Helping to Strike Out Autism
When is a high school baseball game more than just a game?
The answer is this Saturday when 36 teams take part in the 3rd annual Strike Out Autism Baseball Challenge. Presented by the Central Regional Autism Awareness Club, the event has grown by leaps and bounds since the inaugural year when four teams took part in what was a doubleheader.
It’s organized by Jerry Frulio, a special education teacher at Central and former head baseball coach. His 7-year old son Dayton has autism and Frulio and his wife Jo-Dee have worked tirelessly on his behalf and others.
The main event will be held at Central and the adjacent Veterans Park in Bayville with the Golden Eagles to host Freehold Township at 11:30 followed by a game between Southern and Mater Dei. However from 11 a.m. -4 p.m. at Veterans Park there will be food, music, bounce houses, face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides and much more. At the same time the St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry will hold a food drive, seeking non-perishable canned and boxed food items.
Central Regional is just one of nine sites hosting doubleheaders on Saturday and helping in the fight against autism. The others are Jackson Memorial, Wall, St. John Vianney, Howell, Raritan, St. Rose, Ocean and Toms River South. Most have back-to-back games starting in the morning but at Toms River South the Indians will face Red Bank Catholic at 7pm in a matchup of two teams ranked in the Shore Sports Network Top 10. Lacey will play Middletown South at noon at Ken Frank Stadium.
At all nine sites Strike Out Autism Baseball Challenge tee shirts will be sold for $12 and donations will be accepted in the fight against the developmental disorder. The weather looks terrific for Saturday so hopefully many will come out to one of the 9 locations and watch some good baseball for a great cause. For more check out Strike Out Autism Baseball Challenge on Facebook.
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