Episode 9

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Published on:

2nd Apr 2024

S1E9 - Double Dippin With Luke Waters

The guys recap a series win over South Alabama and preview games with UVA and Coastal. Luke Waters joins to talk about his NIL deal and big weekend.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Pride of ODU Collective

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

Transcript
Intro:

Okay.

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Gary: Hello Monarch fans and welcome

to the Hudson homers podcast.

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I'm Gary joined as always by my co host CB

CB we get two out of three this weekend.

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How you feeling?

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CB: It's, you know, it's great that,

that losing that last one, it always

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puts a little bit of bitter taste in

your mouth, but then you, again, you

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gotta remember, you know, you did win

a 3, won a conference series, it's

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incredibly hard to sweep a whole series,

for sure, uh, and it's incredibly hard

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to win a doubleheader both games, which

they did, they actually did that on

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Friday, Friday was, Friday is one of

my favorite days of the ballpark this

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year, just a really good day, beautiful

sunny day, and uh, It was awesome.

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Gary: I got to be down there on

Friday for all 18 innings of baseball.

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It was a lot of fun There was a ton of

energy in the dugout a ton of energy

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in the crowd the crowd built over the

day So, you know, it was a little A

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little sparse there at one o'clock in

the middle of the day on the Friday.

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But by the time that second game started,

the crowd had filled in pretty nicely.

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They were getting into it and.

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The boys just kind of dominated on Friday.

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I was really glad to see it and see

them bounce back after a, just a kind

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of a disaster of a weekend in Louisiana

where they couldn't hit, they go put

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up eight runs in back to back games and

clenched the series and an afternoon,

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CB: Yeah, and we talked about uh this

last week I said, I hope they just

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go and relax on monday and kind of

flush it out and then spend tuesday

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and wednesday looking at video And I

don't know if that's what they did.

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That's what it felt like what happened

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Gary: I still blame the Cajun food.

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Cause I heard coach Finwood talking about

it on the extra Finnings podcast, about

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all that good Cajun food they were eating.

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I think they put, uh, put something

in there to make them a little

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bit sleepy, for that weekend.

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So they got that out of their system.

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Really look great.

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I thought we had a lot of really

strong at bats strung together a lot

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of hits and brought back the dingers

I mean we hit some bombs this weekend

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CB: It did and we also you know, he

tried out uh, speaking of finney.

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He tried out a new a new lineup

this weekend moved Alex Boucher who

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had been hitting, you know anywhere

from fourth or fifth Up to lead

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off and then move Kyle Edwards from

lead off back to the cleanup spot.

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Put Carter Sunderman back in the

second base had Hunter Cole who has

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barely played this year dhing Um,

and then, you know, keeping Bryce

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Jones where he's been left field.

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So it was, it was a different

line, but it paid off.

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I mean, you saw, a hundred

Cole, his, his first hit of the

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season was a three run Homer.

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Um, and he added a double

in the second game.

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So, you know, there was some just

instant magic out of that lineup switch.

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Gary: I had to put that lineup in

the blender a little bit and I think

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you almost just have to when you

have a weekend That's that tough.

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You can't afford to Sit back and just

hope that the team starts hitting better.

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You've gotta make some changes, but,

uh, update on dollars for dingers.

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We are now up to 22

home runs on the season.

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Uh, so definitely not gonna be on that a

hundred home run pace, but we've got 22.

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We hit some pretty critical

ones over the weekend.

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And then CB, your favorite bucks

for bags or bags for bucks.

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We got to figure out which

one's going to go first there.

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Uh, but we're up to

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CB: think bucks for bags, cause it's

dollars for dingers bucks for bags.

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Yeah,

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Gary: would be much more consistent.

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So yeah, 58 for 70 on the stolen pieces.

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Now, Stephen Meyer's still perfect.

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17 for 17.

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Uh, he had a, at least one instance

where he stole second, stole

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third, and then scored on the

overthrow, trying to throw him out.

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Luke Waters is 15 for 16 stealing bags.

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We got them all up and

down the board there.

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It's awesome to see them

on base and running.

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CB: the stolen bases are great.

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Again, I really hope people do, uh,

take this year and, and not just

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donate for the, the dingers, but

also donate for the, uh, the stolen

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bases because I think the combo is

going to be a lot more consistent.

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But, you know, like Myers got 17.

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I, I don't know if I, I think

I shared this on one of the

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podcasts, but I was looking back

through our stolen base numbers.

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And as far as I could figure for the last

20 years or so, um, The last guy that's

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the most anybody stole in the last 20

years is connor meyer stole 20 in a season

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So here's meyer about halfway through

the year at 17 So he's going to have the

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most anybody's had at odu in a while And

I think that this the total is going to

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be more than we've had in a while here

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Gary: We'll have to look up and see

exactly what's in the record books there.

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Maybe reach out to Pierce

and figure that out.

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But I, I would imagine that Steven's

going to eclipse 20 before they

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are back at the bud in a couple of

weeks to take on JMU, but 17 for 17.

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And, you know, every time you get on

your, he's basically stealing two bases.

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Uh, which is pretty wild to watch,

but he is a disrupter out there,

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CB: Yeah, I will say because I did

look at the record books a little

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bit I I would be shocked if he came

anywhere near um, the team record,

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which is uh, 48, I believe You Uh,

Kevin Gibbs played here three seasons

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and he had over 40 all three seasons.

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So it'd be uh, It'd be surprising to

me if steven gets up to 40, but that'd

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be you know Like I said the way he's

going if he gets on base and can swipe

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a couple every time he's got a shot

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Gary: 40 plus bags with our schedule

is that that's a big, big number, but

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if anyone's going to do it, it could

be him and you know, Luke is not too

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far behind him and he's got 15, uh,

and you know, he's, he's hit six home

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runs, so he's had, uh, not, not quite

as many chances to steal the basis

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cause he's hitting more of those

home runs and doubles and things like

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CB: It's one of the few areas

that luke's not leading in

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Gary: Yeah, exactly.

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He's leading in average is at three 40.

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CB: average hits Home runs

rbis total bases slugging.

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Um On base.

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I mean he he's up there and pretty much

everything luke is killing it this year

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Gary: Luke, he is our special guest today.

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We had a conversation with him that will

be a little bit later in the episode.

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Also talk about him becoming

the first monarchist NIL athlete

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with his Luke Newcomb shirt

that's available at odmonarchist.

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com.

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So if you haven't checked

that out, go to odmonarchist.

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com, click the store.

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And, uh, you'll see that Luke Newcomb

shirt, a little radioactive sign.

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It looks pretty sweet.

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Uh, I know we'll be seeing some of

the bud by the time JMU comes to town.

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So, uh, make sure to go pick that

up and then hear from Luke later in

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the episode, but let's jump in and

talk about that first game on Friday.

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We got the bats going there in the

second, uh, with the long ball with

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Kyle Edwards, hitting a solo shot.

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And then Hunter Cole come up later

in the inning, just crushing a

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three run shot to right center.

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CB: Yeah, it's so great to see, Hunter.

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I mean, he's, I've, I've been a fan of

his since he was playing high school ball.

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Um, and he had, he had a long winding

road to get here between JMU and, and

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playing at Randolph Macon and, you know,

he has not gotten much of a shot so far

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this year and had done with much with it.

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He was, I think, over seven with five

strikeouts coming to this weekend.

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Um, but, you know, this is a guy,

you know, He was the ODAC conference

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player of the year last season.

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He's a good hitter.

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He played for the Pensacola Pilots

over the summer, which is one

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of the better summer leagues and

had a phenomenal season, stealing

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bases, getting on base, just.

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Getting hits.

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This is a guy that can hit.

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This is a guy that can play baseball.

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And so it was great to see on Friday,

I think he was two for six on the day

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with a homer and a double, um, and

just showed, you know, he, he can play.

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Gary: And South Alabama, you know, the,

the, the Hunter Cole home run was really

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important because it put us back in the

league because Ismaili for South Alabama,

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who we talked about in the preview, hit

a two run bomb, uh, there in the second

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inning and they were up two to nothing.

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And you kind of get that

feeling of, No, it's two runs.

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Are we gonna be able to score three?

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Uh, but we answered that really quickly

there in the bottom half with Kyle kind

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of getting things going with the solo

shot, then Hunter Cole and the dugout was

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just electric from that point forward,

the rest of the day just fired up.

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So, you know, Hunter Cole, I think kind

of quickly changed the momentum of how

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this weekend was going to go for us.

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CB: Yeah, it was great.

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And, and another, you know, big

game, Stephen Meyer, a couple of

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hits, um, three steals in the game,

Luke Waters, couple of hits, RBI.

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A guy that we, you won't really see

anything actually had a bad day.

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Um, Alex Boucher between the first game

and the second game of the double header.

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I think he was over seven with a walk.

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I hang out, there around our bullpen

area, we have the, our student managers,

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uh, Sam and Jacob that do the stats.

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He was over seven.

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All seven balls were hit

over a hundred miles an hour.

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He had a ball hit to basically dead

center field that was, I took a picture.

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I'm not, I'm still not sure if the guy

robbed him of a home run, the center

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fielder, or if he robbed him of like

a double off the top of the wall.

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But he, the center fielder

went up and made a great play.

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That ball was hit 109 off

the bat, the dead center.

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I mean, Boucher had it again.

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Oh, for seven killed

your stats for the day.

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Looks terrible, but had an

amazing day at the plate.

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Baseball is just a weird game.

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Gary: I mean, just crushing the baseball

just can't get an ounce of luck.

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Uh, but man, that many balls

in play over a hundred miles an

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hour, you keep doing that and very

good things are going to happen.

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So hopefully he can, get some, some karma

back from the baseball gods here, uh,

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over the next couple of games this week.

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CB: He kind of got that I think it was

if that is last at bat maybe a second

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last at bat on saturday He had one he

kind of hit it wasn't quite on the handle

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But it was definitely found towards

his hands and kind of just flicked it.

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Uh out past The second baseman for

a hit so he did the one hit he got

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the weekend was Maybe the one ball

that he didn't absolutely obliterate.

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Gary: Baseball is just

kind of funny like that.

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Jay Cassidy started on the mound and

that open a roll again, typically what

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you'd see on a Friday when ending in

two thirds, got into a little bit of

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trouble, given up the two run home

run, uh, had a walk in a strikeout and

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we actually saw Kellen Davis bring in

the Raptor there in the second inning,

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uh, struck out the only batter that

he faced to limit the damage, prevent.

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South Alabama from getting anything else.

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Then turn it over to John

hollow bets in hollow bets.

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Again, looks great.

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No runs over four

innings, four strikeouts.

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I mean, he had some good stuff and

there were some scouts back there

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behind the plate again for him.

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CB: I think I and i'd have to look this

up to be sure but i'm pretty sure Since

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uh, john has gone back to the relief roll.

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He's got 12 and a third Third Innings with

only three unearned runs in that time.

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Uh, there's a no earned runs

in 12 and a third innings I

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mean he is looking phenomenal.

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He's looking nasty.

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He's he's definitely a guy that I

would I mean again I've i've said

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many times that the way Scouting and

development the minor leagues has

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happened the last about five years.

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I don't really understand it anymore

But i'd be shocked if john isn't a

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guy that's a draft pick, you know

somewhere in that 5 to 15 round range

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Gary: He's dropped that ERA on

the season down to three 49, a 1.

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24 whip.

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So those numbers have come back

down to a very nice number.

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Cause at one point he was in the sixes

or the sevens, uh, with just a couple of

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bad innings, 28 innings pitched on the

year, the 20 strikeouts, nine blocks.

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So he has definitely returned to form.

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And it was very nice to see

that play out in that first.

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Uh, game of the double header

on Friday and just shutting down

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South Alabama the rest of the way.

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CB: and look great.

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And then Jacob Gomez came out, finished

off the game, three scoreless, five

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strikeouts, only one hit, only two walks.

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And it's just he is just looking

filthy every time he comes out.

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I was giving him a hard time because he's

not talking as much trash as he as he was.

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But I know that's because

he's got to get in trouble.

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They've had, you know, the umpires.

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Uh, we know the NCAA as a whole hates fun.

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They did the whole, you can't celebrate,

you can't have props, all that.

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So, of course, the umpires

are the extension of that.

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So, I mean, Jacob is, uh, he's, trust

me, he's talking that trash in his head.

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He might not be doing it as

much out in person because he

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doesn't want to get in trouble.

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Gary: The only time I saw him chirp

was he had a two strike count with two

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outs and the runner on first went to

steal second and Jacob struck him out.

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He turned around and said something

to him on the way back to the

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dugout was pretty fired up.

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CB: And the umpire stopped him to talk

to him about it because they hate fun

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because again, How dare you get excited

to enjoy yourself in a baseball game?

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Gary: How dare you show some

emotion and get fired up?

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Getting another strikeout, man.

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That's.

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That's disappointing to hear

because I love seeing Jacob do that.

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I love seeing him chirp back at batters.

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But yeah, for him, picked up

his fourth save of the season.

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I think all of those have been multi

inning saves for him this year.

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CB: I think they've all been the three

inning saves I don't think he's actually

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because like you pointed out we had the

one game I don't remember who got that

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save now But it was the the only time we

had the one run lead going into the end

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I'm, i'm fairly positive every one of

jacob's four saves has been a three is

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because you get three innings if you close

a game with three innings With a lead

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you get a save regardless of the score

I'm pretty sure all of his has been that

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Gary: That was the Richmond game.

