it, that is a really
good picture and very, and very tough.
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:Gary: And you talked about Kenny LaVarie.
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:He definitely got things
going early on with a two run
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:home run in his first at bat.
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:Fourth inning, we kind of pile on a couple
extra runs there with Edwards getting an
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:RBI hit, uh, Stephen Meyer getting an RBI
hit and we're up six, nothing through six.
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:And it just feels like we took the
lunch pail, uh, to the bud that
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:day and, and hammered out a win.
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:CB: Yeah, and again, the pitching, yeah,
a couple of runs late, uh, overall,
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:everybody just kind of, like I said,
showed up, uh, punched the clock, did
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:what they had to do and get that win.
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:That's what you want to do.
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:Take care of the teams.
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:You should be
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:Gary: Yeah, absolutely.
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:And who knows what happens if we're able
to get that game in on Wednesday, if it
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:wears the pitching down more, gets us more
tuned up, helps us keep that momentum.
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:But either way, no game on
Wednesday up in Williamsburg.
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:I'm sure we'll get that tucked
back into the schedule at some
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:point here during the year.
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:Flash forward now to Friday, another
weather impacted weekend, end up going
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:double dip on Friday with Saturday
off, which was kind of unique.
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:And ODU comes out and gets a
seven to five win to open up
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:the series with the Huskies.
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:CB: yeah another good one You
know again kyle had a great day
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:luke waters really good again.
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:You gotta keep giving him props He's
been about our most consistent hitter,
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:even though I think kyle's probably
been our best hitter Uh luke waters
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:has been the most consistent Uh boucher
another good game and then again the
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:pitching, you know, uh, halibut's
struggled a little bit But after him,
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:you know, steven trone has been doing
some great work and again kellen davis
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:and jacob gomez Finishing things off.
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:I mean, so, so again, you know, just
all around, they kind of, uh, I think
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:they had to come from behind it again.
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:Yeah, we had to come from behind.
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:Gary: And you're repeating a lot
of the names that we've heard
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:consistently throughout this season
from the top of that order with
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:Edwards, with Meyer, Waters, Boucher.
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:They've typically hit somewhere between
one to four, one to five through the
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:lineup, but they They'll help carry
us through William Mary and carried us
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:through this game as well with Luke going
three for four driving in a run Boucher
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:was two for four drove into Edwards two
for four and credit to Rowan Massey first
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:career collegiate hit and RBI in that game
an infield single at a pretty critical
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:moment when we did need to come back
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:CB: yeah, Rowan's, uh,
he's a good ball player.
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:You know, his dad was a professional
player with the Yankees.
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:Uh, Made all the triple a didn't
quite get the big leagues, but played
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:triple a for a number of years and
and Rowan's He's a great athlete.
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:Um, I know him and his brother both played
hockey in addition to baseball And he's
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:really getting himself some more chances.
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:He's kind of he and um, Jack spites are
trying to figure out who's going to be
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:the the first guy called out really when
they knew those kind of right handed pinch
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:hitters and he's He's putting himself
right in that conversation as a freshman.
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:Gary: Looking back on that game, you
know, we We got on the board first.
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:It was kind of a back
and forth game there.
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:We tied at three, three, and
then it got to four, four.
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:Uh, but really, it was in that, that
seventh inning where we were able to
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:separate there a little bit, starting
with Rowan's, uh, RBI single that
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:brought in Stephen Meyer, and then
Alex Boucher with a two run double down
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:the left field line, absolutely ripped
that ball, uh, to put us up seven, four.
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:We ended up winning seven, five.
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:Yeah.
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:I thought early on, Hollabets
had a good first inning.
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:I gave up the three there in the second,
but I, I felt like, and, I'm watching
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:the stream, so I don't have the best view
of home plate, but I felt like he was
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:getting squeezed quite a bit there in that
second inning from the home plate umpire.
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:CB: Yeah, I was, for that first
game, I was watching it, the same
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:thing, and, uh, there was, I have
not really seen a lot of umpires so
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:far this year that I've been super
excited about what they've been doing.
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:Um, there seems to be a lot of
inconsistency from inning to inning,
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:even at bat to at, but sometimes
pitch to pitch, and so that's hard.
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:It's hard for a pitcher.
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:It's hard for the hitters.
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:It's, it's not really benefiting anybody.
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:Gary: Yeah.
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:And I think because of that, hollow
bets ran up that pitch count.
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:I was at 78 pitches through three innings.
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:They're only gave up the three
earned runs, uh, five strikeouts,
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:two walks, hit two batters.
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:Uh, definitely not his, his best
outing from a control standpoint,
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:uh, but he was able to limit the
damage despite getting squeezed.
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:And then Steven Trone came in for the
fourth, and pitched a pretty clean and
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:he hit one guy, but for the most part,
no hits, no runs, anything like that.
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:Just a good ball game.
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:I thought back and forth, uh, we took
advantage of them in the fifth inning to
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:tie things back up, uh, with, just putting
the ball in play, running some guys.
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:That was the play where Luke got, you
know, quote unquote, caught stealing going
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:from first to second that allowed Meyer
to score, uh, and kind of get us back into
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:that ball game and have us take the lead.
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:So interesting small ball game.
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:I mean, no, no home runs for
us in that series against
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:Northeastern, but they had a couple.
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:CB: Yeah the kid lane had a
apparently this is what he does.
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:He's a giant Um, but you know, it's it's
just again going to be an indication.
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:I think of how odu is I think in our
in our Our best version of this team.
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:They're not home run hitters But they
are this team that can go out and produce
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:runs and create runs We got some guys
who can run some guys can put the ball
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:in play and Some of these guys are really
starting to trend in the right direction.
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:So again, I think people who've been,
you know, gotten used to it, loved to
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:the home runs last few years, you might
need to let that go and just start
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:accepting just some good baseball.
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:Gary: It's a different team.
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:We've been told that from the jump.
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:I know we've, we've been preaching
it on here and you're really starting
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:to see it play out now with only nine
home runs through 15 games this season.
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:But, uh, on to close this one
out again, and something we've
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:seen quite a bit this season.
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:Friday is the last three
innings belong to Jacob Gomez
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:and he was electric once again.
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:Uh, three innings pitch, six
strikeouts, uh, gets credited for the
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:win in this one instead of the save.
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:That's about the only difference from his
other, uh, Friday evening performances.
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:CB: Yeah.
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:I mean, when you've got a guy that
is just as, as much of a, an absolute
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:bulldog and just a competitor and
a fighter, um, and you could put.
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:The guy like Gomez out there on
the mound at the end of the game.
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:I mean you'd be crazy not to I don't
know that his stuff is any better than
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:anybody else's But he is just going to
compete and fight better than anybody else
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:Gary: And you can feel
that bulldog mentality.
