Okay.
Hello Monarch fans and welcome to the Hudson homers podcast. I'm Gary joined as always by my co host CB CB we get two out of three this weekend. How you feeling?
It's, you know, it's great that, that losing that last one, it always puts a little bit of bitter taste in your mouth, but then you, again, you gotta remember, you know, you did win a 3, won a conference series, it's incredibly hard to sweep a whole series, for sure, uh, and it's incredibly hard to win a doubleheader both games, which they did, they actually did that on Friday, Friday was, Friday is one of my favorite days of the ballpark this year, just a really good day, beautiful sunny day,
and uh, It was awesome.
I got to be down there on Friday for all 18 innings of baseball. It was a lot of fun There was a ton of energy in the dugout a ton of energy in the crowd the crowd built over the day So, you know, it was a little A little sparse there at one o'clock in the middle of the day on the Friday. But by the time that second game started, the crowd had filled in pretty nicely. They were getting into it and. The boys just kind of dominated on Friday.
I was really glad to see it and see them bounce back after a, just a kind of a disaster of a weekend in Louisiana where they couldn't hit, they go put up eight runs in back to back games and clenched the series and an afternoon,
Yeah, and we talked about uh this last week I said, I hope they just go and relax on monday and kind of flush it out and then spend tuesday and wednesday looking at video And I don't know if that's what they did. That's what it felt like what happened
I still blame the Cajun food. Cause I heard coach Finwood talking about it on the extra Finnings podcast, about all that good Cajun food they were eating. I think they put, uh, put something in there to make them a little bit sleepy, for that weekend. So they got that out of their system. Really look great. I thought we had a lot of really strong at bats strung together a lot of hits and brought back the dingers I mean we hit some bombs this weekend
It did and we also you know, he tried out uh, speaking of finney. He tried out a new a new lineup this weekend moved Alex Boucher who had been hitting, you know anywhere from fourth or fifth Up to lead off and then move Kyle Edwards from lead off back to the cleanup spot. Put Carter Sunderman back in the second base had Hunter Cole who has barely played this year dhing Um, and then, you know, keeping Bryce Jones where he's been left field. So it was, it was a different line, but it paid off.
I mean, you saw, a hundred Cole, his, his first hit of the season was a three run Homer. Um, and he added a double in the second game. So, you know, there was some just instant magic out of that lineup switch.
I had to put that lineup in the blender a little bit and I think you almost just have to when you have a weekend That's that tough. You can't afford to Sit back and just hope that the team starts hitting better. You've gotta make some changes, but, uh, update on dollars for dingers. We are now up to 22 home runs on the season. Uh, so definitely not gonna be on that a hundred home run pace, but we've got 22. We hit some pretty critical ones over the weekend.
And then CB, your favorite bucks for bags or bags for bucks. We got to figure out which one's going to go first there. Uh, but we're up to
think bucks for bags, cause it's dollars for dingers bucks for bags. Yeah,
would be much more consistent. So yeah, 58 for 70 on the stolen pieces. Now, Stephen Meyer's still perfect. 17 for 17. Uh, he had a, at least one instance where he stole second, stole third, and then scored on the overthrow, trying to throw him out. Luke Waters is 15 for 16 stealing bags. We got them all up and down the board there. It's awesome to see them on base and running.
the stolen bases are great. Again, I really hope people do, uh, take this year and, and not just donate for the, the dingers, but also donate for the, uh, the stolen bases because I think the combo is going to be a lot more consistent. But, you know, like Myers got 17. I, I don't know if I, I think I shared this on one of the podcasts, but I was looking back through our stolen base numbers.
And as far as I could figure for the last 20 years or so, um, The last guy that's the most anybody stole in the last 20 years is connor meyer stole 20 in a season So here's meyer about halfway through the year at 17 So he's going to have the most anybody's had at odu in a while And I think that this the total is going to be more than we've had in a while here
We'll have to look up and see exactly what's in the record books there. Maybe reach out to Pierce and figure that out. But I, I would imagine that Steven's going to eclipse 20 before they are back at the bud in a couple of weeks to take on JMU, but 17 for 17. And, you know, every time you get on your, he's basically stealing two bases. Uh, which is pretty wild to watch, but he is a disrupter out there,
Yeah, I will say because I did look at the record books a little bit I I would be shocked if he came anywhere near um, the team record, which is uh, 48, I believe You Uh, Kevin Gibbs played here three seasons and he had over 40 all three seasons. So it'd be uh, It'd be surprising to me if steven gets up to 40, but that'd be you know Like I said the way he's going if he gets on base and can swipe a couple every time he's got a shot
40 plus bags with our schedule is that that's a big, big number, but if anyone's going to do it, it could be him and you know, Luke is not too far behind him and he's got 15, uh, and you know, he's, he's hit six home runs, so he's had, uh, not, not quite as many chances to steal the basis cause he's hitting more of those home runs and doubles and things like
It's one of the few areas that luke's not leading in
Yeah, exactly. He's leading in average is at three 40.
average hits Home runs rbis total bases slugging. Um On base. I mean he he's up there and pretty much everything luke is killing it this year
Luke, he is our special guest today. We had a conversation with him that will be a little bit later in the episode. Also talk about him becoming the first monarchist NIL athlete with his Luke Newcomb shirt that's available at odmonarchist. com. So if you haven't checked that out, go to odmonarchist. com, click the store. And, uh, you'll see that Luke Newcomb shirt, a little radioactive sign. It looks pretty sweet. Uh, I know we'll be seeing some of the bud by the time JMU comes to town.
So, uh, make sure to go pick that up and then hear from Luke later in the episode, but let's jump in and talk about that first game on Friday. We got the bats going there in the second, uh, with the long ball with Kyle Edwards, hitting a solo shot. And then Hunter Cole come up later in the inning, just crushing a three run shot to right center.
Yeah, it's so great to see, Hunter. I mean, he's, I've, I've been a fan of his since he was playing high school ball. Um, and he had, he had a long winding road to get here between JMU and, and playing at Randolph Macon and, you know, he has not gotten much of a shot so far this year and had done with much with it. He was, I think, over seven with five strikeouts coming to this weekend. Um, but, you know, this is a guy, you know, He was the ODAC conference player of the year last season.
He's a good hitter. He played for the Pensacola Pilots over the summer, which is one of the better summer leagues and had a phenomenal season, stealing bases, getting on base, just. Getting hits. This is a guy that can hit. This is a guy that can play baseball. And so it was great to see on Friday, I think he was two for six on the day with a homer and a double, um, and just showed, you know, he, he can play.
And South Alabama, you know, the, the, the Hunter Cole home run was really important because it put us back in the league because Ismaili for South Alabama, who we talked about in the preview, hit a two run bomb, uh, there in the second inning and they were up two to nothing. And you kind of get that feeling of, No, it's two runs. Are we gonna be able to score three?
Uh, but we answered that really quickly there in the bottom half with Kyle kind of getting things going with the solo shot, then Hunter Cole and the dugout was just electric from that point forward, the rest of the day just fired up. So, you know, Hunter Cole, I think kind of quickly changed the momentum of how this weekend was going to go for us.
Yeah, it was great. And, and another, you know, big game, Stephen Meyer, a couple of hits, um, three steals in the game, Luke Waters, couple of hits, RBI. A guy that we, you won't really see anything actually had a bad day. Um, Alex Boucher between the first game and the second game of the double header. I think he was over seven with a walk. I hang out, there around our bullpen area, we have the, our student managers, uh, Sam and Jacob that do the stats. He was over seven.
