Most customers know branch manager Matt Sefcovic as an FSNB team member, but few know about his passion for baseball!

Our banking customers know they can find Matt at our Nicholasville branch, but baseball fans are learning he can also be found watching a game, recording a podcast or writing an article about college baseball!

When did you become interested in baseball?

I have been around the game of baseball my entire life. I started playing t-ball when I was little and played throughout high school. I have spent time playing, umpiring and now covering collegiate games as a media member.

What do you like most about baseball? Do you often go to games?

Often, I have to compartmentalize being a fan and being a media member. As a fan, my favorite thing about baseball is going to games and spending time with my family. I have even tricked my wife into enjoying baseball, so we regularly attend games. We took our 9-month-old to his first game a few weeks ago and it was an awesome experience. As a media member, I want to have a small part in helping collegiate baseball grow. It is by no means a new sport, but it does not get the following I believe it deserves.

When did you start writing for College Baseball Nation?

I first got into writing last February for CardinalSports.com, the Louisville affiliate of the Rivals network, which has opened additional opportunities that I never dreamt were possible. I have since taken a position with cardchronicle.com, an SB Nation website that is dedicated to Louisville sports. In both of these roles, my responsibilities include all things Louisville baseball, such as game previews/recaps, in-game analysis and recruiting. This season, I began writing for College Baseball Nation, a website that covers college baseball on a much larger scale. I am assigned one or two games a week to write previews, predictions and recaps with an audience of over 15,000 viewers.

Are your predictions for games often correct?

College baseball is a unique sport in which any team can lose on any given night, unlike college basketball and football. You would not see Alabama lose to a mid-major in football, but due to the symmetry in college baseball, it can be challenging to predict the outcomes of games. I would say I am correct around 60 to 70 percent on my predictions this season.

When did you start the podcast? What was the motivation behind it?

Our podcast, The 3rd and Central Podcast, was started in February of this year. I, along with Matt McGavic of Sports Illustrated in Louisville, tossed around an idea of a Louisville Baseball exclusive podcast because no one else was doing it. Some media members started to cover baseball after football and basketball ended, but no one was covering baseball year-round, which is our passion. We identified something we thought was necessary as college baseball has grown rapidly over the years, and we decided to jump in headfirst.

How long have you worked at First Southern? Have you held any other roles here?

I just celebrated my two-year anniversary with FSNB in May. During my time at First Southern, I have been a Branch Manager at both the Lexington and Nicholasville locations.

What does it mean to believe in our customers?

Belief means to have trust, faith or confidence in someone or something. At First Southern, it is our goal to live this out with every customer in every interaction. We strive to be a valuable resource to help our customers reach their financial goals and positively impact our communities.

You can listen to The 3rd and Central podcast here, or contact Matt about your banking needs here.