Salve Regina baseball to hold fundraiser for The B+ Foundation® during CCC doubleheader

Courtesy of Georgine Hertzwig

NEWPORT, R.I. -- Salve Regina University baseball Student Athlete Advistory Committee (SAAC) have worked closely with the Fed Up With Cancer Foundation, founded by Seahawk alumnus Jason Maxwell '01 to make raising funds for the The B+ Foundation® successful on Saturday, April 6, before during and between games of a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader with Western New England University.

First Pitch Ceremony - Chris Holloway '85

Throwing out our first pitch of the day will be Chris Holloway '85 and also a baseball alumnus. Chris was a dual athlete at Salve Regina, where he also met his wife Ellen, serving as a top pitcher for the baseball team and as a captain of the track and field team. One of the highlights of Chris's baseball career in 1983 was his two seven-inning games that he pitched back to back against Barrington College. Throwing 144 pitches between the two games and taking the win on both games. He mentioned he was fine after the game but the next day was quite sore.

In February of 2018, Chris was thrown a curve ball and was diagnosed with late stage Thymoma cancer. Chris has battled through chemotherapy, surgery, blood clots, and pneumonia, just to name a few, and faces each day with a grateful attitude. As a baseball coach, Chris often tells his players "there are only two things we can control in life, our work ethic and our attitude," adding that many years ago the Salve Regina line was, "Be Your Best Self."

Julia Gutierrez - sister of Jeremy Gutierrez '22

Members of the Salve Regina baseball team have had cancer impact family members, there is one in particular attached to their 2019 roster that inspired the day to benefit The B+ Foundation®

The older sister of freshman pitcher, Jeremy Gutierrez, from Campbell Hall, N.Y., Julia Gutierrez has a heroic story as she was victorious over cancer twice! Her journey with cancer started back when she was first diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of pediatric bone cancer, in her right shoulder and both lungs at 15 years old. Julia went through 10 months of chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and when finished, returned as a junior in high school. After a year and a half of being cancer free, and one week after her high school graduation, the cancer returned in her lungs. Julia is now two years cancer free and a sophomore at New York University studying biology on the pre-med path. She does a lot of volunteering and fundraising for children battling cancer, and hopes to one day work in oncology so that one day no one has to suffer from such a terrible disease. Last year Julia served as NYDM's B+ Hero Assistant Director and this year she serves as the Co-B+ Hero Chair for NYDM.

Chris Brown - mother of Kyle Brown '21

Cancer has touched many of our lives and we would also like to recognize another member of our Salve Regina baseball family - Chris Brown, mother of Kyle Brown and his sister Chloe, who also attends Salve Regina, and wife of Ed Brown. Chris is fighting her battle against breast cancer. The Browns continue to be a beacon of support for our baseball family, and Kyle is the lifter of team spirit for our team. There's not a moment that you don't see him cheering his teammates on.

Please help us help those who continue this battle against cancer and enjoy the days' events of a 50/50 Raffle, raffle prizes of donated gift certificates from local Newport businesses, and enjoy some great food from Eddie's BBQ Food Truck who will be donating 10% of his sales to the B+ Foundation.

"As a parent that has been with the team and coaches for the last four years, it touches my heart especially with this event that we are able to work with so many dynamics of the Salve family," stated Georgine Hertzwig. "I think the most important part of our Salve Regina baseball family is that we rise to the occasion to support those in need and make it our priority to give back to the community," Hertzwig added.

Now LET"S HIT A HOMERUN WITH THIS FUNDRAISER & STAND FED UP WITH CANCER!!!! LET"S PLAY BALL!!!