The Kentucky State University Baseball program is set to host its first annual First Pitch Dinner to renovate the Thorobreds’ Alumni Field which was damaged in a wind storm this past spring. The storm produced severe weather with high winds that flipped the bleachers on to the playing field landing at home plate. The damage was extensive, causing the baseball team to practice and play their home games away from campus at two local high school locations, Western Hills and Franklin County. Head coach Rob Henry wants to raise enough money to restore the entire field bringing Thorobred baseball back to campus.
The First Pitch event takes place Jan. 27, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. inside the Carl M. Hill Student Center on campus. To help the Kentucky State baseball program, the University of Kentucky head baseball coach Nick Mingione and University of Louisville head baseball coach Dan McDonnell will serve as the guest speakers to raise funds to restore KSU’s home field.
This event officially kicks off the Throrobreds’ 2024 season, but it also provides the support from two NCAA Division I baseball coaches who are interested in KSU’s plight to return home games to a much better playing field.
The First Pitch Dinner will begin with a meet-and-greet with the Kentucky State baseball team and coaches, including head coach Robert Henry, UK’s Mingione and UL’s McDonnell. Coach Henry stated, “It is thrilling and exciting to have two head coaches to campus for our program and our benefit.”
The goal of this event is to raise a quarter of a million dollars for the first phase of the renovation project to get the team back on campus after the storm destroyed the field. According to coach Henry, a new field includes a backstop, scoreboard, outfield fencing, and dugouts to refurbish the field.
The dinner and program will include the featured guest speakers and a silent auction for KSU behalf.