Banning Pitches For AppleSox; "A Dream Come True"
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In the midst of the AppleSox’ six-run outburst in the sixth inning on July 30 against the Northwest Star Academy a right-hander began to loosen in the left-field bullpen at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. He wore the number 32 but was not Collin Villegas, the AppleSox designated hitter who homered earlier in the inning and typically wears that number.
While only a few fans noticed the pitcher getting his warmup tosses in because of the offensive barrage on the field, he would elicit the loudest cheer of the night once he stepped on the rubber for the top of the seventh inning.
“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” blared from the speakers as the right-hander stepped on the mound to begin the inning. The pitcher’s name was announced and the crowd erupted louder than it had for any of the AppleSox’ 15 runs scored that night.
Non-league games may not count in the AppleSox’ record books but key members of the AppleSox organization have found ways to pitch in for them, sometimes literally.
On July 16, AppleSox scorekeeper Terry Aiton stepped out of the press box and onto the field to call balls and strikes as the home plate umpire for the Sox’ game against the Cascade Collegiate League All-Stars.
Guest services worker Ky Morris traded in his polo for a jersey as he came on in relief as an emergency pitcher for the CCL All-Stars on July 17.
Most recently, AppleSox Manager of Ballpark Operations Lucas Banning tossed a clean 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning for the AppleSox to wrap up a victory over the Northwest Star Academy. With the AppleSox coming off a long road trip against the Bend Elks and looking to give a couple arms the night off, Banning volunteered to pitch in and toss for the AppleSox.
It marked another remarkable moment in Banning’s tenure with the AppleSox and an evening he said that was “a dream come true.”
“I was a little kid out there, just having fun” Banning said. “I loved every minute of it.”
Banning joined the AppleSox in 2019 after his sophomore year at Eastmont High School. He was working at Dutch Bros but wanted to stay involved with baseball in the summer since his spring season had just wrapped up. Banning became part of the AppleSox guest services crew and took a special interest in helping his friend and now his fellow Eastmont graduate Makenna Schwab at the AppleSox souvenir stand. That summer exceeded Banning’s expectations.
“I just expected just make friends and have fun,” Banning said in 2019. “But I didn’t just make friends, I made a family. Everyone here was open and accepting of me and it was a great first summer job.”
AppleSox guest service workers are a lot like a family. For 33 games this summer they have worked together to ensure that fans have a fun night at the ballpark and have fun while doing. Banning helps facilitate that as the man in charge of these workers. He helped hire staff members and also assigns different game-night roles to all of them.
It’s been another summer for Banning to make friends and have fun but with added responsibilities. He played baseball at Eastmont but won’t be playing it this coming season when he heads to Washington State. Instead, Banning will pursue a career in counseling with a focus on men’s mental health.
Banning and the Wildcats had a tremendous Spring. Eastmont’s 10-4 overall record marked the third-best winning percentage among Big 9 teams. Banning excelled as a midweek starter and tossed a complete game shutout against Ephrata on April 27.
That would be the final game that he pitched. Due to COVID-19 contact tracing, Banning was not eligible to pitch on his senior night a week later and thus ended his high school baseball career.
As soon as the summer began and Banning He noticed that the AppleSox were hosting nine non-league games, he began to dream of getting to toe the rubber at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium in one of them. If the opportunity was available, he wanted to suit up for the AppleSox and live out a dream.
There were openings July 16-18 when the Cascade Collegiate League All-Stars were in town. With the CCL lacking in pitching options, the AppleSox reached out to local options. Banning’s Wildcat teammates Kade Kuske and Logan Schneider were two among several local options to toe the rubber for the visitors. Morris, a 2020 Eastmont grad, left the AppleSox guest services crew to pitch in the second game for the CCL. Banning did not pitch, because he was out of town.
He hungered for that opportunity to pitch for the first time since his high-school career came to an abrupt end. Maybe for one last time he could step out onto the field and compete in the kid’s game one more time. On July 30, he got it.
“I showed up today and set everything up,” Banning said. “Then I talked to (Head Coach) Ian (Sanderson) and he said I could suit up and come to the dugout. I went to the dugout for about two innings and then just went out to the ‘pen and waited for my call. I got told the seventh inning was mine and I started warming up in the top of the sixth.”
Banning only needed eight pitches to induce three ground balls to second that all went for outs. The AppleSox dugout stood for the entire top of the seventh and erupted to congratulate Banning as he helped cap the victory in the shortened game.
Players this summer have famously taken a “squad pic” outside of the dugout after each home victory. As they posed for it, Banning stepped to the side but pitcher Jack Lee grabbed him and wanted him to partake in the team tradition.
“They hyped me up,” Banning said. “It was great, it was just like I was one of the boys out there. They did a great job of welcoming me and I really appreciate that.”
In the end, Banning got a moment with the spotlight on him. It wasn’t a senior night where he had a chance to stand on the field with his family and his fellow high school teammates. Instead, Banning pitched under the lights three months later across the Columbia River and helped seal a victory for his hometown team in his first college baseball game.
No, it wasn’t a senior night, but it was still Banning’s moment in the spotlight that he had earned.
“I always wish I got that senior night,” Banning said. “Tonight felt really good to get back out there. It felt like a second chance to continue my baseball journey. I had everyone on my side tonight.”
As fans began filing out of the ballpark, Banning hugged and took pictures with family and friends. Soon, the players had left the ballpark and there was Banning, still in uniform and still hugging and taking pictures. Eventually Banning was the only one left in the ballpark because he still had to lock it up and turn off the lights. He still had his AppleSox jersey, hat, baseball pants and cleats on.
For one night, Lucas Banning lived out his dream of playing for his hometown team. For one night, he was still just a kid.
