Auburn baseball and the Banana Ball All-Stars put on a show in front of a sellout crowd at Plainsman Park. In a game that features dancing, a time limit and a bunch of very different rules, the Tigers got home runs from freshman Mason McCraine and Lucas Steele and even a surprise home run from current student assistant Sonny DiChiara before the all-stars won in the 11th inning.
“What they provided for us is an experience our players will take forever, but a real opportunity to absolutely focus on their game,” Auburn coach Butch Thompson said. “I think our Auburn people and Auburn family had a blast as I was looking around the crowd. This was a huge win for our program.”
Auburn commanded the lead the entirety of the game, scoring in six of the nine innings of regulation to take a 3-0 points lead through the top of the ninth inning. The first Auburn hit in the game came from sophomore Chase Fralick and sparked an impromptu press conference at first base soon after.
However, the Banana Ball All-Stars scored three runs, all resulting in points, in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game to a showdown.
With the 10th inning showdown featuring a batter against a pitcher and fielder, both teams got out of the frame unscathed. The 11th inning showdown was just batter against hitter, and the All-Stars won it on a fly ball to center that resulted in an inside-the-park home run.
One of the highlights of the game was McCraine’s three-run home run in his first unofficial at-bat in an Auburn uniform in the bottom of the second inning. A talented two-way player that can pitch along with potentially playing in the outfield and first base, he’s a player to watch for the Tigers. DiChiara stepped into the box with one out in the fourth and sent a solo home run into the student section in right center.
“One more swing was left in there,” said DiChiara. “That was awesome. I never hit a single homer like that in pro ball, the right-center low ball like that. It was a funny, full-circle moment. If that’s the last one I ever have on this field in any capacity, that was the best moment ever.”
After DiChiara hit for fellow former Hoover Buc and Samford Bulldog Lucas Steele to hit his home run in the fourth inning, the senior catcher returned to his spot in the order in the sixth inning and blasted a two-run home run on top of the hitting facility in right field.
“It was one of those moments,” Steele said. “Probably one of my favorite homers I’ve ever hit in my life. They showed us what it’s like to have fun in the game again, not take everything so seriously and enjoy every minute we’re out there.”