South Mecklenburg to battle baseball rival Charlotte Catholic for a special cause Saturday
When Charlotte Catholic and South Mecklenburg square off in any sport, the rivalry is intense.
But when the two teams meet on the baseball diamond Saturday at South Mecklenburg, they will come together to raise money for the Miracle League, a YMCA-sanctioned baseball league that provides access to opportunities for those living with physical, cognitive and neurological differences.
While the off-the-field event is the main attraction, both teams also want to better the other once the action starts.
“It’s nice to have someone so local where we can get hopefully more fans at the game and raise even more money,” said South Mecklenburg coach Brian Hoop. “But we want to win. We always want to win. Two years ago it got rained out and last year we beat them.”
South Mecklenburg has been taking part in Miracle League fundraising for more than a decade. For the first several years, the games were against Myers Park, but for the past few years South Meck has battled Charlotte Catholic. Hoop said one year the schools combined to raise more than $10,000, but the game usually brings in around $3-5,000 or more.
This game will feature chances for Miracle League kids to run the bases and take infield and batting practice in between the 11 a.m. junior varsity game and the 2 p.m. varsity finale.
“We could not be more excited to be a part of the Miracle League game again with South Meck,” said Charlotte Catholic coach Eddie Hull, a former all-state player at the school and a three-year member of the Charlotte 49ers. “The Miracle League is something that I have always supported over the years – dating back to my college days at UNCC…It’s a great opportunity for our players to be exposed to these kids and allow baseball to be an avenue to connect with them. We look forward to continuing this awareness game for years to come.”
This game and resulting fundraiser are even more special for the Sabres, who have two players — senior Chris Short and junior Brayden Bartholomew — who have siblings with special needs.
Short’s brother, Robert, was born with Down syndrome. Robert graduated from South Mecklenburg in January and is in his second season as the Sabres’ team manager.
The 18-year-old never misses a game.
“It’s great to have him here,” Chris Short said. “He’s always been there cheering me on and to have him in the dugout and supporting the guys is how I want it to be. To see him go around the team and the team go around him is a really nice feeling for me.”
Bartholomew’s brother, Landon, is autistic. Landon is a former South Mecklenburg student who, like Robert, is always in the stands on game days.
“He’s not a sports person like Robert is, but I love him to death,” Brayden Bartholomew said. “He takes cooking classes and he’s amazing. He’ll come home after school and make homemade pasta or homemade pizzas or deserts. He’s just amazing to have around.”
While the action on the field should be just as intense as any South Mecklenburg and Charlotte Catholic matchup, this one will have plenty of meaning beyond the fundraising efforts.
Both teams have started well. The Sabres are unbeaten in conference pay while the Cougars, still fresh off their regional final run last season, have already split a two-game series with Sweet 16 preseason No. 1 Providence.
“It’s always a great game between us,” Chris Short said. “And for us to be able to come together and play the game for something more than baseball with the Miracle League is really special.”