All seven balls were hit over a hundred miles an hour. He had a ball hit to basically dead center field that was, I took a picture. I'm not, I'm still not sure if the guy robbed him of a home run, the center fielder, or if he robbed him of like a double off the top of the wall. But he, the center fielder went up and made a great play. That ball was hit 109 off the bat, the dead center. I mean, Boucher had it again. Oh, for seven killed your stats for the day.
Looks terrible, but had an amazing day at the plate. Baseball is just a weird game.
I mean, just crushing the baseball just can't get an ounce of luck. Uh, but man, that many balls in play over a hundred miles an hour, you keep doing that and very good things are going to happen. So hopefully he can, get some, some karma back from the baseball gods here, uh, over the next couple of games this week.
He kind of got that I think it was if that is last at bat maybe a second last at bat on saturday He had one he kind of hit it wasn't quite on the handle But it was definitely found towards his hands and kind of just flicked it. Uh out past The second baseman for a hit so he did the one hit he got the weekend was Maybe the one ball that he didn't absolutely obliterate.
Baseball is just kind of funny like that. Jay Cassidy started on the mound and that open a roll again, typically what you'd see on a Friday when ending in two thirds, got into a little bit of trouble, given up the two run home run, uh, had a walk in a strikeout and we actually saw Kellen Davis bring in the Raptor there in the second inning, uh, struck out the only batter that he faced to limit the damage, prevent. South Alabama from getting anything else.
Then turn it over to John hollow bets in hollow bets. Again, looks great. No runs over four innings, four strikeouts. I mean, he had some good stuff and there were some scouts back there behind the plate again for him.
I think I and i'd have to look this up to be sure but i'm pretty sure Since uh, john has gone back to the relief roll. He's got 12 and a third Third Innings with only three unearned runs in that time. Uh, there's a no earned runs in 12 and a third innings I mean he is looking phenomenal. He's looking nasty. He's he's definitely a guy that I would I mean again I've i've said many times that the way Scouting and development the minor leagues has happened the last about five years.
I don't really understand it anymore But i'd be shocked if john isn't a guy that's a draft pick, you know somewhere in that 5 to 15 round range
He's dropped that ERA on the season down to three 49, a 1. 24 whip. So those numbers have come back down to a very nice number. Cause at one point he was in the sixes or the sevens, uh, with just a couple of bad innings, 28 innings pitched on the year, the 20 strikeouts, nine blocks. So he has definitely returned to form. And it was very nice to see that play out in that first. Uh, game of the double header on Friday and just shutting down South Alabama the rest of the way.
and look great. And then Jacob Gomez came out, finished off the game, three scoreless, five strikeouts, only one hit, only two walks. And it's just he is just looking filthy every time he comes out. I was giving him a hard time because he's not talking as much trash as he as he was. But I know that's because he's got to get in trouble. They've had, you know, the umpires. Uh, we know the NCAA as a whole hates fun. They did the whole, you can't celebrate, you can't have props, all that.
So, of course, the umpires are the extension of that. So, I mean, Jacob is, uh, he's, trust me, he's talking that trash in his head. He might not be doing it as much out in person because he doesn't want to get in trouble.
The only time I saw him chirp was he had a two strike count with two outs and the runner on first went to steal second and Jacob struck him out. He turned around and said something to him on the way back to the dugout was pretty fired up.
And the umpire stopped him to talk to him about it because they hate fun because again, How dare you get excited to enjoy yourself in a baseball game?
How dare you show some emotion and get fired up? Getting another strikeout, man. That's. That's disappointing to hear because I love seeing Jacob do that. I love seeing him chirp back at batters. But yeah, for him, picked up his fourth save of the season. I think all of those have been multi inning saves for him this year.
I think they've all been the three inning saves I don't think he's actually because like you pointed out we had the one game I don't remember who got that save now But it was the the only time we had the one run lead going into the end I'm, i'm fairly positive every one of jacob's four saves has been a three is because you get three innings if you close a game with three innings With a lead you get a save regardless of the score I'm pretty sure all of his has been that
That was the Richmond game. And I don't even think that was a one inning save. Yeah. Uh, because it was a bash and that was actually a two inning save or no bash didn't get to say that was a
yeah, he it was a win It's it felt like a save because he was saving himself
We saw bash, uh in the second game there, but od takes that first one Uh, it was eight to two on friday really getting things off to a good start I thought it was critical that they went and won that first game so that there's a little less pressure on them The rest of the way but also carson swilling who is south alabama's ace They were able to hit him pretty well.
Uh, he ended up giving up five earned runs, six runs total on five hits, the three walks and four strikeouts and four innings of work. So you get through that ace in what was normally your Friday game, and now you've set yourself up really well the rest of the weekend. And we saw it in this instance, 45 minutes later, when game two started.
and again the second game we again saw great pitching, you know, blake Um was the very first batter, but it might have been the first pitch of the game Yeah over the wall and you're like that that sucks. But he settled out for that four innings after that three strikeouts Um two walks. He only gave up another hit, you know again blake has been You Looking healthy, but looking strong, but looking good. Um, and so that's, it's been great to see him coming back.
And we got that run back pretty quickly right there in the bottom of the first was actually a little little two out rally that I think changed the momentum for the entire game, uh, because it was, you know, walk, uh, and then there was, uh, I think a single and then a couple of pass balls. And then all of a sudden it's, it's one to one, but be able to do that with two outs and tie it up. You're feeling much better going into that second inning. Uh, then the bottom of the second.
Bryce Jones gets an RBI single up the middle to bring home Hunter Cole. We're up two to one and didn't really look back from there.
And then Luke hit a homer and the sixth and, and then Lavari and, uh, drove a guy in. Tyser came up with a big pinch hit home run. That was a very un Tyser like home run. He, he had a, it was just a straight line drive. He usually hits the big. You know, kind of Mark McGuire, huge fly balls, and he had just a BB line drive over the wall.
And he almost had one that would have put ODU ahead on Saturday. It was just short. It was left at a 375 sign and right center. Uh, if he had pulled it just a little bit more, it would have been a home run. Probably went about. 390 or so and just didn't get out, uh, but he had much better at bats. I thought over this weekend when he was coming in as a pinch hitter.
Yeah, and it was the same thing, the one he hit yesterday that he just missed on, like I said, it was in the line drive. And after last weekend, um, even, you know, I think he had a couple hits last weekend, but he was hitting line drives, hitting to other fields. Jake Tyson was looking really a lot better at the plate. Um, and hopefully that, you know, Ends up continuing and paying some dividends.
Yeah. And I know that he's been working hard to try to get back on the right track. And it's probably more frustrated than anyone else out there about how he's swung the bat this year, but I mean, you still got plenty of season left. If you can turn it on and start contributing like you've done in the past. I mean, that's just another weapon to add to a lineup that. Has proven on a lot of occasions that they can hit the ball.
Sometimes not, but maybe he becomes that spark plug guy off the bench to come in. Uh, cause we saw that, um, a couple of times throughout the weekend, but six inning is really where this thing broke open. Luke waters hits the home run. Like you were talking about, Kenny LaVarie had a double, uh, the end up scoring. And then of course, Tyser hits the home run. It's six to one there in the six. We got a couple of insurance run there in the seven. But just,, a strong day at the plate for ODU.
How about Kyle Edwards four hits on the day? I mean, that was great He'd been um, he'd been scuffed a little bit and I think that again that lineup shift, you know taking him out of that leadoff spot having him hit cleanup, you know where he you know, I I personally don't think of Kyle as a Cleanup guy, you know, he's he's about hundred and 80 pounds soaking wet. Uh, he is very strong, uh for his size, but he's he's not a big guy and then bouche, you know Moving him to the leadoff spot.
He's more we think of as like a middle of the order slugger But he's got great on base skills. So it's I think it's a move that Uh, it certainly paid off on on friday. I think it's going to continue to pay off.
