Linear College Baseball Debut!

I'm not going to lie: I was as excited to do this game as any I've called in the last year and a half. I emailed maybe 100 people who have been instrumental in my baseball broadcasting career to let them know that I was *finally* going to call a college baseball game on linear TV.

That it wound up being a game with no implications in the standings or for either team's postseason chances didn't change that at all. That it wound up being ended early due to the 10-run rule didn't phase me at all. This was high-level college baseball, and my partner and I told the stories and put a good call on it! And I even got to use the home run call suggested by my children while we were riding the New York City subway.

Mission accomplished, as far as I was concerned, and cross your fingers with me that there is more to come. In the mean time, check out the highlights from Clemson vs Boston College:

#Clemson completed the sweep with another 10-run performance. It was the first three-game weekend series in which the Tigers scored double-digit runs in all three games since 2001 & the first time in an ACC series since 1995.

🎥 Clemson vs. Boston College Highlights ➡️ 5/18/24 pic.twitter.com/QYTWbp0Bft

— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) May 18, 2024

Back to College Baseball! Seton Hall-UConn highlights

I'm thrilled to have college baseball back on my schedule 2024. I started my broadcasting career as a college freshman back in 2002, with college baseball the central focus for all four years at Rice University. It is one of the sports I follow closely purely out of passion and interest, even if I'm not working in it ... but I much prefer to be working!

I was fortunate this year to schedule my first televised college baseball game for the ESPN family of networks at the end of this regular season, and I picked up a Big East game in early May as part of my preparation. Conference leader UConn, looking for a fourth straight regular season title, and host Seton Hall, trying to move up the standings, both needed to win this series in a big way, and after UConn rallied to win Friday's opener, I called a tense pitchers' duel with a dramatic finish on Saturday afternoon in Jersey.

Here are the big plays in the game, courtesy of the teams' respective Twitter accounts!

Danny stays hot 🔥#HALLin 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/KP8XFFZNnV

— Seton Hall University Baseball (@SHUBaseball) May 4, 2024

Back-to-back doubles from Bry and Maddix has tied it up! pic.twitter.com/HNJkqcWyR9

— UConn Baseball (@UConnBSB) May 4, 2024

Paul and Maddix help Garrett toss a 1-2-3 fourth with this gem! pic.twitter.com/9Er3pwg0hw

— UConn Baseball (@UConnBSB) May 4, 2024

2nd and 3rd one out... and Garrett gets out of trouble with a punch out and fly out! pic.twitter.com/BY2trCzaWy

— UConn Baseball (@UConnBSB) May 4, 2024

What a play by Bry!! pic.twitter.com/S0FNAC0LHm

— UConn Baseball (@UConnBSB) May 4, 2024

BIANCO WINS IT FOR THE PIRATES IN THE NINTH!!!#HALLin 🔵⚪️ | #NeverLoseYourHustle pic.twitter.com/6aG2eZzpM2

— Seton Hall University Baseball (@SHUBaseball) May 4, 2024

That's Andrew Bianco, a defensive replacement, with the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 9th to give Seton Hall a MUCH-needed 2-1 win. UConn, however, rebounded in the nightcap of a doubleheader to take the series and hold a 1-game lead atop the conference with two weekends remaining in the regular season. Seton Hall is 4 games out of the final Big East tournament spot with only 6 games left.

My next action is on Saturday, May 18, calling top-5 club Clemson against Boston College in their regular season finale on ACC Network.