On this episode of Highway to Hoover, Joe Healy is joined by Nathan Wooldridge of Peak Events, the event company behind the early-season tournaments in Frisco, Round Rock, Jacksonville and Las Vegas. They discuss the history of the company, what goes on behind the scenes in putting these events on, how they chose the host cities for the events and much more.

00:00 Introduction and Programming Note

00:47 Welcome and Guest Introduction

01:34 History of Peak Events

03:49 Challenges and Successes of Organizing Tournaments

05:24 Philanthropic Partnerships

08:05 Behind the Scenes of Tournament Organization

16:43 Networking and Building Relationships

22:47 Future Events and Market Strategies

29:39 Conclusion and Farewell

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Highway to Hoover, Joe Healy is joined by Patrick Ebert to discuss SEC players who played in the Northwoods League.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

01:07 Overview of the Northwoods League

03:20 Comparing Northwoods League to Cape Cod League

04:47 Breakout Players in the Northwoods League

06:58 Ethan Surowiec: A Rising Star

12:23 Henry Allen: A Promising Talent

16:18 JP Robertson: A Pitching Prospect

20:33 Troy's Aaron Piasecki A Standout Performer

24:23 Impressive Stats and Recruitment Insights

25:20 Erik Parker: Georgia-to-South Carolina Transfer

26:59 Carson Hansen: From UW Milwaukee to Kentucky

29:24 John Pearson: LSU's Promising Talent

32:05 Junior College Coaches' Impact on Division One

35:05 Rising Stars: Jake Reigert, Tate Strickland, and Sam Erickson

41:05 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Highway to Hoover, Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge discuss the recently released SEC conference schedule.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:12 Excitement Over SEC Schedule Drop

00:50 Sponsorship Shoutout

01:15 Deep Dive into SEC Schedules

03:12 Philosophical Debate on Tough vs. Soft Schedules

06:00 Analyzing Home vs. Away Games

13:37 Spotlight on Mississippi State and Georgia

17:36 Discussion on Easier Schedules

23:33 Game Time: Series Selection

33:39 Tough Road Series for Arkansas

33:53 Auburn's Rising Program

35:16 Tennessee at Georgia: SEC Weekend Opener

36:47 Debating Key Series: Georgia at Arkansas

38:50 Texas at Auburn: Early-Season Excitement

40:15 LSU at Georgia: Late-Season Showdown

41:38 Auburn at Alabama: The Iron Diamond

43:28 South Carolina at LSU: Paul Mainieri's Return

45:46 Florida at Georgia: Rivalry and Redemption

47:26 LSU at Mississippi State: Atmosphere and Anticipation

50:49 Tennessee at Vanderbilt: A Heated Rivalry

52:09 Mississippi State at Ole Miss: The Ultimate Rivalry

55:16 Texas at Tennessee: Top Five Matchup

57:41 Texas at Texas A&M: The Slosh Bowl

01:05:25 Concluding Thoughts and Upcoming Episodes

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Highway to Hoover, Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge react to their recent interviews with LSU's Jay Johnson and Mississippi State's Brian O'Connor before previewing fall ball across the SEC.

00:00 Welcome and Episode Overview

01:23 Sponsorship Shoutout

02:44 Jay Johnson Interview Insights

12:51 Brian O'Connor Interview Insights

20:56 2025 Season Recap and 2026 Projections

28:35 Kentucky's Pitching Potential

32:33 Tennessee's Transfer Class

33:06 Texas' Strong Roster

34:01 Fall Plans and Team Visits

34:49 Arkansas' Competitive Fall

36:54 Missouri's Pitching and Offense

39:31 South Carolina and Florida Previews

41:23 Auburn's Newcomers

42:01 October Weekend Plans

44:58 Mississippi State and Florida State in Pensacola

46:36 Georgia and LSU Previews

48:50 Conclusion and Listener Appreciation

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Highway to Hoover, Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge are joined by new Mississippi State head coach Brian O'Connor to discuss his decision to take the job this summer, his thoughts on the roster he and his coaching staff has ready for 2026 and much more.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

01:43 Interview with Coach Brian O'Connor Begins

02:11 Coach O'Connor on Mississippi State Opportunity

03:36 Adjusting to Mississippi State and SEC

06:30 Building and Managing the Team

15:19 Fall Season and Player Development

21:25 Freshmen and Transfers Impact

26:23 Fall Exhibitions and Future Plans

28:48 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Highway to Hoover, Joe Healy discusses SEC prospects in the Cape Cod League for Brewster, Hyannis and Harwich before being joined by Florida sophomore Brendan Lawson.

