Second Annual Home Run Derby is a Success
Saturday, October 19, 2002 | Baseball
The Florida baseball team hosted its second annual Home Run Derby to benefit the Children's Miracle Network at Shands Children Hospital Friday evening at McKethan Stadium. The home run derby was preceded by Gator Baseball's second Orange and Blue Series game. The two teams will play the final game of three-game set Saturday morning at 11:55 a.m.
Sponsored by Gator Baseball and the Gator Dugout Club, the Home Run Derby was held to raise funds for the Children's Miracle Network at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. More than 500 fans attended the event.
The event started with seven celebrity hitters taking their swings, included in that group were Gatorzone "In the House" host James Bates, TV-20 Sports Director Joe Girvan, Gator Radio Network personality Steve Babik, Pat Dooley from the Gainesville Sun and the Pat Dooley Show, Gainesville Sun writer Dustin Zimmerman, WRUF-AM Sports Director Steve Russell and Dugout Club member Kurt Baumgartner. The seven combined to hit 13 homers. Also in attendance was ESPN college football analyst Dr. Jerry Punch who also took his swings at the plate.
The Florida baseball players and the celebrities concluded the event with 52 home runs on the evening. Junior Ben Harrison led all Gator hitters with six home runs while the freshmen duo of Seth Steinhauer and Justin Tordi each put five over the fence. The Gators were divided into groups of four. Each batter had nine outs to hit as many home runs as possible.
The Children's Miracle Network will be presented a check prior to one of the Florida baseball games this spring. Brian Shoaf, a teenager who receives treatment at Shands Hospital threw out the first pitch. Prizes were awarded for every home run that was hit.
Prior to the event the Orange and Blue played game two in which the Blue came out on top 6-5 to take a 2-0 lead in the series. The Blue won the first game 7-6 on Thursday.
The Blue jumped all over the Orange in the top of the first as Stephen Barton and Ben Harrison had back-to-back singles. Barton scored the first run of the game on a C.J. Smith single to center and Harrison advanced to third. Jeff Corsaletti made the score 2-0 after he hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Harrison. A solo homer from Seth Steinhauer in the top of the second put the Blue on top 3-0.
The Orange cut the lead to 3-1 in the second as Matt Maley hit a double to the right center gap that scored Mike Murray all the way from first. The Orange would then tie the game up as two runs came across in the third on a two-RBI single from Murray. Orange would take their first lead of the game with two more runs in the fifth. Mario Garza provided the scoring punch as he hit a two-run homer to left center. The Orange bats would become quiet as Blue reliever Scot Drucker shut down the Orange in the sixth and seventh to pick up the win.
The Blue cut the lead to 5-4 with a single run in the sixth as Brian Rose walked and later came home on a wild pitch. The winning runs were brought home in the seventh as Corsaletti had another RBI sacrifice fly and Rose singled a run home for the deciding advantage.
At the plate, Blue was led by Rose who had two singles and an RBI. Orange was led Matt Graziano who was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. The Blue had six hits but benefited from six walks, while the Orange had seven hits and was walked only once.
