Baseball holds game to battle prostate cancer

By Sam Nord
Guest Writer

The Saint Mary’s University baseball team, along with all other MIAC baseball teams, participated in the second annual Strike Out Prostate Cancer Week April 15-21.

For the Cardinals, the week included double-headers against St. Olaf and St. John’s. Much like the SMU Volleyball team’s Dig Pink for women, Strike Out Prostate Cancer was held in an effort to raise funds and awareness about a good cause.

Assistant Baseball Coach Pat Jacobsen is the founder of the week-long awareness campaign that involves all of the MIAC baseball programs.

“It all started when I realized that the men’s sports teams at SMU did not have a disease awareness week like the Volleyball team’s Dig Pink,” said Jacobsen. “Around the same time, my friend’s father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which really sparked the beginning stages of starting Strike Out Prostate Cancer.”

The SMU baseball team helped raise awareness by wearing baby blue baseball jerseys along with coaches and the other MIAC baseball programs wearing baby blue wrist bands and sweat bands.

SMU’s first baseman and designated hitter Jon Schlemmer  said, “I look forward to this week each year now because of how well it went last year.” He said, “It’s awesome having people come out and watch us while helping support a great cause.”

This is the second year the SMU baseball program and the rest of the MIAC baseball programs have participated in the weekly campaign.