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:He's getting those strikeouts.
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:He's chirping it up as he always does.
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:And I really do feel like that rallies
the team, even the guys that are hitting
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:that, that is getting them pumped
up and giving them some confidence.
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:So they come to the plate and we saw
that with, uh, you know, the runs being
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:scored and being able to hold on to
take that game one, you mentioned his
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:name earlier and I promise we won't
mention it much today because I think
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:we all want to erase the memory, but.
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:Alex Lane, we warned you about him,
in the, uh, previous Hudson Homer's
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:podcast episode that he is a monster.
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:I think he had a 1.
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:353 OPS, uh, coming into this
weekend that did not go down.
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:He finished six for 13, two bombs, 10
ribbies and was walked three times.
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:Uh, the other person we talked about,
Tyler McGregor also had a great game.
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:They've got some dudes at the top
of that lineup and they made their
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:presence known on Saturday and Sunday.
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:CB: and the funny thing is the scouts
Uh, we're really there to watch mike
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:serota Uh, the center fielder who is
kind of off to a slow start, but he
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:had a, he had an outstanding sophomore
season And you can see the tools there.
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:I mean, he's a big big athletic center
fielder I think I saw he was apparently
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:drafted in the 16th round out of high
school and didn't sign Um, so it's it's
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:funny that He's not even he might be
considered the best player on his team,
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:but he's not playing the best So it tells
you the northeastern has got some stuff.
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:They can definitely they can
do go do some damage this year.
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:That's for sure
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:Gary: They're definitely going
to put up some home run totals.
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:At least Alex Lane is, uh, and
Sirota also had a great game.
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:Really Sirota, McGregor and Alex Lane
were, were tough guys to get out all
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:weekend long, really broke through on,
on Sunday and put that game out of reach.
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:But, you know, looking at
that second game on Friday.
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:Coming out of the gate, it looked like
it was going to be a super high scoring
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:kind of crazy game with the person
we've been talking about, Alex Lane,
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:you know, bleeding off there in the
first, uh, is one of five Huskies to
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:hit in their first five at bats, gets a
three run double to go up three nothing.
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:Uh, they tack on another one
there in the first, but we
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:answered there in the bottom half.
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:CB: Yeah came right back, you know
again luke waters with a double score
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:and kenny Uh are scoring kyle edwards
and then kenny singling and uh luke
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:scoring, you know, so you're you're
back to four to two But then a bunch
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:of zeros for the next five innings.
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:Gary: I mean, it was like
somebody just turned off the
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:offense when it hit four to two.
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:I don't know if the temperature dropped
or what happened there at the bud.
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:Uh, but we didn't see anything
else until the seventh inning.
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:Northeastern was able to take advantage of
some errors, getting some, little singles
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:through the infield, end up going up six
to two, uh, and then tack on two more
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:there in the eighth to go to eight to two.
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:But I got to give credit to the lineup.
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:I mean, they were, they were not done
yet in Kenny LaVarie breaking back out
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:in a big way, gets a two run double
there in the eighth to make it eight
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:to four and a little more achievable.
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:But, uh, unfortunately nothing,
nothing could get going
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:there in that ninth inning.
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:CB: Yeah kenny that day three for
three with three rbis and a walk I
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:mean, this is a guy who was I think he
came in at the week hitting under 200.
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:So he really was turning things around.
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:Even the outs he was making, you
could see that kind of last weekend,
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:leading in the outs he was making were
line drive outs and right at guys.
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:And so you could see the results.
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:And for Kenny, It's got to be
so much easier, but just better
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:when you're when you're a senior.
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:So, you know, you've had success, you
know, it's not like he's a guy who
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:has not had success at this level.
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:He's, he's had three years where he's been
a starter pretty much every single game.
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:So he's got to be able to look back and
just say, look, I know what I'm doing.
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:I know how to be successful.
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:If I can just relax and find
myself, it's going to work out.
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:And you see clearly
that's what happened here.
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:Gary: And yeah, you're right.
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:He started having better at bats.
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:I think last weekend started coming
around, but this week ends up going six
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:for 14, hits a home run, has a double
drives in five runs, drew a walk, uh,
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:really, really good down the stretch
there in the northeastern series.
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:So good to see him.
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:Officially come off the Schneid to
start the season and be fired up.
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:I think we're looking for some
other guys there to keep that up.
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:I know it's tough going
right now, uh, for Tyser.
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:Uh, he had no hits this week,
had quite a few at bats, just.
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:I know he is scuffling and trying
to get better, every game, but
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:it's tough going for him right now.
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:CB: Yeah, he, he just
looks a little in between.
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:It looks like he's, he's not
making, um, really good choices
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:on what pitches to swing at.
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:And then there's a little bit of,
um, it kind of reminds me of late
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:in Fred McGriff's career, you
know, um, Tyser obviously at six,
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:seven, he's a lot bigger than, I
mean, Fred McGriff's a large human.
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:He's six, four, six, five, but he's got
that kind of, he had the same way Tyser
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:had his, it's kind of that locked arms
and not really covering the entire plate.
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:And, when you're.
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:When you're six, seven,
you're armed as long as that.
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:You shouldn't have any
problem covering the plate.
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:The adjustments up and down
sometimes a little harder.
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:That's why you, you have not seen
a lot of, a lot of huge hitters.
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:And that's why Aaron judge is such a
different thing in the major leagues.
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:You know, there's the amount of guys
you list off top of your head who were
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:six, six or six, seven that played
major league baseball as a hitter.
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:Very, I mean, I think like
Frank Howard, you know, Richie
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:Sexton, it's a small list.
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:He's having those struggles right now.
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:So, you know, it's, he's got a
kind of, I think the focus for him
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:just needs to be making contact
and putting the ball in play.
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:Um, I think we gotta, he's gotta
get, I don't know in his head, I
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:don't know his approach, but it's,
it looks a little bit like trying
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:to hit the ball out of the ballpark.
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:And I think he's just got to get back
to put the ball in play because for
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:him, if he puts the ball in play, if
he just hits the ball, he's going to
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:hit the ball really hard, really far.
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:Uh, he can hit a single off
the wall as well as anybody.
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:It's also hard when you do put the ball
in play and the second baseman's out
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:in right field, you know, somebody be a
single for a lot of guys, they're going
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:to always going to do that pull on them.
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:So you just got to focus
on put the ball in play.
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:And I think, I hope
Tyson's going to be fine.
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:I'd like to believe it.
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:He's too good of a ball player not to be.
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:Gary: He really is.
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:And it's tough to see him get off
to this slow start when some of
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:the other guys around him in the
lineup are hitting pretty well.
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:We've seen him kind of back inserted
into that number four spot in the lineup
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:with some really good guys ahead of him.