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And I don't even think

that was a one inning save.

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Yeah.

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Uh, because it was a bash and that

was actually a two inning save or

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no bash didn't get to say that was a

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CB: yeah, he it was a win It's it felt

like a save because he was saving himself

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Gary: We saw bash, uh in the second

game there, but od takes that first

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one Uh, it was eight to two on friday

really getting things off to a good

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start I thought it was critical that

they went and won that first game so

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that there's a little less pressure on

them The rest of the way but also carson

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swilling who is south alabama's ace

They were able to hit him pretty well.

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Uh, he ended up giving up five

earned runs, six runs total on

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five hits, the three walks and four

strikeouts and four innings of work.

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So you get through that ace in what

was normally your Friday game, and

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now you've set yourself up really

well the rest of the weekend.

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And we saw it in this instance, 45

minutes later, when game two started.

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CB: and again the second game we again

saw great pitching, you know, blake Um was

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the very first batter, but it might have

been the first pitch of the game Yeah over

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the wall and you're like that that sucks.

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But he settled out for that four innings

after that three strikeouts Um two walks.

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He only gave up another hit, you know

again blake has been You Looking healthy,

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but looking strong, but looking good.

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Um, and so that's, it's been

great to see him coming back.

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Gary: And we got that run back pretty

quickly right there in the bottom of

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the first was actually a little little

two out rally that I think changed

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the momentum for the entire game,

uh, because it was, you know, walk,

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uh, and then there was, uh, I think a

single and then a couple of pass balls.

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And then all of a sudden it's,

it's one to one, but be able to do

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that with two outs and tie it up.

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You're feeling much better

going into that second inning.

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Uh, then the bottom of the second.

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Bryce Jones gets an RBI single up

the middle to bring home Hunter Cole.

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We're up two to one and didn't

really look back from there.

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CB: And then Luke hit a homer

and the sixth and, and then

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Lavari and, uh, drove a guy in.

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Tyser came up with a

big pinch hit home run.

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That was a very un Tyser like home run.

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He, he had a, it was just

a straight line drive.

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He usually hits the big.

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You know, kind of Mark McGuire,

huge fly balls, and he had just

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a BB line drive over the wall.

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Gary: And he almost had one that

would have put ODU ahead on Saturday.

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It was just short.

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It was left at a 375

sign and right center.

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Uh, if he had pulled it just a little

bit more, it would have been a home run.

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Probably went about.

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390 or so and just didn't get out,

uh, but he had much better at bats.

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I thought over this weekend when

he was coming in as a pinch hitter.

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CB: Yeah, and it was the same thing, the

one he hit yesterday that he just missed

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on, like I said, it was in the line drive.

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And after last weekend, um, even,

you know, I think he had a couple

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hits last weekend, but he was hitting

line drives, hitting to other fields.

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Jake Tyson was looking really

a lot better at the plate.

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Um, and hopefully that, you know, Ends

up continuing and paying some dividends.

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Gary: Yeah.

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And I know that he's been working hard

to try to get back on the right track.

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And it's probably more frustrated than

anyone else out there about how he's

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swung the bat this year, but I mean,

you still got plenty of season left.

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If you can turn it on and start

contributing like you've done in the past.

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I mean, that's just another

weapon to add to a lineup that.

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Has proven on a lot of occasions

that they can hit the ball.

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Sometimes not, but maybe he becomes that

spark plug guy off the bench to come in.

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Uh, cause we saw that, um, a

couple of times throughout the

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weekend, but six inning is really

where this thing broke open.

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Luke waters hits the home run.

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Like you were talking about, Kenny LaVarie

had a double, uh, the end up scoring.

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And then of course,

Tyser hits the home run.

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It's six to one there in the six.

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We got a couple of insurance

run there in the seven.

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But just,, a strong day

at the plate for ODU.

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CB: How about Kyle Edwards

four hits on the day?

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I mean, that was great He'd been um, he'd

been scuffed a little bit and I think

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that again that lineup shift, you know

taking him out of that leadoff spot having

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him hit cleanup, you know where he you

know, I I personally don't think of Kyle

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as a Cleanup guy, you know, he's he's

about hundred and 80 pounds soaking wet.

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Uh, he is very strong, uh for

his size, but he's he's not a

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big guy and then bouche, you know

Moving him to the leadoff spot.

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He's more we think of as like a

middle of the order slugger But

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he's got great on base skills.

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So it's I think it's a move that Uh,

it certainly paid off on on friday.

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I think it's going to continue to pay off.

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Gary: Absolutely.

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And, you know, on the mound,

you talked about Blake already.

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Bash had a scoreless inning.

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Uh, Trent Buchanan, I thought looked

great out there on the mound, three and

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two thirds inning ended up with eight

strikeouts, got a little loose, towards

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the end of his, his time on the mound

there, uh, not really his fault though,

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none of those runs were earned, there

was an error that extended the game, but

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that allowed, uh, coach Finwood to bring

in Marco Lavarri for, I think his first

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weekend appearance, and he struck out the

only batters he faced to end the game.

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CB: Yeah No, trent, uh, it was a

career high eight strikeouts for him.

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Uh, he looked great At least I think

he just ran out of maybe a little

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bit of gas He was trying his best to

get that final out and complete it.

334

:

Um, I gave him a hard time I think trent

is one of those guys that he you don't

335

:

think about it because of the way he

kind of approaches it but he He spends

336

:

a lot of, um, emotional energy, I think.

337

:

He's very invested in the game.

338

:

He's very invested in their success.

339

:

And, you know, I think, uh, at

a certain point that kind of

340

:

catches up to you sometimes.

341

:

And that's kind of what happened

there in that, in that ninth inning.

342

:

But yeah, Marco has looked great and he's

only had, what, three appearances, um, but

343

:

looked really, really good in every one.

344

:

Um, so it's going to be interesting to see

if he keeps getting more shots and more

345

:

chances to come in out of the bullpen.

346

:

Gary: I think he throws, what, fastball,

slider, I think is really what his focus

347

:

has been, and the slider was definitely

working in the one batter that he faced.

348

:

CB: That was what Trent was telling me.

349

:

He said, Marco coming in with the

slider, which is very different from,

350

:

transfering change ups and some, uh,

curve balls, you know, and, and Marco

351

:

coming in and throwing the slider was

really effective for him right afterwards.

352

:

Gary: Another thing from Friday, there

were some web gyms on the left side of

353

:

that infield with LaVarie and Edwards.

354

:

Uh, just anything close down the line

hard hit line drives up the middle

355

:

Those guys were just eating over there

on friday I think they had a couple of

356

:

really strong plays on saturday as well

But man that left side of the infield,

357

:

uh, kenny lavar wasn't joking about him

and edwards They'd be hit at that side.

358

:

Just don't run to first.

359

:

CB: Yeah.

360

:

He figured he, he said it on the podcast.

361

:

He better back it up.

362

:

Yeah.

363

:

Kenny is, uh, he, and Kyle's

always phenomenal there.

364

:

And Kenny's always phenomenal over there,

but boy, they're Kenny, especially I think

365

:

it was on a hot streak about last three

weeks of just making some amazing plays.

366

:

It seems to always be.

367

:

In the right spot, there was even a play.

368

:

I was kind of standing, um further

down the line behind third Um, the

369

:

ball was hit right down the line.

370

:

Kenny kind of took a weird angle I

kind of read it poorly off the bat and

371

:

still was able to snag it and then just

plant his feet and Hurled it to the

372

:

other side of the field with that 99

cannon that he's got and got the guy

373

:

easily So he's he's a weapon over there

374

:

Gary: It's got to feel good as a pitcher

too To know that even those hard hit

375

:

balls hit to the left side when there

are guys on base You're going to probably

376

:

get an out somewhere and, and at the very

least limit the damage, but man, they

377

:

were, uh, they were all over the place.

378

:

Like, I'm surprised we didn't get some

SportsCenter top tens off of some of

379

:

those, cause they were just incredible.

380

:

CB: Yeah, so one of the things

I really enjoyed about friday.

381

:

We mentioned this last week.

382

:

Um, robbie patrasche former monarch Um,

he was back in town with south alabama.

383

:

So I got to hang out and talk with

him for a bit between games robbie.

384

:

He's one of my favorite guys.

385

:

I think i've ever met He's

just a really, really good kid.

386

:

Got to see his parents, uh,

early in the first game.

387

:

Um, and he's, you know, he's

loving it in South Alabama.

388

:

Um, even though, statistically

things haven't been great for him.

389

:

He got hurt last year, broke his handmaid

bone, broke a bone in his, his forearm.

390

:

He got hit by a pitch.

391

:

Um, and he was really, he was kind of

frustrated that we were starting all the

392

:

lefties, uh, because it kind of meant

maybe he wouldn't be getting the games.

393

:

Uh, but they actually started him

in the, uh, the second game at DH.

394

:

He had a hard ground out his

first at bat his second at bat if

395

:

anybody was watching it was odd.

396

:

You really didn't know what

happened He swung and the ball

397

:

kind of came out in a weird angle.

398

:

Um, Blake fielded it Blake is even

just it's and Robbie wasn't running.

399

:

Blake was just kind of staying

there The umpire is like hey the

400

:

ball's in play the ball's in play.

401

:

And so finally Blake throws over

they get him out You Um, and Robbie

402

:

at this point still has never run.

403

:

Well, what happened was, and I

have a picture I need to share.

404

:

He swung and as he's swinging the ball

hit his left hand So his bottom hand on

405

:

left hand swing hit it right on the middle

knuckle, uh and broke his uh finger so he

406

:

uh had it was a strange return to the bud.

407

:

Uh, and he you know, it's funny because

I talked to him on saturday about it,

408

:

we were kind of during the game He came

over for a minute and was talking to me

409

:

And really just again tells you what a

good guy robbie is a very fascinating

410

:

perspective, you know He was saying he's

like he's like it's kind of beautiful in

411

:

a way You He's like, that's probably my

last collegiate at bat I'll ever have.

412

:

Um, he's like, just to be

real, as a 50 year senior.

413

:

It happened here at the bud, you

know, where I had all those years.

414

:

It made it to where.

415

:

After the game between games,,

416

:

I could go over and give

Finwood and Marin, a

417

:

hug There's no hard

feelings about me leaving.

418

:

He said, you know, I mean, he's

like I wanted to come in and hit

419

:

three home runs and have them all

420

:

paint me He's like, but

that's not how it worked

421

:

out.

422

:

So I got to have this kind

423

:

of nice,

424

:

, beautiful moment So it was very, you know

425

:

It's really mature for like a

426

:

23 year old kid to have that

427

:

kind of perspective on on an

injury that probably ended

428

:

his

429

:

Baseball playing career.

430

:

Gary: Well, sad to hear that that is

likely to end his baseball playing career.

431

:

Uh, it's.

432

:

Disappointing feel for him

because I know he did a lot of

433

:

great stuff for us here at ODU.

434

:

Still remember him hitting ball over the

435

:

train tracks at Louisiana

Tech in the CUSA tournament.

436

:

Uh, but, and that, that is a very

mature approach for someone who is

437

:

realizing that their collegiate career

is coming to an end to take it that way.

438

:

Go have some more conversations

with the guys that used to

439

:

play within the coaching staff.

440

:

So glad he got that moment, but

disappointed that's the way it

441

:

had to end for him over at the bud.

442

:

Um, I know between games, I spent some

good times actually over Where Luke

443

:

Waters and some of those other guys live

right there by the ballpark with a lot of

444

:

the parents of our team, Angie Halibut

and Halibut's invited me over there.

445

:

Waters, the Trobos, the Browns,

talked to Steven Myers dad over

446

:

there a little bit who had come

all the way in from Washington.

447

:

So it was a good chance to talk with

them, get to know them a little bit.

448

:

They had a ton of food and some beverages

over there and all that good stuff.

449

:

So it was a great time, uh,

getting to connect with them.

450

:

I know we've, uh, we, we littered the

bud with the Hudson homers koozies that

451

:

finally came in and we'll have some

more down there for the JMU weekend,

452

:

but really appreciate getting to spend

some time with them chatting about.

453

:

I know that they listened to the

podcast, so you are listening.

454

:

Thank you all so much for the invite.

455

:

And we're excited to see you back

down there here in a couple of weeks.

456

:

CB: Friday was just an all around

fantastic day of baseball at the bud.

457

:

You really, I mean, I don't

know what more you could

458

:

ask for

459

:

Gary: I took half a day of work and

I can promise you, I don't regret it.

460

:

CB: exactly the same for me.

461

:

Once it worked out, I

was like, Hey, I got my

462

:

work done.

463

:

Can I take

464

:

it?

465

:

And they were like,

466

:

yep.

467

:

And, uh, I uh, well, I have the

468

:

best boss.

469

:

I, my boss is the best one I've ever had.

470

:

And she, I appreciate her letting that

471

:

Gary: I strategically, uh, told

my team to take the back half

472

:

of the day off one, cause they'd

473

:

be working hard, but two, I was really

not in the mood to deal with a whole

474

:

bunch of messages and questions and

emails, so it worked out for everybody.

475

:

CB: we, we love when a plan comes

476

:

Gary: Yes, absolutely.

477

:

Well, unfortunately we did not get the

478

:

sweep.

479

:

I was really hoping we could, because

that would kind of erase the,

480

:

the sweep that we had down at

481

:

Louisiana.

482

:

But.

483

:

we dropped the game five to three.

