Friday, April 25
Hello Eagle fans, day three of the World Series trip started off with a trip to elementary schools to hangout with some great kids. Every team while they are here in Lewiston visits elementary schools in the area, to give back to the community and put a smile on the young kids faces. It’s a great experience to see these kids just light up with excitement as soon as we step on campus. We had lunch at Grantham Elementary School and signed about 1000 autographs for every student there, but it is just as fun for us as it is for the children. They really make us feel like big leaguers. We got to visit with the kids after lunch playing games of kickball and having recess on the monkey bars. A few of the youngins challenged me to a race; this was a big mistake for them (haha). After recess we all went back inside and went to different classrooms to answer any questions or comments the children had. The players that get the opportunity to be here really are treated like celebrities while they are here.
After the school trips, we had our practice session at Harris Field. Another relaxed but focused day of B.P. It gives us a chance to get on the field before we suit up for our first game. After B.P., we then walk throughout campus to the picture room and take single shots as well as a team shot for the media guide. Lots of funny poses and jokes made during this time of the day. After pictures we travel back to the hotel where we all shower up and get dressed for the banquet. This year's banquet was a lot like last year starting of with a short song and followed by the dinner and interview of the coaches. The dinner included the very good fried steak bites, mashed potatoes, chicken, and chocolate cake for desert. It was interesting listening to each coach talk about their journey to the World Series. The banquet was very professional and Lewis-Clark State did a great job hosting.
Day four was the first game day for the Eagles. It was not the most successful day we have had but that’s how this game works sometimes. We played a very good hitting team in Tennessee Wesleyan and they proved that today throughout the whole game. It seemed like anytime we tried to get something going the ball just wouldn’t fall in for us. People say “if the game was easy, everyone would play it” we just didn’t have a good day all around. We're looking to turn it around tomorrow as we play fellow Sun Conference opponent USCB. We always play better with our back against the wall.
Following our game was the opening ceremonies for the tournament. Every team marched on the field and received applause from the 2,000+ crowd in attendance. A group of United Sates service men accompanied us on the field as a young local play the National Anthem on the violin. It was pretty incredible to see such a young boy with such talent. He did a great job. After the opening ceremonies we all traveled back to the hotel to rest up for tomorrows game. This concludes the first gameday here in Idaho. Thank you again for following us and we apprieciate all the cheering from back in Daytona. See you bright and early Eagle Nation. God Bless.
Wednesday, April 23
The trip to Lewiston started pretty early for me and the rest of the Eagle boys. With the bus leaving at 3:45 a.m. I had the alarm set for 2:00 a.m. because I had to Quinn-tuple check my bag to make sure I did not forget anything. A few of the guys including myself stopped at a gas station to pick up road snack for the bus trip to the airport. My choice of snack included chocolate milk and sour patch gummies. Most guys chose some type of sour candy and Gatorade.
Everyone showed up right on time and ready to get this red banner business trip started. We got to the airport at 5 a.m. and checked the bags right away. We got to see who packs like a girl and that was David Lidyard who came in with the heaviest bag at right around 65 pounds...girly man (Micheal Huber was a close second). I can't really tell you what happened after the baggage check because I found myself asleep until we boarded the plane.
Our plane took off at 7 a.m. and all in all it was a smooth flight with nothing too exciting, only complaint was that the in-flight movie was "The Vow"….if you didn’t know, it was the chick-flick movie of the year.
We arrived in the Mile High city around 9 a.m. MDT, where myself and Moshdaddy (Ryan Mosher) made our way to a pretty solid philly cheese steak place. After eating and walking back to our gate to chill for our two-hour layover, we see this guy dressed like a crazy man with MC Hammer pants on and a boombox duffle bag. We looked a little closer and realized it was the lead singer from LMFAO. Our first baseman Chris Page actually tried to get his attention by “party rocking” but failed to do so because of his lack of rhythm and dance skills.
A little later we saw our first opponent of the World Series in the form of the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs. Its funny when teams see each other off the field because of all the stare down and sizing up that happens.. The Bulldogs happened to be on the same flight we were on into Spokane, Wash. We left Denver and this flight was a little more exciting/annoying because this poor child was screaming all flight. Thankfully I just got some brand new headphones I like to call "Beats by Will Smith" not to be confused with "Beats by Dr. Dre."
We landed in Spokane about 1 p.m. and proceeded to the baggage claim. An ERAU baseball tradition is to have each player put in a dollar and whichever bag comes out first, the bag's owner wins the money. The pot was thirty dollars. The first Embry-Riddle bag came out backwards and the suspense killed every player, we finally got to see whose it was and Robbie Ratliff was the victor, I was then trying to talk him into giving me my dollar back since my bag came out the very last but I was unsuccessful.