Absolutely. And, you know, on the mound, you talked about Blake already. Bash had a scoreless inning.
Uh, Trent Buchanan, I thought looked great out there on the mound, three and two thirds inning ended up with eight strikeouts, got a little loose, towards the end of his, his time on the mound there, uh, not really his fault though, none of those runs were earned, there was an error that extended the game, but that allowed, uh, coach Finwood to bring in Marco Lavarri for, I think his first weekend appearance, and he struck out the only batters he faced to end the game.
Yeah No, trent, uh, it was a career high eight strikeouts for him. Uh, he looked great At least I think he just ran out of maybe a little bit of gas He was trying his best to get that final out and complete it. Um, I gave him a hard time I think trent is one of those guys that he you don't think about it because of the way he kind of approaches it but he He spends a lot of, um, emotional energy, I think. He's very invested in the game. He's very invested in their success.
And, you know, I think, uh, at a certain point that kind of catches up to you sometimes. And that's kind of what happened there in that, in that ninth inning. But yeah, Marco has looked great and he's only had, what, three appearances, um, but looked really, really good in every one. Um, so it's going to be interesting to see if he keeps getting more shots and more chances to come in out of the bullpen.
I think he throws, what, fastball, slider, I think is really what his focus has been, and the slider was definitely working in the one batter that he faced.
That was what Trent was telling me. He said, Marco coming in with the slider, which is very different from, transfering change ups and some, uh, curve balls, you know, and, and Marco coming in and throwing the slider was really effective for him right afterwards.
Another thing from Friday, there were some web gyms on the left side of that infield with LaVarie and Edwards. Uh, just anything close down the line hard hit line drives up the middle Those guys were just eating over there on friday I think they had a couple of really strong plays on saturday as well But man that left side of the infield, uh, kenny lavar wasn't joking about him and edwards They'd be hit at that side. Just don't run to first.
Yeah. He figured he, he said it on the podcast. He better back it up. Yeah. Kenny is, uh, he, and Kyle's always phenomenal there. And Kenny's always phenomenal over there, but boy, they're Kenny, especially I think it was on a hot streak about last three weeks of just making some amazing plays. It seems to always be. In the right spot, there was even a play. I was kind of standing, um further down the line behind third Um, the ball was hit right down the line.
Kenny kind of took a weird angle I kind of read it poorly off the bat and still was able to snag it and then just plant his feet and Hurled it to the other side of the field with that 99 cannon that he's got and got the guy easily So he's he's a weapon over there
It's got to feel good as a pitcher too To know that even those hard hit balls hit to the left side when there are guys on base You're going to probably get an out somewhere and, and at the very least limit the damage, but man, they were, uh, they were all over the place. Like, I'm surprised we didn't get some SportsCenter top tens off of some of those, cause they were just incredible.
Yeah, so one of the things I really enjoyed about friday. We mentioned this last week. Um, robbie patrasche former monarch Um, he was back in town with south alabama. So I got to hang out and talk with him for a bit between games robbie. He's one of my favorite guys. I think i've ever met He's just a really, really good kid. Got to see his parents, uh, early in the first game. Um, and he's, you know, he's loving it in South Alabama.
Um, even though, statistically things haven't been great for him. He got hurt last year, broke his handmaid bone, broke a bone in his, his forearm. He got hit by a pitch. Um, and he was really, he was kind of frustrated that we were starting all the lefties, uh, because it kind of meant maybe he wouldn't be getting the games. Uh, but they actually started him in the, uh, the second game at DH. He had a hard ground out his first at bat his second at bat if anybody was watching it was odd.
You really didn't know what happened He swung and the ball kind of came out in a weird angle. Um, Blake fielded it Blake is even just it's and Robbie wasn't running. Blake was just kind of staying there The umpire is like hey the ball's in play the ball's in play. And so finally Blake throws over they get him out You Um, and Robbie at this point still has never run. Well, what happened was, and I have a picture I need to share.
He swung and as he's swinging the ball hit his left hand So his bottom hand on left hand swing hit it right on the middle knuckle, uh and broke his uh finger so he uh had it was a strange return to the bud.
Uh, and he you know, it's funny because I talked to him on saturday about it, we were kind of during the game He came over for a minute and was talking to me And really just again tells you what a good guy robbie is a very fascinating perspective, you know He was saying he's like he's like it's kind of beautiful in a way You He's like, that's probably my last collegiate at bat I'll ever have. Um, he's like, just to be real, as a 50 year senior.
It happened here at the bud, you know, where I had all those years. It made it to where. After the game between games,, I could go over and give Finwood and Marin, a hug There's no hard feelings about me leaving. He said, you know, I mean, he's like I wanted to come in and hit three home runs and have them all paint me He's like, but that's not how it worked out.
So I got to have this kind of nice, beautiful moment So it was very, you know It's really mature for like a 23 year old kid to have that kind of perspective on on an injury that probably ended his Baseball playing career.
Well, sad to hear that that is likely to end his baseball playing career. Uh, it's. Disappointing feel for him because I know he did a lot of great stuff for us here at ODU. Still remember him hitting ball over the train tracks at Louisiana Tech in the CUSA tournament. Uh, but, and that, that is a very mature approach for someone who is realizing that their collegiate career is coming to an end to take it that way.
Go have some more conversations with the guys that used to play within the coaching staff. So glad he got that moment, but disappointed that's the way it had to end for him over at the bud. Um, I know between games, I spent some good times actually over Where Luke Waters and some of those other guys live right there by the ballpark with a lot of the parents of our team, Angie Halibut and Halibut's invited me over there.
Waters, the Trobos, the Browns, talked to Steven Myers dad over there a little bit who had come all the way in from Washington. So it was a good chance to talk with them, get to know them a little bit. They had a ton of food and some beverages over there and all that good stuff. So it was a great time, uh, getting to connect with them.
I know we've, uh, we, we littered the bud with the Hudson homers koozies that finally came in and we'll have some more down there for the JMU weekend, but really appreciate getting to spend some time with them chatting about. I know that they listened to the podcast, so you are listening. Thank you all so much for the invite. And we're excited to see you back down there here in a couple of weeks.
Friday was just an all around fantastic day of baseball at the bud. You really, I mean, I don't know what more you could ask for
I took half a day of work and I can promise you, I don't regret it.
exactly the same for me. Once it worked out, I was like, Hey, I got my work done. Can I take it? And they were like, yep. And, uh, I uh, well, I have the best boss. I, my boss is the best one I've ever had. And she, I appreciate her letting that
I strategically, uh, told my team to take the back half of the day off one, cause they'd be working hard, but two, I was really not in the mood to deal with a whole bunch of messages and questions and emails, so it worked out for everybody.
we, we love when a plan comes
Yes, absolutely. Well, unfortunately we did not get the sweep. I was really hoping we could, because that would kind of erase the, the sweep that we had down at Louisiana. But. we dropped the game five to three. It feels different to me than losing that game. The last game of the series against Georgia Southern, where I felt like we just couldn't hit it all. we actually hit the ball decently in this game. We just couldn't get that next timely hit to drive those guys in.
Yeah. I mean, in the, the Saturday game, we had nine hits and three runs. That's as many runs, uh, more runs and as many hits as we had all last weekend. So it did not have the same feel it. Um, they, you're right. They just couldn't quite get.
Them stacked up, you get a guy on We had one we got a guy on got him over Got him to third base with no out one out and then just can't get him in so that that's frustrating because They're very good hitting team That isn't consistently a very good hitting team. So that you're gonna have a day like, Saturday pop up.
