Thompson: Banana ball ‘a blast’ for the Auburn family

AUBURN | The Savannah Banana All-Stars ultimately came out with a win over Auburn during an extra-inning showdown, but it was the spectacle and just plain fun that the coaches, players and fans will take away from Saturday night’s exhibition game at Plainsman Park.

“I think our players will absolutely gain something on their baseball journey,” said AU coach Butch Thompson. “What they provided for us was an experience our players will have forever. I think our Auburn family absolutely had a blast. This was a huge win for our program.

“Our guys turned it loose, played great. A lot of fun and a lot of great engagement.”

In between the dancing, the trick plays on defense including an under the legs catch by Bristol Carter in centerfield and the pitcher on stilts, there was plenty of baseball.

PLENTY OF POWER AT THE PLATE

For the Tigers, freshman Mason McCraine and senior Lucas Steele both hit towering home runs. McCraine’s, a 3-run blast, hit the top of the batter’s eye in centerfield. Steele hit a 2-run drive that bounced off the top of the hitting lab over the right field wall.

“I kind of blacked out. It was one of those moments,” said Steele. “I think it was a changeup he threw me with a ball and then he threw me a heater, and I was like, ‘I’m going to bet my life savings he’s going to throw me a changeup,’ and he did. I hit it and I blacked out and it’s probably one of my favorite homers I’ve hit in my life.

“I was on third when Mason hit his and everybody was going nuts. I felt the crowd roar. It was amazing.”

One of the most exciting moments came when former Auburn player and current graduate assistant Sonny DiChiara went from first-base coach to hitting a home run. It came five months after Andrew Dutton, who was serving as AU’s first-base coach after transferring from Birmingham Southern, hit a pinch-hit home run in his first Auburn at-bat.

“That was a fun moment. If that’s the last one I have on this field in any capacity, that was the best moment ever,” said DiChiara, the 2022 SEC co-Player of the Year. “Two first base coaches have hit homers in this stadium. That’s awesome.”

FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

The game ended in the second showdown, which included a pitcher vs. a hitter with no other position players on the field. The Bananas hit a fly ball to centerfield that pitcher Ryan Hetzler couldn’t corral before the the runner got around the bases to score.

The also game included special timeouts to honor the military, firefighters, foster parents and many others in the community.

“Just seeing how many people they impact and touch, I got a completely different perspective,” said Thompson. “If you don’t understand and respect what they’re doing, you haven’t looked behind the scenes to see the quality of people and the difference these guys are making.”

Auburn will play a second exhibition game at Kennesaw State Nov. 8.