Frats at Bat will begin today and continue through Saturday at the Mississippi State University Rec Plex. Sponsored by the Tri Delta’s MSU chapter, Frats at Bat is a softball competition between fraternities and sororities on campus. All proceeds go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The first pitch will be thrown by Austin Landgrath, a 7-year-old patient of St. Jude from Columbus.
“We’re very excited about the softball game,” Kara Servov,Tri Delta’s vice president of public relations, said.
According to Servov, the male winners of the softball game will work for a free party rental at the Hunt Club and the female winners will work for a charter bus donated by Starkville Buses.
On Saturday from noon-2 p.m. there will be a homerun derby open to the public for $10 for 10 pitches. The winner will win a trip to the Isle of Capri Casino in Biloxi.
“We also have a raffle with $1 tickets for a trip to the Silver Star Casino,” Servov said.
“This is our fourth annual Frats at Bat,” Servov said. “In the past three years, we were able to raise over $100,000 with all sororities and fraternities participating.”
Senior Delta Chi member Chris McCann is participating in Frats at Bat for his third year.
“It’s a really good opportunity for individuals in the Greek system to get together for a good time and a good cause,” McCann said.
Also lending a helping hand to raising money for St. Jude is Rick’s Cafe owner Rick Welch. On Wednesday, Rick’s hosted three popular bands-Blue Tattoo, Crimson Waters and Junior Saint-and will donate all proceeds to St. Jude.
“We were really exited to have Rick’s participating in this important fundraiser,” Servov said.
Tri Delta chapters across the nation have annually had Frats at Bat, but MSU’s Tri Delta chapter only began participating four years ago.
“It has been the most successful philanthropy project as for as sororities on campus,” Servov said.
“We are one of the highest grossing chapters who raise for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.”
According to McCann, Frats at Bat is a fun competition instead of a serious competition.
“Everybody likes to win the competitions,” McCann said, “but in the end it is the children of St. Jude that win.”
Admission is $5 for everyone.