Yeah, and we started off like a thought like all right, we're going to go and do this. We're going to sweep them, you know, Luke Waters hits the home run there in the bottom of the first and we get another kind of small ball run in to go up. to nothing. Uh, we had this happen, I think twice this weekend where we have runners at the corners with less than two outs. Runner goes to seal second and just kind of stops and creates the rundown that allows that runner from third to come home and score.
Happened once Friday, uh, happened again on Saturday here with, with Kenny LaVarie kind of setting that up to let Kyle Edwards score. Uh, but baseball oddity, we had three base runners getting a rundown between first and second in a two day, three game period.
And that's a play they work on Defensively, I know in the fall pretty much every half inning You They've got a set up of that play happening. Um, and so you're not just working on for your defense that your runner is working on understanding the goals. So it's, it's great to see, that's, showing that adaptability. That's not the kind of thing that They would have done much maybe the last couple of years when they hit all those home runs.
But this year, understanding how hard it is sometimes to score, understanding, you know, the speed that, we have, that, that's Finney is showing that, uh, adaptability, which I think is great. It's just looking at, say, this is the team I have, these are the things I'm going to do.
And South Alabama finally caught on to it towards the end of the game on Saturday because we had that corner situation again. And we stole second and it was kind of slow. They didn't even try to throw down. They just tossed the ball back to the pitcher and let the runner take second, which is also a positive outcome too, because now you've got second and third in less than two outs, and maybe they intentionally walk the batter now to load the bases and set up a double player.
We get a sack fly a single now scores too. So good things come from getting in motion like that with runners at the corners. Um, I think as long as they're, if they're willing to throw down to second and get themselves in that situation, we'll gladly take the run or just advance the runners.
Yeah, the one you just saw that was uh, bryce jones was the one stealing second and he was he was trying his best He was just standing there about 60 percent of the way down the line just like come on, please throw up and they they wouldn't do it. You're right They finally caught on and but yeah, it we couldn't catch it in that time. But you know, ladies to point out It's a great maneuver. It's a great uh trick play, um And it's wonderful to see them.
Like I said, there's there's no real downside unless you just absolutely get hosed at home Which shouldn't happen?
No, you'd have to, you have to run the old softball trick play where you act like you're throwing to second and then the pitcher cuts it off and chucks it back home. It's, it's the old little league play a little bit sometimes, but whatever we can do to scratch in a run, we'll do it. South Alabama was able to come back in that game. They got, you know, a run in the second and they got one in the seventh, the eighth and the ninth, uh, they had the two in the ninth actually.
Uh, but there was no big blow up inning, like, you know, last Saturday down in Louisiana, where we had just kind of that meltdown inning on Saturday. The pitching was still good. Maybe it wasn't as great or elite as it has been the last. I don't know, dozen or so games. Still only gave up five earned runs on eight hits over nine innings, in my opinion, will put you at a position to win in college, especially the third game of a weekend series. And there's typically going to be more run scored.
I mean, you can't expect these guys to only give up one or two runs every single game. Um, and you're right that we kind of bled it away a little bit there at the end, Dylan Brown started out, did his job two and two thirds, uh, gave up a run again. And then Kellen Davis brought the Raptor in, got him out of the third inning. He's been phenomenal in that righty, uh, one out guy situation. Ben Moore looked outstanding for three innings.
I mean, he was just mowing guys down, got to that fourth inning of pitching and didn't quite have it. Bailey Metella came on. He's been lights out this whole year, but he gave up one of Ben's runs, then eventually gave up one of his runs. Um, Lincoln Ransom, unfortunately, had about the worst day you can have as a pitcher. Two pitches, gave up a home run and got pulled. So, I mean, he's better than that. He just, you know, he only got the chance to face the one guy.
Um, and then Stephen Trone, uh, gave up a run in his inning. So, again, nobody pitched terribly. It's just, you know, little dinks and dinks and we weren't getting runs to match that.
You're on the money with Ben Moore. He was fantastic through three innings. I was a little surprised to see him come back out there for a fourth inning of work. Now granted, he had been pitching really well and his pitch count really wasn't that high. I mean, even when he came out of the game, he was only at 47 pitches. Um, but I feel like we may have pushed the envelope a little bit too much having to come out for the fourth.
I can definitely see why you would consider the guys throwing so well. And then Bailey comes in kind of mid inning and it gets a little funky from there. But Nobody had a bad day on the mound in Mike. I think everyone pitched pretty well. It wasn't their best outings maybe, but you can't expect the pitching staff to be perfect every single game. And when you, you've got to get those runs to match, like you said.
I think the thought process really was Ben's pitching great. Um, like I said, his pitch count's still relatively low. Uh, I didn't know what it was going into that fourth inning. It might've only been 30 some pitches.
Uh, but he, You know, I'm assuming the thought was well if he gets a guy on we've got Bailey Mattel I've had pitched all weekend and so and as good as he's been, you know You expect him to come out and and shut it down and he just wasn't able to that's because again You can't expect them all to be perfect every day So it was it was a good thought process just didn't quite work out in that game
Yep. and uh, Stephen Meyer hits the home run in the ninth to take it from five, two to five to three. It was a two out home run right down the right field line.
It's a hit the pole that uh that foul pole Uh, ding sounds amazing when it's your team. That's the best sound in baseball
it is. And honestly, I'm glad it hit the foul pole because. I don't really have a lot of faith in any of that umpire and crew to make the right call. And I have even less faith of them looking at the replay and being able to determine much of anything. Like I'm still convinced that there's a Netflix account on that TV monitor in there. And They're just trying to catch up on a few minutes of their show before they come back out. Cause.
They're in there on a while, and it's pretty rare that anything ever gets overturned out of that replay.
Yeah, i'm convinced as a whole replay in sports exists to justify the umpires original calls Um, I think you know, it's so they can say well umpires are right 98 percent of the time, you know They'll overturn one here or there Uh, but in general, I think they really they really just do it so they can say look how good the umpires are
You'll rarely hear me say something nice about the SEC, just because I think that they have done some serious damage to the group of five, them and the Big Ten. I'll put on the Big Ten too. But one thing that they do well for baseball and softball, they have a centralized command center for replay reviews, similar to the way I think Major League Baseball does it to where the umpires on the field don't have any say in the replay.
It's a. Different person somewhere far away, and they make the determination, um, I would love at some point for all the conferences to go to that. I don't know if that needs to be an N. C. double a push or a conference push, but I think that helps eliminate some of that initial bias because. The person who makes the call is on the field with that crew for the whole weekend. It's going to need to be something absolutely egregious for them to overturn it.
They're going to use every excuse they can have. Oh, it was blurry. It wasn't zoomed in enough. Wasn't the right angle, whatever it is. And you know, you're just not seeing those calls get overturned. Even in some spots where there is really clear video evidence, they're kind of like, nope, our guys saw it, had better eyes on it. We're not going to overdo it.
Yeah. and there is a secondary problem to that too. Is that the camera equipment and the camera work isn't You know the best and that's fair. I mean you got typically it's students doing it, you know It's and and they only have what they can work with and they do The absolute best they possibly can do they're they're not yet professional um camera people so it's There are limitations that you and Yeah. the sec can do that because again, they've got as much money as mlb has Yeah.
Maybe even more at this point with The new TV deals and everything going on. Um, and also I'll point out too, on Friday, uh, you know, it wasn't down there Saturday, so I can't speak for it Saturday, but Friday, it was beautiful weather, but that wind was cooking. And I can't imagine for 18 innings of baseball, trying to hold the camera and keep a tight shot on something when you're getting bounced around with 20, 25 mile an hour wind gusts.
it was, uh, it was hard just to stand. I mean, just me with my camera. I was taking pictures with And you know, I don't have to have the same, uh, level of fidelity to watching the game that they do. I mostly do. I'm pretty much locked in for most every pitch. But if I feel like walking off and not for a few things, I can do that. I'll admit they're not professionals.