484

:

It feels different to me

than losing that game.

485

:

The last game of the series

against Georgia Southern,

486

:

where I felt like we just

487

:

couldn't hit it all.

488

:

we actually hit the ball

decently in this game.

489

:

We just couldn't

490

:

get that next timely hit

to drive those guys in.

491

:

CB: Yeah.

492

:

I mean, in the, the Saturday game,

we had nine hits and three runs.

493

:

That's as many runs, uh, more runs and

as many hits as we had all last weekend.

494

:

So it did not have the same feel it.

495

:

Um, they, you're

496

:

right.

497

:

They just couldn't quite get.

498

:

Them stacked up, you

499

:

get a guy on We had one we got a guy on

got him over Got him to third base with no

500

:

out one out and then just can't get him in

501

:

so that that's frustrating because

502

:

They're very good hitting team

That isn't consistently a very good

503

:

hitting team.

504

:

So that you're gonna have a day

505

:

like, Saturday pop up.

506

:

Gary: Yeah, and we started off

like a thought like all right,

507

:

we're going to go and do this.

508

:

We're going

509

:

to

510

:

sweep them, you know, Luke Waters hits

the home run there in the bottom of

511

:

the first and we get another kind

of small ball run in to go up.

512

:

to nothing.

513

:

Uh, we had

514

:

this happen,

515

:

I think twice

516

:

this weekend where we have

517

:

runners at the corners

with less than two outs.

518

:

Runner goes to seal second and

just kind of stops and creates the

519

:

rundown that allows that runner

from third to come home and score.

520

:

Happened once Friday, uh, happened

again on Saturday here with, with

521

:

Kenny LaVarie kind of setting

that up to let Kyle Edwards score.

522

:

Uh, but baseball oddity, we had

three base runners getting a

523

:

rundown between first and second

in a two day, three game period.

524

:

CB: And that's a play they work

on Defensively, I know in the fall

525

:

pretty much every half inning You

They've got a set up of that play

526

:

happening.

527

:

Um, and so you're not just

working on for your defense

528

:

that your runner is working on

529

:

understanding the goals.

530

:

So it's, it's great to

531

:

see,

532

:

that's, showing that adaptability.

533

:

That's not the kind

534

:

of thing that They would have done much

535

:

maybe the last couple

of years when they hit

536

:

all those home runs.

537

:

But this year,

538

:

understanding how hard

it is sometimes to score,

539

:

understanding, you know,

the speed that, we have,

540

:

that,

541

:

that's Finney is showing

that, uh, adaptability, which

542

:

I think is great.

543

:

It's just looking at, say,

this is the team I have, these

544

:

are the things I'm going to

545

:

do.

546

:

Gary: And South Alabama finally

caught on to it towards the end

547

:

of the game on Saturday because we

had that corner situation again.

548

:

And we stole second and

it was kind of slow.

549

:

They didn't even try to throw down.

550

:

They just tossed the ball back to the

pitcher and let the runner take second,

551

:

which is also a positive outcome too,

because now you've got second and third

552

:

in less than two outs, and maybe they

intentionally walk the batter now to load

553

:

the bases and set up a double player.

554

:

We get a sack fly a single now scores too.

555

:

So good things come from getting in motion

like that with runners at the corners.

556

:

Um, I think as long as they're, if they're

willing to throw down to second and get

557

:

themselves in that situation, we'll gladly

take the run or just advance the runners.

558

:

CB: Yeah, the one you just

saw that was uh, bryce jones

559

:

was the one stealing second and

he was he was trying his best He

560

:

was just standing there about 60

percent of the way down the line just

561

:

like come on, please throw up

and they they wouldn't do it.

562

:

You're right They finally caught on and

but yeah, it we couldn't catch it in

563

:

that time.

564

:

But you know, ladies to

565

:

point out It's a great maneuver.

566

:

It's a great uh trick play, um And it's

567

:

wonderful to see them.

568

:

Like I said, there's there's no real

downside unless you just absolutely

569

:

get hosed at home Which shouldn't

570

:

happen?

571

:

Gary: No, you'd have to, you have

to run the old softball trick play

572

:

where you act like you're throwing to

573

:

second and then the pitcher cuts

it off and chucks it back home.

574

:

It's, it's the old

575

:

little league play a little bit

sometimes, but whatever we can do to

576

:

scratch in a

577

:

run, we'll do it.

578

:

South Alabama was able to come back

579

:

in

580

:

that game.

581

:

They got, you know, a run in the

second and they got one in the seventh,

582

:

the eighth and the ninth, uh, they

had the two in the ninth actually.

583

:

Uh, but there was no big blow up

584

:

inning, like, you know, last Saturday

down in Louisiana, where we had just

585

:

kind of that meltdown inning on Saturday.

586

:

The pitching was still good.

587

:

Maybe it wasn't as great or

elite as it has been the last.

588

:

I don't know, dozen or so games.

589

:

Still only gave up five earned runs

on eight hits over nine innings, in

590

:

my opinion, will put you at a position

to win in college, especially the

591

:

third game of a weekend series.

592

:

And there's typically going

to be more run scored.

593

:

CB: I mean, you can't expect

these guys to only give up one

594

:

or two runs every single game.

595

:

Um, and you're right that we kind of bled

it away a little bit there at the end,

596

:

Dylan Brown started out, did his job two

and two thirds, uh, gave up a run again.

597

:

And then Kellen Davis brought the Raptor

in, got him out of the third inning.

598

:

He's been phenomenal in that

righty, uh, one out guy situation.

599

:

Ben Moore looked outstanding

for three innings.

600

:

I mean, he was just mowing guys

down, got to that fourth inning of

601

:

pitching and didn't quite have it.

602

:

Bailey Metella came on.

603

:

He's been lights

604

:

out this whole year, but he

gave up one of Ben's runs, then

605

:

eventually gave up one of his

606

:

runs.

607

:

Um, Lincoln Ransom, unfortunately, had

about the worst day you can have as a

608

:

pitcher.

609

:

Two pitches, gave up a home run

610

:

and got

611

:

pulled.

612

:

So, I mean, he's better than

613

:

that.

614

:

He just, you know, he only got

615

:

the chance to face the one guy.

616

:

Um, and then Stephen Trone,

617

:

uh, gave up a run in his inning.

618

:

So,

619

:

again,

620

:

nobody pitched terribly.

621

:

It's just, you know, little

dinks and dinks and we weren't

622

:

getting runs to match that.

623

:

Gary: You're on the money with Ben Moore.

624

:

He was

625

:

fantastic through three innings.

626

:

I was a little

627

:

surprised to see him come back out there

628

:

for a fourth inning of work.

629

:

Now granted, he had been

pitching really well

630

:

and his pitch count really wasn't

631

:

that high.

632

:

I mean, even when he came out of

the game, he was only at 47 pitches.

633

:

Um, but I feel like we may have pushed

the envelope a little bit too much

634

:

having to come out for the fourth.

635

:

I can definitely see why you would

consider the guys throwing so well.

636

:

And then Bailey comes in kind

of mid inning and it gets

637

:

a little funky from there.

638

:

But Nobody had a bad

day on the mound in Mike.

639

:

I think everyone pitched pretty well.

640

:

It wasn't their best outings maybe,

but you can't expect the pitching

641

:

staff to be perfect every single game.

642

:

And when you, you've got to get

those runs to match, like you said.

643

:

CB: I think the thought process really was

644

:

Ben's pitching great.

645

:

Um, like I said, his pitch

count's still relatively low.

646

:

Uh, I didn't know what it was

647

:

going into that fourth inning.

648

:

It might've only been 30 some pitches.

649

:

Uh, but he, You

650

:

know, I'm assuming the thought

was well if he gets a guy on

651

:

we've got Bailey Mattel I've

652

:

had pitched all weekend and so and as

good as he's been, you know You expect

653

:

him to come out and and shut it down and

654

:

he just wasn't able to

that's because again You

655

:

can't expect them all to be

perfect every day So it was it

656

:

was a good thought process just

didn't quite work out in that game

657

:

Gary: Yep.

658

:

and uh, Stephen Meyer hits the

home run in the ninth to take it

659

:

from five, two to five to three.

660

:

It was a two

661

:

out home run right down the right

662

:

field line.

663

:

CB: It's a hit the pole

that uh that foul pole

664

:

Uh, ding sounds amazing

when it's your team.

665

:

That's the best sound in

666

:

baseball

667

:

Gary: it is.

668

:

And honestly, I'm glad it hit

669

:

the foul pole because.

670

:

I don't really have a lot of

671

:

faith in

672

:

any of

673

:

that umpire and crew

to make the right call.

674

:

And I have even less faith of

them looking at the replay and

675

:

being able to determine much of anything.

676

:

Like I'm still convinced that there's

a Netflix account on that TV monitor in

677

:

there.

678

:

And They're just trying to catch

up on a few minutes of their

679

:

show before they come back out.

680

:

Cause.

681

:

They're in there on a while,

and it's pretty rare that

682

:

anything ever gets overturned

out of that replay.

683

:

CB: Yeah, i'm convinced

as a whole replay in

684

:

sports exists to justify the umpires

685

:

original calls Um, I

686

:

think you know, it's so they can say well

687

:

umpires are right

688

:

98 percent of the time, you

689

:

know They'll overturn one

690

:

here or

691

:

there Uh, but in general, I think they

really they really just do it so they

692

:

can say look how good the umpires are

693

:

Gary: You'll rarely hear me say

something nice about the SEC, just

694

:

because I think that they have done some

serious damage to the group of five,

695

:

them and the Big Ten.

696

:

I'll put on the Big

697

:

Ten too.

698

:

But one thing that they do well for

baseball and softball, they have

699

:

a centralized command center for

replay reviews, similar to the way I

700

:

think Major League Baseball

701

:

does it to where the umpires

702

:

on the field don't have

any say in the replay.

703

:

It's a.

704

:

Different person somewhere far away,

and they make the determination,

705

:

um, I would love at some point for

all the conferences to go to that.

706

:

I don't know if that needs to be an N.

707

:

C.

708

:

double a push or a conference push,

but I think that helps eliminate

709

:

some of that initial bias because.

710

:

The person who makes the call

is on the field with that

711

:

crew for the whole weekend.

712

:

It's going to need to be

something absolutely egregious

713

:

for them to overturn it.

714

:

They're going to use every

excuse they can have.

715

:

Oh, it was blurry.

716

:

It wasn't zoomed in enough.

717

:

Wasn't the right angle, whatever it is.

718

:

And you know, you're just not

seeing those calls get overturned.

719

:

Even in some spots where there

is really clear video evidence,

720

:

they're kind of like, nope, our

guys saw it, had better eyes on it.

721

:

We're not going to overdo it.

722

:

CB: Yeah.

723

:

and there is a

724

:

secondary problem to that too.

725

:

Is that the

726

:

camera equipment and the

727

:

camera work isn't You know

the best and that's fair.

728

:

I mean

729

:

you

730

:

got typically it's students doing

it, you know It's and and they only

731

:

have what they can work with and they

732

:

do The absolute best

733

:

they possibly can do they're they're not

yet professional um camera people so it's

734

:

There are limitations that you and Yeah.

735

:

the sec can do that because again,

they've got as much money as mlb has

736

:

Yeah.

737

:

Gary: Maybe even more at

this point with The new TV

738

:

deals and everything going on.

739

:

Um, and

740

:

also I'll point out

741

:

too, on Friday, uh, you know, it

wasn't down there Saturday, so

742

:

I can't speak for it Saturday,

but Friday, it was beautiful

743

:

weather, but that wind was cooking.

744

:

And I can't imagine for 18 innings of

baseball, trying to hold the camera

745

:

and keep a tight shot on something

when you're getting bounced around

746

:

with 20, 25 mile an hour wind gusts.

747

:

CB: it was, uh, it was hard just to stand.

748

:

I mean, just

749

:

me with my camera.

750

:

I was taking pictures with And you

know, I don't have to have the same,

751

:

uh, level of fidelity to

watching the game that they do.

752

:

I mostly do.

753

:

I'm pretty much locked

in for most every pitch.

754

:

But if

755

:

I feel like walking

756

:

off and not for a few things, I

757

:

can do that.

758

:

I'll admit

759

:

they're not

760

:

professionals.

761

:

They're not, their skills aren't to

the level yet, but I'm not ever going

762

:

to knock them because, you know,

there are kids out there doing their

763

:

best.

764

:

Gary: And I'll swing us back around

here for initiatives like dollars

765

:

for dingers and bucks for bags.

766

:

I'm not naive enough to think that

those campaigns are going to build

767

:

us a new ballpark or get us an

all new camera system, but it's

768

:

a push in the right direction.

769

:

It shows the fan interest

when a hundred people do that.

770

:

The money does add up.

771

:

It definitely helps the team, but it

helps the athletic department see that

772

:

there is a really dedicated fan base to

ODU baseball and to take some of that

773

:

money and be able to invest it back in to

things like better cameras, uh, a bigger.

774

:

Command center.

775

:

Cause right now we can only do one

ESPN plus broadcast at a time at this

776

:

point, it's not too big of a deal

unless women's lacrosse is also home.

777

:

But, um, showing that there is a

appetite out there to watch ODU baseball,

778

:

to be a fan, to improve it helps.

779

:

So that's how those initiatives.

780

:

Really kind of get the thing going.

781

:

I don't know how many, I think ODAF

had something neighborhood of 50

782

:

to 60 new donors, uh, for the first

time ever when the first time we did

783

:

that dollars for dingers campaign.

