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Top 10 Stories of 2015-16 - #10 Baseball Raises over $5,000 in Strikeout Prostate Cancer Event

Top 10 Stories of 2015-16 - #10 Baseball Raises over $5,000 in Strikeout Prostate Cancer Event

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College is looking back at its 2015-16 athletic campaign with a pair of top 10 lists. The second list starts today and covers the Top 10 Stories from the past year with a look at our No. 10 highlight – the baseball team raising over $5,000 for Strikeout Prostate Cancer.

The Greyhounds hosted their inaugural Strikeout Prostate Cancer "Blue Out" on Sunday, April 10, 2016 with the event organized by senior infielder Matt Nesto. The Greyhounds ended up splitting a Landmark Conference doubleheader against Drew University at Gillespie Field that day with the Rangers taking game one, 9-8, and the Hounds winning the night cap, 11-2.

"The concept for Strikeout Prostate Cancer came about while I was interning for Assistant Athletic Director Sara Steinman. As a member of the baseball team, and having been extremely involved in community service on campus, I wanted us to have an event where we would be able to give back and make a difference. My father has been fighting prostate cancer for a number of years now, so I thought it would be perfect for the baseball team to try and raise money and awareness for the Prostate Cancer Foundation (who has a partnership with Major League Baseball)."

The Greyhounds we excited to help when they learned about the event from Nesto.

"The response from my teammates when I discussed the event was an immediate 'how can we help' mindset," Nesto said. "While the seniors knew of my father's condition and my reasoning behind doing the event, the underclassmen were more than eager to join in the fight and to make it a great event. I also had overwhelming support from the parents of my teammates, which speaks volumes for how close of a family the baseball team is on and off the diamond."

On the day of the event, Gillespie Field was decorated in light blue, the official color of Prostate Cancer awareness. The fans were wearing light blue Strikeout Prostate Cancer shirts while all Moravian baseball players and coaches were seen with light blue ribbons on their hats, specialized shoelaces, light blue tape and arm sleeves, and their custom ¾ sleeve Strikeout Prostate Cancer shirts for pre-game.

Nesto set a goal of $5,000 for the event in its first year, and even though he has graduated from Moravian, he plans to make sure the event continues.

"I was incredibly pleased in surpassing my goal of $5,000 to be donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation," stated Nesto. "I will be working again this coming season with Coach Paul Engelhardt, Sara Steinman and Gillian Sharkey (Director of Civic Engagement) to further cement this event as a staple for the baseball team and Moravian College for years to come."

You can read the original story at http://moraviansports.com/sports/bsb/2015-16/releases/20160427iehfyt.

Story number nine of the countdown will be released on Wednesday, July 27.