They're not, their skills aren't to the level yet, but I'm not ever going to knock them because, you know, there are kids out there doing their best.
And I'll swing us back around here for initiatives like dollars for dingers and bucks for bags. I'm not naive enough to think that those campaigns are going to build us a new ballpark or get us an all new camera system, but it's a push in the right direction. It shows the fan interest when a hundred people do that. The money does add up.
It definitely helps the team, but it helps the athletic department see that there is a really dedicated fan base to ODU baseball and to take some of that money and be able to invest it back in to things like better cameras, uh, a bigger. Command center. Cause right now we can only do one ESPN plus broadcast at a time at this point, it's not too big of a deal unless women's lacrosse is also home.
But, um, showing that there is a appetite out there to watch ODU baseball, to be a fan, to improve it helps. So that's how those initiatives. Really kind of get the thing going. I don't know how many, I think ODAF had something neighborhood of 50 to 60 new donors, uh, for the first time ever when the first time we did that dollars for dingers campaign.
So that's, that's kind of what that, that helps push is showing that fan interest, showing the athletic department that there really is a need to go and continue to invest in baseball.
Yeah, I mean all four anything you can do.
I mean, I and I don't I don't know Where the money came from this but I know the the baseball team this year does have a new system That does record the pitchers the hitters It gives all that like telemetry on pitches and then bat speed and things and and they get really good High quality video they can use and so that I mean right there There is an improvement in you know, maybe not in the replay tech and things but they can You know It's, it's stuff they're able to use to make themselves
better. And so right there, I mean, again, I'm not real sure exactly where this funds came from, but I guarantee it without, uh, people going in and donating specifically to help out the baseball team, it doesn't exist.
Well, if I have to choose between a really nice ESPN broadcast or the team having the best tech and analytics, uh, going to the team 10 out of 10 times, Um, but I, I do wonder, cause in in football for replay review, they obviously, they have the broadcast, but also the home team, is required to pipe in their coach's cam footage for replay review. So I wonder if they're, I don't know if that's currently used or not.
I'll ask the question and find out, but having that maybe looped in with replay might be something that would help them make some better determination, especially stuff that's close to the bags. I know that those cameras are primarily around the dugouts and the backstop. Uh, so I'll ask that question and, and see if I can get an answer on it. Uh, but I think that would, that
do know for a fact that is not, I guess that would be what they would use. It's not like live connected like that for sure. They definitely don't have access to it. I'm not even sure if the team has access like that day to that, the video.
Okay. Well, I'll, I'll poke around and ask and maybe stir something up, because that might help at least with, you know, safe out calls at the basis fair fouls, stuff like that Um, just anything we can do to, to help our team out and be in a better position, uh, to get, get calls. Right, which. I don't know. We probably have the best tech in the world and the automated systems and somehow those, uh, umpires will miss something, no doubt.
I believe in that.
Coming up next on the Hudson Homer's podcasts. Our interview was starting, right. Fielder, Luke waters. We talked to him about the past weekend against south Alabama. Along with his NISL merge deal with the Monarch is after that we'll preview a really tough week of games with UVA and then heading on the road to coastal Carolina. We appreciate you listening and stay tuned.
Welcome back to the Hudson homers podcast. Monarch fans. Uh, we have a special guest for you today. Lucky to be joined by Luke waters from old dominion baseball and also a monarchist NIL athlete Luke's. Thanks so much for hopping on with us today.
Thanks for having me. It's a pleasure.
Coming off a weekend where you take two out of three from South Alabama, you hit two home runs, had a really great offensive weekend. Uh, how was the team feeling after, uh, taking that series and bouncing back from Louisiana?
Uh, the vibes were amazing. We definitely needed it as a team, especially coming off of Louisiana. I know we got together as a team, just talked about everything, how like, like, who cares what happened last weekend? It's a new weekend. Anything can change, and we, I think we played pretty good all three days, so. It's a big weekend for us.
Yeah, it was a great weekend. So I hear you talking about having conversations. You know, you're, you're a junior now. You've been here all three years. How big of a leader are you on the team? Or do you kind of let other guys maybe take the reins and you just kind of lead by example?
Yeah, I'm more of a lead by example. I'm more of a quiet guy. A lot of people know, but, If I have to, like, step in and say something, I will. But, um, I usually let, uh, Vincent do all the, all the talking and pretty much just lead by
That makes sense for both of y'all's personality. He wants to talk.
Yeah.
be there quiet. Yeah, that fits.
Pretty good lineup shakeup, uh, coming out of Louisiana into this weekend. You stayed in your, your same spot there for the most part hitting third. Uh, does that do anything for you when you're thinking like, all right, Alex is now hitting lead off and then Steven's hitting second, does that change your approach at all? It's just show and go.
Uh, not really. I try not to think about it a lot. Just, just stay focused on the approach every at bat. Like, what pitcher I'm facing, what I have to do each at bat. And whatever happens, happens.
Has it been any different for you this year, hitting third mostly as opposed to last year where you're leading off every game? Yeah, definitely.
Yeah, I feel a lot more comfortable, um, this year. Just being able to see the pitcher and not being the first one out there. And just It just, like, calms me down, settles me down a little more. Just seeing, oh, so you can see his slider, see his off speed, and see his fastball more instead of just going right into
Do you ever have where the guys in front of you come up and swing it like the first pitch or the second pitch and You're like come on guys. I need a little bit
it. Yeah, because then I'll have to go up there and take, but it's part of the game.
You've been a guy, you know, like I said, you're a junior here It's your third year in your first year. I actually have your stats in front of me I didn't really you only came to the plate 16 times I really thought you got in the games more that first year and then last year, you know He played pretty much every day Um, and had a really great year and this year you're, I mean, your numbers are actually all almost higher in every category just from last year halfway through the season.
I mean, can you talk about how you've developed and how you've grown in your career here?
Um, well, like, freshman year, it all started just, like, knowing my role each year. So that year was, like, I would be, like, a pinch runner. And just, like, start slowly learning the game. And, uh, I think a big thing was me just learning what kind of player I was. And, like, trusting the development of, like, Finney and Hage with my swing. And just being an overall player. And I think I finally, like, I'm developing.
So that's why I think I'm more comfortable and you can see that I'm playing this a lot better,
And you talked about the energy from the team is really strong this weekend. We, we could tell that over in Raleigh alley and up in the stands that the team was just into it really from the jump on that on Friday. To get the double header sweep there, you're hitting third in the lineup. You've had some good hitters in front of you for most of the season. We've heard that hitting is contagious within this lineup.
Do you think that's an accurate statement and how does that impact you when you come up to the plate and know that, all right, Steven's on first, he's probably going to steal second and maybe even third. Does that make it easier for you or more difficult?
a lot easier because I actually believe hitting is contagious. Um, the momentum, big momentum. So if someone gets in front of me, it's just a different like vibe as you can, as you said, like from the dugout. And it's just like a confidence booster, like, oh, Steven got a hit. And I'm gonna go up there and get ahead and do my job. And the guy behind me is going to get do his job. It just all falls in place.
So the flip side of that, you know, we've had some, some days where it just doesn't seem like a team can get a hit or even actually yesterday's game, the Saturday game, we were getting hits, just couldn't quite. Get that hit to move them in. Um, what do you think is going on in those times where it seems like this offense Which I think is a really really good offense just seems to kind of struggle
Yeah, I, I know we have a really good offense and some games we don't show it. It's just, um, if when we stay to like our approach and being tough in the batter's box, because there's been multiple games where we're hitting the ball hard every time and just nothing's going our way, but it's just all about getting that big hit. And some on Sunday or Saturday, we didn't get it, but we were still like, Having good at bats putting good swings on the ball.