784

:

So that's, that's kind of what that,

that helps push is showing that fan

785

:

interest, showing the athletic department

that there really is a need to go

786

:

and continue to invest in baseball.

787

:

CB: Yeah, I mean all

four anything you can do.

788

:

I mean, I and I don't I don't know Where

the money came from this but I know

789

:

the the baseball team this year does

have a new system That does record the

790

:

pitchers the hitters It gives all that

791

:

like telemetry on pitches

792

:

and then bat speed and things and and

they get really good High quality video

793

:

they can use and so that I mean right

794

:

there There is an improvement

in you know, maybe not

795

:

in the replay tech and things but

796

:

they can You know It's, it's stuff they're

able to use to make themselves better.

797

:

And so right there, I mean, again,

I'm not real sure exactly where

798

:

this funds came from, but I guarantee it

without, uh, people going in and donating

799

:

specifically to help out the

baseball team, it doesn't

800

:

exist.

801

:

Gary: Well, if I have to choose between

a really nice ESPN broadcast or the team

802

:

having the best tech and analytics, uh,

going to the team 10 out of 10 times, Um,

803

:

but I, I do wonder, cause in in football

for replay review, they obviously,

804

:

they have the broadcast, but also the

home team, is required to pipe in their

805

:

coach's cam footage for replay review.

806

:

So I wonder if they're,

I don't know if that's

807

:

currently used or not.

808

:

I'll ask the question and find out, but

having that maybe looped in with replay

809

:

might be something that would help

them make some better determination,

810

:

especially stuff that's close to the bags.

811

:

I know that those cameras are primarily

around the dugouts and the backstop.

812

:

Uh, so I'll ask that question and,

and see if I can get an answer on it.

813

:

Uh, but I think that would, that

814

:

CB: do know for a fact

815

:

that is not, I guess that

816

:

would be what they would use.

817

:

It's not like live

818

:

connected like that for sure.

819

:

They definitely don't have access to it.

820

:

I'm not even sure if the team has

access like that day to that, the video.

821

:

Gary: Okay.

822

:

Well, I'll, I'll poke

around and ask and maybe

823

:

stir something up, because that might help

at least with, you know, safe out calls

824

:

at the basis fair fouls, stuff like that

825

:

Um, just anything we can do to,

to help our team out and be in a

826

:

better

827

:

position, uh, to get, get calls.

828

:

Right, which.

829

:

I don't know.

830

:

We probably have the best

tech in the world and the

831

:

automated systems and somehow those, uh,

umpires will miss something, no doubt.

832

:

CB: I believe in that.

833

:

Coming up next on the

Hudson Homer's podcasts.

834

:

Our interview was starting, right.

835

:

Fielder, Luke waters.

836

:

We talked to him about the past

weekend against south Alabama.

837

:

Along with his NISL merge deal

with the Monarch is after that

838

:

we'll preview a really tough week

of games with UVA and then heading

839

:

on the road to coastal Carolina.

840

:

We appreciate you

listening and stay tuned.

841

:

Gary: Welcome back to the

Hudson homers podcast.

842

:

Monarch fans.

843

:

Uh, we have a special guest for you today.

844

:

Lucky to be joined by Luke waters

from old dominion baseball and also

845

:

a monarchist NIL athlete Luke's.

846

:

Thanks so much for

hopping on with us today.

847

:

Luke: Thanks for having me.

848

:

It's a pleasure.

849

:

Gary: Coming off a weekend where

you take two out of three from South

850

:

Alabama, you hit two home runs, had

a really great offensive weekend.

851

:

Uh, how was the team feeling

after, uh, taking that series

852

:

and bouncing back from Louisiana?

853

:

Luke: Uh, the vibes were amazing.

854

:

We definitely needed it as a team,

especially coming off of Louisiana.

855

:

I know we got together as a team, just

talked about everything, how like, like,

856

:

who cares what happened last weekend?

857

:

It's a new weekend.

858

:

Anything can change, and we, I think we

played pretty good all three days, so.

859

:

It's a big weekend for us.

860

:

CB: Yeah, it was a great weekend.

861

:

So I hear you talking

about having conversations.

862

:

You know, you're, you're a junior now.

863

:

You've been here all three years.

864

:

How big of a leader are you on the team?

865

:

Or do you kind of let other guys

maybe take the reins and you

866

:

just kind of lead by example?

867

:

Luke: Yeah, I'm more of a lead by example.

868

:

I'm more of a quiet guy.

869

:

A lot of people know, but, If I have to,

like, step in and say something, I will.

870

:

But, um, I usually let, uh,

Vincent do all the, all the talking

871

:

and pretty much just lead by

872

:

CB: That makes sense for

both of y'all's personality.

873

:

He wants to talk.

874

:

Luke: Yeah.

875

:

CB: be there quiet.

876

:

Yeah, that fits.

877

:

Gary: Pretty good lineup shakeup, uh,

coming out of Louisiana into this weekend.

878

:

You stayed in your, your same spot

there for the most part hitting third.

879

:

Uh, does that do anything for you

when you're thinking like, all right,

880

:

Alex is now hitting lead off and

then Steven's hitting second, does

881

:

that change your approach at all?

882

:

It's just show and go.

883

:

Luke: Uh, not really.

884

:

I try not to think about it a lot.

885

:

Just, just stay focused on

the approach every at bat.

886

:

Like, what pitcher I'm facing,

what I have to do each at bat.

887

:

And whatever happens, happens.

888

:

CB: Has it been any different for

you this year, hitting third mostly

889

:

as opposed to last year where

you're leading off every game?

890

:

Yeah, definitely.

891

:

Luke: Yeah, I feel a lot more

comfortable, um, this year.

892

:

Just being able to see the pitcher

and not being the first one out there.

893

:

And just It just, like, calms me

down, settles me down a little more.

894

:

Just seeing, oh, so you can

see his slider, see his off

895

:

speed, and see his fastball more

instead of just going right into

896

:

CB: Do you ever have where the guys

in front of you come up and swing it

897

:

like the first pitch or the second

pitch and You're like come on guys.

898

:

I need a little bit

899

:

Luke: it.

900

:

Yeah, because then I'll have to go up

there and take, but it's part of the game.

901

:

CB: You've been a guy, you know, like

I said, you're a junior here It's

902

:

your third year in your first year.

903

:

I actually have your stats in front

of me I didn't really you only came to

904

:

the plate 16 times I really thought you

got in the games more that first year

905

:

and then last year, you know He played

pretty much every day Um, and had a

906

:

really great year and this year you're,

I mean, your numbers are actually all

907

:

almost higher in every category just from

last year halfway through the season.

908

:

I mean, can you talk about how

you've developed and how you've

909

:

grown in your career here?

910

:

Luke: Um, well, like, freshman

year, it all started just,

911

:

like, knowing my role each year.

912

:

So that year was, like, I

would be, like, a pinch runner.

913

:

And just, like, start

slowly learning the game.

914

:

And, uh, I think a big thing was me

just learning what kind of player I was.

915

:

And, like, trusting the development of,

like, Finney and Hage with my swing.

916

:

And just being an overall player.

917

:

And I think I finally,

like, I'm developing.

918

:

So that's why I think I'm more

comfortable and you can see that

919

:

I'm playing this a lot better,

920

:

Gary: And you talked about the energy from

the team is really strong this weekend.

921

:

We, we could tell that over in

Raleigh alley and up in the stands

922

:

that the team was just into it really

from the jump on that on Friday.

923

:

To get the double header sweep there,

you're hitting third in the lineup.

924

:

You've had some good hitters in

front of you for most of the season.

925

:

We've heard that hitting is

contagious within this lineup.

926

:

Do you think that's an accurate statement

and how does that impact you when you come

927

:

up to the plate and know that, all right,

Steven's on first, he's probably going

928

:

to steal second and maybe even third.

929

:

Does that make it easier

for you or more difficult?

930

:

Luke: a lot easier because I actually

believe hitting is contagious.

931

:

Um, the momentum, big momentum.

932

:

So if someone gets in front of me,

it's just a different like vibe as you

933

:

can, as you said, like from the dugout.

934

:

And it's just like a confidence

booster, like, oh, Steven got a hit.

935

:

And I'm gonna go up there

and get ahead and do my job.

936

:

And the guy behind me is

going to get do his job.

937

:

It just all falls in place.

938

:

CB: So the flip side of that, you

know, we've had some, some days where

939

:

it just doesn't seem like a team can

get a hit or even actually yesterday's

940

:

game, the Saturday game, we were

getting hits, just couldn't quite.

941

:

Get that hit to move them in.

942

:

Um, what do you think is going on in those

times where it seems like this offense

943

:

Which I think is a really really good

offense just seems to kind of struggle

944

:

Luke: Yeah, I, I know we have

a really good offense and

945

:

some games we don't show it.

946

:

It's just, um, if when we stay to like our

approach and being tough in the batter's

947

:

box, because there's been multiple games

where we're hitting the ball hard every

948

:

time and just nothing's going our way, but

it's just all about getting that big hit.

949

:

And some on Sunday or Saturday,

we didn't get it, but we were

950

:

still like, Having good at bats

putting good swings on the ball.

951

:

CB: Yeah, boucher on uh, friday was a

great example that he had I think it was

952

:

over seven I think all seven were over

100 miles an hour line drives just right

953

:

at guys like that's that's a great case

What you're talking about right there

954

:

Luke: Yeah, and I felt bad for

him on Friday He'd come back to

955

:

the dugout just staring at me.

956

:

I just laugh at him was like

keep swinging keep swinging

957

:

Gary: He's do some hits

from the baseball gods.

958

:

I think after getting robbed, because

he was absolutely crushing the baseball

959

:

on Friday, just could not find.

960

:

Find any grass or get any wind

assistance out there in the outfield.

961

:

I know you were in right.

962

:

And it was windy as can be on Friday.

963

:

And it looked like it was almost hanging

some balls up for you to actually catch

964

:

in foul territory that I thought we're

going to end up out on the street.

965

:

Uh, is that window nuts out there with

the chemistry building, messing things up?

966

:

Luke: Oh, yeah, the Bob Matheny wind

it's it plays different every day Like

967

:

I think it was playing different the

first game of the doubleheader than

968

:

it was the second game So it's always

always important to get out there during

969

:

BP and knowing what the ball is doing

970

:

CB: How was that?

971

:

I mean, you, so you were an infielder,

you know, you were a shortstop in high

972

:

school and then played mostly second

and third here as a freshman and then

973

:

last year moving to the outfield.

974

:

Had you really played outfield before

and what's that been like learning it?

975

:

Luke: I haven't really played outfield in

high school at all, but It's been like an

976

:

easier transition and uh, I think it like

freed me up at the plate too a little bit.

977

:

So it's like thinking less about defense

which also freed me up at the plate.

978

:

CB: It's great.

979

:

No, I'm just going to say that I'm sure

that's exactly and and your results of the

980

:

play have been exactly why you make that

move and so that's gotta be one that uh

981

:

your coaches have to feel good about that.

982

:

Luke: Yeah.

983

:

Yeah, and uh, luckily I'm a little faster.

984

:

So even if my, I don't get

the best jump or read right

985

:

now I can make up for a little

986

:

CB: Yeah, I think if anybody were

to watch you play outfield and you

987

:

told them, yeah, you just started

last year, they'd be like, what?

988

:

No, that's, that doesn't seem right.

989

:

Like you, you play a really good outfield.

990

:

You're very good.

991

:

You, you've robbed a few

balls right at the fence.

992

:

Uh, you got a good arm.

993

:

Luke: I actually, I've fallen in love

with outfield just using my speed and

994

:

using my arm It's real fun out there.

995

:

Gary: I think it was the Georgia Southern

series where you threw somebody out at the

996

:

plate from right field on the ball that

I didn't think there was any chance we

997

:

were going to get the guy at the plate.

998

:

I think it was Georgia

Southern, wasn't it?

999

:

It

:

00:44:20,076 --> 00:44:20,486

Luke: Maybe.

:

00:44:21,036 --> 00:44:21,856

I have a bad memory.

:

00:44:23,466 --> 00:44:25,256

Gary: feels like it was a

thousand games ago at this point.

:

00:44:25,256 --> 00:44:26,746

It's only, I think only

been like three weeks.

:

00:44:27,606 --> 00:44:29,566

So, you might have the

best living situation.

:

00:44:29,566 --> 00:44:31,136

You're right there close to the ballpark.

:

00:44:31,136 --> 00:44:33,706

I think you're what, with Jay,

Kenny, who were the other two

:

00:44:33,706 --> 00:44:34,676

guys that are in there with you?

:

00:44:35,131 --> 00:44:38,861

Luke: I'm with Jake Tyser,

Kenny, Alex Boucher, and TJ.

:

00:44:39,636 --> 00:44:39,956

Gary: Gotcha.

:

00:44:40,596 --> 00:44:43,006

That's gotta be a pretty fun

house to be in, especially being

:

00:44:43,006 --> 00:44:44,356

closer over there to the ballpark.

:

00:44:44,846 --> 00:44:47,806

Uh, what's it like hanging out with

those guys and how often do you

:

00:44:47,806 --> 00:44:50,986

interact with the other baseball

houses around that block or two?

:

00:44:51,821 --> 00:44:52,711

Luke: Oh, it's amazing.

:

00:44:53,061 --> 00:44:54,391

Everyone lives on this street.

