April 20, 2012
For Immediate Release

 

By Lacy Mudd, student news writer

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - It's baseball season! That means home runs, slides, sweat and cheering crowds. But for some talented youngsters it means much more.

Campbellsville University baseball and softball teams partnered with Audience 1 Sports recently to organize the Aquafina MLB Pitch, Hit and Run competition, a “free skills competition” for boys and girls ages 7-14.

Audience 1 Sports, a ministry founded by Jason England, assistant director of alumni relations at Campbellsville University, sponsored the event for the third year in a row. The ministry is designed to introduce children to Christianity through sports.

CU senior softball player, Jennifer England, shows Molly Hughes how to hit the ball. Both are from Campbellsville. (Campbellsville University Photo by Lacy Mudd)

“We use sports as the avenue to bring kids to us,” England said. “We then create a bond and share the love of Christ. We break down barriers one relationship at a time.”

One way Audience 1 Sports ministers to children is through the telling of Bible stories and short Bible studies.
“We will usually do 20-30 minutes of fundamentals and then take a break to tell a Bible story and share God's word with the kids,” England said.

Audience 1 Sports is an entirely volunteer driven organization. CU provides the facility and the “wow factor,” as England called it, and the volunteers help minister. Through the partnership with CU, the children are able to interact with college athletes.

“It gives the kids someone to look up to,” England said.

Head baseball coach Beauford Sanders couldn't agree more. He was approached by England about creating the partnership for the competition and willingly accepted the idea as a great way to give back to the community.

“Anything we do that is positive and encouraging, we need to do more of. The young ones always look at the older ones—how they behave and how they carry themselves. Kids mimic the behavior they see before them,” Sanders said. He expects his team to take that very seriously.

Sanders, along with CU baseball and softball players, presented awards to the winners of the competition, Tuesday, April 10 at the CU baseball field before the Tigers' baseball game.

Before the award ceremony, the participants of the competition took turns drawing numbers out of England's cap to see who would throw the first pitch of the CU game. The winner of the drawing was 11-year-old Lexi Marcum.
Marcum did some warming up with CU baseball player number three, Jacob Cook, before making her pitch.

“It was fun being around the kids and seeing how all ages can enjoy baseball,” Cook said. He realizes the significance of being a role model.

“It's important because kids have someone to look up to if they play a sport. A positive role model and image is important so kids will want to be role models themselves in the future,” Cook said.

The winners of the competition will go on to compete at the next level in Bowling Green. If successful they will move on to Cincinnati where they will compete for a place in the finals. The grand prize for finalists is a trip to the MLB All-Star Weekend with the chance to be in the outfield for the Home Run Derby.

England and Sanders believe they are helping to leave a positive, lasting impression on the children they encounter and hope to continue to do so.

“I like having the children on campus. We hope to have them back every year,” Sanders said.

In the 7-8-year-old category, Molly Hughes, KaDaysia Wilcher and KamBryis Wilcher will be moving onto the Sectionals competition in Bowling Green. Cristina Barrera will be moving onto the Sectionals Competition in Bowling Green for the 9-10-year olds. Lexi Marcum will be moving onto the Sectionals Competition in Bowling Green; she's in the 11-12-year olds. Brooke Harris will be moving onto the Sectionals Competition in Bowling Green for the 13-14-year-old category.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.


List of winners below:
7/8
Overall Winner Molly Hughes Score 351
Pitch Winner Molly Hughes Score 150
Hit Winner Molly Hughes, KaDaysia Wilcher, KamBryis Wilcher Score 100
Run Winner Molly Hughes Score 131

Molly Hughes, KaDaysia Wilcher and KamBryis Wilcher will be moving onto the Sectionals competition in Bowling Green.

9/10
Overall Winner Cristina Barrera Score 411
Pitch Winner Cristina Barrera Score 150
Hit Winner Cristina Barrera Score 100
Run Winner Cristina Barrera Score 161

Cristina Barrera will be moving onto the Sectionals Competition in Bowling Green

11/12
Overall Winner Lexi Marcum Score 461
Pitch Winner Lexi Marcum Score 150
Hit Winner Lexi Marcum Score 120
Run Winner Lexi Marcum Score 284

Lexi Marcum will be moving onto the Sectionals Competition in Bowling Green

13/14
Overall Winner Brooke Harris Score 418
Pitch Winner Brooke Harris Score 50
Hit Winner Brooke Harris Score 134
Run Winner Brooke Harris Score 234

Brooke Harris will be moving onto the Sectionals Competition in Bowling Green

7/8
Overall Winner Isaac Underwood Score 271
Pitch Winner Kambren Wilcher Score 150
Hit Winner Isaac Underwood Score 146
Run Winner (Tie) Isaac Underwood and Kambren Wilcher Score 50

9/10
Overall Winner Ethan Wood Score 692
Pitch Winner Zach Lyons and Ethan Wood Score 225
Hit Winner Ethan Wood 298
Run Winner Tyler Gribbins Score 190

11/12
Overall Winner Colton Hughes Score 461
Pitch Winner Colton Hughes Score 225
Hit Winner Colton Hughes Score 112
Run Winner Colton Hughes Score 124

13/14
Overall Winner Deatrick Wilcher Score 365
Pitch Winner Deatrick Wilcher Score 50
Hit Winner Deatrick Wilcher Score 250
Run Winner Deatrick Wilcher Score 65