READING – Like many different athletes throughout the state, Taunton High senior Ryan MacDougall is preparing for his faculty’s season-opening soccer sport subsequent weekend.
On Saturday, nevertheless, he obtained to make use of his baseball bat yet one more time, capturing the championship within the A Shot For Life Home Run Derby at Austin Prep.
“It’s a great event for a great cause,” stated MacDougall, who hit eight dwelling runs within the last four-minute spherical to seize the title. “I didn’t know what to expect. I just came out and did it.”
In the ultimate 4, Alex Marot of the Winchendon School and Aidan Driscoll of St. John’s Prep every hit three. Chris Walsh of Duxbury didn’t hit any over the fence within the last spherical.
A complete of 17 gamers took half within the Home Run Derby. The prime eight superior to the second spherical, the place gamers had been paired off towards one another. MacDougal defeated Matt Conte of Dexter Southfield, whereas Driscoll prevailed towards Michael Oates of Xaverian Brothers Marot edged out Ryan Gerety of Franklin and Walsh superior previous Jack Collins of Medfield.
Walsh had essentially the most dwelling runs within the opening spherical, hitting 26 over the shorter fences that they used within the first two rounds. MacDougall had 21. In the ultimate spherical, gamers needed to hit the ball over the common fences on the Austin Prep subject.
“The wind helped the lefties in the later rounds,” MacDougall stated. “Earlier it worked for the righties. I tried to pace myself in the earlier rounds.”
This was MacDougall’s first time within the Home Run Derby.
“Pat (Manning, A Shot For Life’s baseball director) contacted me on Instagram,” stated MacDougall, who has dedicated to play baseball on the University of Dayton. “I know just about all of these kids from summer ball.”
Marot was a teammate of MacDougall’s on the Expos journey workforce.
“Pat, our baseball director, scouts them,” stated Mike Slonina, A Shot For Life’s founder. “They go through interviews. We’re getting great kids, not just great players.”
Slonina stated that the baseball a part of A Shot For Life has raised $70,000 this 12 months, which can profit mind most cancers analysis at Massachusetts General Hospital. He expects the ultimate tally to be round $75,000.
“It went really well,” he stated. “We doubled out fundraising this year. It wouldn’t have been possible without these kids, as well as the ones who came before them.”
Slonina began A Shot For Life in 2011, when he shot baskets for twenty-four hours straight. He added a basketball competitors, and three years in the past, baseball and softball. This 12 months lacrosse was added to this system Football and soccer occasions will happen within the coming years.
“It’s all about great kids using their skills to help others who will never be able to thank them,” Slonina stated.
Source: www.bostonherald.com