Savannah Bananas’ Austin Drury (11) hits a ball into the crowd during the Before The Peel show ahead of a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026.
The University of Iowa and the Iowa City Area Sports Commission hosted the professional exhibition baseball team Savannah Bananas at Kinnick Stadium on Friday. Amid the hot and humid conditions 70,000 fans showed up to watch Banana Ball. To purchase tickets, fans entered a ticket lottery back in Oct. 2025, purchasing through the Bananas ticketing platform.
Poor weather delayed the game almost 2 ½ hours causing many fans to take shelter in the concourse. Once the game finally started fans watched high-energy Banana Ball with guest appearances from Hawkeye football alumni Brad Banks and Dallas Clark as well as The Fray’s Joe King. After the two-hour playtime ran out the teams were tied resulting in a showdown and Firefighter victory over the Savannah Bananas, 5-3.
On Saturday, July 4 the Bananas will return to Kinnick for a Fourth of July re-match against the Firefighters at 7 p.m..
Lightning strikes before a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Emma Calabro)A young fan holds up a sign for a autograph before a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Cole Mauskemo/Daily Iowan)A Banana Nana waves to the crowd during the Before The Peel Show ahead of a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Emma Calabro)Fans watch the Banana Nanas ahead of a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. The Banana Nanas are a senior citzen dance team that perform for the pregame show for the Savanah Bananas. (Cole Mauskemo/Daily Iowan)Savannah Bananas’ Reese Alexiades (2) bats during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Cole Mauskemo/Daily Iowan)Firefighters’ Ben Dum III (18) pitches during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Emma Calabro)Savannah Bananas’ Kyle Luigs (12) looks for someone to give a rose to during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Emma Calabro)Savannah Bananas’ Austin Drury (11) pitches during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Cole Mauskemo/Daily Iowan)Firefighters’ Tyner Hughes (55) bats during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Emma Calabro)Savannah Bananas’ Reese Alexiades (2) tags out Firefighters’ Ron Franklin Jr. (23) during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Cole Mauskemo/Daily Iowan)Savannah Bananas’ Dan Oberst (19) bats during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Cole Mauskemo/Daily Iowan)Joe King from the Fray briefly performs during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Cole Mauskemo/Daily Iowan)Savannah Bananas’ Ryan Cox (6) hits a home run during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Emma Calabro)Fans celebrate during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Cole Mauskemo/Daily Iowan)Savannah Bananas’ Ryan Cox (6) waves at the kids in the children’s hospital while running the after a home run during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Emma Calabro)Banana Ball players briefly play football during a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Cole Mauskemo/Daily Iowan)The Firefighters celebrate after winning a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Emma Calabro) (Emma Calabro)Players autograph fan merch after a professional exhibition baseball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Firefighters at Kinnick Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Emma Calabro) (Emma Calabro)