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:Uh, Boucher hitting behind
him and LaVarie behind that.
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:And if LaVarie has it going again,
I almost wonder if you see a little
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:bit of a lineup shakeup where.
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:You know, either Boucher or LaVarie
goes into that four hole and you can
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:move Tyser down to six, maybe take some
pressure off of him with his at bats
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:and let him just focus on his at bat
and making good contact rather than,
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:hitting behind those top three guys in
the lineup where there may be a little
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:more pressure to produce runs and hit
the ball farther to drive them in.
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:CB: Yeah.
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:I mean, I still, we're still going to
see some, some changes in the lineup.
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:You know, they're still really looking
for somebody to take over second base,
336
:somebody to take over left field.
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:Carter Sunderman and TJ Aiken have been
making some, some nice moves there.
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:Uh, but you know, I, I don't
think the lineup is what it,
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:what it's going to be at the end.
340
:I, you know, I, they obviously Kyle
Average at shortstop, Meyer and center
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:field, Luke Waters and right field,
Boucher at first, um, Kenny at third,
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:and, and probably Holman catching
most games is going to be your lineup.
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:And then the rest, you Then he
told me, he's like, I'm going to
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:go with my nine toughest guys.
345
:Now that the way he pointed out
might not be the most talented guys.
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:He wants the tough guys, the
guys who are really going to go
347
:out and really take that good,
strong mental approach to things.
348
:So I think in the end, that's
going to be, make the best results.
349
:So guys just got to show they're the
toughest and they're, and they're
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:going to have the best results.
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:Gary: Yeah, I thought carter
had a pretty good week.
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:I don't know if it's enough to establish
himself as the full time second
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:baseman, but he had a couple hits.
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:I thought he had some good at bats.
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:Uh, Maverick stallings.
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:He also played pretty well, went
one for three with a walk on sunday.
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:But I think this is the week where
those positions could be up for grabs.
358
:You know, you got the two against
Princeton, you've got the first conference
359
:series against Georgia Southern coming up.
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:I've been impressed with TJ Aiken.
361
:If you want to talk about toughness,
I mean, guy who's kind of, for the
362
:most part, coming off the bench and
the pinch run situations, not afraid
363
:to bunt, lay one down, even though he
was probably a monster power hitter
364
:when he was in high school, um, that
I've liked what I've seen from him,
365
:uh, playing out there in left field.
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:And I feel like he's gotten a little
bit more playing time recently
367
:compared to the Jackson Tone and Gavin
Abrams, uh, who have been kind of
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:rotating in and out of left as well.
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:CB: TJ is definitely, uh, he's definitely
got some work to do in the outfield, even
370
:though he's probably, you Uh, a better
defensive choice than Tone or Abrams
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:just because, Tone's a catcher who hasn't
played much out there and Gavin was an
372
:infielder probably until about last year.
373
:TJ and Carter, they're both, you
know, it's as a freshman, sometimes
374
:you're gonna have those mistakes and
some things but they're both really
375
:good ball players and good hitters.
376
:Like I said, they, they, TJ right
there being, being willing to bunt.
377
:He's excited about bunting too.
378
:I mean, he got that bunt
single and II, he was there.
379
:We're talking with Ryan five and
he's like, I told you every time
380
:I got it and so, you know, he is.
381
:He's excited to do things to, to get
himself in the lab to help the team.
382
:Um, so it's, it's exciting to see.
383
:So you're hoping you're, I think
you're right with Princeton coming
384
:in, you know, nothing against Prince.
385
:I love their pitching coach, Joe Homaker.
386
:He's a, uh, ODU alumni.
387
:Um, but they're not as
talented a team as ODU.
388
:And so this is, it's a good opportunity
to go out and really get some bats going.
389
:Uh and get the pitching kind of
righted after the weekend and you
390
:believe they should go out and really
dominate Princeton these two games.
391
:That's that's what you'd hope and
then really get yourself get your
392
:head Right get everything feeling good
going into the conference weekend.
393
:Gary: And I would hope that they are
pretty excited to get the opportunity
394
:to go play Princeton and go make a big
game and run some, some scores up because
395
:they were on the wrong end of that Sunday
in the series finale with Northeastern.
396
:Before you could really blink, it
was 11 nothing Huskies in the fourth.
397
:Um, all the guys that we have
talked about from Northeastern
398
:were absolutely crushing the ball.
399
:It was kind of tough, ended
up being a bullpen day for us.
400
:Finney, I think said this after the
game, you can't give 13 free passes to
401
:a team with the top of an order, like
Northeastern, they expect to win games.
402
:And we didn't, if we put people on
base, they were driving them in.
403
:CB: Trent Buchanan who'd
been the sunday guy.
404
:He jammed his thumb Uh, I again, I don't
think he was doing anything unusual.
405
:It was just kind of normal baseball
stuff and just jammed his thumb and so I
406
:don't know how long, what the timetable
on that is, but so that kind of puts you
407
:in a position where you had to throw a
pond in there as an emergency and they
408
:ended up using eight pitchers and it
just kind of, it was hard for anybody
409
:to really define a lot of success.
410
:I mean, it seems like everybody
that came in, uh, gave up, if not
411
:their own run, somebody else's runs.
412
:I think Kyle Finn had the only
scoreless ending of the day.
413
:I think the seventh inning is scoreless.
414
:Guys showed stuff, good things
off and on, but overall, yeah.
415
:I mean, you give up 17 runs and
like I said, if you walk, uh,
416
:that many guys, it's just tough.
417
:Gary: You're correct.
418
:Finn had the only scoreless
inning and it was the seventh.
419
:Uh, they put up at least one
run in every other inning.
420
:It's the first clunker game from our
pitching staff of the season, which
421
:15 games in against a really tough
schedule is not necessarily a bad thing.
422
:You're going to have days like
that, especially when your pitching
423
:plan kind of gets disrupted a
little bit by an injury with, with
424
:Trip Buchanan jamming his thumb.
425
:I hope he is all right and
able to come back here quickly.
426
:Cause I really liked the way
that he's been progressing this
427
:season as that Sunday starter.
428
:Uh, so throws off your whole
plan and really just, I think.
429
:Set the team back a good bit from the
jump and Northeastern was, we thought
430
:that they'd be tired from this super
long road trip they've had going all
431
:over the South, but, uh, they, they hit
a different gear on Sunday at the plate.
432
:And it was, uh, it was
pretty impressive to see.
433
:CB: Yeah, I mean, like I said,
like we were saying, they're,
434
:they're very good hitters.
435
:And when you know the other guys have
their, uh, Whole situation kind of
436
:upended, then you're licking your chops.
