Our 3rd Annual Home run Derby was a great success jump-starting our fundraising efforts for the 2018-2019 school year. This year, we partnered with the Softball Team who are raising money for the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation and together we were able to raise $500 for Project ALS and the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation. We also had a record number of participants this year, with over 40 students, faculty, and alumni coming out to participate. Special shout out to Doug Goodfellow ’68 who came out to support! (pictured below) Our efforts started with players of all grade levels from both the baseball and softball teams working the CUB tables throughout the week to promote our event. With their help and the help of Athletic Communications Director Corey Jewart we were able to make this annual event a tremendous success once again.
To make the event as enjoyable and welcoming of all skill levels we decided to use the Gettysburg Softball Field for the Home run Derby. Softball Coach, Annette Hunt-Shepherd, was instrumental in allowing access to the field and equipment to make the event successful.
The derby itself was structured after the MLB Home run Derby, with each participant getting two minutes to hit as many home runs as they could. After the preliminary round, a 10 player bracket was created and the top 10 home run hitters battled each other to crown a champ. After several competitive rounds, the four players making it to the semi-finals were our defending champ Jake Billelo ’19, Sam Dobbins ’19, Erik Wortmann ’21, and Joe Gangi ’20. Billelo easily advanced to finals over Gangi but the second semi-final match up was quite different. Erik Wortmann opened up the round by smashing 18 home runs in 1 minute. Sam Dobbins roared back however and was able to hit 19 home runs in 1 minute, surpassing Wortmann on a home run as time expired.
In the finals, defending champ Jake Billelo ’19 opened up the round hitting 13 home runs. Sam Dobbins ’19 (pictured below) was too good on this day, not even needing the full one minute to surpass Billelo, hitting 14 home runs and claiming the championship.
Overall, the event was a huge success and everyone who came out had a great time. The Gettysburg College Baseball team is honored to be able to represent Project ALS during this event and throughout our entire Take ALS Yard Initiative. Every year this event grows bigger and bigger, raising more money for great causes and really showing what philanthropy at Gettysburg College is all about.
If you have any interest in learning more about ALS please visit ProjectALS.org and/or please consider making a donation through our site.
Once again, thank you to everyone who came out and lets continue to ‘Take ALS Yard’ together!
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