Yeah, boucher on uh, friday was a great example that he had I think it was over seven I think all seven were over 100 miles an hour line drives just right at guys like that's that's a great case What you're talking about right there
Yeah, and I felt bad for him on Friday He'd come back to the dugout just staring at me. I just laugh at him was like keep swinging keep swinging
He's do some hits from the baseball gods. I think after getting robbed, because he was absolutely crushing the baseball on Friday, just could not find. Find any grass or get any wind assistance out there in the outfield. I know you were in right. And it was windy as can be on Friday. And it looked like it was almost hanging some balls up for you to actually catch in foul territory that I thought we're going to end up out on the street.
Uh, is that window nuts out there with the chemistry building, messing things up?
Oh, yeah, the Bob Matheny wind it's it plays different every day Like I think it was playing different the first game of the doubleheader than it was the second game So it's always always important to get out there during BP and knowing what the ball is doing
How was that? I mean, you, so you were an infielder, you know, you were a shortstop in high school and then played mostly second and third here as a freshman and then last year moving to the outfield. Had you really played outfield before and what's that been like learning it?
I haven't really played outfield in high school at all, but It's been like an easier transition and uh, I think it like freed me up at the plate too a little bit. So it's like thinking less about defense which also freed me up at the plate.
It's great. No, I'm just going to say that I'm sure that's exactly and and your results of the play have been exactly why you make that move and so that's gotta be one that uh your coaches have to feel good about that.
Yeah. Yeah, and uh, luckily I'm a little faster. So even if my, I don't get the best jump or read right now I can make up for a little
Yeah, I think if anybody were to watch you play outfield and you told them, yeah, you just started last year, they'd be like, what? No, that's, that doesn't seem right. Like you, you play a really good outfield. You're very good. You, you've robbed a few balls right at the fence. Uh, you got a good arm.
I actually, I've fallen in love with outfield just using my speed and using my arm It's real fun out there.
I think it was the Georgia Southern series where you threw somebody out at the plate from right field on the ball that I didn't think there was any chance we were going to get the guy at the plate. I think it was Georgia Southern, wasn't it? It
Maybe. I have a bad memory.
feels like it was a thousand games ago at this point. It's only, I think only been like three weeks. So, you might have the best living situation. You're right there close to the ballpark. I think you're what, with Jay, Kenny, who were the other two guys that are in there with you?
I'm with Jake Tyser, Kenny, Alex Boucher, and TJ.
Gotcha. That's gotta be a pretty fun house to be in, especially being closer over there to the ballpark. Uh, what's it like hanging out with those guys and how often do you interact with the other baseball houses around that block or two?
Oh, it's amazing. Everyone lives on this street. You know, like, someone will just stop by randomly. It's a good, like, bonding, because you walk down the street, I'll just stop by in so and so's house, and it's just, there'll be like eight other teammates in there just, just having a good time, so it's nice.
Yeah. You guys hang out a lot. I mean, I know like in the fall when I was at the different sports, like I'd be at soccer, I'd be at volleyball and there was always a minimum three or four of you guys and sometimes eight or nine hanging out. I saw you had a bunch of stuff.
Yeah, there's always a group somewhere, which is really good, and I think brings us together a lot.
Oh, well, you recently signed the NIL merch deal with us with the monarchist. We've got your shirt up on our website Uh, I don't know if you knew this but you're actually the first ODU athlete that we have signed directly to an NIL deal so I don't know. When you came to ODU, did you ever think that was something that would happen for you?
No, I had no idea. Um, it's kind of like, when I think about it, it's like, Wow, I actually have like a t shirt. It's kind of cool thing about
Yeah, I think that's, that was the original intention of NIL is to do merch deals like that. And I'm sure we'll be doing some other things together at some point. Um, but definitely if you haven't gone to our website yet, odumonarchist. com, we've got a store button. Luke Newcomb shirt is right there and You know, thank you for hitting two home runs this weekend to, you know, make it even better. It was really kind of you to do that.
It might have been the releasing of the shirt just made me hit him, so
We got it. We gotta find out eventually that you're wearing your shirt under the jersey all season. That's going to be the move
Yeah, I might have to start doing that and see if it has any luck for me.
yeah, yeah, definitely. And, uh, well, you know, if that is the good luck charm, right. If you get the shirt, you start hitting, we're just going to get everybody on the team, a shirt at some point and, uh, go on and win the college world series.
Yeah, that's what I went in the locker room after we posted there. Everyone was talking about it. I was like, I might have to get one. They go, hey,
We're always open to ideas. I think, uh, Hudson Trobaugh's dad had one for Hudson and it was like, no one out pitches the hut and I was like, that is a genius
that is a good one.
Really good
Yeah, well, we'll, uh, we'll definitely be working on that. You're, you're the first one, but you will certainly not be the last one. Definitely not the last one within baseball as well. We're just going to keep growing that thing, but really glad that we got to do that partnership with you. Uh, we hope we sell a ton of shirts. We're going to keep promoting it. Uh, I know, I think the first couple of orders of them come in. I know you've got yours now.
Uh, so they'll, they'll be popping up at the bud and hopefully making other people a little bit jealous and go on there and order them as well.
Yeah, I can't wait to see people wearing them out on the bud.
Cool. And we asked this question to everyone who's going to come on the podcast. We've had some really good answers from like Kenny and Jay. Uh, but we know the college football video game is coming back out this summer, and that's going to be a big deal for a lot of people. Uh, but there used to be the college baseball game that was out there maybe 10 or 11 years ago. So if you, if they're going to bring back the college baseball video game.
What overall rating are you're giving yourself and like, where are you going to rate 99 in those rankings?
Um, I'm 99 all of them. You have to, you have to be confident
Let's
Love
I mean, I know we're all, all of it.
All right. I like it. I'll eat 99 overall across the board. You're just going to be hitting tanks every single at bat, throwing everybody out from the fence. I love it. Well, let the people know where they can follow along with your stuff. Other than, than through the monarchist, uh, Instagram handles, Twitter handles, anything like that.
Oh, um, my Instagram handle, I think it's just Luke. Waters on Twitter, I think it's L__Waters5, I think.
Awesome. We'll, uh, we'll make sure to put them. Uh, out on our social media when we get this posted out later in the week. But CB, uh, anything else for Luke?
No, I just you know, it's it's really great. Uh, just getting to see you develop and do so well This you know, you're you're a prime example what you want to see when a kid comes to ODU, you know You're you're a great person You got a great family and you get just watch you get better and better and better at baseball every year That's it's it's great, man
thank you, thank you. Appreciate it.
Well, Luke really appreciate you, uh, taking a couple minutes out of your day to come chat with us. Appreciate the, uh, partnership as well for the Luke Newcomb t shirt. Can't stress enough. Go in there, order your Luke Newcomb t shirt, come to the bud and enjoy it. Uh, but awesome. But thank you so much, Luke.
Thanks for having me.
Well, alright. So, we got the series win and now the the heat of the schedule begins. We got Uh, a big lineup coming up.
Yeah. Uh, and we're starting on Tuesday, making another trip out to Charlottesville to play UVA. Uh, in case you're wondering, they have not gotten any worse since we played them the first time and they took that game, they're 22 and six, but they are seven and five in the ACC. And they're coming off of a series loss down at Duke. They dropped two out of three. They won the middle game of that series. They've kind of probably not played as well as they've wanted to going into ACC plays.