437
:I mean, you start coming out and you're
seeing guys who've only thrown one game
438
:and you got, uh, you know, Ben Moisan
coming out and making his season debut,
439
:you're thinking like, Hey, I'm gonna get,
I'm gonna get healthy off these guys.
440
:And they did,, all dominion
score nine runs themselves, but
441
:the same time when you've got.
442
:That big of a lead you start pitching some
guys That don't pitch all the time either.
443
:Gary: They did, uh, but I I'll give our
lineup credit of trying to stay in it
444
:and still trying to have quality at bats.
445
:I mean, Evan Holman had a nice double
down the right field line to score run.
446
:T.
447
:J.
448
:Aiken got an RBI single.
449
:And then even, later into the game.
450
:You've got Kyle Edwards
doing some good work.
451
:Stephen Meyer, uh, Nick Miller got
a, got a triple that cleared the
452
:bases and brought three runs home.
453
:So definitely no quit in the lineup.
454
:They were still trying to have good
at bats and build on it, but you get
455
:into an 11, nothing hole in baseball
on a getaway day, and you're not
456
:very likely to come back from that.
457
:CB: I mean it's tough but it was good
to see I mean when they were down 10
458
:nothing You could just pack it in and
say we're done, but they didn't our
459
:guys kept having good at bats And again,
it's been a thing The hitting has not
460
:really been good enough this year.
461
:So it was good to see like, okay,
look, we're still in this game.
462
:We still, you know, score
nine runs is not a small deal.
463
:You got to go out and do your job and
score some runs and get yourself right.
464
:Because the games really
start to matter this weekend.
465
:Gary: You are correct.
466
:It gets serious.
467
:Like, shit gets real, starting
this weekend with Georgia
468
:Southern coming to town.
469
:But wanna talk a little bit about
Princeton first, give you all some
470
:background on what to expect there.
471
:And then kind of maybe jump into
our pitching situation going into
472
:the weekend with Georgia Southern.
473
:But, Princeton, they're
two and eight overall.
474
:They just finished a game at the
university of Richmond today, which
475
:is Monday, uh, I saw in the top of the
ninth, it was 24 to eight Richmond.
476
:Uh, it was not a good looking score.
477
:I have not checked it again, but
478
:CB: Yeah.
479
:24 days when they finished.
480
:Gary: Yeah.
481
:Three touchdowns in the field goals.
482
:Not, not good on the baseball field.
483
:Um, but yeah, dropped two out
of three to, to UNC Wilmington.
484
:They got swept by UNC.
485
:The games that they've won, they
beat Wheat Wilmington once they,
486
:uh, beat Navy 22 to 12 as the
second game of the double header.
487
:This game on Tuesday will be
their fourth game in three days.
488
:Uh, so they're playing us Tuesday,
Wednesday, they have Thursday
489
:off and they have a four game
set in Richmond against VCU
490
:with the double header
there that Saturday.
491
:So they are taking the
punishment tour right
492
:now
493
:through Virginia.
494
:CB: This is a thing they do every year.
495
:It's just kind of, it makes sense with
the way they, you know, the weather up
496
:there in New Jersey and kind of what
they can afford as far as going on trips.
497
:It's kind of easier to go on one big
trip than a bunch of small trips.
498
:Um, so they kind of work this out
for their spring break every year.
499
:They pick tough opponents and the
hope is that when they get to the
500
:Ivy League, they'll be ready to go.
501
:Like I said, Joe Homaker is a
ODU alum, great, great guy, uh,
502
:pitched here in 2010 and 11.
503
:Uh, one of my favorite people
I've ever met in baseball.
504
:Um, and so, you know, I know
the pitching staffs, they're,
505
:they're wearing it right now.
506
:I think I'm looking right now, they
have a 957 ERA through 10 games.
507
:Just know based on some of these
guys, you know, seeing them here
508
:last year, a few of these guys are
much better pitchers than that.
509
:You hope the same thing I would use.
510
:Hoping that you play a really
tough non conference schedule.
511
:So that when it's time to play your
conference, you're ready to go.
512
:Gary: One name to watch
out on the offensive side.
513
:Jake Coonan.
514
:Hi, he's hitting 333 as four
doubles driven in 11 runs.
515
:He's really one of their better hitters.
516
:Starting pitching, not, not much
to talk about there, unfortunately.
517
:And part of that is because of how
tough of a schedule they've played.
518
:Uh, but Jacob Faulkner and Andrew
D'Alesso out of their bullpen, uh,
519
:they're both look pretty strong.
520
:But then again, they probably haven't
been in many high leverage situations
521
:are probably coming in when they're down
by a good bit, not as much pressure.
522
:Uh, but a couple of names
to watch out for there.
523
:Uh, one thing is it relates
to Austin and bucks for bags.
524
:Opponents are 31 for 33 stealing
bases off of Princeton this year.
525
:So I would expect that if the game
is close at all and we're not just
526
:being jerks, uh, we're going to
take bases where we can take bases
527
:on Tuesday and Wednesday, uh,
probably early on in those games.
528
:Maybe bump up those, uh, bucks for bags
529
:or bags for bucks
530
:numbers, uh, that we're looking
to supplement the dingers.
531
:CB: You
532
:gotta believe you're a better
team than them, but you also,
533
:you gotta go out and show it.
534
:You can't just, you can't just walk up
and, you know, Oh yeah, we're better.
535
:We'll just phone this one in like, no,
go out, grind out your at bats, put the
536
:ball in play and really just, I mean,
just dominate these guys, frankly,
537
:if you can win 30 to nothing two days
in a row, that's what you want to do.
538
:Gary: I mean, our scorecards already look
pretty crazy with all the substitutions
539
:we do wouldn't be a bad one to send a lot
of different guys to the dish and get up.
540
:But you've got to show up
and you've got to go do it.
541
:It's easy to talk about it, but you've
got to go out there, perform, put up
542
:those runs and then put yourself in that
situation where those guys down the end of
543
:the bench that may not get a ton of bats
544
:this season are able to get a few quality
ones here on Tuesday and Wednesday.
545
:CB: Absolutely.
546
:It's what you hope for.
547
:Gary: And I want to pose this question
before we talk about Georgia Southern
548
:and going into our conference schedule.
549
:But the starting pitching rotation,
with what happened Sunday, you've got
550
:an injury, a jam thumb that, that kind
of shakes some things up, but I have to
551
:think there's some consideration from
coach Finwood right now about trying some
552
:of these really strong arms out of the
bullpen that can give you three, four,
553
:five have been starters before, if it
554
:would make sense to plug and play one of
555
:them for one of these weekend
spots based just on what
556
:we've seen so far this season.
557
:CB: Yeah, you know, I was talking to
558
:Finney and he, he definitely, I think
I had mentioned it on a podcast before
559
:about, you know, I think some guys
are just more suited for relieving.
