Move over, rally squirrel and rally parrot. You’ve got company.
A pelican flew into the netting behind home plate during the fourth inning of Tuesday’s college baseball game between Loyola Marymount and UC Santa Barbara. A fan sitting in the front row helped free the pelican from the net, with the bird falling onto the dirt.
UCSB assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Dylan Jones then played the role of animal rescuer: He wrapped the bird in a towel and carried it off the field, escorting it to safety.
As it turns out, the pelican proved to be a good omen for UCSB. Though the two teams were tied at 1 when the pelican first flew into the net, the Gauchos took the lead in their next turn at bat in the bottom of the fourth and went on to win, 11-1.
The rally pelican also caught the attention of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Cubs' Single-A affiliate. The team’s official X account confirmed that the rally pelican is an “elite bird.” UCSB would certainly agree.