PT, Beth-Center to hold alumni baseball games
In more than 50 years of Peters Township High School baseball, the program has developed some of the area’s top players, eight of which that signed contracts with a Major League Baseball organization.
Jordan Jankowski, a relief pitcher for the Houston Astros’ Class AAA affiliate in Fresno, is the only active alumni in the minor leagues, but the rest could return to Peterswood Park next Friday to kick off a weekend-long alumni celebration.
“We’ve had some very talented ballplayers at Peters Township and it will be great to get some of those guys back together,” Peters Township head coach Joe Maize said. “In our tri-county area, there aren’t too many programs that have had eight kids sign professional contracts. That’s almost unheard of.”
Maize is searching for all baseball alumni to participate in the events, which begins with an introduction prior to the Indians’ Section 5-AAAA game Friday against Mt. Lebanon at 6:35 p.m. After the game, alumni will gather at Pizzaz Pizza in McMurray. There is an alumni game scheduled for Saturday at noon with a family picnic later in the day and a golf outing Sunday afternoon.
Maize hosted an alumni game a decade ago, but recent events inspired him to bring it back in 2016. Sally DiAngelo, who served as president of Peters Township Baseball Association and along with her husband, Matt, were leaders in raising $100,000 for lights at Peterswood Park nearly 25 years ago, passed away last fall.
“When I was at Sally’s funeral, I thought about just how much her and her husband did for baseball in our community,” Maize said. “Next weekend we’ll get the alumni together and it will give us the opportunity to recognize the contributions of Matt and Sally.”
The event also will help fund the booster club’s annual scholarship for academic achievement and leadership, which will be renamed the Diamondbackers/Sally DiAngelo Memorial Scholarship. The program also will host the first Sally DiAngelo Memorial Golf Outing Aug. 22 at Valleybrook Country Club with the proceeds going toward the scholarship. Maize asks that any alumni interested in participating in the weekend events contact him at 724-809-1689.
Peters Township isn’t the only program hosting an alumni fundraiser.
Beth-Center is inviting alumni to participate in the first alumni game fundraiser, which will benefit the B-C Baseball Boosters, May 21 (2 p.m.) at Beth-Center’s baseball stadium. The cost is $60 per player and includes a hat, a custom T-shirt, meal and drink tickets for the after-game party. Admission for adults is $2 and $1 for kids fifth grade and under. Register or donate at www.bcalumnigame.itemorder.com. Deadline for entry is April 30.