560
:And I think, like, I think I
pointed out John Hollibest is a
561
:guy that I think is just mentally.
562
:Likes being in the bullpen.
563
:I think that that pressure of
late game does better for him.
564
:I think some guys just for whatever
reason, you start me on the first inning.
565
:It's like, yeah, the pressure's
there, but it's, you have such
566
:a long game or they, they try to
save some of their stuff for later.
567
:It's like, well, you're not going
to be in the fifth inning if you
568
:don't pitch well in the first.
569
:Um, but some guys when you throw them out
there in the sixth or seventh or eighth,
570
:all of a sudden the, the gas is burning.
571
:Um, so I think he's, I think he's going
to make some switches this, this weekend.
572
:I don't know exactly.
573
:I think one of them is going to be
how that's coming out of the bullpen.
574
:Uh, possibly Jay Cassidy starting.
575
:Uh to give you a couple innings, I think
he's gonna he's I think looking more to
576
:go to Having some guys kind of be openers
and if you can get me A couple innings
577
:and I can have somebody else come out
and throw three or four innings or two or
578
:three innings And we can kind of piece the
game together that way uh We're gonna make
579
:it happen because the starting pitching.
580
:I mean, I think we only had one guy
throw five innings this year Um,
581
:and even then I think I think it was
Trent after he gave up four in the
582
:first he pitched five innings So go
out and just and use basically adapt,
583
:find, What are we actually good at?
584
:We have a lot of guys who are very
talented and maybe nobody can really throw
585
:five six innings But we have a lot of
guys who can throw two or three innings.
586
:So just start doing that.
587
:He did tell me that blake.
588
:Morgan is going to start on tuesday And
then probably come back and start the
589
:game on Sunday against Georgia Southern.
590
:Uh, so that'll be a little different.
591
:Um, and again, probably not expected to
go really long in either one of them,
592
:but just go out and get us a good start.
593
:And we've seen between Jacob Gomez and
Bailey Mattel and some of these other
594
:guys at the end of the bullpen, you
know, we can, and, and Brandon Pond,
595
:Brandon Pond's been dominant and relief.
596
:If some of those guys can come out
and close things off, then that,
597
:that might be the, the, The key to
success for this pitching staff.
598
:Gary: So many of the runs that we've
given up in a weekend series have come
599
:in the first or the second inning.
600
:It's like, we, we can't come out of the
gate firing from a pitching standpoint.
601
:And I think that makes a lot of sense
to go use a guy that you can just
602
:treat it as a relief appearance.
603
:Come in and get me one, get me
two innings because you have.
604
:So many talented arms in
that bullpen, and you have a
605
:talented starting rotation, too.
606
:It's just figuring out where are they
going to be the most effective to you.
607
:Exactly what you were saying.
608
:And I think there are guys like Jay
Cassidy who could be stretched out to give
609
:you three, four, maybe even five innings.
610
:Or if he was able to come in as a lefty
and, and shake up their lineup a little
611
:bit, and then you come on with the righty
and relief thing, close with Jacob Gomez.
612
:You almost have to look at it as, you
know, piecing the game out into three,
613
:three inning components, and how do you
get through those three phases of the
614
:game with your pitching, because we.
615
:We haven't been able
to put together a good
616
:first three innings very
often on these weekend series.
617
:CB: Finney was pointing back to, um, uh, I
believe it was:
618
:do something similar where at that point
having Jason Hartline come out to start
619
:a game and, uh, you know, with Jason,
he was always, you know, breaking stuff
620
:and cutters and, throwing mid eighties.
621
:And then following that up, we'd
have, uh, Hunter Gregory, throwing
622
:three or four innings out of the pen.
623
:So it.
624
:I think he's going to be looking to
do something similar, find someone out
625
:of the pen who has some funk to them,
somebody who maybe throw a sidearm,
626
:you know, have those guys that they can
come out and get a good solid inning,
627
:maybe one time through the lineup.
628
:And then moving on to, to some
of the relievers to do more.
629
:You look at a team like Tampa Bay,
uh, in the major leagues, you know,
630
:they've done this and it, some
other teams have picked up on it.
631
:It's the kind of thing where if you
just, if you don't have the personnel
632
:to go out and throw five, six innings
or seven innings or whatever, Then,
633
:you know, do what you got to do.
634
:Use your personnel the best way possible.
635
:Don't try to make guys
something they're not.
636
:Gary: I agree with everything
that you're saying there.
637
:I'm excited to hear the prospect
of Blake Morgan filling on Sunday
638
:after getting a couple innings
in on Tuesday against Princeton.
639
:I imagine he's Probably needs a
couple more starts before you could
640
:expect him to go five innings.
641
:But if he's able to return to that
form that he had two years ago, that's
642
:someone that you could plug and play
as your Friday starter to get you those
643
:first five innings, you bridge it with
one, then give Gomez the last three.
644
:I mean, that's a pretty good recipe
for winning a ball game on a Friday,
645
:especially moving into these conference
series where those are going to be
646
:hotly contested games to set the
tone for the rest of the weekend.
647
:But, you almost have to treat.
648
:Some of these weekend games now, like
you would in the elimination game in the
649
:conference tournament, where, all right,
you're going to, all arms are on deck.
650
:Anybody can throw, we'll figure out
the next day, the next day, it's
651
:just fighting and clawing for every
win, because that's what you're
652
:going to have to do in the Sunbelt.
653
:If you're looking at the teams in our
league, there's no one that you can walk
654
:into and go like, I think
655
:we will get two out of three.
656
:It's, we're gonna have to
fight to get two out of three.
657
:CB: Yeah.
658
:The conference is so tough.
659
:And I mean, that's 30 games, you know,
that's the majority of your schedule.
660
:But like you said, you every weekend
got to say, we got to do whatever
661
:I got to do to win the game.
662
:And you, you got to really, you're
going to hurt some guys egos because
663
:some guys are going to want to
believe that they're the best option.
664
:And you're, you were not the one today.
665
:Everybody's got to.
666
:And together and say, we're doing this
as a team and root for your teammates.
667
:It'd be amazing if Blake was able to
stretch out and become that guy, you know,
668
:but even if he just ends up being the guy
who can get us three solid to start a game
669
:that right now, that's what we need is
just someone to get off to a good start.
670
:Gary: It'll be interesting to see how
that plays out this weekend because you,
671
:you really don't get breathing room once
you hit the conference series, and we
672
:really haven't had any to start because
our non conference weekend series have
673
:been pretty tough, but there's not
like a, all right, we're going to get
674
:the next 4 days to go figure this out.
675
:It's like, no, you've got East Carolina
on Tuesday or Virginia on a Wednesday.
676
:There's no breather to try to
reset what you're trying to do.