:

00:44:55,051 --> 00:44:57,381

You know, like, someone

will just stop by randomly.

:

00:44:57,831 --> 00:45:01,371

It's a good, like, bonding, because

you walk down the street, I'll just

:

00:45:01,371 --> 00:45:05,041

stop by in so and so's house, and

it's just, there'll be like eight

:

00:45:05,041 --> 00:45:08,641

other teammates in there just, just

having a good time, so it's nice.

:

00:45:09,531 --> 00:45:09,711

CB: Yeah.

:

00:45:09,711 --> 00:45:10,631

You guys hang out a lot.

:

00:45:10,631 --> 00:45:13,591

I mean, I know like in the fall when I was

at the different sports, like I'd be at

:

00:45:13,591 --> 00:45:18,651

soccer, I'd be at volleyball and there was

always a minimum three or four of you guys

:

00:45:18,651 --> 00:45:20,481

and sometimes eight or nine hanging out.

:

00:45:20,481 --> 00:45:21,641

I saw you had a bunch of stuff.

:

00:45:21,641 --> 00:45:25,131

Luke: Yeah, there's always a group

somewhere, which is really good, and

:

00:45:25,141 --> 00:45:26,711

I think brings us together a lot.

:

00:45:26,711 --> 00:45:30,081

Gary: Oh, well, you recently

signed the NIL merch deal

:

00:45:30,081 --> 00:45:31,811

with us with the monarchist.

:

00:45:31,821 --> 00:45:36,041

We've got your shirt up on our website

Uh, I don't know if you knew this

:

00:45:36,041 --> 00:45:39,391

but you're actually the first ODU

athlete that we have signed directly

:

00:45:39,391 --> 00:45:41,626

to an NIL deal so I don't know.

:

00:45:41,766 --> 00:45:43,456

When you came to ODU, did you

ever think that was something

:

00:45:43,456 --> 00:45:44,606

that would happen for you?

:

00:45:45,246 --> 00:45:46,446

Luke: No, I had no idea.

:

00:45:46,796 --> 00:45:50,426

Um, it's kind of like, when I

think about it, it's like, Wow,

:

00:45:50,426 --> 00:45:51,806

I actually have like a t shirt.

:

00:45:51,836 --> 00:45:52,816

It's kind of cool thing about

:

00:45:52,816 --> 00:45:55,246

Gary: Yeah, I think that's, that

was the original intention of NIL

:

00:45:55,246 --> 00:45:57,066

is to do merch deals like that.

:

00:45:57,066 --> 00:45:59,716

And I'm sure we'll be doing some

other things together at some point.

:

00:46:00,226 --> 00:46:04,176

Um, but definitely if you haven't gone

to our website yet, odumonarchist.

:

00:46:04,176 --> 00:46:05,566

com, we've got a store button.

:

00:46:05,826 --> 00:46:09,331

Luke Newcomb shirt is right there

and You know, thank you for hitting

:

00:46:09,331 --> 00:46:12,511

two home runs this weekend to,

you know, make it even better.

:

00:46:12,521 --> 00:46:13,761

It was really kind of you to do that.

:

00:46:14,541 --> 00:46:18,941

Luke: It might have been the releasing

of the shirt just made me hit him, so

:

00:46:19,486 --> 00:46:20,081

CB: We got it.

:

00:46:20,311 --> 00:46:22,621

We gotta find out eventually

that you're wearing your shirt

:

00:46:22,651 --> 00:46:24,141

under the jersey all season.

:

00:46:24,151 --> 00:46:25,171

That's going to be the move

:

00:46:26,401 --> 00:46:29,351

Luke: Yeah, I might have to start doing

that and see if it has any luck for me.

:

00:46:29,961 --> 00:46:31,121

Gary: yeah, yeah, definitely.

:

00:46:31,121 --> 00:46:33,671

And, uh, well, you know, if that

is the good luck charm, right.

:

00:46:33,671 --> 00:46:36,311

If you get the shirt, you start hitting,

we're just going to get everybody on

:

00:46:36,311 --> 00:46:40,161

the team, a shirt at some point and, uh,

go on and win the college world series.

:

00:46:40,911 --> 00:46:44,871

Luke: Yeah, that's what I went in the

locker room after we posted there.

:

00:46:44,941 --> 00:46:45,881

Everyone was talking about it.

:

00:46:45,881 --> 00:46:47,201

I was like, I might have to get one.

:

00:46:47,771 --> 00:46:48,171

They go, hey,

:

00:46:49,386 --> 00:46:50,736

Gary: We're always open to ideas.

:

00:46:50,776 --> 00:46:55,016

I think, uh, Hudson Trobaugh's

dad had one for Hudson and it was

:

00:46:55,016 --> 00:46:58,506

like, no one out pitches the hut

and I was like, that is a genius

:

00:46:58,891 --> 00:46:59,621

Luke: that is a good one.

:

00:47:00,081 --> 00:47:00,991

CB: Really good

:

00:47:00,991 --> 00:47:02,921

Gary: Yeah, well, we'll, uh, we'll

definitely be working on that.

:

00:47:02,921 --> 00:47:05,911

You're, you're the first one, but you

will certainly not be the last one.

:

00:47:05,911 --> 00:47:07,991

Definitely not the last one

within baseball as well.

:

00:47:07,991 --> 00:47:10,681

We're just going to keep growing

that thing, but really glad that we

:

00:47:10,681 --> 00:47:12,221

got to do that partnership with you.

:

00:47:12,221 --> 00:47:13,921

Uh, we hope we sell a ton of shirts.

:

00:47:13,921 --> 00:47:15,021

We're going to keep promoting it.

:

00:47:15,081 --> 00:47:17,571

Uh, I know, I think the first

couple of orders of them come in.

:

00:47:17,571 --> 00:47:18,861

I know you've got yours now.

:

00:47:19,216 --> 00:47:22,276

Uh, so they'll, they'll be popping

up at the bud and hopefully making

:

00:47:22,276 --> 00:47:25,346

other people a little bit jealous and

go on there and order them as well.

:

00:47:26,176 --> 00:47:28,496

Luke: Yeah, I can't wait to see

people wearing them out on the bud.

:

00:47:28,496 --> 00:47:28,706

Gary: Cool.

:

00:47:28,706 --> 00:47:32,466

And we asked this question to everyone

who's going to come on the podcast.

:

00:47:32,466 --> 00:47:34,766

We've had some really good

answers from like Kenny and Jay.

:

00:47:35,236 --> 00:47:38,436

Uh, but we know the college football

video game is coming back out this

:

00:47:38,446 --> 00:47:40,806

summer, and that's going to be

a big deal for a lot of people.

:

00:47:41,126 --> 00:47:44,346

Uh, but there used to be the

college baseball game that was out

:

00:47:44,346 --> 00:47:46,436

there maybe 10 or 11 years ago.

:

00:47:46,896 --> 00:47:50,276

So if you, if they're going to bring

back the college baseball video game.

:

00:47:50,601 --> 00:47:53,871

What overall rating are you're giving

yourself and like, where are you

:

00:47:53,871 --> 00:47:56,421

going to rate 99 in those rankings?

:

00:47:57,726 --> 00:48:00,036

Luke: Um, I'm 99 all of them.

:

00:48:01,506 --> 00:48:02,776

You have to, you have to be confident

:

00:48:02,836 --> 00:48:03,086

CB: Let's

:

00:48:03,301 --> 00:48:03,731

Gary: Love

:

00:48:03,816 --> 00:48:05,086

Luke: I mean, I know we're all, all of it.

:

00:48:06,171 --> 00:48:06,521

Gary: All right.

:

00:48:06,551 --> 00:48:07,011

I like it.

:

00:48:07,011 --> 00:48:09,321

I'll eat 99 overall across the board.

:

00:48:09,321 --> 00:48:12,071

You're just going to be hitting

tanks every single at bat, throwing

:

00:48:12,071 --> 00:48:13,151

everybody out from the fence.

:

00:48:13,511 --> 00:48:14,091

I love it.

:

00:48:16,591 --> 00:48:19,561

Well, let the people know where they

can follow along with your stuff.

:

00:48:19,561 --> 00:48:22,851

Other than, than through the

monarchist, uh, Instagram handles,

:

00:48:22,861 --> 00:48:23,961

Twitter handles, anything like that.

:

00:48:23,961 --> 00:48:27,291

Luke: Oh, um, my Instagram

handle, I think it's just Luke.

:

00:48:27,431 --> 00:48:32,131

Waters on Twitter, I think

it's L__Waters5, I think.

:

00:48:32,511 --> 00:48:32,911

Gary: Awesome.

:

00:48:32,911 --> 00:48:34,231

We'll, uh, we'll make sure to put them.

:

00:48:34,686 --> 00:48:37,686

Uh, out on our social media when we

get this posted out later in the week.

:

00:48:37,686 --> 00:48:39,526

But CB, uh, anything else for Luke?

:

00:48:40,116 --> 00:48:42,656

CB: No, I just you know,

it's it's really great.

:

00:48:42,686 --> 00:48:46,736

Uh, just getting to see you develop and

do so well This you know, you're you're

:

00:48:46,736 --> 00:48:50,276

a prime example what you want to see

when a kid comes to ODU, you know You're

:

00:48:50,496 --> 00:48:53,796

you're a great person You got a great

family and you get just watch you get

:

00:48:53,806 --> 00:48:57,296

better and better and better at baseball

every year That's it's it's great, man

:

00:48:57,296 --> 00:48:58,146

Luke: thank you, thank you.

:

00:48:58,256 --> 00:48:58,836

Appreciate it.

:

00:48:58,846 --> 00:49:01,556

Gary: Well, Luke really appreciate

you, uh, taking a couple minutes out

:

00:49:01,556 --> 00:49:03,766

of your day to come chat with us.

:

00:49:03,906 --> 00:49:07,966

Appreciate the, uh, partnership as

well for the Luke Newcomb t shirt.

:

00:49:08,276 --> 00:49:09,016

Can't stress enough.

:

00:49:09,016 --> 00:49:13,076

Go in there, order your Luke Newcomb

t shirt, come to the bud and enjoy it.

:

00:49:13,566 --> 00:49:14,126

Uh, but awesome.

:

00:49:14,126 --> 00:49:15,156

But thank you so much, Luke.

:

00:49:16,166 --> 00:49:16,836

Luke: Thanks for having me.

:

00:49:21,718 --> 00:49:22,248

CB: Well, alright.

:

00:49:22,258 --> 00:49:24,508

So, we got the series win and now

:

00:49:24,958 --> 00:49:26,928

the the heat of the schedule begins.

:

00:49:26,948 --> 00:49:30,118

We got Uh, a big lineup coming up.

:

00:49:31,100 --> 00:49:31,540

Gary: Yeah.

:

00:49:31,600 --> 00:49:34,500

Uh, and we're starting on

Tuesday, making another trip

:

00:49:34,550 --> 00:49:34,900

out to

:

00:49:34,900 --> 00:49:36,740

Charlottesville to play UVA.

:

00:49:37,040 --> 00:49:37,960

Uh, in case you're wondering,

:

00:49:37,960 --> 00:49:41,620

they have not gotten any

worse since we played them the

:

00:49:41,620 --> 00:49:41,890

first

:

00:49:41,890 --> 00:49:45,070

time and they took that game,

they're 22 and six, but they

:

00:49:45,070 --> 00:49:46,970

are seven and five in the ACC.

:

00:49:47,200 --> 00:49:49,670

And they're coming off of

a series loss down at Duke.

:

00:49:49,720 --> 00:49:51,190

They dropped two out of three.

:

00:49:51,400 --> 00:49:52,570

They won the middle game of that

:

00:49:52,610 --> 00:49:53,050

series.

:

00:49:53,510 --> 00:49:53,900

They've kind

:

00:49:53,900 --> 00:49:58,210

of probably not played as well as

they've wanted to going into ACC plays.

:

00:49:58,220 --> 00:50:02,140

They lost that series to Duke,

they lost the series to Miami, uh,

:

00:50:02,170 --> 00:50:05,520

they won the series against Wake

and they got, and they swept Pitt.

:

00:50:05,860 --> 00:50:09,500

So kind of been some up and downs,

uh, but I was a little surprised to

:

00:50:09,510 --> 00:50:12,370

see him drop that series at Duke,

even though Duke is a good baseball.

:

00:50:13,418 --> 00:50:14,718

CB: Yeah, Duke is really really good.

:

00:50:14,718 --> 00:50:17,998

I was actually looking at those box

scores to see if our guy uh Zach Morris

:

00:50:18,008 --> 00:50:22,168

from Suffolk uh had a big impact like I

think he was about one for twelve leading

:

00:50:22,168 --> 00:50:25,178

off uh but yeah and you look at the

:

00:50:25,178 --> 00:50:25,588

stats

:

00:50:25,598 --> 00:50:26,778

for this UVA team and

:

00:50:26,778 --> 00:50:28,708

it's I don't understand how they lose

:

00:50:28,708 --> 00:50:29,138

games.

:

00:50:29,138 --> 00:50:30,898

I mean, they have a a

:

00:50:30,898 --> 00:50:33,238

347 team batting average.