They lost that series to Duke, they lost the series to Miami, uh, they won the series against Wake and they got, and they swept Pitt. So kind of been some up and downs, uh, but I was a little surprised to see him drop that series at Duke, even though Duke is a good baseball.
Yeah, Duke is really really good. I was actually looking at those box scores to see if our guy uh Zach Morris from Suffolk uh had a big impact like I think he was about one for twelve leading off uh but yeah and you look at the stats for this UVA team and it's I don't understand how they lose games. I mean, they have a a 347 team batting average.
I mean they've got uh, looking at like the eras like their team era is 553 So they give up some runs, but the opponent's era against them is nine four nines Which means they're averaging over nine earned runs per game Uh when they when they play so I I don't know how people will stop them
I was going through their stats and trying to find a couple hitters to highlight. You could highlight every single person that's on there. It's unbelievable.
I mean, I'll highlight, I'll highlight Harrison Dinowick because he's from, um, right here in the 757, went to Western Branch, uh, played with, uh, Jackson Tone on the ODU team, you know, Harrison's hitting, uh, 336, he's leading the team with 12 homers, leading the team with 40 RBIs, uh, and I'm sure playing some great outfields, so that, I mean, but you're right, he, at, at 336, he's the fifth best hitter on the team.
Which is crazy and jacob ferentz is obviously I think everyone knows about him at this point hitting 456 Uh, seven bombs 18 rbis And casey, I think it's sock is how you pronounce it.
I think I think it's stocky.
Okay, so we'll take some sake shots before the game.
Hopefully that helped Um, yeah, but 390 batting average He also has seven home runs, but he's driven in 32 and he's not the team leader in rbis he's third on the team in rbis because you know diddawick with the 12 bombs and 40 ribs like it's just Their lineup is stacked, but I think it's a good preview of what you're going to see from Coastal too, because there are similar types of teams in terms of their approach of strong offense and maybe not the best pitching.
Yeah, you're right. I have the the coastal stats here too And it's kind of the same thing. They're they're averaging. Uh, let's see if it'll pull up for me, but they had over Uh, oh, here we go. Uh, yeah same thing over five Uh era as a team, but then the opponent's era 973 so both teams giving up about five runs a game But also scoring about nine runs a game. So, I mean, that's more along the lines of maybe what ODU was doing the last few years.
Uh, so it's gonna be interesting to see if our extremely good pitching staff can go up against these good hitters, and if our hitters can be the guys they are and take advantage of what seems like, uh, again, you, I'm sure they've played some good opponents, but the pitching is not, you know, the best. So it seems like we have some opportunities for some runs and hopefully limit some runs.
Yeah, it'll be interesting to give our midweek guys another shot at UVA because we were in that game with them at first. I thought we played pretty well and kind of got broken open late. Uh, so I think the key for ODU going back up to Charlottesville is to just hit the ball, like relax, have good at bats, let things play out, because I do think that our pitching can limit UVA a little bit. I mean, they're a crazy good lineup, they're gonna score runs, it's gonna happen.
So it's almost, you know, if you get down 3 0, 4 0, or something like that, just know that you're probably going to see some pitches to hit, especially since they're going to be playing a Thursday through Saturday series against UNC. So they're probably not going to be using any of their weekend arms in that Tuesday game.
A midweek arm at UVA is typically a pretty good arm. You know, um, I know, I don't know exactly what our pitching plans are for Tuesday. I know I was talking to, um, Hudson Trobaugh's parents, and they were saying that, that Finney and Marin had told Hudson that he is going to be a midweek guy. Um, he's so we basically just like don't worry about the weekends.
You're going to be you know, Tuesday Wednesday when we play pitching Now, I don't know if that means he's starting if he's definitely going to be a guy coming out of the bullpen Uh, but so there and I would guess garrett harker will also Either start or come out of the bullpen. So it's gonna be interesting to see exactly who Uh gets those innings, but we definitely got you know, again, our our midweek guys are no joke either
It'll definitely be a good one. Looks like that game is going to be on the ACC Network Extra. So if you have ESPN Plus, you will be able to watch that game through ESPN Plus. I think the ACC Network just has to put their, their branding stamp on it, but you'll be able to watch that game. ODU will also have a radio broadcast there. Preferred to. Listen to, uh, some ODU voices on the radio. Plenty of ways to to check that out. I haven't looked at the weather.
It's uh, not looking great Well, we'll we'll see I think uh, I looked earlier about 70 chance of thunderstorms all day long Um, so we'll see if this game gets played or not I mean, hopefully it'll all turn around they can just have a nice baseball game, but you never know
I would imagine with UNC on Thursday that it's not gonna take a whole lot for UVA to bang that
Yeah, and I mean, you know our guys never mind not getting on a bus, Uh, Riding three hours and riding three hours back. So I you know Sometimes it's what's better for everyone. Unfortunately, we get to play them in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, the weather is going to be amazing for the 16th when we're supposed to play them at Harvard Park.
Uh, that would be awesome if we could have one good weather day for that Harbor Park game because that was 2019. I think it's the last time that game has actually
That's what I'm thinking is 2019 was the last one because I, I, you know, obviously it didn't happen in 20 because of COVID. I don't think we even had one scheduled in 21 cause it's still COVID effects. And then, you know, they've, they've ducked us a couple of times since then.
Hopefully we're able to get that one. It's a cool experience playing at Harbor Park. Um, I know that the Tides opened up this weekend. Um, I think they were on the road but they have, they're off And
Yeah, they were here. They, um, and they won the first two games. I think they're playing, they probably finished by now. I don't know what they did on the Sunday game. I know Jackson holiday, no more in prospect of baseball. First pitch of the season, as a tide setter, over the fence.
That Orioles minor league system is stacked with talent, so you're going to see some great players coming through, Norfolk Tides, so. Gotta get some of those tide fans to come on over to the Bud, especially when we get the new ballparking. So I think it'd be a, another fun experience for them there. But looking up to Coastal here, they're 20 and seven, surprising five and four in the Sunbelt. I was shocked when I saw that. That's one game better than us at four and five.
I took a two out of three from JMU. They lost the series in Boone against App State. They went one and two in that series. Uh, and then they only took two out of three from Louisiana Monroe on the, uh, they've got a midweek with UNC Wilmington, they're good. UNC Wilmington has always been a good baseball for, and they've been sneaking up on some teams this year. Uh, but it's, it's going to be a grind here this weekend with.
You know, 6 p. m. Friday and you got a 2 p. m. on Saturday and then getaway day on Sunday. They're going at one and extend that a little bit. So you don't have to fly. I'm sure we're driving down there. But Coastal is good. And just like what we talked about UVA, they can hit, they can hit, they can hit, but their pitching has been a little suspect.
Yeah, you know, it's um, that five and four just tells you how good the conference is. Um, and that's again also why ODU losing the third game of the series is so, you know, frustrating for other reasons. because the difference between being five and four, being four or five is huge. Coastal, dropped out of the top 25 a few weeks ago, but I think it says more about how tough the, uh, Sun Belt is than it says anything about them not being a top 25 caliber team.
They're, they're a really, really good team, uh, especially hitting wise. Uh, so it's going to be, again, this is going to be a challenging week for our pitching.
So their website says five and four that the Sunbelt standing say six and three. I just went and counted their conference games and they are, they're five and
Yeah, that's I thought they were five and four so who knows why that other one's giving you nonsense
Yeah. Thanks Sunbelt.
come on sunbelt Uh, but yeah, but you know again, we've got very good pitching You can't expect them to only give up one or two runs every single game So, you know, even if they are out there giving up four or five you got to compete We got our our guys know how to hit we saw that the first two games this weekend So if they go out if our hitters go out and have And concentrate on having that really good at bat Just just focus on the pitch the next pitch.