677
:You've got to make some, some pretty
quick changes and you've got to find out
678
:real quickly how that team mentality and
team chemistry is going to stick together
679
:when maybe the three guys who have been
your weekend starters are now three
680
:guys on the back end of your bullpen.
681
:And there's someone
else getting that start.
682
:It's going to be.
683
:A good test for the leadership of this
team and the coaching staff to keep
684
:everyone in that mentality of, we need
685
:to win as a team and we need
to find ways to win on the,
686
:CB: Yeah, I mean you're exactly right.
687
:It just it comes
688
:down to just the teamwork.
689
:Are you there for each other?
690
:Are we all here for the same
mission and the same goal?
691
:Which is to come out of every game with a
victory and if we're doing that if we're
692
:all working together trying to make each
other better Like I said, that that's,
693
:it really does come down to some team
leadership because the coaches can try
694
:to, all they can try to do is put them
in the best situations possible and the
695
:guys still have to be the ones to do it.
696
:Gary: well, they'll get to test that
out if there are some change ups to the
697
:starting rotation this weekend, because
like I said, shit gets real Friday.
698
:The Georgia Southern
Eagles are coming to town.
699
:Uh, they've got a seven and
eight overall record, but don't
700
:let that throw you for a second.
701
:They have taken a similar approach that
old dominion did, and they have had
702
:an incredibly difficult non conference
schedule, uh, they lost two out of three.
703
:To Maryland, they dropped two out of
three on the road at Mississippi state.
704
:They lost two out of three to
a ranked Campbell team at home.
705
:Uh, those are three very good clubs.
706
:I don't know how they were able
to go down to Mississippi state
707
:and get a win on the road.
708
:And then Campbell has been
red hot on the weekend.
709
:So stealing the game there, they are
coming off of a sweep of Radford.
710
:So that's in my opinion, kind
of their George Washington.
711
:Of their season so far,
and they were dominant.
712
:Uh, they, they swept that series.
713
:They did pretty well.
714
:They have a midweek on Tuesday
against Kennesaw state at home.
715
:Uh, so they'll have a
716
:midweek just like we will.
717
:They did not play on Wednesday,
718
:but I'm telling you, this team is so much
719
:better than what the record indicates
720
:CB: Yeah.
721
:And they also lost midweeks
to Georgia tech and Georgia.
722
:I mean, so again, like it's just,
this, this was a tough schedule.
723
:I mean, frankly, old dominion is
one of the less tough teams on their
724
:schedule, which just says a lot because
all dominion, you know, this year
725
:and traditionally is a tough team.
726
:So they really had it going this
727
:year.
728
:Gary: and looking through their stats,
watching a couple of their games over the
729
:last couple of weeks, they are a team.
730
:That's very similar to old dominion.
731
:They are not going to
hit a lot of home runs.
732
:They actually have seven on
the year in their 15 games.
733
:So we actually have two more home
runs than they do, but they are a
734
:team that will put the ball in play.
735
:They will draw walks.
736
:They will get hit by a pitch.
737
:Uh, they will do a lot of things on the
base pass to, to get guys in motion.
738
:So you're almost going to see kind of a
mirror image of old dominion in this game.
739
:One name to look out for is Josh Tate.
740
:He's their starting second baseman
can play anywhere in the infield.
741
:He's been their leadoff guy
this season hitting 373.
742
:He's got four doubles.
743
:He's driven in seven runs, drawn
12 walks, only five strikeouts,
744
:and he's 12 for 15 stealing bases.
745
:So he is really their spark plug.
746
:If he's able to get on base,
they're more, more often than
747
:not, they're able to get him home.
748
:So getting that first out of the
game, if he's leading off an
749
:inning, getting him out of the way
is, is really, really important.
750
:Uh, Sam Blancato is their center fielder.
751
:I think he can play some
other spots in the outfield.
752
:Typically hits third in their lineup.
753
:Average is not impressive.
754
:He's only hitting about 235.
755
:He's got two bombs.
756
:He's driven in 14 runs.
757
:He is basically the
person that drives in Josh
758
:Tate, who's their leadoff hitter.
759
:Uh, and also
760
:very similar to us, that
scorecard is going to be a mess
761
:Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,
762
:because
763
:CB: Yeah, they play a lot of
guys looking at these stats here,
764
:Gary: Joe man, they, they plug and
play just like we do for pinch runs,
765
:pinch hits, matchups, all of that.
766
:It's
767
:really look kind of like looking
in the mirror a little bit.
768
:CB: Even more so.
769
:I mean, they got a lot of guys that have
770
:about this about 20 at bats I mean,
they clearly are they're trying to find
771
:their lineup also, so it's interesting
772
:Gary: Yeah.
773
:And I think similar to ODU in
the sense that, they're starting
774
:pitching for their weekend series.
775
:They haven't been great.
776
:Uh, Thomas Higgins, who's going
to be their Friday starter.
777
:He has definitely done the best.
778
:He's got a three, three, two ERA.
779
:Uh, 14 strikeouts, nine walks.
780
:So he's not a big strikeout guy.
781
:Doesn't walk a whole lot, gets a lot
of ground ball outs, a lot of fly
782
:ball outs, those kinds of things, rest
of their, their weekend rotations.
783
:Not great.
784
:Uh, Mitchell gross is
probably going to go Saturday.
785
:Uh, Ty Fisher is going to go on Sunday.
786
:Mitchell Gross has the worst
ERA of the three at a 5.
787
:68, but he somehow has the lowest
opponent batting average against at 239.
788
:So you know, he's one that you're
going to be able to get some walks,
789
:I think hit by a pitch, those kinds
of things, not so much putting the
790
:ball into play, but, uh, their bullpen
has been, been pretty good for the
791
:most part, but, uh, I
think they have struggled
792
:late in that seventh, eighth and ninth
inning, giving up a lot of runs there.
793
:CB: well, I mean, it's like anything else
794
:you got to go out and If you if
we can do what we can do I feel
795
:like this team can be anybody.
796
:So, you know, Georgia Southern is
certainly by far not going to be the
797
:toughest opponent we have in the, in
the Sunbelt, but they're going to be a
798
:tough opponent because like you said,
every single team in the Sunbelt is
799
:going to be tough, the thing, it's a
meat grinder, conference play is no
800
:joke.
801
:Gary: Yeah, I mean, I think even
just trying to get the 20 wins in
802
:our conference is going to be a
challenge for just about everybody.
803
:Your conference winner is probably
gonna be hovering around that 21,
804
:22 win mark, and you're gonna have
to, you're gonna have to catch
805
:people off their A game
806
:and play
807
:incredibly well to even get into that
21, 22 win marks from conference play.
808
:CB: Yeah, very few
opportunities for a sweep.