:

00:50:33,738 --> 00:50:37,407

I mean they've got uh, looking at

like the eras like their team era

:

00:50:37,408 --> 00:50:38,718

is 553 So they give

:

00:50:38,718 --> 00:50:42,378

up some runs, but the opponent's

era against them is nine four nines

:

00:50:42,378 --> 00:50:44,498

Which means they're averaging over

:

00:50:44,528 --> 00:50:49,088

nine earned runs per game Uh

when they when they play so I

:

00:50:49,088 --> 00:50:50,098

I don't know how people will

:

00:50:50,108 --> 00:50:50,428

stop

:

00:50:50,428 --> 00:50:50,708

them

:

00:50:51,520 --> 00:50:54,720

Gary: I was going through their

stats and trying to find a

:

00:50:54,720 --> 00:50:56,560

couple hitters to highlight.

:

00:50:56,760 --> 00:50:59,360

You could highlight every

single person that's on there.

:

00:50:59,390 --> 00:51:00,380

It's unbelievable.

:

00:51:01,133 --> 00:51:02,793

CB: I mean, I'll highlight, I'll highlight

:

00:51:02,803 --> 00:51:07,213

Harrison Dinowick because he's from, um,

right here in the 757, went to Western

:

00:51:07,213 --> 00:51:10,183

Branch, uh, played with, uh, Jackson Tone

:

00:51:10,513 --> 00:51:14,423

on the ODU team, you know, Harrison's

hitting, uh, 336, he's leading the

:

00:51:14,423 --> 00:51:18,133

team with 12 homers, leading the

team with 40 RBIs, uh, and I'm

:

00:51:18,133 --> 00:51:19,523

sure playing some great outfields,

:

00:51:19,563 --> 00:51:23,613

so that, I mean, but you're right,

he, at, at 336, he's the fifth best

:

00:51:23,613 --> 00:51:23,933

hitter on

:

00:51:23,933 --> 00:51:24,003

the

:

00:51:24,003 --> 00:51:24,373

team.

:

00:51:25,010 --> 00:51:28,580

Gary: Which is crazy and jacob ferentz

is obviously I think everyone knows

:

00:51:28,590 --> 00:51:34,470

about him at this point hitting 456

Uh, seven bombs 18 rbis And casey, I

:

00:51:34,470 --> 00:51:36,120

think it's sock is how you pronounce it.

:

00:51:36,533 --> 00:51:37,633

CB: I think I think it's stocky.

:

00:51:38,240 --> 00:51:40,560

Gary: Okay, so we'll take some

sake shots before the game.

:

00:51:40,560 --> 00:51:45,190

Hopefully that helped Um, yeah, but

390 batting average He also has seven

:

00:51:45,190 --> 00:51:47,320

home runs, but he's driven in 32 and

:

00:51:47,340 --> 00:51:50,670

he's not the team leader in

rbis he's third on the team

:

00:51:50,670 --> 00:51:55,110

in rbis because you know diddawick

with the 12 bombs and 40 ribs

:

00:51:55,160 --> 00:51:59,155

like it's just Their lineup

is stacked, but I think it's

:

00:51:59,155 --> 00:52:02,835

a good preview of what you're going

to see from Coastal too, because there

:

00:52:02,835 --> 00:52:06,925

are similar types of teams in terms

of their approach of strong offense

:

00:52:07,345 --> 00:52:09,285

and maybe not the best pitching.

:

00:52:09,285 --> 00:52:10,145

CB: Yeah, you're right.

:

00:52:10,145 --> 00:52:12,735

I have the the coastal stats here

too And it's kind of the same thing.

:

00:52:12,745 --> 00:52:13,925

They're they're averaging.

:

00:52:13,935 --> 00:52:17,535

Uh, let's see if it'll pull up for me,

but they had over Uh, oh, here we go.

:

00:52:17,625 --> 00:52:22,425

Uh, yeah same thing over five Uh era

as a team, but then the opponent's

:

00:52:22,425 --> 00:52:27,425

era 973 so both teams giving up

about five runs a game But also

:

00:52:27,425 --> 00:52:29,155

scoring about nine runs a game.

:

00:52:29,285 --> 00:52:29,925

So, I mean,

:

00:52:29,925 --> 00:52:32,995

that's more along the lines of maybe

what ODU was doing the last few years.

:

00:52:33,305 --> 00:52:36,135

Uh, so it's gonna be interesting to

see if our extremely good pitching

:

00:52:36,135 --> 00:52:40,665

staff can go up against these

good hitters, and if our hitters

:

00:52:41,010 --> 00:52:42,410

can be the guys they are and

:

00:52:42,410 --> 00:52:45,910

take advantage of what seems like, uh,

again, you, I'm sure they've played

:

00:52:45,910 --> 00:52:47,740

some good opponents, but the pitching is

:

00:52:47,750 --> 00:52:49,730

not, you know, the best.

:

00:52:49,750 --> 00:52:52,460

So it seems like we have some

opportunities for some runs

:

00:52:52,460 --> 00:52:53,670

and hopefully limit some runs.

:

00:52:54,597 --> 00:52:57,337

Gary: Yeah, it'll be interesting

to give our midweek guys another

:

00:52:57,337 --> 00:53:00,267

shot at UVA because we

were in that game with

:

00:53:00,267 --> 00:53:01,107

them at first.

:

00:53:01,107 --> 00:53:01,467

I thought we

:

00:53:01,467 --> 00:53:03,937

played pretty well and kind

of got broken open late.

:

00:53:04,387 --> 00:53:09,337

Uh, so I think the key for ODU going

back up to Charlottesville is to just

:

00:53:09,507 --> 00:53:12,217

hit the ball, like relax, have good at

:

00:53:12,227 --> 00:53:13,847

bats, let things play

:

00:53:13,847 --> 00:53:18,497

out, because I do think that our

pitching can limit UVA a little bit.

:

00:53:18,757 --> 00:53:20,997

I mean, they're a crazy good

lineup, they're gonna score

:

00:53:20,997 --> 00:53:22,047

runs, it's gonna happen.

:

00:53:22,432 --> 00:53:27,012

So it's almost, you know, if you get down

3 0, 4 0, or something like that, just

:

00:53:27,232 --> 00:53:30,872

know that you're probably going to see

some pitches to hit, especially since

:

00:53:30,892 --> 00:53:35,402

they're going to be playing a Thursday

through Saturday series against UNC.

:

00:53:36,222 --> 00:53:39,322

So they're probably not going

to be using any of their weekend

:

00:53:39,332 --> 00:53:40,662

arms in that Tuesday game.

:

00:53:40,662 --> 00:53:43,562

CB: A midweek arm at UVA is

typically a pretty good arm.

:

00:53:43,582 --> 00:53:49,172

You know, um, I know, I don't know exactly

what our pitching plans are for Tuesday.

:

00:53:49,172 --> 00:53:52,922

I know I was talking to, um, Hudson

Trobaugh's parents, and they were

:

00:53:52,922 --> 00:53:56,472

saying that, that Finney and Marin

had told Hudson that he is going to be

:

00:53:56,472 --> 00:53:57,352

a midweek guy.

:

00:53:57,867 --> 00:54:00,047

Um, he's so we basically just like don't

:

00:54:00,047 --> 00:54:00,997

worry about the weekends.

:

00:54:00,997 --> 00:54:04,277

You're going to be you know, Tuesday

Wednesday when we play pitching Now, I

:

00:54:04,277 --> 00:54:05,657

don't know if that means he's starting

:

00:54:06,327 --> 00:54:06,987

if he's definitely going to

:

00:54:06,987 --> 00:54:08,487

be a guy coming out of the bullpen

:

00:54:08,817 --> 00:54:09,887

Uh, but so there

:

00:54:09,937 --> 00:54:14,237

and I would guess garrett harker will also

Either start or come out of the bullpen.

:

00:54:14,237 --> 00:54:14,327

So

:

00:54:14,327 --> 00:54:16,037

it's gonna be interesting

to see exactly who

:

00:54:16,477 --> 00:54:20,507

Uh gets those innings, but we definitely

got you know, again, our our midweek guys

:

00:54:20,507 --> 00:54:21,527

are no joke either

:

00:54:21,527 --> 00:54:22,657

Gary: It'll definitely be a good one.

:

00:54:22,657 --> 00:54:26,477

Looks like that game is going

to be on the ACC Network Extra.

:

00:54:26,517 --> 00:54:31,197

So if you have ESPN Plus, you will be

able to watch that game through ESPN Plus.

:

00:54:31,527 --> 00:54:34,747

I think the ACC Network just

has to put their, their branding

:

00:54:34,757 --> 00:54:36,877

stamp on it, but you'll be

able to watch that game.

:

00:54:36,887 --> 00:54:37,797

ODU will

:

00:54:37,797 --> 00:54:38,897

also have a radio

:

00:54:38,897 --> 00:54:39,787

broadcast there.

:

00:54:40,167 --> 00:54:40,957

Preferred to.

:

00:54:41,277 --> 00:54:44,187

Listen to, uh, some ODU

voices on the radio.

:

00:54:44,247 --> 00:54:46,067

Plenty of ways to to check that out.

:

00:54:46,067 --> 00:54:46,997

I haven't looked at the weather.

:

00:54:47,040 --> 00:54:49,060

CB: It's uh, not looking great

:

00:54:49,380 --> 00:54:52,100

Well, we'll we'll see I think

uh, I looked earlier about

:

00:54:52,100 --> 00:54:52,680

70

:

00:54:52,680 --> 00:54:55,760

chance of thunderstorms all day long Um,

:

00:54:55,770 --> 00:54:58,360

so we'll see if this game gets

played or not I mean, hopefully

:

00:54:58,360 --> 00:54:59,150

it'll all turn around they

:

00:54:59,150 --> 00:55:00,340

can just have a nice baseball

:

00:55:00,340 --> 00:55:00,910

game, but

:

00:55:01,430 --> 00:55:02,030

you never know

:

00:55:02,030 --> 00:55:05,990

Gary: I would imagine with UNC on

Thursday that it's not gonna take

:

00:55:05,990 --> 00:55:07,610

a whole lot for UVA to bang that

:

00:55:07,783 --> 00:55:09,903

CB: Yeah, and I mean, you

know our guys never mind

:

00:55:09,923 --> 00:55:12,643

not getting on a bus, Uh, Riding three

:

00:55:12,643 --> 00:55:14,043

hours and riding three hours back.

:

00:55:14,053 --> 00:55:14,973

So I you know

:

00:55:15,888 --> 00:55:16,998

Sometimes it's what's better for

:

00:55:16,998 --> 00:55:17,458

everyone.

:

00:55:17,718 --> 00:55:19,768

Unfortunately, we get to play

them in a couple of weeks.

:

00:55:19,768 --> 00:55:22,228

Hopefully, the weather is going

to be amazing for the 16th

:

00:55:22,238 --> 00:55:23,268

when we're supposed to play

:

00:55:23,268 --> 00:55:23,888

them at Harvard Park.

:

00:55:23,888 --> 00:55:26,498

Gary: Uh, that would be awesome

if we could have one good weather

:

00:55:26,498 --> 00:55:27,698

day for that Harbor Park game

:

00:55:27,728 --> 00:55:29,498

because that was:

:

00:55:29,498 --> 00:55:31,178

I think it's the last time

that game has actually

:

00:55:31,380 --> 00:55:31,770

CB: That's what

:

00:55:31,780 --> 00:55:35,420

I'm thinking is:

because I, I, you know, obviously it

:

00:55:35,430 --> 00:55:37,240

didn't happen in 20 because of COVID.

:

00:55:37,540 --> 00:55:40,710

I don't think we even had one scheduled

in 21 cause it's still COVID effects.

:

00:55:40,730 --> 00:55:43,280

And then, you know, they've, they've

ducked us a couple of times since

:

00:55:43,280 --> 00:55:43,600

then.

:

00:55:43,600 --> 00:55:45,230

Gary: Hopefully we're

able to get that one.

:

00:55:45,390 --> 00:55:46,420

It's a cool experience

:

00:55:46,420 --> 00:55:47,130

playing at Harbor

:

00:55:47,130 --> 00:55:47,660

Park.

:

00:55:48,040 --> 00:55:50,270

Um, I know that the Tides opened up

:

00:55:50,390 --> 00:55:51,300

this weekend.

:

00:55:51,340 --> 00:55:54,460

Um, I think they were on the road

but they have, they're off And

:

00:55:54,568 --> 00:55:55,218

CB: Yeah, they were here.

:

00:55:55,218 --> 00:55:56,058

They, um, and

:

00:55:56,058 --> 00:55:56,228

they

:

00:55:56,228 --> 00:55:57,318

won the first

:

00:55:57,328 --> 00:55:58,068

two games.

:

00:55:58,068 --> 00:56:00,628

I think they're playing, they

probably finished by now.

:

00:56:00,918 --> 00:56:02,848

I don't know what they

did on the Sunday game.

:

00:56:02,848 --> 00:56:03,388

I know Jackson

:

00:56:03,398 --> 00:56:03,938

holiday, no

:

00:56:03,938 --> 00:56:05,098

more in prospect of baseball.

:

00:56:05,428 --> 00:56:08,138

First pitch of the season, as

a tide setter, over the fence.

:

00:56:08,188 --> 00:56:11,698

Gary: That Orioles minor league

system is stacked with talent, so

:

00:56:11,698 --> 00:56:15,368

you're going to see some great players

coming through, Norfolk Tides, so.

:

00:56:15,838 --> 00:56:17,738

Gotta get some of those tide

fans to come on over to the

:

00:56:17,738 --> 00:56:18,748

Bud, especially when we get the

:

00:56:18,748 --> 00:56:19,528

new ballparking.