We left the airport and started our final leg of the #RoadtoLewiston with the bus ride from Spokane to the LC Valley. Coach Stegall says it is his favorite part of the travel day to see all the hills and barns of the great state of Washington. It is quite an experience driving through the hills seeing the windmills and farm lands, I'm just wondering where people go shopping or get gas.
The highlight of the bus ride is just getting to the valley and looking out over the cities of Lewiston and Clarkston, a great picture opportunity for all of us on the bus. We got to the Best Western RiverTree and they are all ready for us. The Best Western has a great new LED screen that has displayed "Welcome Back Embry-Riddle Baseball", you got to love the respect we get from our host hotel. Coach Stegall handed out the room keys and just like every other road trip he announced my room as the “Premadonna Outfielders” as he handed me the keys. Myself, Ian Macgeorge, and Francisco Arias room together, I don’t really know where we got the nickname from but I do believe it’s the first time all three outfielders have been first team All-Sun Conference...that might have something to do with it.
After we all settled in the rooms, a big group of us walked across the street to the best Italian place I have ever eaten at, Fazzaris. I ordered baked rigatoni with pepperoni, and it was a little slice of heaven. It is in the top three resteraunts out here in Idaho followed by Main Street Grill and Effies.
After Fazzaris we walked another thirty feet to Baskin Robbins (our hotel is in a pretty prime spot for food/desert) for desert. We lucked out and it was dollar-scoop night and I got three scoops of Oreo Cookie Dough Delight. An Embry-Riddle fan actually came in and took the bill for all of our ice cream. We also saw a Embry-Riddle Arizona campus student in the Baskin Robbins lounge.
After making it back to the hotel, a couple of us made our way down to the hot tub to exchange funny stories, those are the things you remember when you’re done playing. I found my way back to the room around 9:30 Pacific time and snuggled up in bed where Venezuala native Frankie “Papa” told me good night like he does every road trip.
Day two of our Red Banner trip started off at 8 a.m. waking up to my alarm “
Call Me Maybe”, me and the “road dogs” made our way down to complimentary breakfast provided by the nice ladies of thehotel.
After breakfast I accompanied Ben Kline and Garrett Gee to the hotel sauna room. It was pretty warm in there with the temperature at 140 degrees.
After the sauna I got a solid lift session in the hotel fitness room. The team met at 12 p.m. to leave for the first practice of the trip. We were given the same practice field as last year, the Asotin High School baseball stadium. The field backdrop view is pretty incredible being right on the river with the mountains behind the outfield fences.
Batting practice and defensive fungos were pretty relaxed and loose but also very focused. Coach Stegall gave us a good talk saying “...since we’ve been here five years in a row it’s about time we just win it." That fired the guys up and made us even more anxious to get on Harris Field.
We finished up the practice day with a nature run along the river and through the mountains. Its pretty amazing the views we get to see while we're here in Lewiston/Clarkston. After practice, a group of us made our way to “410 Burger” an 80-year old drive in diner right down the road. It has a mean milkshake as well as curly fries.
We came back to the hotel where I challenged the "Voice of Eagles' Baseball" (Cory Davids) to a game of MLB The Show. Call me a bandwagon jumper but I picked the Texas Rangers and he chose the “National League Yankees” the Phillies. What started as a pitchers' duel ended in a very one-sided blowout with my Rangers winning 1-0 on a solo homer by Mitch Moreland. Davids later got a rematch where he lucked into a W in another pitchers' duel in a 2-1 ball game.
After the video game showdown we all traveled to Main Street to eat at the local hotspot, Main Street Grill. They were also ready for us having the back room all set up with ERAU baseball pennants on every table. Most guys got the popular steak bites for dinner but I ordered the New York Strip (don’t tell coach, since that might have been the most expensive thing on the menu). The food was also phenomenal. Lots of great food in World Series town.
After dinner we made our way back to the hotel rooms where more video games were played, and I continued my losing streak in another one-run thriller, this time a loss to Austin Quinn. I blame my loss to lack of focus and distraction from Cory Davids screaming while watching the New York Rangers in a loss to the New Jersey Devils in the NHL Eastern Conference Finals. I know what you’re thinking “who cares about hockey," and this just about wraps up day two.
I'm just wating on Frankie “Papa” Arias to tell me goodnight. This is Greg Smith, leadoff batter for the Eagles, thanking you for reading and following us on our quest for the Red Banner. Tune in tomorrow Eagle Nation. Go Eagles and God Bless.
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@ERAUBaseball for updates throughout our stay in the Lewis-Clark Valley.
