🍀 Exhibition Game | Rockingham Sammies @ Reidsville Luckies 🍀
Our Luckies split into two teams to kick off the 2024 season at Jaycee Park; first LOTG and MOTG of 2024 crowned; Extra Bases includes interview with new co-owner of the Luckies
REIDSVILLE, NC — This evening at Jaycee Park, the Reidsville Luckies broke up into two teams for an exhibition bout to kick off the season. The seven-inning game featured eight Luckies and eight members of the Rockingham Sammies, the sandwich-based alter-ego of the Luckies. Basically, on special nights during the summer, the Luckies will be wearing an alternate uniform and go by the name of “the Rockingham Sammies,” and tonight was the first night we saw those jerseys in person.
Our head guy, Chenzo Scanio, coached the Luckies, and assistant coach Hunter Curtis would take the manager’s spot in the Rockingham Sammies dugout.
Nigel Robinson, Gavin Fleming, Jacob Trivette, Calvin Keesler, Brian O’Connell, Cole McLain, Cole Price, and Zachary Cimino made up the Luckies’ order, while Brody Ray, Sam Melton, Ryne Rodrigues, Landon Parker, Myles Odom, Carson Moore, and Tyler Sorrell donned Sammies jerseys for the first time.
It was a high-scoring first inning. The Sammies scored four runs at the top of the first, but a two-RBI single from Landon Parker made it a 4-2 game. Reidsville tied it up in the third inning, and the score was tied heading into the sixth inning.
With three men on base in the top of the sixth, Ryne Rodrigues hit a grand slam, a massive occurrence for the Luckies since there was only one Lucky grand slam in 2023!
Now that I think about it, Ryne was a Sammy tonight, so does it really count?
Anyways, after Ryne’s grand slam put the Sammies up 8-4, Rodrigues was the pinchrunner for Landon Parker. Carson Moore hit an RBI, and Rodrigues came in for his second score of the inning. The Sammies took a commanding 9-4 lead, thanks largely to Rodrigues, and Reidsville’s next six batters failed to do anything substantial. The Sammies beat the Luckies, 9-4, giving Reidsville a 1-1 record (?)
Lucky Sandwich of the Game: Ryne Rodrigues
In his second year with the Luckies, Ryne Rodrigues achieves his first Lucky of the Game award, but unfortunately, this is a Sandwich of the Game award because he was playing against the green-and-red in a Sammies jersey. All jokes aside, Rodrigues picked up seven bases in one inning, something he said has never happened to him before, and he was feeling pretty good about this moment after the game.
Rodrigues is no stranger to starting off red hot. Last year, in the season opener against the Lexington Flying Pigs, Rodrigues hit a moonshot to kick off the season right.
Moment of the Game: Myles Odom makes the play at third to tag out Gavin Fleming and end the inning
Myles Odom, newcomer to the Luckies, was a Sammy today, and made a huge play in the bottom of the sixth to keep the Sammies on track to win. Bryan O’Connell of the Luckies hit it to first base, where Landon Parker stepped on the bag and then darted it across the diamond. Gavin Fleming raced to third base, but Odom made a beautiful play, catching the ball and falling down, but still tagging Fleming! Odom’s first MOTG coming at Gavin’s expense is ironic, as Fleming was the first-ever two-time Moment of the Game award winner.
I caught up with Odom after the game for an interview. Listen below.
Roster Update
In some upsetting news, Calvin Keesler sustained an injury today. As he was going for second base, Keesler hurt his hamstring. Keesler had issues with his hamstring while he was at St. Olaf, and he said that he believes he will be out for a couple of weeks. Many Luckies last year who had injuries would head back home, and I asked Keesler if that would be the case with him, as he is from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, but he informed me that he has an internship at Elon and will remain in North Carolina. His coach at St. Olaf, Matt McDonald, described his work ethic as “off the charts,” so you can bet that Keesler is going to do everything he can to get back on the field soon. Prayers for Calvin to have a speedy recovery so that we can see some more from him in 2024.
Extra Bases
Before the game, I conducted a couple of interviews with newcomers to the organization. The new, passionate owner of the Reidsville Luckies, Steve Shropshire, told me about what led him to the organization and his family’s history with the original Luckies below.
I also interviewed the new Reidsville Luckies social media intern, Virginia Wallnofer. You can follow the Luckies social channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok with the tag @LuckiesONSL.
On-Deck
If you missed tonight’s game, tomorrow, the Luckies play at Jaycee Park at 5:00 once again, this time in a nine-inning game against the Greensboro Yard Goats. This will be non-league action, and does not count in the official ONSL standings.
This was great, Jay. Your interviews were fantastic! Enjoyed learning about the new owner and social media intern and hearing from Odom!