:

00:56:19,658 --> 00:56:21,908

So I think it'd be a, another

fun experience for them there.

:

00:56:21,908 --> 00:56:25,338

But looking up to

Coastal here, they're 20

:

00:56:25,338 --> 00:56:25,398

and

:

00:56:25,398 --> 00:56:29,708

seven, surprising five

and four in the Sunbelt.

:

00:56:29,798 --> 00:56:31,668

I was shocked when I saw that.

:

00:56:31,948 --> 00:56:34,688

That's one game better

than us at four and five.

:

00:56:35,088 --> 00:56:37,558

I took a two out of three from JMU.

:

00:56:37,948 --> 00:56:41,858

They lost the series in

Boone against App State.

:

00:56:41,868 --> 00:56:44,828

They went one and two in that series.

:

00:56:45,283 --> 00:56:48,443

Uh, and then they only took two

out of three from Louisiana Monroe

:

00:56:48,453 --> 00:56:52,863

on the, uh, they've got a midweek

with UNC Wilmington, they're good.

:

00:56:52,863 --> 00:56:54,963

UNC Wilmington has always been a

good baseball for, and they've been

:

00:56:54,963 --> 00:56:56,683

sneaking up on some teams this year.

:

00:56:57,133 --> 00:57:00,473

Uh, but it's, it's going to be

a grind here this weekend with.

:

00:57:00,823 --> 00:57:01,453

You know, 6 p.

:

00:57:01,453 --> 00:57:01,663

m.

:

00:57:01,673 --> 00:57:03,473

Friday and you got a 2 p.

:

00:57:03,473 --> 00:57:03,643

m.

:

00:57:03,653 --> 00:57:06,453

on Saturday and then

getaway day on Sunday.

:

00:57:06,453 --> 00:57:08,513

They're going at one and

extend that a little bit.

:

00:57:08,553 --> 00:57:09,313

So you don't have to fly.

:

00:57:09,323 --> 00:57:10,513

I'm sure we're driving down there.

:

00:57:10,923 --> 00:57:11,843

But Coastal is good.

:

00:57:11,863 --> 00:57:14,403

And just like what we talked

about UVA, they can hit, they

:

00:57:14,403 --> 00:57:17,123

can hit, they can hit, but their

pitching has been a little suspect.

:

00:57:17,626 --> 00:57:21,186

CB: Yeah, you know, it's um,

that five and four just tells

:

00:57:21,186 --> 00:57:22,896

you how good the conference is.

:

00:57:22,926 --> 00:57:28,086

Um, and that's again also why ODU losing

the third game of the series is so,

:

00:57:28,146 --> 00:57:29,446

you know, frustrating for other reasons.

:

00:57:29,446 --> 00:57:31,606

because the difference between

being five and four, being

:

00:57:31,606 --> 00:57:32,826

four or five is huge.

:

00:57:33,136 --> 00:57:37,356

Coastal, dropped out of the top 25 a

few weeks ago, but I think it says more

:

00:57:37,356 --> 00:57:38,616

about how tough

:

00:57:39,076 --> 00:57:43,266

the, uh, Sun Belt is than it says anything

about them not being a top 25 caliber

:

00:57:43,266 --> 00:57:43,576

team.

:

00:57:43,586 --> 00:57:44,806

They're, they're a really, really good

:

00:57:44,806 --> 00:57:46,446

team, uh, especially hitting

:

00:57:46,446 --> 00:57:47,086

wise.

:

00:57:47,226 --> 00:57:49,166

Uh, so it's going to be,

again, this is going to be a

:

00:57:49,166 --> 00:57:50,336

challenging week for our pitching.

:

00:57:50,336 --> 00:57:52,756

Gary: So their website says five and four

:

00:57:52,756 --> 00:57:54,776

that the Sunbelt standing say

:

00:57:54,776 --> 00:57:55,636

six and three.

:

00:57:55,636 --> 00:57:58,916

I just went and counted their conference

games and they are, they're five and

:

00:57:58,933 --> 00:58:00,753

CB: Yeah, that's I thought they

were five and four so who knows

:

00:58:00,753 --> 00:58:01,663

why that other one's giving

:

00:58:01,663 --> 00:58:02,513

you nonsense

:

00:58:03,506 --> 00:58:03,926

Gary: Yeah.

:

00:58:04,006 --> 00:58:04,836

Thanks Sunbelt.

:

00:58:05,403 --> 00:58:10,413

CB: come on sunbelt Uh, but yeah, but you

know again, we've got very good pitching

:

00:58:11,123 --> 00:58:14,433

You can't expect them to only give up

one or two runs every single game So,

:

00:58:14,463 --> 00:58:16,843

you know, even if they are out

there giving up four or five

:

00:58:16,843 --> 00:58:20,033

you got to compete We got our our

guys know how to hit we saw that

:

00:58:20,033 --> 00:58:23,663

the first two games this weekend

So if they go out if our hitters go

:

00:58:23,663 --> 00:58:23,933

out

:

00:58:23,953 --> 00:58:26,643

and have And concentrate on

having that really good at bat

:

00:58:26,963 --> 00:58:29,643

Just just focus on the

pitch the next pitch.

:

00:58:30,043 --> 00:58:31,113

Um, I see

:

00:58:31,113 --> 00:58:31,253

no

:

00:58:31,253 --> 00:58:33,763

reason that we can't walk away

and have a very good week here

:

00:58:33,763 --> 00:58:35,323

against two extremely good baseball

:

00:58:35,323 --> 00:58:35,793

teams,

:

00:58:35,793 --> 00:58:37,743

Gary: It's smack dab in

the middle of this tough

:

00:58:37,743 --> 00:58:40,203

schedule that we've been talking

about and getting every win

:

00:58:40,203 --> 00:58:42,543

you can is, is critically important.

:

00:58:42,933 --> 00:58:44,613

I always look at the conference baseball

:

00:58:44,613 --> 00:58:46,563

schedule, especially in a league as tough

:

00:58:46,563 --> 00:58:47,618

as a Sunbelt of.

:

00:58:48,068 --> 00:58:50,788

you always have to take two

out of three at home and you

:

00:58:50,788 --> 00:58:52,508

always have to take at

least one out of three on

:

00:58:52,508 --> 00:58:52,858

the road.

:

00:58:52,898 --> 00:58:54,348

Cause that gets you to 15 and 15.

:

00:58:54,348 --> 00:58:58,618

And then if you're able to sweep

at home, now you're 16 and 14.

:

00:58:58,953 --> 00:59:02,733

Uh, and then if you can steal a second one

and go win a road series, now you've got,

:

00:59:02,793 --> 00:59:05,203

you're getting that 17, 18, 19 one mark.

:

00:59:05,583 --> 00:59:11,143

I think if you're around that 18,

19, 20, 21 conference wins, you're

:

00:59:11,143 --> 00:59:13,673

going to put yourself in a really good

position, come to conference tournament.

:

00:59:13,683 --> 00:59:16,983

So we've put ourselves behind the

eight ball a little bit of not getting

:

00:59:16,983 --> 00:59:21,343

one at Louisiana, who by the way, has

still not lost since then they swept

:

00:59:21,343 --> 00:59:23,573

again this week and they're eight

and one and leading the conference.

:

00:59:24,008 --> 00:59:25,728

Uh, they're pretty good.

:

00:59:25,728 --> 00:59:28,608

Imagine they're going to be ranked coming

out in the, in the standings this week.

:

00:59:28,608 --> 00:59:32,688

But if we can find scratch and claw

way to get two out of three down there

:

00:59:32,698 --> 00:59:35,538

at coastal, where it's traditionally

tough and they're a good team that

:

00:59:35,538 --> 00:59:39,368

can hit, that's going to set us up

for some really great stuff with JMU

:

00:59:39,388 --> 00:59:40,828

coming into town the following weekend.

:

00:59:41,181 --> 00:59:42,161

CB: which is going to be a fun

:

00:59:42,161 --> 00:59:42,601

weekend.

:

00:59:42,601 --> 00:59:47,171

I mean, I guarantee I know JMU has,

I can think of at least off the top

:

00:59:47,171 --> 00:59:50,261

of my head, five guys from Hampton

Roads, and there's always lots of

:

00:59:50,261 --> 00:59:51,971

JMU alumni here in

:

00:59:51,971 --> 00:59:52,541

Hampton Roads.

:

00:59:52,551 --> 00:59:56,786

So I would have to imagine, especially

if we get good weather, That JMU series,

:

00:59:56,786 --> 00:59:58,336

there's going to be a lot of people of

:

00:59:58,336 --> 01:00:00,976

the bud and going to be a

lot of cheering in both ways.

:

01:00:00,986 --> 01:00:03,886

So I think that could be, it'd

be set up to be an extremely fun

:

01:00:03,886 --> 01:00:04,396

weekend.

:

01:00:04,396 --> 01:00:05,796

Gary: And there'll be

a lot of people around

:

01:00:05,796 --> 01:00:08,166

campus because that's also

that Saturday is the O.

:

01:00:08,166 --> 01:00:08,256

D.

:

01:00:08,256 --> 01:00:08,346

U.

:

01:00:08,346 --> 01:00:09,386

football spring game.

:

01:00:09,426 --> 01:00:11,126

So there's going to be

a lot of people there.

:

01:00:11,126 --> 01:00:13,056

and I know that they've always

:

01:00:13,056 --> 01:00:17,796

tried to push people from

football to go to baseball after

:

01:00:17,796 --> 01:00:18,556

That spring game.

:

01:00:18,556 --> 01:00:20,086

I know that's what we'll be doing.

:

01:00:20,086 --> 01:00:20,626

We'll be bouncing

:

01:00:20,646 --> 01:00:20,966

back and

:

01:00:20,966 --> 01:00:21,256

forth.

:

01:00:21,256 --> 01:00:24,746

We'll have everybody kind of all

hands on deck for the monarchist that

:

01:00:24,746 --> 01:00:25,096

weekend.

:

01:00:25,096 --> 01:00:25,866

doing some stuff.

:

01:00:25,926 --> 01:00:28,886

But I'm hoping for just

great weather because

:

01:00:28,886 --> 01:00:34,426

Rivalry series they have been kicking the

crap out of us in this royal rivalry thing

:

01:00:34,426 --> 01:00:38,406

that has magically been created Uh would

be nice to just sweep them and at least

:

01:00:38,406 --> 01:00:43,246

get a little bit on the scoreboard there

Uh for that rivalry and also just set

:

01:00:43,246 --> 01:00:46,256

ourselves up well going in the conference

going in the conference tournament

:

01:00:46,669 --> 01:00:48,319

CB: Yeah, I do have a

problem with them calling it

:

01:00:48,319 --> 01:00:49,199

a spring football

:

01:00:49,209 --> 01:00:49,789

game.

:

01:00:50,209 --> 01:00:51,659

Uh, it's not a game.

:

01:00:51,669 --> 01:00:52,399

It's a practice.

:

01:00:52,419 --> 01:00:53,479

I wish they would play a game.

:

01:00:53,479 --> 01:00:56,179

I think it would be very fun if

they had sides and would like play

:

01:00:56,179 --> 01:00:57,669

a game, but it's just the exact

:

01:00:57,669 --> 01:00:59,309

same practice they do normally.

:

01:00:59,309 --> 01:01:00,979

So that's, that's a little frustrating.

:

01:01:00,979 --> 01:01:03,329

I wish they could, they'd have

a little more fun, make it an

:

01:01:03,329 --> 01:01:04,089

actual game.

:

01:01:04,089 --> 01:01:05,499

Gary: They did a little bit more

:

01:01:05,499 --> 01:01:07,029

of that last year where you

:

01:01:07,029 --> 01:01:09,009

had the ones on offense

:

01:01:09,009 --> 01:01:11,839

versus most of the ones

on defense Uh, but yeah,

:

01:01:11,839 --> 01:01:14,744

it's definitely Definitely

Glorified scrimmage

:

01:01:14,744 --> 01:01:15,204

at best.

:

01:01:15,431 --> 01:01:16,391

CB: I think that's generous.

:

01:01:16,391 --> 01:01:17,101

Unfortunately.

:

01:01:17,164 --> 01:01:18,644

Gary: Yeah, but I

:

01:01:18,804 --> 01:01:20,834

you know, right now they

probably only have about 80 guys

:

01:01:20,834 --> 01:01:22,584

on the roster because the mitts for the

:

01:01:22,594 --> 01:01:22,894

summer

:

01:01:22,894 --> 01:01:23,564

aren't there.

:

01:01:24,654 --> 01:01:26,794

If you get like a bruised shin, you are

:

01:01:26,794 --> 01:01:27,804

not playing in that game.

:

01:01:27,804 --> 01:01:28,924

They're not going to risk you getting

:

01:01:28,924 --> 01:01:29,804

further injury.

:

01:01:30,134 --> 01:01:34,284

So I think it's fairly difficult

to get 44 guys for offense and

:

01:01:34,304 --> 01:01:36,404

defense, uh, together out there.

:

01:01:36,404 --> 01:01:38,004

So I think that's why they do it that way.

:

01:01:38,004 --> 01:01:40,344

And plus they're not trying

to put a whole lot on

:

01:01:40,344 --> 01:01:43,174

film, uh, because with that

being an open spring game, as we

:

01:01:43,174 --> 01:01:46,424

found out last year, people from

other teams show up, take video.

:

01:01:46,869 --> 01:01:47,829

That happened last year.

:

01:01:48,159 --> 01:01:50,089

CB: I forget how loony football is.