809
:I mean, even the very best teams of
the conference against the very worst
810
:teams You're still going to come out
having to fight every single inning.
811
:So it's conference.
812
:It's fun.
813
:I mean i've thoroughly
enjoyed Um conference play.
814
:I mean since we've moved the sunbelt
Uh last year every weekend was when we
815
:were in the cusa every single weekend
was tough and i've i've always felt
816
:like, you know Just following odu
sports in general the last few years
817
:whenever you're playing conference games.
818
:It's just it's just a lot more fun Um,
you know Even when you come in, somebody
819
:comes into you and you're like, man,
this team's a dog and they come in.
820
:You're like, they're fighting
to their, they're a rabbit dog.
821
:They're fighting tooth and nail.
822
:Um, so it's, it's exciting.
823
:Now we're, we're getting to
the fun part of the season.
824
:Gary: I feel like we're definitely in
the right conference for pretty much all
825
:of our sports right now, because even
the teams that are orphaned a little bit
826
:because the Sunbelt doesn't have them,
you know, looking like field hockey.
827
:Being in the big East, that's a really,
really tough conference to be in.
828
:Women's lacrosse is in the
American, which is probably the
829
:second or third best women's
lacrosse conference in the country.
830
:Uh, it's everywhere you turn.
831
:It's tough.
832
:I mean, even rowing is
going back to the big 12.
833
:So, you know, it's going to be tough
going against power five schools.
834
:Uh, but it's, it's been impressive to
see the Sunbelt rise from a baseball.
835
:Like where they sit in the
face baseball viewpoint.
836
:Part of that's because we came
over with Southern Miss and
837
:Marshall's got a new ballpark and
they've got a lot of new buzz.
838
:Uh, but it's, I mean, it's tough.
839
:Like the American, the Sunbelt, I
mean, those are, those are not, in
840
:my opinion, like group of five type
conferences anymore for baseball.
841
:Like those are, you know, The
power conferences where you're
842
:seeing the dudes get drafted.
843
:You're seeing them make longer runs in
the postseason, hosting regionals and
844
:supers it's tough, but I feel really
845
:good about where the Sunbelt
846
:is as a baseball conference right
847
:now, you know, potentially getting
five, if not more teams in.
848
:CB: Yeah.
849
:I mean, the Sunbelt
850
:is
851
:is a top four baseball conference
and there's a ton of talent in it.
852
:Um, I think it's even better
because it's a place where
853
:they're having to build talent.
854
:I mean, when you're a power
five school, it's very easy to
855
:just be like, here's an example.
856
:We lost a kid.
857
:We had committed.
858
:He went, he's going to Georgia.
859
:It's very easy when you're Georgia
to say, Hey, we're Georgia.
860
:We're a power five school.
861
:And people just go, yay.
862
:I'm going to UVA, all
kinds of kids, right?
863
:Um, it's a lot harder when you're,
you know, old dominion or you're,
864
:Georgia Southern who I'd never even
heard of till we joined the Sunbelt.
865
:But.
866
:These are places where guys can go
and develop and they're going to find
867
:some guys who are not the ones who are
the superstar, you know, best of the
868
:state in high school and you're going
to get some guys who maybe had to go
869
:to Juco or maybe some guys that went
to those big power fives and needed
870
:a little more time somewhere else.
871
:Everybody develops in different ways.
872
:It's amazing if you, I mean,
Harrison did a week from, uh, from
873
:Western range is a great example.
874
:He's there with UVA and that's a kid
who was extremely talented and he was
875
:ready to go play in that big power five
conference and be ready right then.
876
:And there was other guys who, I don't
know their names off top of my head,
877
:but went to UVA and rode the pine or
didn't even get a Jersey the first year
878
:and there's somewhere else, you know,
and it's not because they weren't Good
879
:enough to play at UVA or wherever, but
it's just because that didn't work out.
880
:So The talent level is
just as good in the cusa.
881
:I mean, i'm sorry in the sunbelt I
mean here I am getting confused my
882
:comment in the say it wasn't you to
say it wasn't this usa also But it's
883
:just it's just as good in the sundown.
884
:I think it's better in the sunbelt.
885
:Um, and The sooner the kind of,
I think scouts realize that and
886
:start really taking advantage of it
because the minor leagues are a mess.
887
:They need more ready made talents.
888
:They need to start going and finding
guys who can actually play ball
889
:instead of just guys who throw hard.
890
:The sooner that people realize how good
the Sunbelt is, uh, the better, because
891
:it's, it's an excellent baseball.
892
:Gary: It is.
893
:And I, it was fun watching it last year.
894
:It's I think even more fun this year,
because I think we're, we're better
895
:positioned going into this conference
play season, but it's, there's just so
896
:many dudes across this league and, you
know, watching them play a lot of power
897
:five schools and traditional powerhouses.
898
:Going in and getting wins like that
is, that's going to build for something
899
:really special, uh, for that, that
Sunbelt tournament at the end of the year.
900
:But I know I mentioned
women's lacrosse earlier.
901
:I know that that team is a
huge supporter of ODU baseball.
902
:Pretty much if they don't have a
game, they are over there at the bud.
903
:Uh, so I want to give them some props.
904
:I had a rough start to
the season, but they've
905
:beaten VCU, which I
don't care what sport it
906
:is, club, uh, NCAA, whatever
beating VCU is always a good.
907
:CB: Records.
908
:We don't
909
:Gary: Yeah, exactly.
910
:Like if there was an underwater basket
weaving club at ODU and they were ODU
911
:across Jessica's VCU, I'm rooting for him.
912
:Uh, they, they beat a Longwood.
913
:I came back home and beat
George Washington the other day.
914
:That is definitely a program on the rise.
915
:So I want to give them a shout
out cause I know that they are
916
:huge supporters of ODU
baseball and I see them all
917
:the time.
918
:So I want to, I want to give
them a shout out for sure.
919
:CB: Yeah, I'm looking
920
:forward to
921
:when my schedule allows me.
922
:They play some
923
:like Wednesday afternoon games.
924
:It's like I can't get to that but so
I think they got one coming up here.
925
:It's like a Saturday but maybe
either before baseball or a day
926
:when baseball is on the road.
927
:I can get back
928
:out
929
:there.
930
:Gary: Yeah, I'm, I'm looking
for another one as well.
931
:Cause you know, that, that American
conference for them is different, like
932
:Cincinnati's in their Florida Vanderbilt.
933
:It's a kind of a unique, uh,
conglomeration of teams in the
934
:American, but, they're a good
crew that is, that is on the rise.
935
:So if you can get over there to LR Hill
to catch one of their games before or
936
:after baseball, highly recommend it.
937
:Go cheer them on.
938
:They've got some good things coming.
939
:Coming in the future for them.
