Everyone's a Winner at Annual Charity Cup

The biggest and most important number produced by the Scotch Plains 4th Annual Charity Cup was the $17,000 that was raised for the McAuley School for Exceptional Children.

Sunday's softball game between the Saint Bartholomew All-Stars ("The Oldest") and the Scotch Plains PBA Local #87 ("The Finest") was a home run for all, with a crowd of more than 500 attending the special event held at Brookside Park.

The McAuley School for Exceptional Children was the game’s charity of choice for the second time in a row. Located in Watchung, the non-profit educational facility serves children and young adults with multiple disabilities. As much as $15,000 was raised for the school during the charity game in 2007. There was no game last year.

"We interviewed several charities and found that they could really use the money," said Charity Cup Event Chairman Luke Fugett, who was a member of the Scotch Plains PBA Local #87 team.

The McAuley School Director, Sister Lee Ann Amico, attended the event on Sunday.

"This is absolutely unbelievable," she said. "The fact that they worked all year to do this for our kids, it is just such a wonderful, wonderful work of real charity. We're located in Watchung, these guys are in Scotch Plains and we're neighboring—all happy on (Route) 22."

The money was raised through a mix of sponsorships and ticket sales. Sponsors paid $250 per inning for first, second or third base, and $500 for home base. CPA John Deck gave $1,500 for the pitcher's mound.

"We have a banner with every name on there a base sponsor," Fugett said.  "Everything here is donated. Outback (Steakhouse) is free—donated. All the water, soda and Gatorade was donated. We just asked the people to make a contribution to buy a ticket for $10 and for $10 we also had a face-painter for kids and a clown."

As for the game, it was never in doubt. The St. Bart's All-Stars scored seven runs in the bottom of the first to take a 7-0 lead and never looked back en route to a commanding 30-9 triumph.

The starting pitchers were right-handers Anthony Blasi of St. Bart's—who plays for Angels Division leader St. Aloysius—and Fugett.

Blasi pitched five innings and earned the mound victory.

"It's just a fun time, that's all it is, and it's for charity, which is always a good thing," Blasi said. "A lot of people showed up. We're having a good time, I know. I can't speak for the other side."

Scotch Plains PBA Local #87 finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth with three runs to cut its deficit to 8-3. Dave Belford ripped an opposite field triple to right one bounce off the fence that plated the second and third runs in the inning.

St. Bart's answered with an eight-run bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a two-run triple Peter Costello smacked over the left fielder's head.

The first home run of the game was slugged in the top of the fifth by Scotch Plains PBA Local #87 player Jay Fiore, which was a solo shot over the left field fence that made the score 16-4.

A grand slam home run hit over the center field fence by Bill Aumenta of St. Bart's gave his team a 28-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth.

Scotch Plains PBA Local #87 scored three more runs in the top of the sixth, with Stan Pearson driving in two runs with a triple and Al Sclenger one with a double that cut the lead to 28-7.

St. Bart's added its final two runs in the sixth and seventh innings, while Scotch Plains PBA Local #87 scored the game's last two runs in the top of the eighth for the 30-9 final.  

At the end of Sunday's game, Fugett was among a group of people who presented Sister Lee Ann the check for $17,000.

"It was great," Fugett said. "Whether you are a police officer or someone else, making money for people that need it is what this is about"

Sister Lee Ann was more than pleasantly surprised with the turnout.

"It's just out of the goodness and the graciousness of their hearts,” she said. “The police department works very, very hard at this. Luke Fugett comes and says, 'Sisters, we're going to do this. What do we need to do? Can you help us out by selling some tickets?' We, basically, do that.”

Sister Lee Ann said the school hopes to move in the near future, and is currently raising funds to renovate the former St. Joseph’s School in North Plainfield to make it handicapped accessible for the students.  She said that all of the money from Sunday's softball game will go toward the renovation, with the goal of getting the school up and operating by some time in 2010.

 
SCOTCH PLAINS PBA LOCAL #87

("The Finest")

Dave Belford

Luke Fugett

Jay Everitt

Jay Fiore

Brandon Lorenz

Jeff Briel

Brad Belford

Brian Mahoney

Ed Belford

Stan Pearson

Al Sclenger

Ted Conley

Dave Lavery

Gerard Rites

Shawn Johnson
 

SAINT BARTHOLOMEW ALL-STARS

("The Oldest")

Bill Aumenta, St. Aloyisus

Keith Middleton, St. Jude

Kevin Woodring, St. Aloysius

Kevin Spellman, St. Patrick

Marty Bernstein, St. David

Robert Stratton, St. Luke

Patrick Enright, St. Patrick

Damon Roth, St. Anne

Gustavo Alvarez, St. Matthew

Thomas Ulichny, St. Joseph

Allan Betau, St. David

Ron Labin, St. Anne

Peter Costello, St. Anthony

Robert Camisa, St. Stephen

Anthony Blasi, St. Aloysius