Fourth Annual Lax Ball Event Raises Money For UNC Children’s Hospital

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Members of the North Carolina baseball, softball, and men's and women's lacrosse teams got together at Kenan Stadium on Tuesday night for the fourth annual "Lax Ball Heel-O-Ween" fundraiser with all of the proceeds benefiting the UNC Children's Hospital.

The event has raised more than $10,000 for UNC Children's in its four years. It also gives local kids the opportunity to get dressed up and do some trick-or-treating around the stadium with some of the student-athletes not playing in the game.

In its history the game has been played at Boshamer Stadium and Anderson Stadium, with this year being the first in Kenan.

"We started this four years ago and my vision was just this, for student-athletes to be a part of something special," men's lacrosse head coach Joe Breschi said to the group. "It's a really cool opportunity for us to do some giving while getting to enjoy some time together."

The softball and men's lacrosse teams made up one team with the women's lacrosse and baseball teams taking the other sideline. The squads faced off in an eight-inning game of "Lax Ball," a baseball/softball hybrid. The softball and men's lacrosse team ran away with the game, winning 13-4 on the back of a couple of moon shots from the softball team and some excellent pitching from the costumed kids.

"It's an awesome event and we love getting to be a part of it every year," junior pitcher for the baseball team Kyle Percival said. "We all know someone who has been affected by cancer so any chance we have to help out is great."

Dr. Patrick Thompson, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at UNC, spoke about how the money raised would benefit the hospital and the children. Then thanked all the student-athletes for their support.

"I just want to say thank you," Tompson said when addressing the crowd. "I'm just grateful for everything you do. Thank you to all of the UNC student-athletes who do this, who come to the hospital, who throw pies at the Festival of Hope and all those events. You touch our patients in a way that I can't and provide healing in a way that we can't. So thank you again for doing this."

Couldn't make it to the game but would like to contribute? Click here to donate.

Fourth Annual Lax Ball Event Raises Money For UNC Children’s Hospital

Players Mentioned

Kyle Percival

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