:

01:01:50,089 --> 01:01:52,839

They play like, I mean, baseball

plays more games in two weeks

:

01:01:52,839 --> 01:01:54,149

than football plays in a season.

:

01:01:54,149 --> 01:01:57,699

And they get so concerned about, yeah,

they, people are goofy at football.

:

01:01:57,699 --> 01:02:00,799

I, as, as a baseball fan, I

just, I like, I like football.

:

01:02:00,799 --> 01:02:01,279

I enjoy it.

:

01:02:01,279 --> 01:02:01,849

I watch it.

:

01:02:01,889 --> 01:02:03,309

I had a blast going to the games this

:

01:02:03,309 --> 01:02:04,189

year, taking photos.

:

01:02:04,239 --> 01:02:09,719

I just, I don't get a football,

Nonsense like that, like I said,

:

01:02:09,719 --> 01:02:11,319

going into a spring game and taking

:

01:02:11,319 --> 01:02:11,679

video.

:

01:02:11,679 --> 01:02:11,809

It's

:

01:02:11,809 --> 01:02:14,159

like, whatever, man, like,

what are we doing here?

:

01:02:14,449 --> 01:02:15,259

None of these plays

:

01:02:15,259 --> 01:02:16,669

anybody's running are such huge

:

01:02:16,669 --> 01:02:18,009

tricks that you have to get them on video.

:

01:02:18,009 --> 01:02:20,449

I don't, I mean, you got Bill

Belichick, who's might be the

:

01:02:20,449 --> 01:02:21,619

greatest coach of all time out

:

01:02:21,619 --> 01:02:22,849

there cheating and taking other people's

:

01:02:22,849 --> 01:02:23,329

videos.

:

01:02:23,359 --> 01:02:25,759

Like what are we, Jim Harbaugh

winning national championships,

:

01:02:25,759 --> 01:02:26,729

taking other people's videos.

:

01:02:26,749 --> 01:02:28,129

Like what are we doing in football?

:

01:02:28,219 --> 01:02:28,719

It's a weird

:

01:02:28,739 --> 01:02:29,458

sport, man.

:

01:02:29,606 --> 01:02:30,876

Gary: It's a night and day difference.

:

01:02:30,886 --> 01:02:33,256

Cause football, you basically

have to have like a national

:

01:02:33,266 --> 01:02:35,856

security clearance and be

in the CIA to learn anything

:

01:02:35,866 --> 01:02:36,836

about their offense.

:

01:02:36,836 --> 01:02:39,246

And meanwhile, you go up to

coach Finwood and ask him, Hey,

:

01:02:39,246 --> 01:02:40,446

who's going to pitch on Tuesday?

:

01:02:40,446 --> 01:02:43,316

He just tells you flat out, Hey,

we're going to do this with the

:

01:02:43,316 --> 01:02:45,246

lineup and you know, everything.

:

01:02:45,246 --> 01:02:46,346

And maybe that's just the difference

:

01:02:46,346 --> 01:02:48,846

in the sports where, you know, it

doesn't, doesn't really matter.

:

01:02:48,846 --> 01:02:49,216

Everyone's going to

:

01:02:49,216 --> 01:02:50,576

know who you're running out there

:

01:02:50,576 --> 01:02:50,966

anyway,

:

01:02:52,389 --> 01:02:53,149

CB: coaches are so

:

01:02:53,159 --> 01:02:53,679

friendly.

:

01:02:53,889 --> 01:02:54,379

They'll tell the

:

01:02:54,379 --> 01:02:54,489

other

:

01:02:54,489 --> 01:02:56,649

coaches what pitches pitchers

throw just so they can

:

01:02:56,649 --> 01:02:57,989

help them track the stats.

:

01:02:57,989 --> 01:02:58,509

Like it is

:

01:02:58,509 --> 01:02:58,979

weird.

:

01:02:59,149 --> 01:03:00,369

And you know, I think that part of it

:

01:03:00,369 --> 01:03:01,529

comes down to baseball is just

:

01:03:01,529 --> 01:03:05,139

so hard anyway, but it's like, you can

do everything, but good luck hitting this

:

01:03:05,189 --> 01:03:05,669

pitch.

:

01:03:06,106 --> 01:03:06,876

Gary: Exactly.

:

01:03:07,236 --> 01:03:09,716

Um, but we'll see, especially

with a bunch of JMU

:

01:03:09,716 --> 01:03:13,466

fans in town for baseball, we're, uh,

probably gonna be running a lot of base

:

01:03:13,626 --> 01:03:14,566

offense, a lot of base

:

01:03:14,616 --> 01:03:18,166

defense, and a lot of freshmen

and guys who have transferred in.

:

01:03:18,486 --> 01:03:21,896

And then, uh, of course, April 16th,

the football transfer portal opens

:

01:03:21,896 --> 01:03:24,036

up again with, uh, the new lawsuits.

:

01:03:24,076 --> 01:03:24,886

That's going to be real

:

01:03:24,886 --> 01:03:25,416

wild because.

:

01:03:26,001 --> 01:03:28,311

Now as a coach, you can call a

kid and say, Hey, we'll give you a

:

01:03:28,311 --> 01:03:30,171

hundred K and NIL if you come here.

:

01:03:30,171 --> 01:03:30,761

Okay, great.

:

01:03:30,761 --> 01:03:31,391

I'm going to sign.

:

01:03:31,771 --> 01:03:34,741

Uh, so it's going to be, uh, the

wild west here come April 16th.

:

01:03:36,199 --> 01:03:41,089

CB: I'm very glad that at least at our

level of kind of mid major baseball That's

:

01:03:41,099 --> 01:03:47,079

not a huge thing yet um, because that's

not what nil was meant for and not what

:

01:03:47,089 --> 01:03:48,959

the transfer portal is meant for and it's

:

01:03:49,399 --> 01:03:52,419

uh, frankly Doing some having

some huge negative effects of

:

01:03:52,419 --> 01:03:53,429

the game, but that's not we're

:

01:03:53,429 --> 01:03:56,859

not a a how football is ruining

college sports podcast We're a

:

01:03:57,129 --> 01:03:57,749

od baseball

:

01:03:57,788 --> 01:03:58,809

podcast and they're

:

01:03:58,819 --> 01:03:59,609

doing good.

:

01:03:59,659 --> 01:04:02,839

We're having fun Looking forward

to a great week two weeks from now.

:

01:04:02,839 --> 01:04:03,689

We get to play a game at

:

01:04:03,689 --> 01:04:04,944

harbor park You That's what

:

01:04:04,954 --> 01:04:06,464

actually matters on April 16th.

:

01:04:06,913 --> 01:04:08,364

Uh, so that's where I, so we'll, we'll

:

01:04:08,364 --> 01:04:09,274

focus on that instead of

:

01:04:09,284 --> 01:04:10,284

my opinions on

:

01:04:10,644 --> 01:04:11,704

all the other things.

:

01:04:11,711 --> 01:04:12,411

Gary: Absolutely.

:

01:04:12,411 --> 01:04:16,901

But I will continue to promote

our NIL with Luke Waters.

:

01:04:17,654 --> 01:04:18,384

CB: I mean, frankly, if

:

01:04:18,384 --> 01:04:19,394

everyone's going to have it, we need it.

:

01:04:19,394 --> 01:04:19,484

I'm

:

01:04:19,484 --> 01:04:20,294

glad we've got one

:

01:04:20,451 --> 01:04:21,421

Gary: Yeah, absolutely.

:

01:04:21,421 --> 01:04:23,811

And he's the first, will not be the last.

:

01:04:24,081 --> 01:04:26,941

Uh, we're just kind of testing

the waters of this thing, seeing

:

01:04:26,941 --> 01:04:27,661

what we can do.

:

01:04:27,954 --> 01:04:28,604

CB: testing the waters.

:

01:04:28,663 --> 01:04:29,234

I see what you did

:

01:04:29,406 --> 01:04:30,126

Gary: Ah, yeah, you

:

01:04:30,126 --> 01:04:30,876

caught me on that one.

:

01:04:31,246 --> 01:04:33,706

Um, yeah, so we're, we're testing it out.

:

01:04:33,706 --> 01:04:34,396

We want to see

:

01:04:34,486 --> 01:04:36,186

how things go, how things sell.

:

01:04:36,186 --> 01:04:36,516

So, if you're

:

01:04:36,516 --> 01:04:39,426

interested in that and

Luke is getting every

:

01:04:39,426 --> 01:04:41,756

bit of the money that's

made on that shirt.

:

01:04:41,776 --> 01:04:44,606

Like anything above cost

is going directly to him.

:

01:04:44,626 --> 01:04:46,396

So definitely not going in our pockets.

:

01:04:46,396 --> 01:04:47,386

We don't make any money.

:

01:04:47,456 --> 01:04:49,316

I think all of us actually

end up losing a good bit of

:

01:04:49,316 --> 01:04:51,116

money in this thing, but that's okay.

:

01:04:51,476 --> 01:04:53,576

Um, so yeah, go to odmarcus.

:

01:04:53,576 --> 01:04:57,066

com, click on the store, link

and you'll see it right there.

:

01:04:57,066 --> 01:04:59,536

The order is actually fulfilled

by Nick Clark who played football

:

01:04:59,536 --> 01:05:01,106

here, runs a screen printing shop.

:

01:05:01,106 --> 01:05:05,516

So all within the ODU family,

all with the goal of how do

:

01:05:05,516 --> 01:05:07,396

we best support our programs?

:

01:05:07,666 --> 01:05:09,216

How do we best support our athletes?

:

01:05:09,771 --> 01:05:12,021

Uh, and I'm glad that

we're able to do this now.

:

01:05:12,031 --> 01:05:16,021

It's kind of the culmination of what

we've been working on here for past, I

:

01:05:16,021 --> 01:05:17,521

guess, three, four years at this point.

:

01:05:17,521 --> 01:05:19,841

CB: And that's fantastic because

that's the part of NIL that that

:

01:05:19,871 --> 01:05:23,071

I can get behind is it's all

about taking care of the athletes.

:

01:05:23,071 --> 01:05:23,571

I love that.

:

01:05:23,571 --> 01:05:24,931

You know, Luke can put his name on a

:

01:05:24,931 --> 01:05:27,691

shirt and say, buy this

shirt and he gets the money.

:

01:05:27,691 --> 01:05:28,521

That's exactly what

:

01:05:28,521 --> 01:05:29,311

we should be able to do.

:

01:05:29,321 --> 01:05:32,151

The idea that the guys didn't

have the right to their own.

:

01:05:32,336 --> 01:05:32,806

Face and

:

01:05:32,806 --> 01:05:34,096

name was crazy.

:

01:05:34,386 --> 01:05:36,546

Um, so go buy a Luke Newcomb shirt, go

:

01:05:36,546 --> 01:05:36,846

get some

:

01:05:36,856 --> 01:05:39,166

Bud Bomber shirts, get

some koozies, you know,

:

01:05:39,166 --> 01:05:42,136

just follow the monarchists and

all the things you can and, and

:

01:05:42,136 --> 01:05:43,496

come out to games and support

:

01:05:43,496 --> 01:05:44,356

these kids and come out.

:

01:05:44,356 --> 01:05:44,616

If you get a

:

01:05:44,616 --> 01:05:45,236

chance after the

:

01:05:45,236 --> 01:05:47,026

game, go find some kids and talk to them.

:

01:05:47,036 --> 01:05:49,796

Cause we have some, some

phenomenal people, uh, at this

:

01:05:49,796 --> 01:05:50,376

university.

:

01:05:50,903 --> 01:05:51,533

Gary: Absolutely.

:

01:05:51,533 --> 01:05:55,143

And I would also say, go chat with their

parents in the stands or in Rally Alley.

:

01:05:55,143 --> 01:05:55,293

There's

:

01:05:55,293 --> 01:05:58,303

some awesome, awesome

people within this program.

:

01:05:58,303 --> 01:06:00,733

And, uh, the more you get to know

them, the more you're going to fall

:

01:06:00,733 --> 01:06:01,183

in love with it.

:

01:06:01,193 --> 01:06:01,963

I promise you that.

:

01:06:01,963 --> 01:06:02,623

CB: Absolutely.

:

01:06:02,733 --> 01:06:05,233

So I'm, I'm excited for, even though

we're on the road, I'm excited to

:

01:06:05,233 --> 01:06:06,313

watch the games and can't

:

01:06:06,313 --> 01:06:07,153

wait for when they're back next

:

01:06:07,153 --> 01:06:07,413

week

:

01:06:08,141 --> 01:06:08,481

Gary: Definitely.

:

01:06:08,481 --> 01:06:11,201

Well, that'll do it for us

on the Hudson Homers podcast.

:

01:06:11,201 --> 01:06:12,631

We appreciate you listening.

:

01:06:12,631 --> 01:06:15,471

If you're not if you're somehow

not subscribed, please do so on

:

01:06:15,471 --> 01:06:17,736

your favorite Podcasting platform.

:

01:06:17,736 --> 01:06:20,006

We're out there on pretty

much all of them now.

:

01:06:20,516 --> 01:06:21,716

Uh, but that'll do it for us.

:

01:06:21,726 --> 01:06:23,346

I'm Gary and go Monarchs.

:

01:06:23,346 --> 01:06:25,086

CB: and I'm CB go Monarchs.

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About the Podcast

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

About your host

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Gary Williams

ODU alumn and diehard Monarch sports fan.