No. 21 NC State baseball celebrates inaugural ‘Victory Over Cancer’ game

No. 21 NC State baseball swept its series over Ball State with a 11-3 victory but the result was just a cherry on top of what was a special day at Doak Field. NC State hosted the inaugural “Victory Over Cancer” game to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer. The event raised nearly $50,000 for pediatric cancer research.

NC State and The V Foundation teamed up alongside former Wolfpack star and current Phillies shortstop Trea Turner and his wife Kristen to create a day supporting pediatric cancer research.

“Trea Turner and Kristen Turner wanted to start a fund for pediatric cancer and they were so touched when they were here with Jimmy V’s story and how he motivated so many people,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “

They were inspired by the “Play4Kay” game NC State women’s basketball has every year to raise awareness for women’s cancer and wanted to create something similar that will spread across college baseball much like the “Play4Kay” game has.

“The Play4Kay game when it started was just NC State. Now everybody has a Play4Kay game, everybody wears the pink unis,” Avent said. “When I talked to Trey and Kristen, we came up with this idea of starting a game here every year like the Play4Kay game and it'd be nice if it caught on throughout the country.”

It was an especially meaningful day for Avent whose eight-year-old nephew, Shane, is battling a brain tumor. Avent wore Shane on the back of his gold jersey — the color that signifies pediatric cancer. Avent brought Shane into the media room and he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

“It was really exciting because I wanted to get everybody together and I really love baseball,” Shane said. “I got to go to a lot of places that I don’t in normal baseball.”

“He got to go in the dugout and the locker room,” Avent said. “He loved running the bases,” Avent said.

Along with Shane, children and families afflicted by cancer were welcomed to the game and got to play catch with Wolfpack players before the game and threw out the first pitch. Kristen and her kids were also out on the field spending time with children and their families.

As for the game, junior catcher Jacob Cozart continued his hot streak at the plate with his sixth home run in the last seven games. Before his solo shot, he tripled in the first inning to drive in the first run of the game. Cozart wore the name Casey on his back who is a kid he met at the game that has cancer.

“It was honestly a surreal feeling putting on this uni,” Cozart said. “Having the kids go to the locker room, just being around … because just what they're going through, like where they are at, like we were at the same point in our lives as a kid, but they've got something much harder to deal with, like, this is the least we can do for them.”

Avent was the mastermind behind the event and had to plan it in a short amount of time while coaching his team. He hopes with more time to plan next year that he can raise even more money and awareness for pediatric cancer.

“Trying to coach and keep this team together with all the injuries [we’ve] had and, and put this thing together in a short period of time, but I think it was a huge success,” Avent said. “My dream is obviously we'll play this game every year here at NC State. But I'd love to see it start around the ACC, start with every college in North Carolina then maybe spread out to other conferences.

“The next thing you know they’ll be playing this game all over the country. You can think of the dollars for research and to help families as they go through things they have to do but I think this couldn’t have been a bigger success.”

This was just the beginning of “Victory Over Cancer” and it raised nearly $50,000 with very little prep. It’s an event that will become synonymous with NC State much like the “Play4Kay” game and the “Jimmy V Classic.” Avent says he wants to be remembered more than just a baseball coach and this event will live in his legacy forever.

Those kids running around the bases and playing catch with college baseball players will never forget today. NC State and Avent created a special event that will change the lives of the next generation.

“Who better can you support than the children of our country right now,” Avent said.