County team tops newspaper’s in charity softball game
It was a good game Sunday as the Fayette County commissioners and the Herald-Standard employees took to the diamond for a rematch of last year’s charity softball game. And the winner was the American Cancer Society.
The annual “grudge match” game held between the commissioners and the newspaper has been a source not only for good-natured ribbing but also a great way to raise money for the Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
“It’s going to be a tough contest. We’re going to give them a hard fight,” said Fayette County Commissioner and team captain Vince Vicites. “Win or lose, it’s for a good cause. We have a lot of fun.”
After falling to the newspaper team last year, the commissioners rebounded for a 15-13 win Sunday.
Of course, in the nature of that “fun,” Vicites cheerfully added that the losing team agreed to literally “take a bath” in the dunk tank. The dunk tank had been set up and manned by the Uniontown High School Red Raider football team until over-enthusiastic hurlers broke the target arm. So, it was anyone’s guess how the dunking would go off.
The opposing team captain for the Herald-Standard, Managing Editor (day) Mark O’Keefe, said it was good to see a large turnout, not just in the stands but on the field with players and volunteers. Despite the 90-degree temperatures and high humidity, the stands were well populated with friends, families, co-workers and, of course, spectators.
Last year, the Herald-Standard emerged victorious, winning 18-8, but things changed this year for the commissioners’ team, bolstered by state lawmakers.
The padding from Harrisburg appeared to do the trick early on. First up for the commissioners’ team, state Sen. Richard A. Kasunic (D-Dunbar) quickly discussed bats with Vicites in a huddle and went out to score the first run of the game. Kasunic was followed later by state Rep. Pete Daley (D-California).
The softball game was part serious athletics, part fun and camaraderie. That humor was shown when a ball popped over the batter’s cage and into the hands of O’Keefe’s son, Bryan, who was working alongside the game announcer. After being congratulated on the “fine catch,” the ball was returned to play.
Outside the ballfield, volunteers manned the concession area, waiting for hungry players and spectators to come for barbecued chicken or drinks and chips.
The three sisters working the admissions gate were alternating between rooting for Herald-Standard player A.J. Swentosky and collecting donations from those watching the game.
With the game hitting the halfway point, people were still arriving and just more than $100 had been collected, said Sharon Swentosky.
A new employee of the paper, she had enlisted her sisters, one of whom drove in from Greensburg, to cheer and help.
Looking over all the volunteers and players, Vicites remarked that the game wasn’t about which team would win, but that a good cause won.