00:00 Welcome to Highway to Hoover

00:06 Special Episode Overview

01:47 Housekeeping and Announcements

07:03 Brewster Whitecaps Standouts

13:33 Hyannis Harbor Hawks Highlights

18:21 Harwich Mariners Prospects

22:37 Impressive Performance by Matthew Heiberger

23:28 Rundown of Brewster, Hyannis, and Harwich Players

23:49 Interview with Florida Sophomore Infielder Brendan Lawson

24:26 Brendan Lawson's Canadian Baseball Journey

27:41 Influence of Canadian Baseball Players

30:59 Musical Tastes and Guitar Playing

32:59 Freshman Season at Florida and Cape Cod League Experience

35:17 Community Work and NIL Opportunities

43:09 Looking Ahead to the Upcoming Season

44:00 Conclusion and Thanks

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this special episode of Highway to Hoover, Mark Etheridge is joined by LSU head coach Jay Johnson to discuss the Tigers' run to the 2025 national championship, the 2026 team and much more.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:29 Jay Johnson's Journey to LSU

02:13 Reflecting on Last Season's Offense

04:46 Pitching Development and Key Players

10:06 Challenges and Changes in College Baseball

17:34 Upcoming Season and Player Insights

28:49 Scheduling and Future Plans

30:07 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Highway to Hoover, Joe Healy is joined by David Seifert, Director of College Scouting for D1Baseball and PrepBaseball.com, to discuss SEC prospects in the Cape Cod League for Bourne, Wareham, Cotuit and Falmouth. That group includes Arkansas slugger Kuhio Aloy, Auburn incoming transfer infielder Ryne Farber and CCBL MVP and incoming Arkansas transfer Maika Niu, among others.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:37 Sponsorship Message

01:11 Cape Cod Baseball League Experience

03:36 Bourne Braves Championship and Key Players

06:43 Vanderbilt Prospects Spotlight

13:18 Wareham Gatemen Highlights

15:30 Tennessee's Levi Clark: A Special Talent

15:55 Hayden Yost: Florida's Outfield Gem

17:05 Ryne Farber: Auburn's Solid Acquisition

18:39 Camden Johnson: Oklahoma's New Third Baseman

20:31 Maika Niu: Arkansas' Rising Star

23:51 Deven Sheerin: LSU's Bullpen Hopeful

25:47 Bear Harrison: Texas A&M's Powerhouse Catcher

27:18 Justin Osterhouse: Alabama's Versatile Infielder

29:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Highway to Hoover, Joe Healy is joined by Aaron Fitt to discuss SEC prospects who played on the Cape for Chatham, Yarmouth-Dennis and Orleans this summer. That group includes standout catchers like Georgia's Daniel Jackson and Auburn's Chase Fralick, CCBL pitcher of the year Tyler Pitzer and Jacksonville-to-Florida outfielder Jaden Bastian.

00:00 Introduction and Host Banter

00:25 Cape Cod League Prospects Overview

01:09 Summer Baseball Coverage Highlights

02:04 Focus on Chatham Team and Key Players

03:25 Daniel Jackson's Summer Performance

06:51 Henry Ford's Transition to Tennessee

12:59 Ethan Mendoza's Impact at Texas

14:56 Chase Fralick's Development at Auburn

18:52 Ashton Larson's Move to Texas

21:44 Mississippi State Pitchers to Watch

27:40 Cam Johnson's Potential at Oklahoma

32:51 Gavyn Jones' Summer Progress

34:22 Nate Taylor's Transfer to Vanderbilt

37:55 Chris Hacopian: Maryland Transfer to Texas A&M

41:58 Jack Arcamone: Richmond Catcher to Georgia

43:18 Tyler Pitzer: South Carolina to Mississippi State

45:53 Incoming Transfers on Orleans

48:13 Bonus Players and Observations

58:44 Cape Cod League 50/50 Raffles and Fun Anecdotes

01:03:22 Conclusion and Farewell

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Highway to Hoover, Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge discuss post-MLB Draft signing deadline storylines throughout the SEC. We discuss which teams had pleasant surprises, which teams had things work against and which teams weren't sweating the deadline at all.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back

05:07 MLB Draft Deadline Overview

05:41 Arkansas Draft Recap

14:09 Alabama Draft Recap

18:10 LSU Draft Recap

23:27 Mississippi State Draft Recap

26:53 Ole Miss Draft Recap

31:55 Texas Draft Recap

35:47 Texas A&M Draft Recap

38:23 Reflecting on Texas A&M's Rollercoaster Season

40:47 South Carolina's Transfer Portal Success

43:15 Tennessee's Roster Changes and Key Players

46:30 Missouri's Missed Opportunities

51:25 Florida's Key Retentions and Additions

54:19 Oklahoma's Mixed Draft Outcomes

01:00:10 Vanderbilt's Draft and Transfer Insights

01:03:21 Auburn's Draft and Transfer Highlights

01:05:35 Kentucky's Strategic Retentions

01:09:01 Georgia's Roster Overhaul

01:13:04 Concluding Thoughts and Future Outlook

Highway To Hoover is brought to you by Academy Sports + Outdoors—your go-to destination for everything you need this baseball season. Whether you’re gearing up for game day or sharpening your skills in the offseason, Academy has the bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training equipment, and apparel to help you bring it home for less. With everyday low prices and a huge selection of top brands like Easton, Rawlings, and Wilson, Academy makes it easy to step up to the plate with confidence. Shop in-store or online at Academy.com and get ready to play ball!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.