940
:But, for ODU this weekend, I think what
I'm looking for is got to take care
941
:of business to get against Princeton.
942
:You got to go to a no, and
hopefully those are two convincing,
943
:easy, low pressure wins.
944
:And then over the weekend, I
just want to see us get to the.
945
:Top of the fourth with one, maybe
946
:two runs against us on the board.
947
:Like something that is
948
:manageable.
949
:Uh, cause I feel like we've been in so
950
:many early holes this season.
951
:CB: Getting out of the first three
innings without being down for
952
:nothing or five nothing or six
nothing would be uh would be a huge.
953
:I mean again uh it sounds like the
way Finney's gonna uh attack and
954
:approach the game just hopefully
seeing if this opener Uh, can work.
955
:I like the plan.
956
:I think it's always made a lot of
sense to me whenever I've heard it.
957
:So I'm with you.
958
:Go out, dominate Princeton.
959
:You know, you should.
960
:You're a better team than them.
961
:And then go out, take care of business.
962
:Let's come out of it
with a winning weekend.
963
:Gary: Get to those great arms in the
back end of your bullpen with the lead.
964
:Like I always look at that when
I'm watching major league baseball.
965
:If my team can be up two to one
going into the ninth, I feel good.
966
:Three to one, four to two,
whatever it is, give that bullpen
967
:a chance to hold the lead for you.
968
:Saw some progression from the bats.
969
:We want to see that continue.
970
:We'll love to see Tyser
have just an amazing week.
971
:Like one of those two home runs, seven
RBIs, like what we saw from Alex Lane
972
:from Northeastern, uh, be amazing to
see that breakout from him, because
973
:now you're talking one through six
974
:in the lineup, they're
back and you can figure out
975
:seven, eight, and nine with,
with Holman down there as well.
976
:CB: I just really want to see guys just
977
:keep Keep having good aggressive at bats.
978
:Keep putting the ball in play.
979
:Um, Need a lot more with two strikes
protecting the plate I think we have
980
:too many guys that are trying to play
the strike zone I get sometimes the ball
981
:is just two feet off and he's calling
they're calling a strike It's like okay,
982
:you can't do anything about that But
sometimes it's right in the corner and
983
:you can't with two strikes take that
pitch You know, you can't play umpire.
984
:You gotta want to hit I always go back
to thinking about, you talk about guys
985
:from the Dominican Republic, right?
986
:And then those are the kinds of guys
that get the flatty Guerrero type
987
:where there's like, everything was
in the strike zone for Guerrero.
988
:And, it used to be the, the, the phrase
for the Dominican Republic say, you
989
:don't, you don't walk off the island,
you hit your way off the island.
990
:And I want guys like that again.
991
:I don't need you to go swing at
everything Vladdy wants to win a ball
992
:that bounced Uh, but you know, you
gotta protect the plate with two strikes
993
:We have too many times our guys are
strike if you strike out you strike out
994
:big strikeout looking man That sucks.
995
:Like that's just that's just
not a good way to go down.
996
:That's not a competitive at bat
Um, so you got to protect the
997
:plate foul balls off until you
get something you can handle Yeah,
998
:Gary: I'm right there with you.
999
:I am looking forward to it.
:
00:46:40,694 --> 00:46:44,714
I've got a coin flip if I'm either going
to be down there for the entire weekend
:
00:46:44,744 --> 00:46:46,604
series or no games at all.
:
00:46:46,664 --> 00:46:46,934
So
:
00:46:47,254 --> 00:46:47,634
root for
:
00:46:47,634 --> 00:46:51,024
heads on that coin flip because I would
love to be down there all weekend.
:
00:46:52,374 --> 00:46:56,084
CB: that's that's quite a coin flip that
that's either everything or nothing.
:
00:46:56,634 --> 00:46:57,774
Gary: Yeah, that's a, it's
:
00:46:57,774 --> 00:46:57,844
a
:
00:46:57,844 --> 00:46:58,314
tough one.
:
00:46:58,324 --> 00:46:59,524
It's either sweep or swept.
:
00:46:59,554 --> 00:47:01,574
No, uh, no in between for me.
:
00:47:01,574 --> 00:47:04,074
CB: Well, well, here's good
luck on the coin flip, I
:
00:47:04,074 --> 00:47:04,504
guess
:
00:47:04,613 --> 00:47:05,043
Gary: Yes.
:
00:47:05,043 --> 00:47:05,943
Well, thank you so much.
:
00:47:05,963 --> 00:47:09,253
Well, that's going to do it for us with
the Hudson homers podcast this week.
:
00:47:09,633 --> 00:47:11,353
We thank you so much for listening.
:
00:47:11,363 --> 00:47:14,303
Please remember to
subscribe, leave us a review.
:
00:47:14,303 --> 00:47:17,473
I think we might have some merch
giveaways in our future here if
:
00:47:17,473 --> 00:47:21,303
you leave us a review, but there is
a new baseball shirt that's going
:
00:47:21,303 --> 00:47:22,893
to be dropping at odumonarchist.
:
00:47:23,143 --> 00:47:23,523
com.
:
00:47:23,813 --> 00:47:24,833
So take a look at that.
:
00:47:24,833 --> 00:47:26,943
We have some other ones up
there for the Bud Bombers.
:
00:47:27,408 --> 00:47:29,368
Uh, definitely go check that out.
:
00:47:29,408 --> 00:47:33,278
All of the money that we make on that
gets donated back to the program.
:
00:47:33,278 --> 00:47:34,258
We keep none of it.
:
00:47:34,618 --> 00:47:36,328
Uh, so it's, it's pretty cool gear.
:
00:47:36,348 --> 00:47:38,708
I know the first batch got
delivered last week and there were
:
00:47:38,708 --> 00:47:40,188
some out at the bud this weekend.
:
00:47:40,638 --> 00:47:43,668
Going to be more in the future
and more for other teams as
:
00:47:43,668 --> 00:47:44,918
well, that you may support.
:
00:47:44,918 --> 00:47:48,968
We are just getting started into the merch
game here and how we can get that back
:
00:47:48,968 --> 00:47:51,328
through ODAF and the pride of ODU and I'll
:
00:47:51,348 --> 00:47:51,948
collective.
:
00:47:52,498 --> 00:47:53,198
Uh, but.
:
00:47:53,903 --> 00:47:54,883
That's going to do it for us.
:
00:47:55,093 --> 00:47:56,003
Thank you all so much.
:
00:47:56,063 --> 00:47:56,973
I am Gary.
:
00:47:57,073 --> 00:47:57,923
Go Monarchs!
:
00:47:57,923 --> 00:47:59,453
CB: AMCB Go Monarchs!
:
00:47:59,453 --> 00:48:01,733
Outro: Okay.