Um, I see no reason that we can't walk away and have a very good week here against two extremely good baseball teams,
It's smack dab in the middle of this tough schedule that we've been talking about and getting every win you can is, is critically important. I always look at the conference baseball schedule, especially in a league as tough as a Sunbelt of. you always have to take two out of three at home and you always have to take at least one out of three on the road. Cause that gets you to 15 and 15. And then if you're able to sweep at home, now you're 16 and 14.
Uh, and then if you can steal a second one and go win a road series, now you've got, you're getting that 17, 18, 19 one mark. I think if you're around that 18, 19, 20, 21 conference wins, you're going to put yourself in a really good position, come to conference tournament. So we've put ourselves behind the eight ball a little bit of not getting one at Louisiana, who by the way, has still not lost since then they swept again this week and they're eight and one and leading the conference.
Uh, they're pretty good. Imagine they're going to be ranked coming out in the, in the standings this week. But if we can find scratch and claw way to get two out of three down there at coastal, where it's traditionally tough and they're a good team that can hit, that's going to set us up for some really great stuff with JMU coming into town the following weekend.
which is going to be a fun weekend. I mean, I guarantee I know JMU has, I can think of at least off the top of my head, five guys from Hampton Roads, and there's always lots of JMU alumni here in Hampton Roads. So I would have to imagine, especially if we get good weather, That JMU series, there's going to be a lot of people of the bud and going to be a lot of cheering in both ways. So I think that could be, it'd be set up to be an extremely fun weekend.
And there'll be a lot of people around campus because that's also that Saturday is the O. D. U. football spring game. So there's going to be a lot of people there. and I know that they've always tried to push people from football to go to baseball after That spring game. I know that's what we'll be doing. We'll be bouncing back and forth. We'll have everybody kind of all hands on deck for the monarchist that weekend. doing some stuff.
But I'm hoping for just great weather because Rivalry series they have been kicking the crap out of us in this royal rivalry thing that has magically been created Uh would be nice to just sweep them and at least get a little bit on the scoreboard there Uh for that rivalry and also just set ourselves up well going in the conference going in the conference tournament
Yeah, I do have a problem with them calling it a spring football game. Uh, it's not a game. It's a practice. I wish they would play a game. I think it would be very fun if they had sides and would like play a game, but it's just the exact same practice they do normally. So that's, that's a little frustrating. I wish they could, they'd have a little more fun, make it an actual game.
They did a little bit more of that last year where you had the ones on offense versus most of the ones on defense Uh, but yeah, it's definitely Definitely Glorified scrimmage at best.
I think that's generous. Unfortunately.
Yeah, but I you know, right now they probably only have about 80 guys on the roster because the mitts for the summer aren't there. If you get like a bruised shin, you are not playing in that game. They're not going to risk you getting further injury. So I think it's fairly difficult to get 44 guys for offense and defense, uh, together out there. So I think that's why they do it that way.
And plus they're not trying to put a whole lot on film, uh, because with that being an open spring game, as we found out last year, people from other teams show up, take video. That happened last year.
I forget how loony football is. They play like, I mean, baseball plays more games in two weeks than football plays in a season. And they get so concerned about, yeah, they, people are goofy at football. I, as, as a baseball fan, I just, I like, I like football. I enjoy it. I watch it. I had a blast going to the games this year, taking photos. I just, I don't get a football, Nonsense like that, like I said, going into a spring game and taking video.
It's like, whatever, man, like, what are we doing here? None of these plays anybody's running are such huge tricks that you have to get them on video. I don't, I mean, you got Bill Belichick, who's might be the greatest coach of all time out there cheating and taking other people's videos. Like what are we, Jim Harbaugh winning national championships, taking other people's videos. Like what are we doing in football? It's a weird sport, man.
It's a night and day difference. Cause football, you basically have to have like a national security clearance and be in the CIA to learn anything about their offense. And meanwhile, you go up to coach Finwood and ask him, Hey, who's going to pitch on Tuesday? He just tells you flat out, Hey, we're going to do this with the lineup and you know, everything. And maybe that's just the difference in the sports where, you know, it doesn't, doesn't really matter.
Everyone's going to know who you're running out there anyway,
coaches are so friendly. They'll tell the other coaches what pitches pitchers throw just so they can help them track the stats. Like it is weird. And you know, I think that part of it comes down to baseball is just so hard anyway, but it's like, you can do everything, but good luck hitting this pitch.
Exactly. Um, but we'll see, especially with a bunch of JMU fans in town for baseball, we're, uh, probably gonna be running a lot of base offense, a lot of base defense, and a lot of freshmen and guys who have transferred in. And then, uh, of course, April 16th, the football transfer portal opens up again with, uh, the new lawsuits. That's going to be real wild because. Now as a coach, you can call a kid and say, Hey, we'll give you a hundred K and NIL if you come here. Okay, great.
I'm going to sign. Uh, so it's going to be, uh, the wild west here come April 16th.
I'm very glad that at least at our level of kind of mid major baseball That's not a huge thing yet um, because that's not what nil was meant for and not what the transfer portal is meant for and it's uh, frankly Doing some having some huge negative effects of the game, but that's not we're not a a how football is ruining college sports podcast We're a od baseball podcast and they're doing good. We're having fun Looking forward to a great week two weeks from now.
We get to play a game at harbor park You That's what actually matters on April 16th. Uh, so that's where I, so we'll, we'll focus on that instead of my opinions on all the other things.
Absolutely. But I will continue to promote our NIL with Luke Waters.
I mean, frankly, if everyone's going to have it, we need it. I'm glad we've got one
Yeah, absolutely. And he's the first, will not be the last. Uh, we're just kind of testing the waters of this thing, seeing what we can do.
testing the waters. I see what you did
Ah, yeah, you caught me on that one. Um, yeah, so we're, we're testing it out. We want to see how things go, how things sell. So, if you're interested in that and Luke is getting every bit of the money that's made on that shirt. Like anything above cost is going directly to him. So definitely not going in our pockets. We don't make any money. I think all of us actually end up losing a good bit of money in this thing, but that's okay. Um, so yeah, go to odmarcus.
com, click on the store, link and you'll see it right there. The order is actually fulfilled by Nick Clark who played football here, runs a screen printing shop. So all within the ODU family, all with the goal of how do we best support our programs? How do we best support our athletes? Uh, and I'm glad that we're able to do this now. It's kind of the culmination of what we've been working on here for past, I guess, three, four years at this point.
And that's fantastic because that's the part of NIL that that I can get behind is it's all about taking care of the athletes. I love that. You know, Luke can put his name on a shirt and say, buy this shirt and he gets the money. That's exactly what we should be able to do. The idea that the guys didn't have the right to their own. Face and name was crazy.
Um, so go buy a Luke Newcomb shirt, go get some Bud Bomber shirts, get some koozies, you know, just follow the monarchists and all the things you can and, and come out to games and support these kids and come out. If you get a chance after the game, go find some kids and talk to them. Cause we have some, some phenomenal people, uh, at this university.
Absolutely. And I would also say, go chat with their parents in the stands or in Rally Alley. There's some awesome, awesome people within this program. And, uh, the more you get to know them, the more you're going to fall in love with it. I promise you that.
Absolutely. So I'm, I'm excited for, even though we're on the road, I'm excited to watch the games and can't wait for when they're back next week
Definitely. Well, that'll do it for us on the Hudson Homers podcast. We appreciate you listening. If you're not if you're somehow not subscribed, please do so on your favorite Podcasting platform. We're out there on pretty much all of them now. Uh, but that'll do it for us. I'm Gary and go Monarchs.
and I'm CB go Monarchs.